PTO By-Laws

Article I- Name and Purpose
The name of this organization is the St. Leo the Great Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
The PTO is organized under the authority of the Pastor and shall operate in accordance with
applicable rules of St. Leo the Great Parish and the Diocese of Arlington. The purpose of the
PTO is to provide opportunity for parents and teachers to work together for the good of the
children at St. Leo the Great School. The PTO should work to increase the parents’ and
teachers’ understanding of the children and how they learn as individuals. Through its
programs, the PTO should promote the advancement of Catholic education and increase the
knowledge of education and its processes in general.

Article II- Authority and Responsibility
Section 1. The PTO has no authority for the administration of the school. The Principal has
the authority for the administration of the school under the direction of the Pastor and in
accord with the directives of the Diocese of Arlington. The PTO has the responsibility to insure
that its activity is consistent with the best interests of St. Leo the Great School, St. Leo the
Great Parish, and the Diocese of Arlington.
Section 2. The PTO shall provide the Principal and the Pastor with such advice and assistance
that the Principal or Pastor may request.
Section 3. The PTO shall serve as a forum for the discussion of issues related to St. Leo the
Great School that are of interest to the membership of the PTO. The PTO will function as a
vehicle for the organized expression of opinions and recommendations related to St. Leo the
Great School that the membership wishes to convey to the appropriate authority.
Section 4. The PTO shall seek to enrich St. Leo the Great School by providing educational,
cultural, social, and recreational resources and experiences for the students and their families.
Section 5. The PTO may raise and spend money in support of its purpose, consistent with the
oral and written financial policies and regulations of St. Leo the Great Parish and the Diocese
of Arlington, with the advice and consent of the Principal and the Pastor.

Article III- Membership and Dues
Section 1. Upon the payment of dues, all parents and guardians of children attending St. Leo
the Great School shall become members of the PTO (Parent Members) provided that no family
shall have more than two (2) PTO members. Each Parent member shall be entitled to one (1)
vote per family.
Section 2. The teachers of the school shall automatically be considered members of the PTO
(ex Officio Members). Ex Officio Members shall enjoy the same rights as Parent Members.
Section 3. Dues are established annually by the Executive Board at the transitional Board
meeting in May of every year.
Section 4. All members may attend and speak at General Membership meetings, may chair
committees as appointed by the President, and may serve on committees. Parent and ex
Officio Members may vote on such matters as shall be presented to the General Membership.

