Educational Excellence School Advisory Council

2881 Leewood K-8 Center

The bylaws for this school were last modified on May. 07, 2009.

The bylaws are as follows:

AMENDED BYLAWS
OF
LEEWOOD K-8 CENTER
May, 2009

EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE



ARTICLE I

NAME


The name of this organization shall be the Educational Excellence School Advisory Committee of Leewood K-8 Center (hereinafter referred to as “EESAC”).

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE


The purpose of EESAC is to promulgate, adopt, implement, promote, and oversee Leewood’s continuous school improvement plans to ensure continuing improved student academic achievement.
Specifically, the duties of EESAC shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Assist in the preparation and evaluation of the annual school improvement plan (hereinafter referred to as “SIP”) as required by Florida State Statute 229.591, comprehensive revision of Florida System of School Improvement and Educational Accountability;
2. Comply with the mandates of the Miami-Dade County Public School System regarding promoting continuous school improvement;
3. Review prior year plans adopted by EESAC to ascertain efficacy, effectiveness, ease of implementation and continuing relevancy; and
4. Assume responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the SIP.

ARTICLE III

EESAC MEMBERSHIP
Section 3.1 Eligibility. Elected membership on EESAC shall be open to all eligible teachers, paraprofessionals and Leewood students’ parents.
Section 3.2 General Representation. EESAC is intended to be representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic and economic community served by Leewood K-8 Center.
Section 3.3 Responsibilities. EESAC members are expected to:

3.3.1 attend all regular and special meetings;

3.3.2 communicate with constituents to collect data and opinions for decision making;
3.3.3 report to constituents the actions taken by EESAC;
3.3.4 consider the needs of all students when making decisions; and
3.3.5 any member who has two consecutive unexcused absences from Council meetings should be considered to have resigned. The member shall be replaced following election/selection procedures as stated in these by-laws.


Section 3.4 Composition. EESAC shall be composed of the following individuals:
3.4.1 Five (5) Leewood teachers, one of whom shall be designated as the alternate, as elected by their peers;
3.4.2 Six (6) Leewood parents, none of whom shall be employed by Leewood, and one of whom shall be designated as the alternate, as elected by their peers;
3.4.3 Two (2) education support employee representatives, one of whom shall be designated as the alternate, to be elected by their peers;
3.4.4 The Leewood Principal;
3.4.5 A Leewood Assistant Principal, whom shall be designated as the alternate administrator;
3.4.6 The Leewood UTD Steward;
3.4.7 The Leewood PTA President;
3.4.8 A minimum of one (1) business/community representative from within the Leewood school boundary, who shall not be an employee of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, to be appointed by the Leewood Principal; and
3.4.9 The President and Vice President of the Leewood Student Council.
Section 3.5 Teacher Representatives. All teachers, student services personnel, and the media specialist employed by Leewood are eligible to be elected as teacher representatives to EESAC. While full-time substitutes (3100’s) may be elected, they will serve as non-voting members.
Section 3.6 Parent Representatives. All parents, legal guardians or significant others responsible for a child enrolled in Leewood who are not employed by Leewood are eligible to be elected as parent representatives.
Section 3.7 Support Representatives. All other persons employed by Leewood, including paraprofessionals and those who are not defined as instructional or administrative personnel, and whose duties require twenty (20) or more hours per week, are eligible to be elected as the education support employee representatives.
Section 3.8 Term of Office.
3.8.1 Each elected member of EESAC shall serve a term of three (3) years, except that, for the school year beginning in August, 1999, approximately one-third of the members of each of the classes set forth in Sections 3.4.1, 3.4.2, and 3.4.3 shall serve an initial term of one (1) year, approximately one-third shall serve a term of two (2) years, and the remainder of the members shall serve a term of three (3) years. In accordance with these guidelines, the initial term of each elected representative shall be determined by a consensus mandate from EESAC. Thereafter, one-third of each elected class shall stand for election each year, it being the intent that no more than one-third of any elected class shall stand for election at any given time. Members may choose to extend their term by up to two years.
3.8.2 The EESAC chairperson shall be appointed at the discretion of the principal with the approval of the appointee and the EESAC members, to be renewed on a yearly basis.
3.9 Vacancies
3.9.1 If any ex-officio member of EESAC vacates his position, the successor in office shall automatically ascend to membership on EESAC.
3.9.2 In the event any elected member as contemplated in Sections 3.4.1, 3.4.2, and 3.4.3 shall resign or otherwise vacate his membership on EESAC, then an election shall be held, as soon as possible, in accordance with the election process set forth in Section 4 below, to elect a successor member to fulfill the balance of the term of the vacating member.

