The bylaws for this school were last reviewed or modified on Sep. 24, 2024.

The bylaws are as follows:

TERRA Environmental Research Institute-Location 7029

EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL BYLAWS

Each Educational Excellence School Advisory Council can include in its operating bylaws provisions similar to those described herein. However, the operating bylaws for each Educational Excellence School Advisory Council must include the provision herein entitled IV.B.5. Unexcused Absences, IV.C. Election Process, IV.D.5. Convenient Meeting Time, IV.E. Quorum, IV.F.3. Notice to Members, and IV.H.1. Maintenance of Minutes.

A. PURPOSE
The purpose of the TERRA Environmental Research Institute Educational Excellence School Advisory Council is to work to ensure improved student achievement. One of the ways the Council will do this is by preparing and evaluating the school improvement plan as required by 1008.345, F.S. Comprehensive Revision of Florida’s System of School Improvement and Education Accountability.

B. COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. Composition
The TERRA Environmental Research Institute Council shall be made up of 5 teachers, 5 parents, 2 students, 1 education support employee,
2 business/community representatives, the UTD designated steward and the principal. With the exception of the principal, the UTD designated steward, and the business/community representatives, all other members shall be elected by their constituent groups. Teachers, parents, students, and education support employees shall elect an alternate representative. The designated steward may designate an alternate steward in their absence. The Council will be representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic, disabled, and economic community served by TERRA Environmental Research Institute. A majority (50% plus 1) of members must not be employed by the District. (Note: Refer to Section II for required minimums as well as procedures to seek variations or expansion.)

2. Eligibility
All teachers, student services personnel, and the media specialist employed by the school are eligible to be elected teacher representatives to the Council. All other persons employed by the school, including paraprofessionals, and those who are not defined as instructional or administrative personnel and whose duties require 20 or more hours in each normal working week are eligible to be elected as the education support employee representative. All parents, guardians, or significant others responsible for a child enrolled in TERRA Environmental Research Institute are eligible to be elected as parent representatives, with the exception of those parents who are also employed by TERRA Environmental Research Institute.

3. Terms
The terms of office shall begin on the first meeting of the school year and end on the last meeting of the school year for parents and educational support employees subject to re-election. The terms of office shall begin on the first meeting of the school year and end on the last meeting of the following school year totaling a two-school year term for teachers subject to re-election.

4. Responsibilities
Council members are expected to:
a. attend all regular and special meetings,
b. communicate with constituents to collect data and opinions for decision making,
c. report to constituents the actions taken by the Council, and
d. consider the needs of all students when making decisions.

5. Unexcused Absences
Any member who has two consecutive unexcused absences from council meetings shall be considered to have resigned. The member shall be replaced following election/selection procedures as stated in these bylaws.

C. ELECTION PROCESS
TERRA Environmental Research Institute shall give proper notice of the election of Council members in accordance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law. TERRA Environmental Research Institute shall also make its best effort to hold elections for each constituent group during hours that are convenient for each constituent group.

D. MEETINGS
1. Regular Meetings
The regular meetings for the Council will be held as deemed necessary. The meetings will be held in a pre-agreed upon meeting place on TERRA Environmental Research Institute's grounds. All meetings shall be held at a time that is convenient to parents, students, teachers, and business/community representatives. TERRA Environmental Research Institute's EESAC will meet at least 4 times per year.
2. Special Meetings
In the event a special meeting is needed, the principal, chair or a majority of Council members may call a meeting.
3. Cancellation
A regular Council meeting may be canceled by the Council.
4. All meetings shall be open to the public and shall not be held in any facility or location which discriminates on the basis of sex, age, race, creed, color, origin, disability, or economic status or which operates in such a manner as to unreasonably restrict access to such a facility.
5. Convenient Meeting Time
All meetings will be held at a time that is convenient to parents, students, teachers, and business/community representatives.

E. QUORUM
A majority of the voting members of the Council (or the alternates representing absent voting members) shall constitute a quorum. A quorum must be present before a vote may be taken.

F. AGENDA
1. The Chair shall prepare and distribute the agenda for all regular and special meetings.
2. Adding to the Agenda
a. Council members may add items to any regular meeting agenda by contacting the Chair in advance.
b. Non-Council members may propose an agenda item by contacting a Council member.
c. The agenda may be amended at the meeting by majority vote.
3. Notice to Members
All members must receive at least three days’ advance notice in writing of any matter that is scheduled to come before the Council for a vote.

G. CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING
The primary method of decision making shall be by consensus. Consensus will aim for the maximum agreement among people while drawing on as much of everyone's ideas as possible.

H. MINUTES
1. Maintenance of Minutes
Minutes shall be kept for all meetings of the EESAC. Copies of the approved minutes shall be maintained by the school as a permanent record. In addition, a copy of the minutes of every meeting will be provided electronically to the designated District website.
2. Content
The minutes shall include the names of those in attendance and any actions taken by the Council. The minutes shall be approved at the next regular meeting of the Council and copies of the approved minutes shall be maintained by the school as a public record.

I. INPUT FROM NON-COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. Those who are in attendance at the Council meetings shall be provided an opportunity to discuss issues under consideration in the following manner:

J. COMMITTEES
School established committees, which must include discipline and safety, are to be given the opportunity to report to the EESAC on a regular basis.

K. AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a 2/3 vote of the membership of the Educational Excellence School Advisory Council, provided that at least 5 working days written notice of the proposed change has been given to all members of the Council.