SLT BYLAWS
School Leadership Team Bylaws for Midtown West School
Article 1 - Mission Statement/Educational Vision
The mission of Midtown West School is to provide a child-centered environment that will inspire and challenge all of our students to become independent thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners. Midtown West is dedicated to establishing a collaborative spirit among parents, faculty and staff to ensure that all children reach their academic goals.
Article II - Team Composition
Section 1 - Membership
The number of parent and staff members on the team shall be equal. The number of members shall not exceed 17.
1.1 The three core (mandatory) members of the team shall be: Principal; United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Chapter Leader, or their designee; and Parent Association/Parent-Teacher Association (PA/PTA) President (in the case of co-presidents, the remaining PA/PTA officers shall determine which co-president will serve as the core member of the SLT).
1.2 The members of the team shall consist of:
Parents:
a. PA/PTA President/Co-President
b. One Representative from the lower grades (K-1)
c. One Representative from the middle grades (2-3)
d. One Representative from the upper grades (4-5)
e. One Representative At Large
f. One Parent Alternate (A parent to substitute, as needed, with the ability to vote for the absent parent member)
Staff:
a. Principal
b. UFT Chapter Leader or Designee
c. One Teacher Representative from the lower grades (K-2)
d. One Teacher Representative from the upper grades (3-5)
e. One Representative At Large
f. One Alternate ((A staff member to substitute, as needed, with the ability to vote for the absent staff member)
1.3 Other Members
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) may petition for membership on the team. The team may, by consensus, choose to create a seat or seats on the team for these organizations. Team members representing these organizations will not be counted in the parent to school staff balance, but will be counted in the total team member count.
Section 2 - Organizational Structure (Team Officers):
- Chairperson(s)
- Secretary
- Financial Liaison
- Timekeeper
Section 3 - Length of Term
The length of term for team members (with the exception of core members) shall be one calendar year, from July 1 through June 30 for Parent Representatives unless there is a vacancy or a request for a vote by the PTA or SLT. Staff representatives will serve two years unless there is a vacancy or a request for a vote by UFT staff or SLT.
Section 4 - Selection and the Role of Chairperson/Co-Chairpersons/Secretary
4.1 The Chairperson shall be selected from within the membership of the SLT at the first meeting of the school year. If the team opts to elect Co-Chairpersons, they will share the role and responsibilities of Chairperson as outlined in these bylaws. There shall be a parent and staff representative when choosing co-chairpersons. Alternates may also be chosen.
4.2 The role of Chairperson(s) shall be to ensure that team meetings are effectively organized; preside at all meetings; facilitate discussion(s) during meetings; coordinate team and subcommittee efforts; and ensure that members maintain their focus on educational issues.
The Chairperson(s) shall be responsible for agenda coordination, internal SLT communication and the calendar.
The Chairperson(s) shall also serve as Facilitator and shall advise the team members on matters of Parliamentary procedure. As Facilitator, the Chairperson shall also assist in the interpretation of rules and procedural requirements and in the preparation for the proper handling of various agenda items within the day's order of business. The Chairperson(s) shall also serve as Timekeeper if a seperate timekeeper is not designated or present..
The Secretary is responsible for taking the minutes, posting the minutes and all other SLT information, receiving and disseminating all district and MTW communications, and, should act as the archivist. The Secretary may designate people to facilitate or complete any of the above tasks.
Section 5 - Selection and Roles of Additional Organization Structure Members
5.1 Additional Organization Structure members shall be selected from within the membership of the SLT at the first meeting of the school year. They are the Financial Liaison and the Timekeeper.
5.2 The Financial Liaison shall assume responsibility for the financial affairs of the team. He or she shall be responsible for maintaining on file attendance records for verification of member participation.
5.3 The timekeeper should keep time during the meetings and moderate keeping to the scheduled agenda.
Section 6 - Roles and Responsibilities of Team Members
6.1 Team members, including those additional roles outlined in these bylaws, are responsible for: participating in the development and review of the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) including goals and objectives; ensuring that the budget is aligned to support the CEP; working collaboratively with their team members by sharing their ideas and concerns and listening to the ideas and concerns of others; engaging in collaborative problem-solving and solution-seeking that will lead to consensus-based decisions that meet the needs of all students; sharing the views of their constituencies with the team; engaging in conflict-resolution processes when necessary.