Section 3.10 Requirements.

3.10.1 It being the intent to encourage the broadest possible support and participation among the teacher, support representative and parent constituencies, no elected individual may be elected to more than one full three (3) year term, without at least one interceding year of absence from service on EESAC.

3.10.2 No parent may stand for election as an EESAC parent representative if, due to the age of his children at Leewood, he cannot fulfill at least two (2) years of his elected three (3) year term.

ARTICLE IV

ELECTIONS

Section 4.1 School Year. The school year at Leewood commences in August of each year and ends in June of the following year, and service on EESAC shall be concurrent with the school year.
Section 4.2 Elections. Elections shall be held for the teacher, paraprofessional and parent representatives on EESAC in April of each school year, for service to begin the following August.
Section 4.3 Election Process.
4.3.1 Leewood shall give proper notice of the upcoming election of EESAC members in accordance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law.
4.3.2 Teacher Representatives. In April of each year, the Principal shall convene a meeting of all teachers, student services personnel and the media specialist for the purpose of electing the teacher representatives to EESAC for the upcoming year.
4.3.3 Support Representatives. In April of each year, the Principal shall convene a meeting of all support representatives for the purpose of electing the support representatives to EESAC.
4.3.4 Parent Representatives. In March of each year, the Principal shall send a notice home to all Leewood students’ parents advising of the existence of EESAC, the number of positions whose terms are expiring, and inquiring as to those parents interested in standing for election. A ballot shall be sent home with each Leewood student in April of each year, identifying the number of seats on EESAC to be filled and identifying the names of those parents who have indicated a willingness to serve. The parents shall be given a date certain, not to be later than five (5) days from receipt of the ballot, in which to vote for the number of candidates whose terms are expiring and to return the ballot to the Principal. Election results shall be tabulated by the Principal’s office and the results published as soon as the votes are tallied. There shall be one (1) vote per family regardless of the number of children that family has in Leewood.


ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

Section 5.1 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of EESAC shall be scheduled monthly, on the second Tuesday of each month or such other day as may be agreed upon; and more frequently as determined necessary.
Section 5.2 Special Meetings. A special meeting may be called by the Principal, by the Chair of EESAC or when requested by a majority of EESAC members.
Section 5.3 Publication. All regular and special meeting dates shall be published as required by the Sunshine Law.
Section 5.4 Time and Location. All regular and special meetings of EESAC shall be held at Leewood K-8 Center and shall be held at a time that is convenient to parents, students, teachers, and business/community representatives.
Section 5.5 Attendance. All meetings shall be open to the public.
Section 5.6 Quorum.
5.6.1 In order for EESAC to conduct business, a quorum consisting of a majority of the voting members of EESAC must be present, except that any lesser number may convene for the purpose of adjourning the meeting until such time as a quorum can be obtained.
5.6.2 The primary method of decision making shall be by consensus.
5.6.3 Notwithstanding the foregoing, a majority of both the teacher constituency and the parent constituency must be present and a consensus obtained at the time the annual Leewood SIP is to be formally adopted.
Section 5.7 Alternates. The alternate members of EESAC shall attend EESAC meetings and participate in all discussions, but shall not be counted as part of the consensus vote unless an elected member representing the same constituency is absent.
Section 5.8 Agenda.
5.8.1 The Chair shall prepare an Agenda for each regular and special meeting of EESAC, which Agenda shall be published and posted at least three days in advance of the meeting.

