Belair Cooperative Nursery School

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BY-LAWS OF THE BELAIR COOPERATIVE NURSERY SCHOOL

ARTICLE I: NAME, PURPOSE AND LOCATION

The name of this non-profit, non-sectarian, non-partisan organization shall be the Belair Cooperative Nursery School. No person is excluded from the school because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The philosophy of the nursery school invites children to live in their environment, society and culture and become interactive with their world and with each other. Its emphasis is on the child becoming more aware of him or herself in relationships with the natural, social and cultural environments. To achieve this, the child is exposed to many of the phenomena of the world around them. Elements of the American culture are introduced and the child is made aware of other cultures throughout the world.

Furthermore, each child is made to feel that he or she is a contributing member of the small society within which he or she lives. The nursery school provides an environment where children have a group experience extending the values of the family life and providing an opportunity for involvement in democratic living.

The Belair Cooperative Nursery School attempts to provide a program which is appropriate to the child's stage of development and which will be personally satisfying to helping that child make the most of his or her potential. Close parental involvement is an important factor in the school's operation. The members form the administration of the school. The members are also responsible for hiring the teachers.

The location of the Belair Cooperative Nursery School will be in accordance with the terms of a contract renewable annually by the Executive Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

A) Eligibility

 

  1. The parents or guardians of children enrolled in the Belair Cooperative Nursery School shall be members. The membership is defined so that there is one membership unit for each child enrolled in the school.
  2. To be eligible for admission for a particular class, a child MUST reach the age for that class by September 1st of the school year during which the child is enrolled. (Exceptions made on a case by case basis)
  3. The child must be toilet trained. Special situations shall be left to the discretion of the teacher and the Executive Board of Directors.

 

B) Registration

 

  1. Registration for the ensuing year will be accepted in the order in which the application form and registration fee are received by the Vice President for the limit of the prescribed size of the classes with the following notations:
    1. The previous three year olds will fill the first slots open in the four-year-old class.
    2. Current and associate members applications will be accepted the week before registration is open to the public. Notification will be given to the associate members. This will be separate from the open house registration that follows.
    3. After open house, registration applications are to be accepted on first come first serve basis. No preference will be given to anyone.
    4. After the open house, public registration takes place. If there is a waiting list for the upcoming 4's class and an opening becomes available in the present year's 3's class, the first family on the wait list will be contacted by the Vice President and offered the 3's class present opening.
  2. A waiting list will be maintained and will consist of those applicants for membership for whom there is not yet a vacancy and who have completed an application form. Vacancies in enrollment will be filled from this list in the chronological order in which the Vice President has received the applications.

C) Tuition and Registration Fees (to include 3's and 4's classes)

 

  1. The Executive Board of Directors in accordance with operation expenses shall determine the rate of monthly tuition and the registration fee. Once a full registration fee has been paid for a particular child, a reduced fee shall be paid for that child per school year thereafter. The Executive Board of Directors shall set the registration fee. A registration fee is not required to be held on a waiting list. However, if a space opens up for the child, the registration fee must be paid immediately to secure the opening.
  2. The full amount of tuition will be paid per month regardless of what fraction of the month the child is attending or not attending. Tuition is due by the 1st of each month made payable to Belair Cooperative Nursery School. However, tuition for the last month of the school year shall be paid during the registration period for the following school year. Early payment of the last month is made in order to prevent early dropout from school.
  3. If tuition is not received by the 10th of the month, a $10 late fee will be charged. If the 10th of the month falls on a weekend day or holiday, tuition must be received by the first open school day following the weekend or holiday to avoid a late fee. If there is a continual problem with late tuition payments, the child concerned may be dropped from the roll. Notice will be given before such action is taken. A returned check fee of $25 will be charged if a tuition check is returned to the Treasurer.
  4. A working balance equal to one month's operating expenses plus one month's teacher's salary shall be retained at the end of each school year. An assessment will be made each May if necessary to insure that the required funds will be available for the following school year.
  5. Thirty days notice will be given if tuition or registration fees are to be increased.

D) Refunds

Tuition is non-refundable, however, special consideration may be made on a case-by-case basis. Registration fee is non-refundable.