6.2 In addition, team members have these added responsibilities: to attend all team meetings; to identify concerns and issues to be discussed during SLT meetings; to review minutes and give feedback; chair and/or serve on team sub-committees; and to communicate with the entire school community. When forming sub-committees the team shall reach out to the school community for volunteers. Each sub-committee must include at least one member of the SLT. All recommendations of sub-committees are subject to the approval of the leadership team.
6.3 Members agree to arrive on time, to leave on time, to engage in no side conversations. Members understand that meetings are confidential and that comments made within the meetings are not to be repeated outside the meetings.
6.4 The SLT is not responsible for hiring and firing school staff.
6.5 Parent and community members (if any) of the SLT shall adhere to the Ethics Code (Chancellor's Regulation D-120). The Ethics Code does not apply to staff members, who are covered by the much more restrictive Conflicts of Interest Law, which is applicable to all Board of Education employees.
6.6 Evaluation - As part of the CEP process, the team will review pupil achievement data in doing the needs assessment and in evaluating the implementation of the plan. The team recognizes that test scores do not necessarily constitute the entire results required to evaluate success.
The SLT must evaluate its effectiveness each year by conducting a Performance Assessment in Schools System-wide (PASS) review. A PASS review conducted in the school in collaboration with a State, Central or District team may be used to meet this requirement.
6.7 Limitations - The SLT may not discuss the evaluation and/or rating of staff members or deal with problems involving individual staff, students or parents. The team must receive the approval of the District before making any decision that results in the excessing of existing staff.
The team may not make decisions in an area over which it has no authority or which would:
- Violate confidentiality rights of staff, parents or students
- Violate a collective bargaining agreement
- Violate any city, state or federal law or regulation or violate Department of Education or District policy
- Entail a commitment to any expenditure for which funds are not available
- Affect other schools or organizations which are not a party to the agreement
Section 7 - Relationship with Other Entities
7.1 C-30 Level I Committee
In accordance with Chancellor's Regulation C-30 governing the selection of principals and assistant principals, the constituent groups on the SLT shall select their representative(s) for the Level I C-30 Committee. If parents from the SLT are not available to serve on the Level I C-30 Committee, the Chairperson of the Level I Committee shall offer the officers of the school's PA/PTA the opportunity to serve.
7.2 Teams and Committees
Except in areas directly related to the CEP and budget, the SLT does not oversee the work of other school committees. However, in its role as the school's planning and review body, the SLT is the central coordinating team in the school and it should facilitate communication among the various school committees.
Article III - Team Meetings
Section 1 - Schedule of Meetings
1.1 The minimum number of monthly meetings shall be ten. Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed. Meetings will be scheduled at a time that is convenient for most parent members on the team. Parent members will be polled each year to determine the time most convenient for team meetings.
1.2 Members who miss more than two consecutive meetings without good cause may be subject to removal from the team with the exception of core members.
1.3 Meetings are to be held at the school, unless extenuating circumstances prevent this.
1.4 Special meetings may be called by the SLT. When a special meeting is called, a notice shall be posted. Special meetings shall follow the guidelines for regularly scheduled meetings.
1.5 Any member of the SLT shall have the right to call a closed executive session.
Section 2 - Notice of Team Meetings
The team will establish a yearly calendar, which shall be posted in the general office, front security desk, in the parent coordinator's office and on the PTA bulletin board on the beginning of each school year. The calendar shall be distributed at the first meeting of the parent association each year. The Meeting Coordinator will remind members one week in advance by telephone or by written notice (including e-mail) of all meetings.
Section 3 - Meeting Attendance
3.1 The regularly scheduled team meetings will be open to the entire school community for observation. Non-members are encouraged to bring issues of concern to their constituent representative(s) on the team prior to team meetings. Requests for topics of discussion should be submitted in writing at least one week in advance of the meeting date. Members of the school community who are not team members may request speaking time at meetings to discuss specific topics. All such requests must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson(s) at least a week in advance of scheduled meeting.
