EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL

2008 - 2009 SCHOOL YEAR

Ms. LaShawn Dauphin, President

BYLAWS

A. PURPOSE

     The purpose of the North Miami Middle Community School and Preparatory Academy Educational Excellence Council is to work to ensure improved student achievement. The council will accomplish this by preparing and evaluating the school improvement plan as required by School Performance Excellence Plan (SPEP).

B. COUNCIL MEMBERS

    1.   Composition

     The North Miami Middle Community School and Preparatory Academy Educational Excellence Council shall be made up of (5) teachers, one (1) alternate, four (4) parents, one (1) student, one (1) educational support employee, one (1) business/community representative, the UTD steward and the principal. With the exception of the principal and the business/ community representative, their constituent groups shall elect all other members. Teachers, parents, students and education support employees shall also elect one alternate representative from each group. The council will be representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic, and economic community served by North Miami Middle Community School and Preparatory Academy.

     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 North Miami Middle Community School and Preparatory Academy are eligible to be elected as parent representatives, with the exception of those parents who are also employed by North Miami Middle Community School and Preparatory Academy.

3.      Terms

     The terms of office shall begin in September of each year and end in June. Parent and Business Representatives shall be elected annually. Teachers will retain membership on the council for three years subsequent to election.

4.   Responsibilities

Council members are expected:

a.       Attend all regular 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.       Consider the needs of all students when making decisions.

C. ELECTION PROCESS

     All teachers, parents, students, and education support employees will be nominated and elected to office, as well as to fill vacancies. The school will make its best effort to hold elections in the month of June of the current year for each constituent group during hours that are convenient for each group.

D. MEETINGS

1.  Regular meetings will be held once a month with alternating days on the third Monday and third Friday of the month. The meetings will be held in the Media Center at 7:45 a.m. Fridays and 4:00 p.m. Mondays. All regularly scheduled meetings will be announced a minimum of (5) five days prior the meeting.

2.  Special Meetings may be called if the principal, chair, or a majority of Council Member deem it necessary.

3.  Cancellation of meetings may occur at the discretion of the Council.

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, or economic status or which operates in such a manner as to unreasonably restrict access to such a facility.

E. QUORUM

     In order for the Council to conduct business, a quorum of seven (7) members must be present. The quorum must include both teachers and parent representatives.

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 three days 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.

G. CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING

     The primary method of decision-making shall be by consensus

H. 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 meeting of the Council, and an official copy kept on file in the principal’s office.

I. INPUT NON-COUNCIL MEMBERS

     Those who are in attendance at the Council meetings shall be provided an opportunity to discuss issues under consideration.  Discussion will be held at appropriate times in the agenda as determined by the chair.

J. COMMITTEES

      Sub-committees will be established as determined by the Council and in conformity with state/district regulations.

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.

EESAC PROPOSAL FORM 2008