The bylaws for this school were last reviewed or modified on Nov. 20, 2024.

The bylaws are as follows:

BY-LAWS

DOROTHY M. WALLACE COPE CENTER

EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL



ARTICLE I

PURPOSES

The purpose of the Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center Educational Excellence 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 1001.42, FS, Implement School Improvement and Educational Accountability. Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center ESSAC will examine the cultural and academic aspects of the educational program to determine the school’s needs and prioritize them based on District guidelines. The Council is committed to educational excellence and the improvement of the overall quality of instruction by attracting and retaining superior teachers, provide technical assistance and to promote professional growth activities. Additionally, Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center ESSAC council is committed to promoting and encouraging parental and community involvement.

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ARTICLE II

GENERAL POWERS

The general powers that the Council shall have are as follows:

a) To help prepare and make recommendations for the school budget prior to adoption.

b) To promote school improvement and encourage student achievement.

c) To discuss, disseminate, and promote programs that encourage student achievement and school improvement.

d) To promote the health, safety, and social and emotional well-being of all Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center stakeholders.

e) To delegate power or powers where such is deemed in the interest of the Council.

f) To establish committees, both standing and ad hoc.

g) In general, to have all the powers conferred upon the Council by the laws of the State of Florida, Florida Department of Education regulations, Miami-Dade County School Board regulations, the Contract of The United Teachers of Dade, and other bargaining agents, except as prohibited herein.



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ARTICLE III

DUTIES

It shall be the duty of the Council:

a) To cause to be kept a complete record of all acts and present a statement thereof to the various constituent groups.

b) To establish and supervise all committees under the Council name.

c) To promote school improvement and student achievement.

d) To make all decisions at duly called and notified meetings in accordance with consensus decision making procedures.

e) To promote the general welfare and safety of all persons who work, learn, or visit the Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center campus.

f) To review and approve the School Improvement Plan.

g) To establish standing committees as needed.

h) To promote parent and community involvement.



By-Laws

ARTICLE IV

COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. COMPOSITION
The composition of the Council shall be in accordance with Miami-Dade County School Board regulations.

SECTION 2. MEMBERS
The Council shall be made up of a minimum of four (4) teachers, three (3) parents, one (1) students, one (1) education support employee, five (5) business/community representative, the Designated UTD steward or designee, and the principal or designee. There shall be a duly elected or appointed alternate for teachers, parents, student, and education support employee.

SECTION 3. ELECTIONS
With the exception of the Principal, Community/Business Representative, and the Designated UTD Building Steward, 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, and economic community it serves.

SECTION 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF
All teachers, student services personnel, and the media specialists employed by the school are eligible to be elected teacher representatives to the Council.

SECTION 5. ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPORT STAFF
All non-instructional staff employed by the school, including paraprofessionals, and those who are not defined as instructional or administrative personnel and whose duties require twenty or more hours in each normal working week are eligible to be elected as the education support employee representative.

SECTION 6. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARENTS
All parents, legal guardians or designated representatives of current or former students with authorization are eligible to be elected as the parent representative, with the exception of those parents employed at Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center.

SECTION 7. TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office shall commence with the first day of school September 1998 , and members shall hold such office for three years, unless they shall sooner resign, or shall be removed, or otherwise disqualified to serve; this does not preclude a membership group from establishing terms of less than three years. The term of the first duly elected and constituted Council shall end on midnight June 30, 2001 (first EESAC). Each subsequent Council shall be elected and/or constituted for a period of three years commencing in September and ending three years later in September.

SECTION 8. VACANCIES
Vacancies on the Council shall be filled within thirty days by election or appointment by the group which originally elected or appointed that member, whichever is appropriate.

SECTION 9. REMOVAL
A member of the Council may be removed for cause by consensus of the Council. A removed member shall have the right to appeal such action to the group which originally elected or appointed him/her. Each representative group, such as teachers, parents, etc. shall have final disposition of Council membership by either supporting the action of the Council or reversing the action of the Council. In the case of appeals, the administration shall make every effort to facilitate a meeting of the appropriate group concerned.

SECTION 10. MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
Council members are expected to:
a) Attend all regularly called meetings of the Council.

b) Communicate and report to their constituents matters that have come or will come before the Council; and to serve as a catalyst for support, debate, discussion, and dissemination of information to their respective constituents.



By-Laws

ARTICLE V

ELECTION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

Members of the Council shall be elected in accordance with procedures established by the Miami-Dade County School Board. All meeting notices of elections shall be in accordance with all State and Local laws governing such meetings. The time and place of such elections shall be at days and times that are convenient for each membership group.

SECTION 1. TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES
Teacher representative shall be elected at a meeting in which all teachers, students, educational support personnel, and media specialists can attend, run for Council membership, and vote. In order to facilitate the election of eligible staff members, the following guidelines will be followed.

a) At any time prior to the election, but not to exceed thirty days, any eligible staff member may declare his/her intention of running for the Council by informing the Council Chair in writing. The Council Chair, or Election Committee (if established), shall be responsible for publishing a ballot with the names of candidates who declare their intention of running for membership at least twenty-four hours prior to the election.

b) Any eligible staff member may declare his/her candidacy during the election meeting, regardless of whether his/her name is on the ballot.

c) Eligible staff members may nominate a colleague for Council membership as long as they have the permission of the nominee.

d) Unless due to an unavoidable conflict, the election meeting of teachers, students services personnel, and media specialist will take place during September every three years.

