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Horizons Council Bylaws
Amended and Restated
July 1st, 2008
These Bylaws set forth the
governance procedures, concepts, roles and responsibilities at Horizons K-8
School.
I. Name
The official name of the
organization is the Horizons K – 8 School Council, also referred to herein as
the Horizons Council or the Council.
II. Purpose
The purpose of the
Horizons Council is to provide a forum for the active participation of parents,
Faculty, Staff, students, and the community at large in support of the Belief
and Mission Statements of Horizons K – 8 School.
III. Membership
Horizons Faculty, Staff,
students, and parents/legal guardians (referred to herein as parents) of
students enrolled in the Horizons K-8 School are members of the Horizons
Council.
IV. Definitions
A. Certified
Teachers: Teachers holding a State of Colorado
Teacher’s License, teaching in their area of endorsement (e.g., 2/3 homeroom teacher
with an Elementary K-6 Endorsement) and meeting the criteria for the Federal
Highly Qualified Teacher guidelines.
B. Charter
Contract:
The Charter School Contract entered into by and between Horizons K-8
Alternative Charter School, now known as Horizons K-8 School, and Boulder
Valley School District RE-2, dated May 8, 1997, and renewals and amendments of
the contract.
C. Charter
Negotiation Team: The committee comprised of
representatives designated by the Horizons Council, as provided in Article VI,
Section I, and authorized by the Council to negotiate the renewal of the
Charter Contract.
D. Concordance: Decisions of the
Horizons Council, Council Board, Faculty and Faculty Board are made by
concordance, in order to maximize decision-making participation and support for
the outcome. Concordance is a
discussion and decision-making system whereby each member has an equal
opportunity to voice opinions or concerns, offer alternative solutions, and
then agree or disagree with any proposed course of action. If a member disagrees with a proposal,
that member is encouraged to offer an alternative course of action. Concordance is reached when all members
agree unanimously to support taking the proposed course of action.
E. Council
Board: The Council Board is an executive board
comprised of the Faculty Board Members (see Definitions Section L), and four Parent Council Board Members elected as
provided in Article VII, Section D. Procedures, meetings and responsibilities
of the Council Board are provided in Article VII.
F. Council
Budget:
Money raised by the school’s fundraising activities.
G. Council
Co-Chairs:
The Council Co-Chairs are the Lead Teacher designated by the Faculty Board
pursuant to Article X (the Faculty Co-Chair), and the Parent Co-Chair elected
by the Council pursuant to Article VII, Section D.
H. District: Boulder Valley School
District RE-2.
I. District
Budget:
Money provided to the school through the District.
J. Executive
Session:
Council Board, Faculty Board and Finance Review Committee meetings to address
personnel or legal matters, or any other matter that is legally required to
keep confidential.
K. Faculty: The Faculty is comprised
of all teachers employed by the school as Certified Teachers, including
homeroom teachers, the Lead Teacher and any Assistant Lead Teacher.
L. Faculty
Board:
The Faculty Board is an executive board comprised of
the Lead Teacher and five elected Faculty Members. Faculty Board Members also serve on the Council Board. Election of Faculty Board Members, and
procedures, meetings and responsibilities of the Faculty Board are as provided
in Article XII.
M. Finance
Review Committee: The Finance Review Committee is an advisory committee comprised
of the Lead
Teacher, the Parent Co-Chair, two parent members, one Faculty member, and the
School Bookkeeper. Membership,
meetings and responsibilities of the Finance Review Committee are provided in
Article IX.
N. Horizons Belief
Statement: The Council approved statement of
guiding beliefs concerning education of students, as stated in the Horizons
Handbook.
O. Horizons
Communications Agreements: The Council approved agreements that Horizons Faculty,
Staff, parents and students are expected to honor in communications with one
another, as stated in the Horizons Handbook.
P. Horizons
Community:
Horizons Council members.
Q. Horizons
Faculty Expectations: The Council approved statement of
expectations for Faculty, as stated in the Horizons Handbook.