E) Termination of Membership

  1. The Executive Board of Directors may cancel enrollment of a child of any member if that member fails to adhere to the by-laws, policies and procedures or any health and safety rules adopted by the Executive Board of Directors.
  2. Membership may be terminated by voluntary withdrawal of the child by the parents or guardians. In very exceptional cases upon recommendation of the class teacher and approval of the Executive Board of Directors a child's enrollment may be terminated due to that child's failure to adapt to the class in which enrolled.

F) Health

 

  1. As required by state law, before the first day of school, the Health, Safety and By-Laws Chairperson must be presented with the following:
    1. Evidence of a recent completed physical examination and record of all immunizations of the enrolled child.
    2. Evidence of compliance with all relevant government health regulations.
  2. The parents or guardians of any child contracting a communicable disease shall notify the Health and Safety Chairperson and a member of the Executive Board of Directors. That board member will notify all members of incidence of that communicable disease.
  3. Any existing and/or continuing health condition or disability of any student or participating adult should be made known to each and all teachers.
  4. Good judgment should always be used when deciding if your child is well enough to attend class.
  5. All members who participate in the classroom as parent helpers must complete the Employment Medical Report form before their first helping parent day.
  6. A teacher has the authority to send home any student who, in the teacher's opinion, is not well enough to be in school.

ARTICLE III: GOVERNMENT

A) Board of Directors

A non-paid Executive Board of Directors administers the Belair Cooperative Nursery School. Individuals are nominated and voted on to hold one position for a one-year period. Each member of the Executive Board of Directors shall be required to have current CPR and First Aid training. The Cooperative shall cover the cost of this training. The Executive Board of Directors of this organization will have duties as follows:

 

  1. 1) President

    1. The President shall preside over all general membership and Executive Board of Directors meetings and shall exercise a general supervision over the affairs of the organization.
    2. The President shall have the power to appoint, recall, or replace the chairperson and members of any committee who have been elected to that position by the general membership under the provisions of these by-laws.
    3. In the event of a vacancy in the Executive Board of Directors, an elected chairperson, or committee position, the President may appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Board of Directors, a temporary director, chairperson, or committee member who will hold office until the next general election.
    4. The President will act as an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
  2. Vice President

    1. The Vice President shall act as an aide to the President and shall perform the duties of the President in the President's absence.
    2. The Vice President shall serve as chairperson of the Membership Committee and shall be responsible for planning and publicizing registration.
    3. The Vice President shall maintain a class roster containing but not limited to the enrollment and termination date.
  3. 3) Secretary

    1. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings and maintain the attendance records. The Secretary shall distribute meeting minutes following all membership meetings to teacher(s) and current cooperative members.
    2. The Secretary shall carry on correspondence pertaining to meetings and notifications of meetings and will prepare correspondence required by any of the officers or staff.
    3. The Secretary shall be responsible for producing and distributing the Bellringer (school newsletter) each month. The Secretary is responsible for producing the Membership Handbook and By-laws as well as making any changes to the Membership Handbook and By-laws.
  4. Treasurer

    1. The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds and financial records, receive and record all monies paid and owed, and give financial reports to the Executive Board of Directors and the general membership at all meetings.
    2. The Treasurer shall present a balance sheet and report of income and expenses for the school year and have such properly audited by a disinterested accountant before turning over the books to the incoming treasurer at the end of the school year.
    3. Toward the end of the school year, the Treasurer shall prepare a budget estimate for the ensuing school year for the approval of the Executive Board of Directors.
    4. The Treasurer shall obtain and maintain the school's expense, liability bonding for financial actions taken on behalf of the Belair Cooperative Nursery School by him or herself and other appropriate officials of the school.

B) Committee Chairpersons

In addition to the Executive Board of Directors, each member unit is required to hold and fulfill a committee responsibility. The Committee Chairpersons of the Belair Cooperative Nursery School have duties as follows:

  1. Aquarium

     

    The Aquarium Chairperson shall maintain the aquarium, including repairs and cleaning the tank. The Aquarium Chairperson shall replace fish when needed and arrange for care over breaks. The Aquarium Chairperson shall coordinate with the teacher to ensure the fish are fed.

