Article I Organization Name
Article II Objectives/Mission
Article III Policies/Procedures
Article IV Membership
Article V Funds
Article VI FSO Executive Board Members and Their Elections
Article VII Duties of FSO Executive Board Members and Ex-Officio Members
Article VIII Meetings
Article IX Standing and Special Committees
Article X Amendments

Article I Organization Name

The name of this organization shall be The Ranches Academy Family School Organization (FSO).

Article II Objectives/Mission

Section 1: To help The Ranches Academy Charter School accomplish its goals and objectives as defined in its charter.

Section 2: To involve parents in and promote a better understanding of the educational program of The Ranches Academy.

Section 3: To provide meaningful events and activities that will enhance the educational experience provided at The Ranches Academy.

Section 4: To promote a closer relationship between parents and the school, that the parents and teachers may work cooperatively in educating children.

Section 5: This FSO is organized exclusively for the charitable, scientific, literary or educational purpose within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any further federal tax code (hereinafter Internal Revenue Code).

Article III Policies/Procedures

Section 1: The FSO shall neither seek to direct the administrative activities of the school nor control its policies.

Section 2: The FSO may make suggestions to the administration concerning activities of the school, if such suggestion is made toward the betterment of conditions for all concerned, i.e. students, teachers, administrators and parents.

Section 3: The FSO shall meet monthly on a day and time decided by a majority vote of the FSO Executive Board with a quorum present.

Section 4: Business may be transacted at a general FSO meeting with a majority of the Executive Board present and a majority vote of the members in attendance.

Section 5: The FSO general meetings shall meet in accordance with open meeting policies.

Section 6: In the event of the dissolution of this organization, the assets of the organization, after all outstanding debts have been met, shall be donated to The Ranches Academy Charter School for the purchase of instructional materials.

Section 7: All membership concerns or complaints should be resolved by the FSO Executive Board in an efficient and timely manner. If the concern or complaint can not be resolved, the matter should then be taken to the Principal for resolution. If the matter can not be resolved by the Principal, then the matter can be brought before The Ranches Academy Governing Board for review.

Article IV Membership

Section 1: Any parent or legal guardian with a child enrolled and attending The Ranches Academy is eligible to be a member of the FSO.

Section 2: Each family will have only one vote on FSO voting items.

Section 3: Each member of the licensed teaching staff working at The Ranches Academy, and the Principal, Secretary and School Assistant are members of the FSO.

Section 4: The FSO Executive Board shall consist of a President, President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 5: The principal and staff liaison, appointed by the principal, shall serve as ex-officio members of the FSO Executive Board.

Section 6: The FSO Board shall consist of the FSO Executive Board and other such members as the Executive Board deems necessary.

Section 7: The Ranches Academy Governing Board shall function as advisors to the FSO.

Section 8: All FSO members are encouraged to attend the FSO meetings. Concerns may be addressed during these meetings, provided the issue has been placed on the agenda or given during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Section 9: Each FSO board member may make motions and/or serve on committees.

Section 10: This organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non partisan.

Section 11: The name of this FSO or the names of any members in their official capacities shall not be used to endorse or promote a commercial concern or in connection with any partisan interest or for any purposes not appropriately related to promotion of the objects of this FSO.

Section 12: This FSO shall not directly or indirectly participate or intervene (in any way, including publishing or distributing of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

Section 13: No part of the net earnings of the organization shall insure to the benefit of, or be distributed to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set within the Articles of Association and the By-Laws.

Article V Funds

Section 1: A yearly budget will be adopted at the last executive board meeting of the fiscal year (July 1-June 30) by a majority vote of the FSO Executive Board with a quorum present. It will then be presented to the general FSO members at the general meeting of the fiscal year with 51% of the vote of the general FSO members present at the meeting. If the proposed budget is not adopted at this time, a special meeting to resolve the budget shall be scheduled.