R. Horizons
Handbook:
The Horizons K-8 School Handbook issued to parents of students after
enrollment, and to Faculty and Staff upon employment, as updated from time to
time. The Handbook will contain
the school’s governance documents, philosophy, descriptions of its activities,
procedures, schedules and other information. It is also available online at www.horizonsk8school.org
S. Horizons
Mission Statement:
The Mission Statement in the school’s original charter Application to the
District, and any Council approved modifications thereto, as stated in the
Horizons Handbook.
T. Horizons
Parent Expectations:
The Council approved statement of expectations for parents of the school’s
students, as stated in the Horizons Handbook.
U. Horizons
Student Expectations:
The Council approved statement of expectations for the school’s students, as
stated in the Horizons Handbook.
V. Lead
Teacher:
The Lead Teacher is the school’s principal administrator and primary
representative. The selection and
primary responsibilities of the Lead Teacher are as provided in Article X.
W. Open
Forum:
The time provided at the beginning of each Council meeting to give participants
the opportunity to share information of relevance to the entire school
community. Open Forum speakers are
limited to 2 minutes for their statements and may not ask for comments,
questions, or discussion, unless otherwise determined by the Council
Co-Chairs. Open Forum statements
are not to address personal concerns that are better addressed according to the
Horizons Communications Agreements.
X. Skylines: The official newsletter
of the school which is published at least monthly during the school year. Skylines is primarily published in electronic media (email), and is provided in
paper copy upon request.
Y. Staff: Non-Faculty employees of
the Horizons K-8 School (e.g., clerical, custodial, and para-educators).
V. Council Meetings
A. Regular meetings
of the Horizons Council are established by the Council and are published in the
yearly school calendar.
B. All Council
members attending a Council meeting participate in decision-making and will
have an opportunity to address matters brought before the Council at the
meeting.
C. Agendas
for all meetings of the Horizons Council are published in Skylines prior to
each meeting.
D. At any meeting of
the Horizons Council, six Council Board Members will constitute a quorum for
decision-making, provided that at least two Parent Council Board Members and
three Faculty Board Members are present.
E. The Council Co-Chairs
preside at Council meetings.
F. Decisions
of the Horizons Council will be made by Concordance. If Concordance cannot be reached, the decision is referred
to the Council Board. The Council
Co-Chairs determine when Concordance cannot be reached. If Concordance is not reached at the
Council meeting at which a proposal is considered, the Co-Chairs will determine
whether to continue Council consideration of the proposal at one or more
subsequent Council meetings, or to refer the matter to the Council Board for
decision. The Council Board may
take action at a Council Board meeting announced at the Council meeting and
convened immediately after the Council meeting, or at a separate meeting with
notice provided pursuant to Article VII, Section C.1.
VI. Responsibilities
of the Council
The responsibilities and
authority of the Council are:
A. Providing an Open
Forum at each Council meeting for the brief communication of information of
relevance to the entire Horizons Community.
B. Identifying
and discussing issues of concern to the Horizons Community.
C. Considering
Council decisions and actions in light of Horizons Belief and Mission
Statements, Horizons Communications Agreements, and Horizons Expectations for
Faculty, Students, and Parents.
D. Approving:
1. Modifications
and amendments to Horizons Belief and Mission Statements, Horizons
Communications Agreements, and Horizons Expectations for Faculty, Students, and
Parents.
2. Horizons
yearly school goals.
3. Classroom
cleaning policies.
4. Horizons
yearly calendar and hours of operation.
5. Fundraising
policies and activities.
6. The
use of the Council Budget.
7. The renewal
of the Charter Contract, and any amendments.
8. Such other
actions as the Council determines to be necessary or appropriate in carrying
out its responsibilities and authority.
E. Developing,
reviewing, and modifying the Council Budget with the assistance and advice of
the Finance
Review Committee.
F. Participating in budget development for the District Budget.
G. Electing parent
members of the Council Board and the Finance Review Committee.
H. Appointing
Horizons representatives to the District Accountability Committee (“DAC”) and
Parent Council (“DPC”).
I. Appointing
the members of the Charter Negotiation Team.
J. Fulfilling
District-mandated school improvement duties as necessary.