     

  2. Arts and Crafts

     

    The Arts and Crafts Chairperson is responsible for aiding the teacher in preparing art projects. The Arts and Crafts Chairperson shall hang Art Work, decorate bulletin boards, and purchase arts and crafts supplies per teacher requests. Please check the budget for spending limits.

     

  3. Book Club

     

    The Book Club Chairperson shall distribute book club fliers along with book order due dates, compile orders and distribute the orders; as well as submit a monthly summary to the Bellringer. The Book Club Chairperson shall work with the teachers to select bonus books.

     

  4. Class Coordinators

     

    The Class Coordinators shall schedule the classroom participation of each member of that class. Scheduling includes the consideration of each member�s work constraints and making sure that participation is distributed evenly among members. The Class Coordinators will also schedule a member�s participation closest to their child�s birthday. Talk to the teacher as to how to celebrate summer birthdays.

     

  5. Community Affairs

     

    The Community Affairs Chairperson shall submit a monthly summary to the Bellringer of events that are occurring in the local community that may be of interest to the Co-op members.

  6. Equipment, Inventory and Supplies

     

    The Equipment, Inventory and Supplies Chairperson shall be responsible for stocking the classroom, i.e., clean sponges, tissues, soap, and any other supplies the teachers feel are needed. Please check the budget for spending limits. The Equipment, Inventory and Supplies Chairperson shall be responsible for checking the Equipment, Inventory and Supplies Note pad to determine what supplies need to be purchased. The Equipment, Inventory and Supplies Chairperson shall order and arrange for the delivery or pickup of any items the Executive Board of Directors deem necessary. The Equipment, Inventory and Supplies Chairperson will perform an inventory at the end of the year and shall maintain the school�s Master Inventory List, and update it when new items are bought/received or items are discarded.

     

  7. Fieldtrips

     

    The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall confer with the teachers regarding possible fieldtrips and class presentations and scheduling. The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall investigate new fieldtrips and class participation possibilities. The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall contact the facility and speak to the appropriate person to arrange dates and times. The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall arrange for member participation, carpools, and directions to the fieldtrip site. The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall submit information to the Bellringer regarding the upcoming fieldtrips and/or presentations. The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall prepare and distribute permission slips signed by parents or guardians for all trips and file the form in the student�s folder. (MD State Regulation). The Fieldtrips Chairperson shall write thank-you notes when appropriate.

     

  8. Fundraising

     

    The Fundraising Chairperson shall investigate possible fundraising opportunities and present them to the Executive Board of Directors for consideration. The Fundraising Chairperson shall coordinate any fundraising events.

     

  9. Housekeeping

     

    The Housekeeping Chairperson shall schedule one member every weekend to clean the classroom. The Housekeeping Chairperson shall submit the schedule to the Bellringer and respond to any questions and/or problems regarding duties as stated in the Membership Handbook. The Housekeeping Chairperson shall prepare and keep the vinegar/water solution readily available for use in the classroom. The Housekeeping Chairperson shall coordinate winter and spring break toy cleanings and the end of the year closeout cleaning of the classroom.

     

  10. Librarian

     

    The Librarian shall maintain and organize the preschool library and establish a borrowing system. The Librarian shall select books that correspond with the teacher�s study program for that month. At the beginning of the school year, the Librarian shall sort through the library and mend books that need repairs.

     

  11. Photographers

     

    The Photographer Chairperson shall take pictures of students, events and fieldtrips. The Photographer Chairperson shall create a yearbook to distribute to the students at the end of the year. The Photographer Chairperson shall maintain the photo/video release forms.

     

  12. Snack Coordinator

     

    The Snack Coordinator will be responsible for purchasing and maintaining an inventory of nutritious snacks, napkins, and cups for the students and posting the schedule on the snack cabinet. Please check the budget for spending limits. The Snack Coordinator will collect and post information on the students dietary allergies.

     

  13. Special Events Coordinator

     

    The Special Events Coordinator will coordinate any school-wide functions (i.e., Holiday party, mom�s night out, family night out, special friend day, buddy and me outings, end of the year picnic, etc.). The chairperson will coordinate family participation in events (such as proving food and supplies). The Special Events Coordinator will submit information to the Bellringer when there are upcoming events.

     

  14. Teacher's Assistant

     

    The Teacher Assistant will aide the teacher as requested by the teacher. Tasks will include photocopying materials.

