Educational Excellence School Advisory Council

5951 Whispering Pines Elementary School

The bylaws for this school were last modified on Sep. 05, 2007.

The bylaws are as follows:

WHISPERING PINES ELEMENTARY
EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL BYLAWS


I. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Whispering Pines Elementary School Educational Excellence School Advisory Council (EESAC) is to ensure continuous student achievement. One of the ways the Council will do this is by preparing and evaluating the School Improvement Plan (SIP) as required by Section 229.591, F.S., Comprehensive Revision of Florida’s system of School Improvement and Educational Accountability.

II. COUNCIL MEMBERS

A. Composition

The Whispering Pines EESAC Council shall be comprised of five teachers, seven parents, one business/community representative, one student, one educational support staff representative, the UTD steward and the principal. With the exception of the principal and the business/community representative, all other members shall be elected by their constituent groups.

Alternates: Teachers, parents, students, and educational support staff shall also elect an alternate representative as follows: one teacher, one parent, one student and one educational support staff representative. The assistant principal will be the alternate for the principal (upon submission and acceptance of the required waiver). The alternate for the UTD Council member shall be apponted by the UTD Steward. The alternates are not eligible to vote unless they are serving to replace a missing council member at the current meeting. The Council will be representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic, disabled, and economic community served by Whispering Pines Elementary School.

B. Eligibility

All teachers, student service 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 regular working week are eligible to be elected as educational support staff representative. All parents, guardians, or others responsible for a child enrolled in Whispering Pines Elementary School are eligible to be elected as parent representatives, with the exception of those parents who are also employed by Whispering Pines Elementary School.

C. Terms

The terms of office for teacher and educational support members shall be three years, beginning on July 1st and ending on June 30th of the third year in office. Term of office for parent members shall be one year, beginning on July 1st and ending on June 30th. Term of office for student members shall be two years. Students' term of office will begin as a fourth grade alternate and progress into a fifth grade member. Term of office for students will begin on September 15th and end on August 30th.

The chairperson’s term will be for one year, running from July 1st to June 30th. That person may be re-elected as chairperson annually.

A vice-chairperson shall be elected from the Council to assist the chairperson.

D. Responsibilities
Council members are expected to:
1. attend all regular meetings and special meetings,
2. communicate with constituents to collect data and opinions for decision making,
3. report to constituents the actions taken by Council, and
4. consider the needs of all students in the decision-making process.


E. Compensation

No members of the Council shall receive any monetary compensation.

F. Unexcused Absences

Any member who has two consecutive unexcused absences from Council meetings shall be removed from Council. The member shall be replaced following election/selection procedures as stated in these Bylaws.

III. ELECTION PROCESS

A nominating committee will be created in February. Committees will represent the teachers, parents, students and the educational support staff. The nominating committee for parents will occur at a general EESAC meeting held in February or March with an election to follow. The teachers and educational support staff nominating committee will occur in February or March at a staff meeting with an election to follow. Students in fourth (4th) grade will be nominated in August or September with an election to follow. The vice-chairperson will oversee the above-mentioned committees.

IV. MEETINGS

1. Regular Meetings- The regular meetings of the Council will be held on the second Tuesday of each month. The meetings will be held in the Media center at 3:10 pm. for a duration of no more than 60 minutes. If extra time is needed, members can vote on a ten minute extension. Any pending issues will be table to the next meeting.
2. Special Meetings- In the event a special meeting is necessary, the Principal, chair or a majority of Council members may call a meeting.
3. Cancellation- A regular Council meeting may be cancelled by the Council.
4. All meetings and agendas shall be posted at least 5 school days prior to the meeting, 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.
6. In the event of a Parent Nomination or Election Meeting, an annoucement shall be sent home with students in order to increase non-member participation.

V. QUORUM

In order for the council to conduct business, a quorum of 50 percent plus one member must be present. The quorum must include both teacher and parent representatives. This same quorum will hold true for committee meetings. There will be a quorum if nine (9) or more members are present.

VI. AGENDA

A. The chairperson shall prepare and distribute the agenda for all regular and special meetings. The agenda will be posted at least five days prior to the meeting along with the meeting notice.

B. Adding to the agenda
1. Council members may add items to any regular meeting agenda by contacting the chairperson seven days in advance.
2. Non-Council members may propose an agenda item by contacting a Council member, and are encouraged to attend the meeting.
3. The agenda may be amended at the meeting; time permitting, at the discretion of the Board.
4. All individuals in attendance may discuss the agenda.

VII. DECISION MAKING

The primary method of decision-making shall be by majority vote. Only council members shall be permitted to be involved in the decision making process. If a council member is not present at any applicable meeting of the council, then the alternate may vote in his or her absence.

VIII. MINUTES

Written minutes of each regular and special meeting shall be kept as an open, permanent record of the activities of the Council. 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 Council meeting.
The principal and chairperson will keep a copy of the minutes. A copy will also be posted in the glass display case by the main office for public review.

IX. COMMITTEES

Each committee shall elect a chairperson and a secretary. The applicable committee chairperson or designee shall advise the council as to its findings/recommendations at any subsequent regular or special meeting of the council. Each committee shall establish the committee meeting dates and times. Each committee shall be headed by an EESAC council member and is open for membership to any additional party interested, member or non-member.

A. Budget Committee-Headed by an EESAC member and membership open to anyone interested.

B. Discipline Committee-Headed by an EESAC member and membership open to anyone interested.

C. AD HOC Committee-Headed by an EESAC member and membership open to anyone interested.

D. Nominating Committee-One for each represented group in EESAC. Overseen by vice chairperson.

E. Bylaws Committee-Headed by an EESAC member and membership open to anyone interested.

X. INPUT FROM NON-COUNCIL MEMBERS

Non-members in attendance at the council meetings shall be provided the opportunity to discuss the issues under consideration and shall be allowed two (2) minutes to express opinions.

XI. AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a committee of the Council. The committee shall present a bylaw amendment to the council for approval at which time the council may accept the amended bylaws or make adjustments if needed. The amendments shall be posted prior to a vote by the council.