BYLAWS OF FREMONT CHINESE SCHOOL
1. NAME: This school has been named
"Fremont Chinese School" in English. Different branches will
have the same head school name, plus respective district site name.
2. MISSION: The purpose of this school is to teach Chinese
culture and language.
3. NATURE: This school is a non-profit organization
mainly engaged in education, and will not be involved in any party, religious,
or political activities.
4. ORGANIZATION, AUTHORITY AND DUTY:
4.1 Member
4.1.1 Every enrolled student's parent, or student him/herself who has
reached 18 years old, and is willing to abide by the rules of this school
will be an ex officio Member;
4.1.2 This school is a cooperative non-profit organization. In support,
each parent should render service to this school of at least three hours
every semester;
4.1.3 Every parent has the right and duty to be elected as a member of
the Executive Committee (EC) or Parent Representative Association (PRA);
4.1.4 All members of the School Board (SB), members of the Executive
Committee, and Parent Representative Association are honorable volunteers
and receive no salary or compensation;
4.2 Parent's Representative Association (PRA)
4.2.1 PRA has the responsibilities of communicating with parents and coordinating
and supporting the operation of the executive committee. The PRA is organized
as follows: Chairperson, vice chairperson(s), and respective operating
departments. The operating departments can be established when circumstances
become necessary. Members of the Executive Committee and teachers are
not allowed to concurrently take a position as a PRA member.
4.2.2 Chairperson and vice chairperson(s) of the PRA are to be elected
from members of the PRA.
4.2.3 Chairperson and vice chairperson(s) of the PRA shall be elected
in the middle of the second semester by the PRA, and shall serve the next
term.
4.2.4 The tenure of chairperson and vice chairperson(s) of the PRA shall
be one year. After being re-elected, each may hold the post for another
term only.
4.3 Executive Committee (EC)
4.3.1 EC consists of all members of the EC. The nominees are to be recommended
by parents or self-recommended.
4.3.2 At least one child of each member of EC must be enrolled. Members
of PRA and teachers are not allowed to concurrently take a position as
EC member.
4.3.3 EC appoints a principal and vice principal(s), and sets up the following
departments: Curriculum, Personnel, Finance, Secretarial, Publishing,
Registration, Recreation, Computer, and General affairs. The number of
departments may be increased or decreased as circumstances require.
4.3.4 The tenure of members of EC is two years. The post can be held continuously
after being re-elected.
4.3.5 An EC member can be elected as the school principal after a minimum
of two years service in EC; or elected as vice principal after a minimum
of one year service in EC.
4.3.6 Principal and vice principal(s) are to be elected from among members
of the EC. The tenure of the posts is one year. After being re-elected,
each may hold the post for another term only.
4.3.7 The principal is in charge of the whole school, representing the
school and coordinating the internal operation.
4.3.8 Members of the EC have the responsibility of handling all school
affairs. An operation report for each semester shall be submitted to the
Parent Assembly. An annual budget report shall be submitted during the
middle of the second semester.
4.3.9 The duties and responsibilities of all EC departments are given
in detail in the appendix of these bylaws: Executive Committee Handbook.
4.4 School Board (SB)
4.4.1 SB is the top arbitration, supervision, and policy-making organization
of this school.
4.4.2 SB is responsible for developing the school's long and short-term
development plans. SB is also responsible for reviewing the operation
reports of EC and PRA.
4.4.3 SB is accountable to Parent's Assembly (PA). SB shall submit school
affairs and financial reports to PA each semester.
4.4.4 SB consists of seven board members (each must have at least one
child enrolled as a registered student in this school).
4.4.4.1 The active school principal, and the chairperson of PRA are both
ex officio SB members. The tenure is the same as that of their concurrent
posts.
4.4.4.2 One member shall be selected from among the ex-principals and
ex-vice principals, and another member shall be selected from ex-chairmen
and ex-vice chairmen of PRA, by SB as "selected SB members".
The tenure is one year. After being re-elected, each may hold the post
for another term only.
4.4.4.2.1 The following criteria will be used in selecting the "selected
SB members":
1. Persons nominated by members of current SB.
2. The outgoing principal and chairperson of PRA have first priority.
3. If the present principal and chairperson of PRA will continue in office
for a second term, then the present selected member of SB may continue
in office for another term as well.
