Bylaws

BY-LAWS OF THE LADUE WEST PARENT ASSOCIATION (LWPA), As Revised on September 1, 2015

 

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Non-Profit, Missouri Corporation known as the “Ladue West Parent Association” (hereinafter “LWPA”) was formed on April 26, 2013, and the following Bylaws were originally enacted and approved by the Board on September ___, 2013, and hereinafter revised on September 1, 2015.

 

WHEREAS, the purpose of the LWPA is to cooperate with and assist the faculty, students, parents, Ladue School District (“LSD”) residents, and the LSD Board of Education in maintaining the highest standards of education, social development and safety at the Ladue Fifth Grade Center (“FGC”). The LWPA shall also promote a spirit of volunteerism and strive to maintain cordial, productive and cooperative relations between the FGC’s faculty, administration, parents, students, and the surrounding community.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Bylaws as set forth and approved by the LWPA Executive Board are revised as follows:

 

Article 1 – Name, Principal Location

 

The name of the Corporation shall be “The Ladue West Parent Association” and shall hereafter be referred to as the “LWPA.” The Corporation is formed under the Missouri Non-Profit Corporation Act, Chapter 355 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, as amended (the “Act”).

 

The principal office of the LWPA shall be located at 10900 Ladue Road, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141. The LWPA may have such other office(s) as the LWPA Executive Board designates.

 

Article 2 – LWPA Executive Board, Officers and Representatives

 

The LWPA Executive Board shall consist of the following officers: one president, four vice presidents, at least one secretary, at least one treasurer, and at least on Parent District Council Representative. The president, vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer and parent district council representative shall be elected annually at a regularly scheduled meeting in the spring prior to the start of the school year for which the member will serve. At-large members of the LWPA Executive Board may be appointed by a majority decision of all elected officers when deemed appropriate. At-large members shall have the same voting privileges as other members of the LWPA Executive Board.

 

The LWPA Executive Board shall consist of at least one member from each of the four LSD elementary schools. When recruiting members to serve on the Board, priority should be given to creating a balanced board representing all four LSD elementary schools as equally as possible.

 

Article 3 – Meetings, Notice of Meetings

 

The LWPA shall hold at least two (2) general meetings throughout the year that are open to general membership. Members of the LWPA Executive Board may also set such additional general or special meetings as they deem necessary and appropriate.

 

The LWPA Executive Board may set closed meetings open to only members of the LWPA Executive Board at such times deemed necessary and appropriate.

 

For all meetings open to the general membership, notice of the meeting shall be given to all members at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

 

Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern the procedure of all meetings.

 

Article 4 – Budget, Expenditures

 

The LWPA Treasurer(s) shall prepare an annual budget to be presented to the LWPA Executive Board prior to the first day of school. The budget shall be approved by a majority vote of the members of the LWPA Executive Board. Once approved, the annual budget shall be made available to members of the general membership.

 

Expenditures in the amount of $500 or less may be unilaterally approved by the President without approval from the LWPA Executive Board. Expenditures of more than $500 must be approved by a simple majority of the LWPA Executive Board. Votes on expenditures in excess of $500 may be accomplished either at a regularly scheduled Executive Board Meeting or via an online medium that reaches all members of the Executive Board.

 

All expenditures and reimbursements regardless of the amount shall be supported by written receipts or other written documentation presented to the LWPA Treasurer at the time payment is requested. Expenditures or reimbursements lacking written receipts or other written confirmation of the expense shall require approval of a majority of the LWPA Executive Board.

 

Approval of the LWPA Annual Budget by the LWPA Executive Board shall constitute pre-approval of payment of all expenses and reimbursements that fall under one or more line items within said Budget, even in those instances that the expense or reimbursement exceeds $500. Expenditures or reimbursements that are less than or equal to the amount of an approved line item expense in the LWPA Annual Budget shall not require separate approval prior to payment of said expense, provided such expense is adequately supported by written receipt or other documentation. In the event an expense or requested reimbursement exceeds the amount budgeted for said expense in the LWPA Annual Budget, approval by a simple majority of the LWPA Executive Board is required.

