I believe there's a link here to check out by-laws-- try other schools in your area as well-- our by-laws are posted on our website-- you could check them out--- they are printable--
foxpto.com
we have the V-president check over the by-laws each year and if they need updating we form a committee that includes the VP-- we've updated the by-laws 3 times since they were written in 1998... A good practice-- especially if you change who is on your board and how long their term should or can be.
I am the new Co-President of our PTO. Our PTO doesn't have any bylaws and we would like to write them. How do we go about that? Is there a website or a link you can suggest to help us?
<img src=images/smilies/biggrin.gif><br />
<br>While we try to teach our children all about life,<br />
<br>Our children teach us what life is all about.<br />
<br>~Angela Schwindt
The bylaws I wrote for the elementary group I belonged to actually had a section of how frequently the bylaws should be reviewed-I believe it was every 2 years or as needed. I think it's a good idea to look them over at regular intervals. Things change as a group grows and new officers flow in and out. What works for you right now, may not be functional for you two years from now if your group goes through a lot of changes in funding, programs, etc. The biggest area of importance is your finances. Having very specific guidelines for money handling and recordkeeping can protect your group and save the individuals who serve on your board a lot of headaches.
We found that our by-laws needed updating as a result of requirements for the 501c3 process; I wouldn't be surprised if you found the same. But, the more general you can make them, the better the chances that they won't need to be updated.
I am current treasurer and incoming president of our pto and our by-laws are over 10 years old. In fact none of those who signed the original are at our school anymore. Do we need to update? I think they are basically still "correct" in practice. We are a small group and the bylaws are very basic & general.
My other reason for wondering is that we are going to be applying for our own EIN # & possible tax exempt status this year.
