ICS PTSA Standing Rules

Approved September 13, 2023

1. Identification

1.1. The name of this local unit shall be ICS PTSA, number 2.8.9. It was chartered by the Washington State PTA on October 5, 2000.
1.2. ICS PTSA serves the parents/guardians, students, and staff of the International Community School.
1.3. Corporate Status
1.3.1. The ICS PTSA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation by the State of Washington on April 15, 1997. The incorporation (UBI) number is 601787413.1.3.2. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the Annual Corporation Report no later than April 30th.

2. Legal Compliance

2.1. The PTSA is registered with the Washington Charitable Solicitations Act, registration number 5600. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the annual registration by May 31st to avoid penalties.
2.2. The ICS PTSA is a non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status. Section 501(c)3, granted on March 18, 1998. The Employer Identification Number is located in the Legal Documents stored online.
2.3. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the appropriate federal tax return 990 (form EZ or N) prior to November 15th and providing a copy to the Board no later than December 1st. Copies of the current and past years' returns are located in the ICS PTSA Sharepoint.
2.4. This local unit's registered agent is the Washington State PTA.
2.5. Per the Washington State PTA Uniform Bylaws, the ICS PTSA will annually review and record in the minutes that the WSPTA Standards of Affiliation agreement is completed by the required deadline.
2.6. Legal Documents shall be kept online in the ICS PTSA Sharepoint.

3. Membership

3.1. One member of each ICS family will automatically be a member of the Washington State PTA after payment of their annual member contribution. The members of the ICS PTSA shall include the parents/guardians, students, and staff of the ICS community.
3.2. Membership fees shall be deducted from ICS PTSA annual contribution.
3.3. All members of ICS PTSA shall have a voice and may participate in consensus decisions.

4. Officers and Elections

4.1. The elected officers of the ICS PTSA shall consist of the following: President, Vice President of Activity Support, Vice President of Curriculum Support, Vice President of Community Facilities, Vice President of Information Support, Secretary, and Treasurer.
4.2. These positions shall comprise the Executive Committee and each position can be jointly held. If it is determined that a given position should be structured as a co-position because the workload involved, then each person in that co-position will get one vote. However, if a given position is set-up to be a shared position, where two people are nominated as one entity and elected as one entity, then the voting will alternate between both persons who hold that shared position.
4.3. Officers shall be elected before the end of the fiscal year, in accordance with the Washington State PTA by-laws for a term of one year but for not more than two consecutive years in the same position. They shall assume office on July 1st.
4.4. The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected officers (Executive Committee) and Member(s) at Large. Each of these people has a vote. The Board of Directors shall coordinate the ongoing operation of the ICS PTSA and help decide which issues are brought to the general membership meeting. All members of ICS PTSA are encouraged to attend and participate in Board of Directors Meetings.
4.5. The Member(s) at Large position shall be nominated by the President(s) with the approval of the Board of Directors.
4.6. All officers and committee chairs shall be current PTSA members.
4.7. The Board of Directors will be elected to a one-year term but can serve for two years. It is expected that Board Members will serve two years for continuity.
4.8. The office or chair shall be declared vacant if that person misses two (2) consecutive meetings unless previously excused by the President(s), or with 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors. A Board Member may resign by writing a letter of resignation.
4.9. Each Executive Committee member must attend a minimum of one WSPTA-approved training during the PTSA year. Furthermore, at least one member of the Executive Committee will attend PTA and the Law during the PTSA year.
4.10. The Nominating Committee shall be elected according to the Washington State PTA by-laws by the February parent meeting and provide a report to the general membership at the April or May parent meeting.

5. Meetings

5.1. Parent Meetings will take place minimum every other month. The specific location and start time of each meeting will be posted in the newsletter and on the PTSA website. Meetings are open to all parents, students, and staff of ICS.
5.2. The Board of Directors will meet every month. The specific location and start time of each meeting will be posted in the newsletter and on the PTSA website.
5.3. A quorum shall be a majority (51%) of the Board of Director members. All votes shall be decided by a majority with a quorum present.
5.4. Consensus will be the decision-making model used at all meetings. Decisions will be finalized with a decision rule that does not require unanimity. The level of agreement necessary to finalize a decision will be defined as simple majority (51%).
5.5. A quorum for the parent meetings is 20 members.
5.6. The Standing Rules shall be reviewed each year and adopted at the September Parent Meeting.
5.7. The Standing Rules may be amended at any scheduled parent meeting with a simple majority (51%) vote if at least 5 days' prior notice was given.
5.8. The ICS PTSA interim budget shall be presented at the April Parent Meeting and adopted each year at the final parent meeting. The final budget will be approved at the September meeting of the year that said budget is in effect.
5.9. The chair of board meetings and parent meetings will be the Co-president with the longest tenure in that role. The Vice-presidents succeed the Co-president role in the order of tenure on the board.

6. Finance

6.1. The ICS PTSA shall conduct a semi-annual financial review of its books and records for the periods ending December 31st and June 30th. The co-presidents shall appoint the Financial Review Committee which shall consist of no less than 3 members who are non-signers on the bank account, and who shall not serve more than 2 years consecutively. The final review shall be completed no later than July 15. The results of both reviews shall be presented at the next general Membership meetings.
6.2. The Board of Directors has the authorization to reallocate funds up to $2,000 within the current budget without a general membership vote. Reallocations exceeding $2,000 must be approved by the general membership at a PTSA monthly meeting.
6.3. Any new budget line items added during the year must be approved by the general membership at a PTSA monthly meeting.
6.4. The signatures of the President(s), and one Treasurer, shall be on the signature cards for the PTSA's authorized bank and investment accounts. The bank records will be updated annually to ensure that a hard copy bank statement be sent monthly to the address of a non-signing Board member who will perform an independent review, sign, date, and retain in a binder. The President(s) along with the Treasurer shall sign all checks and contracts. There must be two signatures on all checks and contracts.
6.5. The PTSA shall allow online banking within the rules established by WSPTA policy.

7. Voting

7.1. Voting delegates to the Lake Washington PTSA council shall be the President, three delegates and two alternates, determined by the Board of Directors.
7.2. Voting delegates to the annual State PTA Conventions shall be the incoming President(s) and/or delegates appointed by the President(s) with the approval of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall determine who will represent ICS PTSA as visiting delegates.
7.3. The vote for Region 2 Director shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
7.4. Voting for officers or nominating committee positions may take place at a meeting, by mail, or by electronic transmission, as outlined in policy. If voting takes place by mail or electronic transmission, the name of each candidate is to be contained in the notice of the meeting and any vote cast must be received within the timeframe identified in the notice of the meeting.