     

  15. Website Coordinator

     

    The Web Site coordinator shall gather monthly information and photos for web site placement, update any general information and/descriptions of the Co-op, and regularly monitor the web site to ascertain whether it is functioning. This information shall include, but is not limited to: basic information describing the Belair Cooperative Nursery School, class field trips (time and dates), any special class events, such as holiday parties, and special classroom visitors, and any forms needed by parents. A hard or electronic copy of this information shall be given to the Web Site Coordinator for placement by the Secretary, classroom teacher, class coordinators and classroom photographers.

     

C) Executive Board of Directors

The Executive Board of Directors shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. All legal documents executed by the Belair Cooperative Nursery School must have the signatures of not less than two members of the Executive Board of Directors and the affixing of these signatures to documents or the representing of the school does not make the officers individually liable.

D) Meetings

 

  1. General membership meetings shall be held five times during the school year.
  2. The Executive Board of Directors shall hold regular meetings at least once every four months.

E) Elections

 

  1. The election of the Executive Board of Directors for the Belair Cooperative Nursery School shall occur at the last general membership meeting of the school year.
  2. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President by the fourth membership meeting and will consist of at least three members (one of whom may be a member of the Executive Board of Directors). The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of candidates for the Executive Board of Directors and notify the membership of these candidates at least two weeks prior to the election. Nominations will be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
  3. Members may make additional nominations for the various offices at the last general membership meeting.
  4. The Executive Board of Directors elected by the general membership shall hold office for one year until the election of their successors, subject to the restriction that an elected officer may be removed from office by a written notice signed by the remaining members of the Executive Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV: SCHEDULE

 

  1. The Executive Board of Directors shall adopt a schedule defining the first and last days of the school year and the weekdays and hours each class meets. In general, each class shall meet for not less than two hours per day on its scheduled days.
  2. During the school year defined by the Executive Board of Directors, the school will be open generally the same days as the Prince George's County Public Schools are in session.

ARTICLE V: STAFF

 

  1. The staff of the Belair Cooperative Nursery School shall consist of one or more professionally trained teachers hired by the Executive Board of Directors and may be terminated at their discretion upon fourteen written notice. There is not discrimination on the basis or race, color, religion, sex, or national origin with regard to hiring or promotion.
  2. There will be no salary increase during the year unless a new contract is signed.
  3. The proper channel for substitute teachers in an emergency is as follows: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary, all of whom comprise the Executive Board of Directors. Each member of the Executive Board of Directors shall be required to have current CPR and First Aid training. The Cooperative shall cover the cost of this training.

ARTICLE VI: CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION AND HOUSEKEEPING RESPONSIBILITIES

A) Participation

 

  1. A parent or guardian from each family will be scheduled for classroom participation as a teacher's aide.
  2. Special consideration with regard to participation by a member may be granted for maternity leave, accident, operation, or extended illness not to exceed two months. Beyond this time limit, and for individual personal changes, each member must make his or her own arrangements for exchange of assigned duty by another member.
  3. Families having more than one student registered in the Belair Cooperative Nursery School shall be scheduled for classroom participation once for each child during each participation period.
  4. Other rules and regulations on participation may be adopted by action of the Executive Board of Directors.
  5. If "Lunch Bunch" falls on a day you are to be helping parent, you will be expected to remain for the program and your child can attend at no cost. If you opt for your child not to participate, you must find another parent to take your place for the remainder of the day (12-1:30 PM).

B) Housekeeping

Each family shall be scheduled for housekeeping responsibilities. Housekeeping schedule and duties shall be in accordance with procedures adopted by the Executive Board of Directors.

C) Attendance at Meetings

Any member who does not attend at least four meetings each school year will be fined $50. This $50 fee will be added to September's tuition and refunded in April if meeting requirement is met. Members are required to arrive within 15 minutes from the meetings start in order for that meeting to count for full attendance. Requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing and subject to approval of the Executive Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

These by-laws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the membership units, provided written notice of the proposed amendment is given at least one month in advance of the meeting in which action on said amendment is scheduled.

ARTICLE VIII: DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of the by-laws, all net assets shall be disposed of in accordance with the relevant Policies and Procedures then in effect.

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