Standing Rules 2022-2023

Approved 10/18/22

1) The name of this PTSA local unit is Liberty High PTSA 2.6.50. It was chartered on May 5, 1989. Its National PTSA local unit number is 00026132.

2) This PTSA serves the children in the Liberty High School community, which includes the residences and businesses in the Liberty High School enrollment area.

3) This PTSA was incorporated on May 15, 1989 and assigned a UBI# which is available from the Treasurer upon request. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the annual corporation report. The registered agent for this corporation is the Washington State PTA. The Employer Identification Number is located in the legal documents notebook.

4) This PTSA is registered under the Charitable Solicitations Act; registration number is available upon request. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the annual registration by May 31st to avoid penalties.

5) This PTSA was granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code. A copy of the letter of determination is filed in the legal documents notebooks maintained by the president and the treasurer.

6) The treasurer is responsible for filing the appropriate Federal tax return forms prior to November 15th and providing a copy to the board of directors. Copies of the current and past years’ returns are located in the legal documents notebooks maintained by the president and the treasurer.

7) The Liberty PTSA has designated the Washington State PTA as its registered agent with the Washington Secretary of State’s office, the Washington Department of Revenue, and the United States Internal Revenue Service. Copies of the signed documents making such designation are available in the legal documents notebooks maintained by the president and the treasurer.

8) Per the Washington State PTA Uniform Bylaws, Liberty PTSA will annually complete the Washington State PTSA Standards of Affiliation agreement in its entirety, and we agree to abide by all requirements and to uphold the ethics, policies, and principles of PTA.

9) Membership in Liberty PTSA shall be open to all people without discrimination.  Membership is open to all parents, teachers, staff, grandparents, guardians, students, community members, and any other persons that support and encourage the purposes of PTA. Student members are entitled to voice and vote; however students under the age of 18 are not allowed to hold elected positions within the PTSA.  All students of LHS are honorary members with voice but no vote.

10) The dues for this PTSA shall not exceed $15.00 per individual membership, $25.00 per family and $10.00 for staff, student and community members, per year. The membership fees are determined by the membership, and shall be no less than necessary to cover the required National, State, and Council fees. All paid members may make motions, participate in debate, and vote at PTSA membership meetings.

11) Adoption of the budget, standing rules, election of the nominating committee, report of the financial review committee, and the election of officers shall take place at membership meetings. A calendar of membership meetings adequate to accomplish the business of the corporation shall be determined by the board of directors. Members will receive notice of the place, date, and time of the meetings not less than ten, nor more than sixty days prior to the date of the meeting.  A quorum of at least ten (10) members must be present to conduct business.

12) The board of directors shall set a calendar of regular board meeting dates and times.  Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by the president or upon written request of the majority of members of the board of directors. Notification of place, date, time, and purpose of the meeting shall be delivered to each member of the board of directors via email at least five (5) days prior to the special meeting. The right to make motions, participate in debates, and vote at PTSA board meetings shall be limited to members of the board, unless a motion to suspend the rules is approved by a two-thirds vote.  In the event that the Board of Directors needs to conduct a vote immediately, outside of a board meeting, a quorum vote can be conducted via email. The email record will be printed and filed in the Secretary notebook.

13) The elected officers of this PTSA shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.  Any elected position may be held jointly by two (2) people. Each co-position holder shall be entitled to make motions, participate in debate, and vote at a board of directors’ meeting. The PTSA will review the WSPTA Standards of Affiliation annually. The president is responsible for maintaining the required documentation.

15) Each elected officer must attend a minimum of one WSPTA-approved training opportunity during the PTA year. Further, at least one elected officer will attend PTA and the Law during the PTA year.

16) The board of directors of this PTSA may consist of the elected officers and the chairs of the following standing committees: Advocacy, Communications, Member(s) At-Large, Membership, Outreach, Parent Ed, Senior Events (current Sr. Class), and Ways and Means.  This PTSA’s board of directors will meet at least 4 times during the school year at a date and time to be determined by the board.  Quorum for a board meeting is simple majority (50%+1). Additional positions can be appointed by the president for a one year term. Per IRS regulations, family members or members of the same household are not allowed to serve on the board at the same time.

17) Voting for officers or nominating committee positions shall take place at a membership meeting.