Article IV- Officers: Executive Board
Section 1. The administrative body of the PTO shall be known as the Executive Board. The
Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers and ex officio officers of the PTO.
Section 2. The elected officers of the PTO shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary,
Treasurer, Director of Fundraising, Director of Volunteer Activities, and Director of Community
Needs.
Section 3. The ex-officio officers shall include the Pastor, the Principal, the Vice Principal, and
not more than two (2) faculty representatives chosen by the faculty at the beginning of each
school year. The Principal shall serve as the designated representative of the Pastor unless
the Pastor changes the designation.
Section 4. The President shall, with input from the Pastor and the Principal, formulate the
agenda for all meetings of the PTO and the Executive Board. The President shall preside at all
meetings of the PTO and the Executive Board. He/she will perform all duties pertaining to the
Office, shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, and shall receive all notices of all
meetings. At the beginning of the year, after consultation with the Pastor and the Principal,
the President shall provide PTO members with the goals and agenda set by the Executive
Board for the upcoming year. The President shall, with the approval of the Executive Board,
have the right to form or disband committees and to appoint the Chair of such committees.
With the Treasurer, the President shall have authority to approve expenditures drawn on the
PTO parish bank account.
Section 5. The President-Elect shall work with the President in order to become fully aware of
the responsibilities of the office of president and shall perform duties as assigned by the
President. The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s
absence and shall take minutes at Executive Board meetings and General Membership
meetings if the secretary is not present. The President-Elect shall serve as chairperson of the
Nominating Committee and shall serve as the Executive Board’s liaison to Diocesan meetings
and functions, including but not limited to the Diocesan council of PTO’s. The President-Elect
shall have succession to the office of President the year following his/her term as President-
Elect.
Section 6. The Secretary shall take minutes at and keep a minute book showing a true and
accurate history of all Executive Board meetings and General Membership meetings, except as
provided for in Article VIII, Section 6. The Secretary shall make the minutes available to all
members through means such as submitting the minutes for posting on the school website
and shall, consistent with the Constitution and By-laws, make the minutes available through
other means as necessary upon request. He/she shall perform other duties as the President
or the Executive Board shall designate.
Section 7. The Treasurer shall receive all dues and other monies, and shall make
disbursements only as permitted by the Constitution and By-laws. With the President, the
Treasurer shall have authority to approve expenditures drawn on the PTO parish bank
account. He/she shall make a financial report at each Executive Board meeting and at each
General Membership meeting. The Treasurer shall prepare the books and records of the PTO
subject to all applicable diocesan and parish requirements. Such books and records shall be
open to review as required by such diocesan and/or parish authorities.
Section 8. The Director of Fundraising shall assume primary responsibility for overseeing all
committees formed to raise additional funds for the PTO. The committees’ activities may
include, but are not limited to, fundraising social events, fundraising programs with
community partners, sales of PTO products or services, and other activities as approved by the
Executive Board. The Director of Fundraising will submit and work within budgets for the year
and will approve all fundraising committee activities, budgets, and expenses for the year.
He/she will provide reports regarding fundraising activities at Executive Board meetings. In
the event that a fundraising committee chairperson is unable to fulfill his/her duties, the
Director of Fundraising shall assume responsibility for the event or shall, subject to the
approval of the Executive Board, postpone or cancel the event.
Section 9. The Director of Volunteer Activities shall be the Chair of the Volunteer Committee,
in accordance with Article V, and as such, shall be responsible for identifying volunteer
opportunites, for accumulating volunteer preferences, for matching volunteers to volunteer
opportunities, and for tracking volunteer efforts. The Director of Volunteer Activites shall work
with PTO Event Chairs and with school personnel to identify and fill volunteer opportunites and
shall provide volunteers with a means to track volunteer efforts. The Director of Volunteer
Activities shall be the point of contact for the volunteer activities and needs of the school,
including, but not limited to, the room parent program.
Section 10. The Director of Community Needs shall be responsible for all formal
communications, subject to Board approval, between the PTO and school families, including,
but not limited to, the school directory and “Back to School” events. The Director of
Community Needs shall be responsible for any programs and/or events created to welcome
new families to the school, to provide support to all of the school families as needed and
deemed appropriate by the Executive Board, and to support school activities for the outside
community as approved by the Executive Board and the school administration.
Section 11. The term of office for elected officers shall be for two (2) years. No person shall
be eligible to hold the same elected office for more than two (2) consecutive terms. If no
other nominees are presented for a particular office, the current office holder may serve one
(1) additional term in the same office.
Section 12. An elected officer may be removed from office on grounds of malfeasance,
misfeasance, or nonfeasance by a vote of 2/3 of the Executive Board.
Section 13. The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President if the President
cannot complete his/her term. The Executive Board shall fill any other vacancies among the
elected officers by majority vote of the Board. An officer appointed to office under this section
shall serve the remainder of the term of the elected officer he/she has replaced.
Section 14. The Executive Board shall carry out the objectives and policies of the PTO and
propose new objectives and policies when necessary.
Section 15. The Executive Board shall manage the affairs of this organization in accordance
with the provisions of the Constitution and By-laws.
Section 16. Consistent with Article II, Section 5, the Executive Board shall adopt a budget of
revenues and expenditures at the beginning of each school year with the advice and consent
of the Principal and the Pastor. The Board may modify the budget throughout the year as
events require and with the advice and consent of the Principal and the Pastor.
Section 17. The Executive Board shall vote on the raising and expenditure of funds and report
on such to the PTO members. All expenditures of PTO funds in excess of $100 require the
prior approval of the Executive Board. The Treasurer, with the agreement of the President,
may make disbursements of up to $100 that are reasonably incident to items or projects
approved by the Executive Board, provided that such disbursements are reported to the
Executive Board at its next scheduled meeting.
Section 18. The Executive Board shall approve the plans, programs, and actions of the
committees. All matters of the committees requiring a vote of the Executive Board shall be
submitted in writing to the President one week prior to the scheduled Executive Board
meeting.

