UKIAH HIGH SCHOOL

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL (SSC) BYLAWS

Article I:  Name of Council

The name of the organization shall be the Ukiah High School Site Council.

Article II:  Role of Council

The Ukiah High School Site Council will serve as the operational governing body of Ukiah High School. The Ukiah High School Site Council shall monitor and adjust the Ukiah High School Single Site Plan and budget under the jurisdiction of the School Site Council. The Ukiah High School Site Council, following approval of a school site plan by the Ukiah Unified School District Board of Education, shall have ongoing responsibility to review with the principal, certificated personnel, classified personnel, students, parents and community, the implementation of the school site plan and to assess periodically the effectiveness of such a plan. Modifications or any improvement to the site plan or budget shall be developed, recommended, and approved or disapproved in the same manner, to ensure that Ukiah High School engages in ongoing long-range planning, using a shared decision making process. The council shall carry out all other duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Education Code of the State of California (Sections 52000 – 52049, 52800-52888,54720-54734) and SB 65.

Article III:  Members and Membership Recruitment

Section 1 – Size and Composition

The School Site Council shall be composed of 24 members. In these bylaws “member” is assumed to be a “voting member”. The needs and resources of the school improvement program require that membership include broad representation of parents, students, and staff. Representation on the council shall be: the principal, representatives of teachers selected by teachers at the school, other school personnel selected by other school personnel at the school, parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents and pupils selected by pupils attending the school. The council shall be constituted to ensure parity between (a) the principal, classroom teachers, and other school personnel (total of 12 members); and (b) equal numbers of six parents six pupils (total of 12 members). Pupils will be selected as Student Site Council Representatives by ASB officers and class officers.  These six shall be voting members at each Site Council meeting.  Classroom teachers shall constitute the majority of those persons representing school staff. Council members representing parents may be employees of the school district but may not serve as a parent representative at the site of employment. In order to encourage wider representation and to promote diversity on the council, the Principal shall post announcements of upcoming elections in the letter sent home to parents during the summer break. Such announcements shall be made at least two weeks prior to any council membership election and shall be made in both English and Spanish. Ballots for the parent election will be distributed during Back-to School Night. Ballots will be available to parents in the school office until the last school day in September. Ballots shall then be counted and results announced at the regular October meeting of the School Site Council.

Section 2 - Terms of Office

All members of the council shall serve for a two-year term. However, in order to achieve staggered membership, one-half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing parents and one-half, or the nearest approximation thereof, of the members representing teachers and other school personnel (except the principal) shall be elected every other year.

Section 3 – Voting Rights

Each member including all officers shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the council. Absentee ballots shall not be permitted.

Section 4 – Termination of Membership

A member shall no longer hold membership should he or she no longer meet the membership requirements under which he or she was selected; e.g., a parent becomes employed by the school. Membership shall automatically terminate for any member who is absent from all regular meetings for a period of three consecutive months. The council, by affirmative vote of two-thirds of all of the members, can expel a member.

Section 5 – Transfer of Membership

Membership in the School Site Council is not transferable or assignable.

Section 6 – Resignation

Any member may resign by filing a written resignation to the School Site Council.

Section 7 – Vacancy

Any vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by nomination of the chairperson and a 2/3 majority vote by the members. If the unexpired term is for another full year thereafter, the term for that year shall be filled by the regular selection process.

Article IV: Officers

Section 1 – Officers

The officers of the School Site Council shall be a chairperson, secretary, and such other officers as the council may deem desirable.

Section 2 – Election of Term of Office

The officers for the School Site Council shall be elected annually and shall serve for one year or until each successor has been elected.

Section 3 – Removal

Any officer may be removed by a two-third vote of all members sitting on the School Site Council whenever, in the judgment of the council, the best interests of the council would be served thereby.

Section 4 – Vacancy

A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise shall, by special election, be filled by the School Site Council for the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 5 – Chairperson

The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the School Site Council and may sign all letters, reports, and other communications of the School Site Council. In addition, the chairperson shall perform all duties incident to the office of chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the School Site Council from time to time.

Section 6 – Secretary

The recording secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings, both regular and special, of the Ukiah High School Site Council. He or she shall promptly transmit the minutes to each of the members, and to such other persons as the Ukiah High School Site Council may deem necessary, see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws, and conduct necessary correspondence for the Ukiah High School Site Council. The secretary shall perform all duties incidental to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to the office by the chairperson or the Ukiah High School Site Council.

Article V:  Committees

Section 1 – Standing and Special Committees

The School Site Council may from time to time establish and abolish such standing or special committees, as it may desire. No standing or special committee may exercise the authority of the School Site Council.

Section 2 – Membership

Unless otherwise determined by the School Site Council in its decision to establish a committee, the chairperson of the School Site Council shall appoint, if necessary, members to the various committees.

Article VI:  Meetings of the School Site Council

Section 1 – Regular Meetings

The School Site Council shall meet regularly on the first Wednesday of each month of the school year and at least 8 times per year.

Section 2 – Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by majority vote of the School Site Council.

Section 3 – Place of Meetings

The Ukiah High School Site Council shall hold its regular monthly meetings and its special meetings in a facility provided by the school and readily accessible by all members of the public, including handicapped persons.

Section 4 – Notice of Meetings

Public notice shall be given of regular meetings at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Any change in the established date, time, or location must be given special notice. All special meetings shall be publicized. Any required notice shall be in writing; shall state the day, hour, and location of the meeting; and shall be delivered either personally or by mail or electronic mail to each member. Items for placement on the agenda must be submitted to the chairperson one week previous to meeting.

Section 5 - Decisions of the School Site Council

All attempts at consensus should be made before calling for a vote. A motion for a vote may be made by any voting member of the Council and may be approved by a simple majority of the Council.

Section 6 – Quorum

A majority of the Ukiah High School Site Council voting members constitutes a quorum for any meeting.

Section 7 – Meetings Open to the Public

All regular and special meetings of the School Site Council and its standing or special committees shall be open at all times to the public.

Section 8 – Public Discussion Time Limit

At the discretion of the voting members of the Ukiah High School Site Council, limitations may be placed upon the length of time any subject may be discussed, the number of persons permitted to speak to a given subject, and the time allotted to each speaker.

Article VII:  Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the voting members of the Ukiah High School Site Council. The proposed amendments must have been presented and discussed at one previous regular meeting for which the necessary meeting notice and agenda were posted. If the council determines that a review of the bylaws is necessary, then at a meeting, a subcommittee may be appointed by the Chair to review bylaws and any recommended amendments. A draft of recommended changes will be provided to members for review and revision. Any final draft of the bylaws will be presented for adoption by a majority vote. Any approved bylaw changes will be effective immediately.

Approved 04/04/07 (Revised: May 7, 2008; October 1, 2014).