The bylaws for this school were last reviewed or modified on May. 08, 2025.

The bylaws are as follows:

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 Somerset Academy Silver Palms Charter School 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 Section 229.591, F.S., Comprehensive Revision of Florida’s System of School Improvement and Education Accountability.
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B. COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. Composition
The Somerset Academy Silver Palms Charter School Council shall be made up of five teachers, four parents, one student, one education support employee, one business/community representative, governing board chair and the principal. With the exception of the principal and the business/community representatives, all other members shall be elected by their constituent groups. Teachers, parents, students, and education support employees shall also elect an alternate representative. The Council will be representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic, disabled, and economic community served by Somerset Academy Silver Palms Charter School. (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 Somerset Academy Silver Palms Charter School are eligible to be elected as parent representatives, with the exception of those parents who are also employed by Somerset Academy Silver Palms Charter School.

3. Terms
The terms of office for teachers/education support personnel shall be for two consecutive years following the election. The initial term of office for parents shall begin following the elections to be held during the first parent meeting for the school year. The initial term of office for students shall begin following the election to be held at the beginning of each school year. The EESAC members shall elect the Chairperson and Secretary for a one-year term.
4. Responsibilities
Council members are expected to:
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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. considers 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
The terms of office for teachers/education support personnel shall be for two consecutive years following the election. This election will be held at the beginning of the school year. The initial term of office for parents shall begin following the elections to be held during the first parent meeting for the school year. The EESAC members shall elect the Chairperson and Secretary for a one-year term. The election shall be held at the first regular Council meeting following the elections.

The school shall give proper notice of the election of Council members in accordance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law. The school 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
All meetings shall be held at a time that is convenient to administrators, teachers, parents, students, educational support employees and business/community representatives. At least two EESAC Meetings will be held per year. Participants may attend meetings Virtual through Zoom or Face to Face.
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.
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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 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.
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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, beginning July 1, 2002, a copy of the minutes of every meeting will be provided electronically to the District.
(2) Content
The minutes shall include the names of those in attendance and any actions taken by the Council.

I. INPUT FROM NON-COUNCIL MEMBERS
Those who are in attendance at the Council meetings shall be
provided an opportunity to discuss issues under consideration in
the following manner:
Anyone may come to the meeting and speak before the Council.

J. COMMITTEES
Committees may be established by the consensus of the Educational Excellence School Advisory Council.

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.
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Specific Authority: 230.22(2); 230.23(22) F.S.
Law Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: 229.58; 229.591; 229.592;
230.23005(5) F.S.
History: THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA
New: 4-22-92
Amended: 9-8-93; 5-25-94; 12-11-96; 10-8-97; 3-17-99; 12-12-01; 8-21-02