Article V- Committees
Section 1. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, may from time to time
appoint committees that further the objectives and purposes of the PTO.
Section 2. The Directors of Fundraising, Volunteer Activities, and Community Needs shall have
the authority, subject to Executive Board approval, to create committees as needed to
perform the duties of their offices.
Section 3. Each committee chairperson shall be responsible for organizing his/her committee,
appointing such deputies and establishing such subcommittees as he/she may deem necessary
or desirable. The Secretary shall be informed of the membership of each committee by the
chairperson.
Section 4. Each committee chairperson shall present a proposed budget to the Executive
Board as well as an accounting of money received and expended.

Article VI- Election of Officers
Section 1. Elections of officers shall be by ballot vote once a year no later than May 1st.
Ballots will be mailed to all PTO members. The Executive Board shall designate the election
date at least thirty (30) days prior to the ballot vote and shall take reasonable steps to inform
the PTO membership of the date of the ballot vote. Newly elected officers shall assume their
duties at a transitional Executive Board meeting, which will be the first Executive Board
meeting following the election.
Section 2. The election of new officers to the Executive Board shall be staggered in order to
maintain the stability of the Board. Every year the PTO membership shall elect a new
President-Elect who will serve his/her second year as President. In even years, the PTO
membership shall elect a new Treasurer and a new Director of Volunteer Activities. In odd
years, the PTO membership shall elect a new Secretary, a new Director of Fundraising, and a
new Director of Community Needs.
Section 3. The President-Elect shall appoint and will be Chair of a Nominating Committee
consisting of at least three (3) Parent Members. The Nominating Committee will be created at
least thirty (30) days prior to the ballot vote.
Section 4. A Parent Member in good standing may place his/her name in nomination for
elected office by submitting his/her name to the Nominating Committee at least fifteen (15)
days prior to the ballot vote. A Parent Member may place another Parent Member’s name in
nomination for elected office by submitting it to the Nominating Committee at least fifteen(15)
days prior to the ballot vote, provided that the Nominating Committee obtain the consent of
the nominee prior to the submission of the nominee’s name to the PTO membership.
Section 5. The Nominating Committee shall inform the Executive Board of the nominees for
elected office at least seven (7) days prior to the election meeting. The Nominating
Committee shall take reasonable steps to inform the PTO membership of the nominees.
Section 6. In the event the Nominating Committee has not identified a candidate for an office,
nominations for that office may come from the PTO membership as a write-in nomination on
the ballot.
Section 7. Candidates for elected office may present written statements in support of their
candidacy to be included in the ballot. PTO members may ask questions of the candidates
prior to voting.
Section 8. The Nominating Committee shall supervise and count the voting. Voting shall be
by secret ballot by Parent and Ex Officio Members. Each Parent and Ex Officio member shall
be entitled to one (1) vote per family. The candidate for each office that receives the greatest
number of votes shall be declared the winner of that office.
Section 9. In the event of exigent circumstances, the Executive Board may designate a
different procedure for elections by 2/3-majority vote of the Executive Board.

Article VII- General Membership Meetings
Section 1. There shall be meetings of the General Membership from time to time as the
President and/or the Executive Board shall decide, provided that there shall be at least one (1)
General Membership meeting held each year.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall take reasonable steps to inform the PTO membership,
the Principal, and the Pastor when a General Membership meeting has been called.
Section 3. Those present at a General Membership meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. The President shall formulate the agenda for all General Membership meetings.
Members shall submit items for the agenda in writing to the President at least seven (7)
calendar days in advance of the meeting where feasible; or where such advance written notice
is not feasible, the Member shall give notice to the President prior to the commencement of
the meeting. In the event written notice is not given, the proposed agenda item may be
deferred until the next General Membership meeting or the next Executive Board meeting.
Section 5. At least once each year, the Executive Board shall report to the General
Membership meeting on all funds raised and expended by the PTO and on such other matters
as the Board may deem appropriate.
Section 6. In the event proposals are submitted to the PTO membership for a vote, each
Parent and Ex Officio Member shall be entitled to one (1) vote per family. Unless otherwise
required by the Constitution or By-laws, a vote of the majority attending the meeting shall be
sufficient to approve the proposal at large.
Section 7. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all General Membership meetings. The
President-Elect shall keep minutes of all General Membership meetings if the secretary is not
present. Minutes shall be made available to the PTO membership.