5.8.2 EESAC members may add items to any regular meeting Agenda by contacting the Chair not less than one (1) week prior to the scheduled meeting.
5.8.3 EESAC members may propose Agenda items by contacting any EESAC member and asking that the item be placed for discussion.
5.84 The Agenda may be amended at any meeting by consensus vote of those EESAC members in attendance.


Section 5.9 Minutes. Minutes shall be kept for all meetings of the EESAC. Copies of the approved minutes shall be maintained by the school as a public record. In addition, a copy of the minutes of every meeting as of July 1, 2002, will be posted electronically by the school on the Internet. The minutes shall include the names of those in attendance, and any action items taken by EESAC. The minutes shall be approved at the next regular meeting of EESAC, and an official copy kept on file in the Principal’s office.
Section 5.10 Input from Non-EESAC Members. Those who are in attendance at EESAC meetings shall be provided an opportunity to address EESAC on items coming before it, provided that they indicate their intent to address EESAC by signing a sign-in sheet at the time they arrive. The Chair, in his discretion, may limit the time any non-EESAC member may address EESAC, based upon the number of interested parties wishing to speak as well as the scope of the Agenda, except that no person desiring to address EESAC shall be limited to less than two (2) minutes.

ARTICLE VI

OFFICERS

Section 6.1 Officers. The officers of EESAC shall consist of the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary, each of whom shall be elected by consensus from among EESAC members at the time of the first regular meeting of EESAC in every school year. Officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year, and are eligible to serve successive terms.
Section 6.2 Duties. The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
6.2.1 Chair. The Chair shall be responsible for preparation of the Agenda, for conducting EESAC meetings and for serving as the representative of EESAC at Miami-Dade County School Board presentations. The Chair shall be an exofficio member of all committees.
6.2.2 Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for taking the minutes of the meetings, publishing the minutes, recording all votes taken at EESAC meetings, assuring that minutes of all meetings of committees are prepared and filed, and assuring that all notices are given in accordance with these Bylaws and as required by law.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

Section 7.1 Committees. There shall exist such standing and special committees of EESAC as shall be appointed from time to time. EESAC members shall be eligible to serve as a member on any standing or special committee, except that the Chair of any standing or special committee shall always be a member of EESAC, and shall be appointed by the EESAC Chair.
Section 7.2 Sip Committee. The SIP Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of five (5) or more teachers at Leewood, who are charged with the responsibility for drafting a proposed School Improvement Plan, to be submitted to EESAC for adoption.
Section 7.3 Special Committees. The Chair may, upon his own initiative or upon consensus of the majority of the EESAC membership, appoint a special committee whose purpose shall be designated in the appointment of the Committee.

Section 7.4 Meetings. Meetings of a committee may be called by the Chair of EESAC, the Chair of the committee, or the Principal, to be held at such time and place as shall be designated in the notice of the meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

BYLAWS

Section 8.1 Adoption. These Bylaws shall be adopted and deemed effective upon approval of a consensus mandate from EESAC, and shall remain effective unless and until amended .
Section 8.2 Amendments. Any EESAC member proposing to amend these Bylaws shall submit the proposed amendment to EESAC. No proposed amendment shall be considered at any regular or special meeting of EESAC, unless written notice of the intended change shall be distributed to the EESAC membership not less than one week prior to the scheduled meeting.








ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.1 Gender. The gender of all words used herein shall include the masculine and feminine thereof.

Section 9.2 Articles and Other Headings. The Article, Section, and other headings contained in these Bylaws are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of these Bylaws.



ATTESTATION

THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the foregoing Amended Bylaws of the Leewood K-8 Center EESAC have been duly adopted by the members of EESAC on May 7, 2009.

_______________________________________
Secretary