3.2 Team members are expected to attend all meetings. If a team member is unable to attend the meeting, the alternate must be contacted to fill in. The Chairperson must be contacted in advance of the meeting if a team member is unable to attend.
Section 4 - Quorum
The quorum of members needed to make decisions at team meetings shall be 2/3. This will require the presence of 2 core members or their designees and 2 staff members and 2 parent members.
Section 5 - Order of Business
- Call to Order
- Reading and Approval of the Minutes
- Sub-Committee(s) Reports
- Old Business Agenda Items
- New Business Agenda Items
- Adjournment
Article IV - Team Member Elections
To ensure that all members of the school community shall have the opportunity to participate and encourage the broadest possible participation, parents and staff will be elected by their own constituent group in an election that is widely advertised, with reasonable advanced notice, open to all members of the constituent group and in a way that is public and perceived to be fair and unbiased.
Parent members are elected in the spring after the PTA officer elections. The parent member elections are conducted in the same manner as the PTA officer elections as described in the PTA bylaws. Elections for parent member representatives must allow for a minimum of ten calendar days notice.
In the event of a resignation, termination of eligibility or loss of team membership due to removal, an election to fill these vacancies will be held by the appropriate constituent group prior to the next scheduled team meeting. Team members elected to fill vacancies shall be eligible to serve until the completion of that term.
Article V - Removal of a Team Member
Team members who fail to attend two consecutive meetings; and/or fail to perform their roles and responsibilities as outlined in these bylaws; and/or behave in a manner during meetings that is disruptive and undermines the work of the team may be removed by consensus of the remaining team members.
The process for removing a team member(s) shall require that the team have a quorum of members present; that they reach consensus (consensus will be defined as a unanimous agreement to support the decision made by the team) in their decision to remove the member(s); and when the member resigns or is removed the vacancy will be advertised to the appropriate constituent group and an election will be held in accordance with these bylaws. The member shall be officially notified in writing by the team of its decision. The letter shall include the reason for the removal and the member's right to appeal the decision. The letter shall be signed by the Chairperson or Co-Chairpersons and shall be sent by registered return receipt mail delivery to ensure proper notification and receipt.
Article VI - Decision-Making
The team will develop methods for engaging in a collaborative problem-solving and solution seeking that will lead to consensus-based decisions and, when necessary, effective conflict resolution strategies.
Consensus, defined as reaching an agreement acceptable to all of the team members will be the team's primary decision-making tool.
In the spirit of meaningful collaborative decision-making, should an issue arise resulting in an impasse due to the non-agreement on the part of one team member the team will table the issue for one meeting. The dissenting team member will prepare a brief statement of interest and present their views at the beginning of the next meeting. The entire team will then work toward consensus on the issue during the meeting. If deemed necessary, the SLT may also appoint or establish a subcommittee to do research or bring in someone with expertise on the topic under discussion. If consensus still cannot be reached, the team should contact the appropriate District Family Advocate (DFA) for further assistance.
In cases where an urgent or time-sensitive decision must be made and the entire team cannot be consulted or reach consensus, the team must contact the appropriate District Family Advocate DFA) for further assistance.
Article VII - Conflict Resolution
In the case of an impasse, the team has the obligation to seek assistance from the district leadership team, the Superintendent or other external sources after every effort has been made to resolve the issue internally.
Team members may seek external assistance when he or she deems necessary. In such situations, the team will have access to a variety of supports, including the District Family Advocate (DFA) and the District Leadership Team.
To avoid detrimental effects on the functioning of the school, the team is encouraged to identify issues in which an impasse may occur as early as possible in their deliberations and seek the appropriate assistance as soon as possible.
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the SLT in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the team may adopt.
Article VIII - Bylaws Review and Amendment
The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the team, provided notice of any proposed changes has been given at a previous meeting. The final draft must be posted on the PTA and Staff bulletin boards. Passage must be by consensus.
There shall be a formal review of the bylaws every two years.
Amendments to these bylaws shall take effect at the adjournment of the meeting at which they are adopted unless otherwise provided.
All proposed bylaws amendments must conform to Chancellor's Regulation A-655.
These bylaws were amended on 1/12/09 and are on file in the principal's office.