Article VIII- Executive Board Meetings
Section 1. At the beginning of each school year, the Executive Board shall establish a
schedule of Executive Board meetings for the school year (“scheduled meetings”). The Board
shall take reasonable steps to provide notice of these meetings to the Board Members, the
Principal, the Pastor and, consistent with Section 6, the PTO Membership.
Section 2. Additional meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at the call of the President
or, if the President should decline to call a meeting, at the call of two other elected officers of
the Board. The Board shall take reasonable steps to provide notice of these meetings to the
Board Members, the Principal, the Pastor and, consistent with Section 6, the PTO Membership.
Section 3. The majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum at an Executive
Board meeting.
Section 4. The President shall formulate the agenda for all Executive Board meetings. The set
agenda at Executive Board meetings shall include a report from all board members.
Section 5. All members of the Executive Board, the Principal, and the Pastor shall be entitled
to attend the Executive Board meetings. Subject to Section 6, the President or Principal may
invite others to attend Executive Board meetings. Subject to Section 6, a meeting of the
Executive Board shall be open to the PTO membership, either in whole or in part.
Section 6. Subject to Section 7, the Executive Board may declare a closed session of the
Board by a 2/3 majority of the Board when the Board believes that it is in the best interest of
the PTO membership. Notice of sessions that may be closed need only be given members of
the Executive Board, the Principal, and the Pastor. Only Executive Board members, the
Principal, and the Pastor and those invited by the President or the Principal may attend closed
Executive Board sessions. Matters discussed at closed sessions shall not be disclosed except
as the Board shall direct.
Section 7. The Executive Board shall not declare a closed session regarding the raising or
expenditure of PTO funds.
Section 8. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board. The
President-Elect shall keep minutes of all Executive Board meetings if the secretary is not
present. Unless declared closed by the Board pursuant to Section 6, minutes of the Executive
Board shall be made available to the PTO membership.
Article IX- Rules of Order
All meetings of this organization shall be conducted according to “Robert’s Rules of Order,
Revised”, when not inconsistent with this Constitution and By-laws.

Article X- Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws shall be provided at one General
Membership meeting (“the proposal meeting”) and voted on at the next General Membership
meeting (“the voting meeting”).
Section 2. Modifications to amendments that are accepted by majority vote at the proposal
meeting shall be included in the proposed amendment for vote by the membership at the
voting meeting.
Section 3. A two-thirds vote of the membership attending the voting meeting is necessary to
amend the Constitution and By-laws.
Section 4. Each Parent and Ex-officio Member shall be entitled to one (1) vote per family at
both the proposal and voting meeting.
Section 5. Amendments shall not take effect unless ratified by the Principal and Pastor
pursuant to Article XI.

Article XI- Approval and Ratification
Section 1. This Constitution and By-laws shall replace the current Constitution and By-laws
upon the approval of the PTO membership and ratification by the Principal and Pastor.
Section 2. This Constitution and By-laws shall be proposed at a PTO General Membership
meeting (“the proposal meeting”) and voted upon at the next PTO General Membership
meeting (“the voting meeting”).
Section 3. Modifications to this Constitution and By-laws that are accepted by majority vote at
the proposal meeting shall be included in the Constitution and By-laws for vote by the PTO
membership of the voting meeting.
Section 4. A two-thirds vote of the membership attending the voting meeting is necessary to
approve the Constitution and By-laws.
Section 5. Each Parent and Ex-officio Member shall be entitled to one (1) vote per family at
both the proposal and voting meeting.
Section 6. Upon approval by the PTO membership, this Constitution and By-laws shall be
submitted to the Principal and Pastor for ratification.
Section 7. The Principal and the Pastor may ratify this Constitution and By-laws as
submitted. The Pastor reserves the right to amend this Constitution and By-laws and resubmit
them to the members for approval.
Section 8. All amendments to this Constitution and By-laws that are approved by the PTO
membership pursuant to Article X shall be submitted to the Principal and Pastor for
ratification. The Principal and Pastor may: 1) ratify the amendment as submitted; 2) reject it;
or 3) amend it and resubmit it to the members for approval.
Section 9. In the event that a new Principal or Pastor takes office, this Constitution and By-
laws, as may be amended, must be submitted for re-ratification to the Principal and Pastor no
later than 60 days after the new Principal or Pastor assumes office. In that event, the
Principal and Pastor may ratify the Constitution and By-laws as submitted or may amend it
and resubmit it to the members for approval.
Section 10. This Constitution and By-laws will remain in effect during the ratification process
set forth in Sections 8 and 9.

Article XII- Short Title
This Constitution and By-laws may be referred to as “The 2010 Constitution”.