SECTION 2. PARENT RESPRESENTATIVES
Parents shall be elected by the parents/guardians of students currently attending Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center.

a) The term of office shall be for two years or as established by the representative parent constituency, but must be for a minimum of one year, commencing in September and ending the following September.

b) All meeting notices for parent elections shall be in accordance with all State laws, Florida Department of Education rules, Miami-Dade County School Board rules, and the procedures agreed upon by the parent constituency. The election of parent representatives shall be held on a date and time established by the parents and properly noticed. (The Principal, along with the Council Chair and UTD Designated Steward, shall facilitate the time and place for the election meeting.)

SECTION 3. SUPPORT PERSONNEL REPRESENTATIVE
Support personnel, such as paraprofessionals, secretaries and clerks, custodians, security monitors, and cafeteria workers shall elect a representative to the Council at a duly noticed meeting of those groups during a time and at a place that will facilitate the maximum number of participants.

a) The Support Personnel Representative shall serve a three year term, commencing in September and expiring in September three years later.

b) The Principal, along with the Council Chair and UTD Designated Steward, shall facilitate the time and place for the election meeting.

SECTION 4. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Student representatives shall be elected by the students with a secret ballot.

a) The term of office for student representatives shall be for one year and valid only while the student is currently enrolled at Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center (whichever comes first).

b) The Student Council Advisor shall facilitate the time and place of the election in conjunction with the Student Government. All student representatives shall be elected during the month of May and the term of office shall commence with the start of the next school year. Interested members of this group may declare their candidacy up to thirty days prior to the election and a printed ballot with their names shall be supplied during the election meeting.

SECTION 5. BUSINESS/COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE

This representative to the Council shall be appointed by the Principal. The term of office shall be determined by the Principal.

SECTION 6. REPLACEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES

A Member who is either removed, resigns, or is otherwise unable or ineligible to serve on the Council shall be replaced at a duly called election of the constituency he/she represented. Any Member removed from office for cause by the Council shall have the right to appeal that decision to his/her constituent group; such appeal will take place prior to the election of a replacement. If the constituent group upholds the decision of the Council, a new Member must be elected. If the constituent group reverses the decision of the Council, no new election will take place. The decision of the constituent group is the final disposition of Council membership.



By-Laws

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

SECTION 1. MEETINGS
All meetings of the Council shall be called in accordance with all Florida State laws, Florida Department of Education regulations, Miami-Dade County School Board regulations and the provisions appropriate bargaining contracts. All meetings will be held at a time that is convenient to parents, students, teachers, and business/community representatives. The date, time, and place of the Council meetings shall be established on an annual basis by the council during its first meeting in September. The date, time, and place of scheduled meetings may be changed with the agreement of the Council as long as such meeting adheres to all State and Local laws, School Board, and UTD Contract provisions.

SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special Meetings of the Council may be called by the Chair or any three members. Such special meetings must conform to all regulations regarding notification of the members.

SECTION 3. CANCELLATION
The Council may cancel a meeting with the agreement of the Principal, UTD Designated Steward, and business partner or parent representative.

SECTION 4. ATTENDANCE
All members of the constituent groups may attend Council meetings. 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.

SECTION 5. GENERAL CONSENSUS
Whenever possible, major decisions of the Council which require broad-based support and participation shall be placed before the constituent groups for approval.

SECTION 6. CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING
All decisions of the Council shall be made by consensus management procedures: at no time shall a majority of members impose a decision on a minority of the members.

SECTION 7. 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.

SECTION 8. MEETING AGENDA
All EESAC 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. The agenda for each meeting shall be established by the Council or, in the case of special meetings, by the individuals calling such a meeting. If the Council fails to set an agenda for any meeting, the Chair is free to prepare and distribute an agenda five calendar days prior to that meeting.

SECTION 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 minutes of every meeting as of July 1, 2002, will be posted electronically by the school District on the Internet.



By-Laws

ARTICLE VII

OFFICERS

The Council shall have a minimum of two officers, a Chair and a Recording Secretary. Nothing in this provision precludes the Council from establishing additional officers.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

SECTION 1. CHAIR
The Chair or designee shall preside at all Council meetings in a manner consistent with the consensus decision making model. The Chair will be responsible for establishing communication with all constituent groups, and for establishing procedures that determine that all Council decisions are implemented in a timely manner. The Chair shall be elected on an annual basis during the first meeting in September.

SECTION 2. RECORDING SECRETARY
The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for recording all decisions of the Council and attendance of Council members. The Recording Secretary shall publish the meeting minutes and distribute an appropriate number of such minutes to the different constituent groups. In addition, a copy of minutes of every meeting as of July 1, 2002, will be posted electronically by the school District on the Internet.

SECTION 3. OTHER OFFICERS
The Council may establish other officers as it deems necessary.

SECTION 4. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
The Council, for cause, may remove any person from the office they hold, providing such decision is the consensus of all the other members in attendance at a duly called meeting of the Council.



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ARTICLE VIII

COMMITTEES

The Council may establish any committee it deems necessary. Membership on any committee established in such a manner is open to all members of all constituent groups.



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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be altered, amended, or repealed by the Council according to the consensus management model.



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ARTICLE X

BOOKS AND RECORDS

The books, records and papers of the Council shall be subject to inspection by any member of any constituent group at all times during regular school hours.

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 District on the Internet.