18) An office/board position shall be declared vacant if that person misses three meetings without prior approval from the President. If a position on the Board of Directors is not filled or becomes vacant, the duties of that position will be shared among the members of the board or may be appointed until an election at a general membership meeting can be held to fill that vacancy.

19) The President(s) are ex-officio members of all committees, except the Nominating Committee and Financial Review Committee.

20) The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of at least three PTSA members. Members may not serve on the Nominating Committee more than two consecutive terms.

21) All members of the Board of Directors, all committee chairs, website and/or Facebook administrators, and any volunteer handling PTSA funds, must be paid members of the Liberty PTSA.

22) Board and/or Membership meetings may be held virtually where all participants may hear and see one another and participate concurrently.  A quorum vote may be conducted online during the meeting. Liberty PTSA shall also allow electronic voting for the election of officers and the election of the nominating committee. The voting record will be printed and filed in the Secretary notebook. 

23) Liberty PTSA shall approve its annual operating budget in the spring and fall of each year at a general membership meeting. The board of directors has authority to reallocate any funds budgeted for one line item to another by a two-thirds vote.  The annual carryover funds shall be a minimum of $5000. 

24) The treasurer will submit a monthly financial report to the board of directors.

25) PTSA financial records shall be subject to a financial review twice annually. These reviews should be conducted by a committee of at least three (3) PTSA members appointed by the President. No signer on the bank account shall be on the Financial Review Committee, or any individuals living in their households.

26) All checks require two signatures of authorized signers. There will be at least three (3) elected officers on the signature cards for this PTSA’s bank account. Use of a PTA debit card, credit card, ATM card or online banking to disperse funds is not permitted. Automatic withdrawals of items such as WSPTA membership dues are permitted if approved by two authorized signers.

27) The board of directors shall determine which officers shall have signing authority on the PTSA bank account.

28) The PTSA’s monthly bank account statements shall be reviewed by a non-signer. Bank statement reviewer is appointed by the board of directors. Unopened statement will be provided to reviewer. If there are no concerns or apparent discrepancies, the reviewer shall initial and date the account statements and deliver them to the treasurer.

29) All reimbursement requests for expenses must include a receipt and be submitted to the treasurer. All requests for reimbursement should be received within 3 weeks of the expense/event and no later than 7 days from the last day of school or they may be considered a donation to the PTSA.

30) All contracts require the signature of two elected officers.

31) Grant requests will be reviewed and voted upon by the Board of Directors at board meetings, as they are submitted, until May 1 or funds are depleted. Grant requests may also be voted on via email.  A record of the vote will be printed by the secretary and filed in the secretary notebook.

32) Passwords will be changed by the treasurer annually at the start of the new PTSA fiscal year (July 1st). Passwords should be maintained by both the president and the treasurer.  A list of active accounts must be provided to the financial review committee, minus the passwords and account numbers.

33) One or more Golden Acorn, Outstanding Advocate, and Outstanding Educator awards may be presented annually to an outstanding volunteer(s). A committee appointed by the president shall select the recipient(s). The budget shall determine the number of recipients.

34) Liberty High PTSA is a member of the Issaquah PTSA Council. The president shall choose four (4) voting delegates and (2) alternates who are authorized to vote on Liberty’s behalf at council meetings. 

35) The voting delegates to the annual WSPTA convention shall be determined in the following order: Incoming president, outgoing president, incoming vice president, incoming secretary, incoming treasurer, outgoing vice president, outgoing secretary, outgoing treasurer. The board of directors will determine how many delegates the budget will allow.

36) The voting delegate(s) to the WSPTA Legislative Assembly shall be determined in the following order: Advocacy rep, president, vice president, secretary, treasurer. President can appoint a member to attend if no officer is available. The board of directors will determine how many delegates the budget will allow.

37) All board members, committee chairs and volunteers must sign and follow the Liberty PTSA Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies (electronic signature is ok). Members of this PTSA shall not use their own social media platforms to cyberbully, insult, embarrass, target, or post threats towards any individuals, including school board officials, school administrators, teachers, PTSA members, volunteers, or other individuals that are associated with the Liberty PTSA.

38) The standing rules of this PTSA shall be adopted annually by a majority vote at the first membership meeting of the school year.  The standing rules may be amended at a membership meeting by majority vote if previous notice of the meeting was given.  If no previous notice was given, then a two-thirds (2/3) vote is required.