Section 2: Funds to cover the budget and other needed items will be allotted to the FSO by the School Governing board and raised through fund-raising projects (yearbook, and uniform sells) and donations. Priorities of how fund-raising revenues will be spent during the next school year will be introduced in April and adopted in May. Amendments of spending priorities can be made at any meeting by a 51% majority vote of the FSO members present.

Section 3: The Executive Board of the FSO is authorized to expend funds allotted through the adopted budget. Any additional expenses must be approved by a majority vote of the FSO membership present at the meeting in which the request was made.

Section 4: All checks must be signed by two of the following the FSO president, the FSO President Elect, or the FSO treasurer.

Article VI FSO Executive Board members and their Elections

Section 1: The FSO Executive Board shall consist of a President, President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The principal and staff liaison shall serve as ex officio members of the FSO Executive Board.

Section 2: In The Ranches Academy’s inaugural year, the FSO President shall be appointed by The Ranches Academy Governing Board. The President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large shall be appointed by the FSO President under consultation with The Ranches Academy Governing Board.

Section 3: An election shall be held each May for the following FSO Executive Board positions: President Elect. Only FSO members may vote.

Section 4: FSO Executive Board members shall assume their official duties on July 1st following their election.

Section 5: A vacancy occurring in the positions of President, President Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be filled for the remainder of the term by a person elected by a majority vote of the remaining members of the FSO Executive Board. In the case of a vacancy of the office of President, the President Elect shall become President and the FSO Executive Board shall select a new President Elect. In the event that both the offices of President and President Elect are vacated at the same time, the remainder of the FSO Executive Board may assume the responsibilities of the two offices until replacements are selected.

Section 6: FSO Executive Board member elections shall be conducted in the following manner:
i. Applications will be submitted in writing in the month of April and given to the Governing Board President. Nominations will be presented to the FSO general membership at the April meeting.
ii. A ballot election will be held in May.
iii. Appropriate notification of elections will be given to the FSO members.

Article VII Duties of FSO Executive Board Members and Ex Officio Members

Section 1: The President:
i) Presides at all general FSO meetings and FSO Executive Board
meetings.
ii) Prepares an agenda in coordination with the FSO Executive Board Secretary for meetings.
iii) Calls meetings to order.
iv) Receives reports from the Secretary, Treasurer and committee chairs.
v) Acquaints President Elect with the organization and sees that all
departing FSO Executive Board members pass on the records of their offices and ensures proper orientation for their successors.
vi) Shall be designated as the primary contact for the principal, administration, and The Ranches Academy Governing Board
vi) Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
vii) Attends The Ranches Academy monthly board meeting and provides FSO report, submits requests for events and/or activities as requested by the board.
viii) Shall perform such other reasonable and appropriate assignments as may be prescribed in these bylaws or assigned to her/ him by the FSO Executive Board, and shall coordinate the work of the FSO Executive Board and committees, in order that the objectives/mission may be promoted.
ix) Shall request an outside audit of FSO finances as deemed necessary.

Section 2: The President Elect:
i) Assists the President as needed and performs the duties of the
President in his/her absence or inability to serve.
ii) Prepares to become the President in the following year.

Section 3: The Secretary:
i) Shall record and maintain a record of the minutes of all FSO
Executive Board meetings, FSO Board meetings and general
FSO meetings.
ii) Prepares a copy of the minutes of each FSO Executive Board
meeting for each Executive Board member and ex officio members, provides those minutes prior to the next FSO Executive Board meeting, and posts them in the appropriate places (School office & website) for general membership accessibility.
iii) Prepares an agenda in coordination with the FSO President.
iv) Publicizes the date, time and agenda of all FSO meetings.
v) Acts to ensure that all bylaws are strictly followed and has a
copy of the bylaws on hand for reference at all meetings.
vi) Maintains a log of all volunteer hours
vii) May not serve for more than 2 consecutive terms of 1 year each.