4. If neither person can accept the post in selection 2 or 3 above, then
other qualified persons should be nominated, with preference going to
nominees who have previously been the principal/vice-principal of the
school, or chairmen/vice-chairmen of PRA with the most recent experience.
4.4.4.2.2 Nominees of "selected SB members" must pass two-thirds
of the approval by SB, then be submitted to PA for recognition.
4.4.4.3 The remaining three seats of SB members shall be elected by PA
as "elected SB members". Nominees may be through recommendation
from EC, PRA, or self (self-recommended must have a minimum of 20 joint
signatures from parents). The tenure is two years. After being re-elected,
each may hold the post for another term only.
4.4.5 The selected or elected members should not be concurrently holding
a position as a member of EC, PRA, or teachers of the school.
4.4.6 SB will call a regular monthly meeting to review reports on school
matters
4.4.7 SB has the right to approve the appointment of the principal and
vice principal. If either appointment is disapproved by SB, EC must nominate
a new candidate, or the EC may be dissolved and re-establish another EC
before making another nomination.
4.5 Parent's Assembly (PA)
4.5.1 PA is the top decision-making organization of the school, and is
formed by all Members (see 4.1).
4.5.2 All parents should participate in PA meetings. Every Member has
one ballot when matters are put to vote.
4.5.3 A general meeting of PA will be held once every semester, called
and conducted by SB.
4.5.4 The rights and obligations of PA are as follows:
4.5.4.1 To review and approve the operation reports and proposals of SB.
4.5.4.2 PA has the authority to approve and recall members of SB. Any
recall of an SB member must be approved by more than one-half of all members
present.
4.5.5 The quorum for a decision-making meeting of PA shall be represented
by a number of parents equal to or exceeding 10% of the total number of
current students.
4.5.6 A special meeting of PA can be called to discuss urgent matters,
with a joint signature of parents equal to or exceeding 10% of the total
number of current students.
4.5.7 The agenda of a general meeting of PA is to be determined by SB,
and shall be printed and distributed to all parents two weeks before the
date of the meeting.
4.5.8 PA meeting minutes shall be published in the school's newsletter
within four weeks, in order to keep all parents informed.
5. OPERATION AND EXECUTION:
5.1 Meetings of school affairs are to be conducted twice in every semester,
and are to be called by the principal for the purpose of:
5.1.1 Reporting registration status and proposing activities of current
semester.
5.1.2 Managing matters of current school year and planning registration
of next school year.
5.2 A special meeting may be called when necessary, or jointly signed
by 50% of EC members.
5.3 EC may establish or eliminate a special department to study and manage
special affairs. This special department shall submit study reports to
EC for decision making.
5.4 All meetings of school matters are in open form, and parents are cordially
urged to participate and discuss affairs.
5.5 Extracted minutes of meetings of school affairs shall be published
in the Parent's Bulletin to keep all parents informed.
6. FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING:
6.1 The operation fund of the school is mainly from tuition. An annual
financial budget report is required to assure a balanced budget.
6.2 The EC and PRA shall prepare the budget of tuition, miscellaneous
expenses, and teacher salaries, and submit to SB for approval during the
second semester of each calendar year.
6.3 Any single expense not included in the existing budget in excess of
$1,000 may be paid after being approved by two-thirds of the members of
EC and over one-half of the members of SB.
6.4 In the event this school should terminate its operation or be dissolved,
all of the remaining funds and assets shall be donated to a non-profit
educational charity institute.
6.5 The surplus budget balance accumulated from previous years shall be
put in a bank account specially established for that purpose, and shall
be handled by a finance administration committee organized by SB.
7. OTHER:
7.1 Any proposal for amendments to the bylaws shall be made if
* jointly signed by a number of parents equal to or exceeding 10% of the
total number of current students, or
* approved by two-thirds of members of SB, or
* approved by two-thirds of members of EC, or
* approved by two-thirds of members of PRA.
Then this proposal must be submitted to a general meeting of PA, and passed
by two-thirds of the quorum.
7.2 These bylaws were most recently revised and approved in a general
meeting of PA held on November 16, 1996, and became effective immediately.
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