 

Article 5 – Dues

 

The annual dues for membership in the LWPA shall be set from time to time by the members of the LWPA Executive Board as they deem appropriate. Dues are voluntary and are not required to attain membership and/or voting privileges within the LWPA.

 

Article 6 – Term of Office, Election of Vice Presidents and Other Directors

 

Each member of the LWPA Executive Board shall serve a term of one year. The one year term shall encompass the school year for which the member is elected. The term of office for each member of the LWPA Executive Board shall begin on July 1st, and shall end on June 30th the following year.

 

The current LWPA Executive Board shall be responsible for publicizing and promoting all available positions on the LWPA Executive Board for the upcoming school year within each of the four LSD elementary schools. Priority shall be given to finding members from all four LSD elementary schools so that all elementary schools are as equally represented as possible and practical. Any parent or legal guardian of a student who will attend the Fifth Grade Center during the proposed term of office may seek election for an office on the LWPA Executive Board; there is no requirement that members come from one of the four LSD elementary schools.

 

Election of all LWPA Executive Board shall occur prior to July 1 st with the exception that members At-large may be appointed at any time the LWPA Executive Board deems necessary and appropriate. An election date may be determined by the current LWPA Executive Board as they deem appropriate.

 

Article 7 – Resignation, Removal and Replacement of Members

 

Any member of the LWPA Executive Board may resign from his/her office by submitting a written resignation to the LWPA Executive Board. Such resignation shall be deemed effective as of the date presented by the member to the Board.

 

A member of the LWPA Executive Board may be removed from office for any reason if any of the following conditions are met:

a) A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the LWPA Executive Board; OR

b) A majority vote of the general membership.

 

Once a member of the LWPA Executive Board resigns or is removed from office, the position shall be filled as soon as practical by a majority decision of the LWPA Executive Board.

 

Article 8 – Compensation

 

All members of the LWPA Executive Board shall serve without compensation. Members shall not be paid for any services performed as a part of his/her duties as a member of the LWPA Executive Board.

 

Members of the LWPA Executive Board who provide goods or services may be reimbursed within the same guidelines set forth for approval of general LWPA expenditures, as set forth in Article 4 herein. Expenditures and reimbursements that are within the parameters of an approved line item within the annual LWPA Annual Budget do not require separate approval by the LWPA Executive Board. In those instances where approval of the LWPA Executive Board is required, the member seeking reimbursement shall abstain from the vote.

 

Article 9 – Membership, Voting Rights

 

Any parent or legal guardian of a student who currently attends the FGC shall be considered a “member” of the LWPA, and shall have full voting privileges at all LWPA General Meetings. Payment of LWPA dues is not a requirement for being a member of the LWPA.

 

Article 10 – Business of the LWPA

 

Members of the LWPA Executive Board may create and appoint such committees as they deem necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the LWPA.

 

The LWPA may engage in any lawful activity deemed appropriate by a majority vote of the LWPA Executive Board provided such activities promote and facilitate the purposes of this Corporation.

 

Article 11 – Amendments

 

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the LWPA Executive Board at any scheduled Executive Board Meeting or via an electronic medium that reaches all LWPA Executive Board members, provided that such amendment does not conflict with the By-Laws of the Ladue School District Council, Inc. or the purposes of the LWPA.

 

The undersigned members of the Executive Board for the Ladue West Parent Association, a Missouri nonprofit corporation, hereby certify that the above is a true, correct and complete copy of the Revised Bylaws of Ladue West Parent Association, duly adopted and approved on September 1, 2015, in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri and the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation.

 

Melissa M. Pesce President 

Lolita Flinn Vice-President 

Barbara Eke-Okoro Vice-President 

Marissa Rosen Vice-President 

Lisa Hirshberg Vice-President

Stephanie Walker Treasurer 

Kelly Becker Secretary 

Lisa Deutsch Secretary 

Allison Collinger Parent District Council Representative 

Susie Horowitz At-Large Member

Susie Sachs At-Large Member 

Erin Katke At-Large Member 

Jocelyn Fundoukos At-Large Member 

Jill Gilbert At-Large Member 

Natalie DiNicola At-Large Member