Section 4: The Treasurer:
i) Shall receive and approve all expenditures of the FSO.
ii) Shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures.
iii) Shall present a financial statement when requested by the FSO Executive Board.
iv) Shall make a full financial report at the end of the current fiscal year. The fiscal year shall be July 1-June 30.
v) May not serve for more than 2 consecutive terms of 1 year each.

Section 5: FSO Executive Board members are required to attend scheduled FSO Executive Board meetings. Missing two consecutive FSO Executive Board meetings without prior notification will result in immediate dismissal from the FSO Executive Board.

Section 6: All FSO Executive Board members shall deliver to their successor’s official materials at the close of their term of office.

Section 7: Materials sent home to parents by a committee must have prior approval from a FSO Executive Board Member.

Section 8: The Principal reports on the state of the school.

Section 9: The Staff Liaison represents the school staff.

Section 10: All FSO Executive Board members and ex officio members shall perform the duties outlined above as well as any other duties prescribed in these bylaws and such other reasonable or appropriate duties as may be delegated to him/her by the FSO Executive Board.

Section 11: The duties of the Executive Board shall be to carry out the expressed policies and desires of the membership of the organization and to make recommendations to the membership for needed actions or policy changes that may be required.

Article VIII Meetings

Section 1: The annual kick-off meeting of the FSO shall be held at the beginning of each school year in conjunction with the back to school event, the exact date to be decided upon by the FSO Executive Board.

Section 2: The FSO and the FSO Executive Board shall have regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 3: Three FSO Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum. A quorum is necessary for the transaction of official FSO business.

Section 4: FSO Executive Board business conducted outside of scheduled meetings must be posted on the website and emailed or called in to all Executive Board members.

Section 5: The FSO Executive Board may call special meetings. The President of the FSO Executive Board shall give appropriate notification to the FSO Executive Board members.
i) FSO meetings must be open and announced in a timely manner so that all FSO members may attend.

Article IX Standing and Special Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees (Academic, Artistic, Health & Safety, Lunch, Newsletter, Reading, Room Mothers, Teacher Appreciation, Yearbook, and Uniforms), and special committees shall be created by the FSO Executive Board as deemed necessary to promote the objectives and carry on the work of the organization.

Section 2: The President, with the approval of the FSO Executive Board, shall appoint the chairpersons of the standing committees. These chairpersons may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms of 1 year each unless no other volunteer can be found. If a committee chair position becomes vacant, a replacement shall be chosen in the same manner.

Section 3: The chairperson of each standing committee shall work with the committee of volunteers that signed up for that committee.

Section 4: The chairperson shall report the plans and activities of the committee to the FSO Executive Board. No committee shall undertake any projects without approval from the FSO Executive Board.

Section 5: Committee chairperson/persons shall be issued committee guidelines by the FSO Executive Board.
i) Since special committees are created by and appointed for a specific purpose, they are automatically dissolved when their work is finished and their final report is received.
ii) Duties of a committee chairperson:
a) Attends all general FSO meetings.
b) Reports to the FSO Executive Board.
c) Acquaints his/her replacement with the organization and passes
on all records of the office to their successor.
d) Submits articles to the monthly school newsletter as necessary.
e) Sends out thank you notes to all volunteers on their committee or acknowledges volunteers in the monthly school newsletter.

Article X Amendments

Any member of the FSO can propose a request for amendments to the FSO bylaws. FSO bylaws are to be amended at The Ranches Academy Board meetings under the following conditions:

Section 1: Proposed amendments shall be presented in a general FSO meeting during the “New Business” section of the agenda.

Section 2: A quorum of The FSO Executive Board must be present at the time of a vote to request to amend the bylaws.

Section 3: The FSO Executive Board approves the request for an amendment by simple majority.
i) If 51% of the FSO members in attendance approve the proposed amendment, it passes.
ii) Requests for amendments are then submitted to The Ranches Academy Governing Board for approval.