K. Establishing
task forces and committees as the Council deems advisable, and determining the
terms, membership and duties of task forces and committees.
VII. The Council Board
A. The
Council Board consists of ten members:
1. Parent
Council Board Members: Four of the Members are parents of Horizons
students. Faculty are not eligible
to serve as Parent Council Board Members.
2. Faculty
Board Members: Six of the Members are Faculty Board Members; see Article XII
for election of Faculty Board Members. One will be the Lead Teacher and five will be Faculty members elected by
Faculty.
B. The
responsibilities of the Council Board include:
1. Making
decisions when Concordance in the decision-making processes of the Council
cannot be reached. Council Board
decisions will be made by Concordance.
2. Interviewing
and hiring Faculty, and participating in the hiring and selection of the Lead
Teacher and any Assistant Lead Teachers if applicable pursuant to Article X.
3. Keeping
confidential all personnel and legal issues that come before the Council Board,
except legally required disclosures or disclosures approved by the Board.
4. Hearing and
resolving public complaints as required pursuant to the Charter Contract.
5. Acting on
behalf of the school with respect to any matter not delegated to another body
by these Bylaws.
C. Council
Board Meetings
1. Notice of a
Council Board Meeting separate from a Council meeting will be given to the
Board Members and published in Skylines or an addendum at least 48 hours in
advance unless the meeting is called to address an emergency or the Board is
meeting in Executive Session. Notice to Board Members will be provided by email, mail or telephone, as
necessary.
2. Six of the
Board Members will constitute a quorum, provided that at least two Parent
Council Board Members and three Faculty Board Members are present.
3. Council
Board meetings will be open to the public, except when the Board meets in
Executive Session.
4. Special
meetings may be called to address any urgent Council Board matter by any two
Members upon such notice to the Board Members as the circumstances reasonably
permit.
D. Election
of Parent Council Board Members and Parent Co-Chair
1. All
Horizons parents who are completing at least their second year as Horizons
parents are eligible for election to the Council Board.
2. The
annual election of Parent Council Board Members will be held at the Council
meeting in May. A Horizons parent
may run for election as a Parent Council Board Member by submitting a notice in
writing to either of the Council Co-Chairs at least four weeks prior to a
scheduled election. The notice
will include the candidate’s name, contact information, a brief personal
statement, the candidate’s interest in the Parent Co-Chair position, if elected,
and such other information as the Council may require. If there are fewer candidates than
vacancies to be filled by the deadline, the Council Co-Chairs may extend the
deadline until one week prior to the election meeting.
3. Each parent
and Staff Council member attending the election meeting votes by secret ballot
for as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled. Faculty will not vote in the election
of Parent Board Members.
4. The
four candidates receiving the most votes are elected to the Board. A run-off is held in case of a
tie. If a tie cannot be broken at
the same meeting, a future election will be scheduled.
5. The Parent
Co-Chair will be elected annually from among the newly elected Parent Council
Board Members, at the same meeting at which the new Members are elected, with a
separate vote by the parent and Staff Council members.
6. The term of
office for Board Members will be from July 1 in the year elected to June 30 of
the following year, or until their successors are elected. Board Members may
run for re-election.
7. Any Parent
Council Board Member or Parent Co-Chair vacancy will be filled at a Council
meeting specified by the Co-Chairs following the election procedure provided
above.
VIII. Council Officers
A. Co-Chairs: The Council Co-Chairs’ responsibilities
include:
1. Serving
as Co-Chairs of the Council Board.
2. Presiding
at all meetings of the Horizons Council and Council Board.
3. Serving
as representatives of Horizons with the District School Board and administration,
and the public.
4. Calling
Council Board meetings and providing any required notice.
5. Retaining
legal counsel on behalf of the Council or the Board.
6. Keeping
a record of Executive Session Council Board meetings.
B.
Council
Secretary and Council Minutes
1. The
Faculty appoints the Council secretary annually from among the Faculty.
2. The
Council secretary keeps minutes of all Council and public Council Board
meetings. The minutes will be
published in Skylines and will be provided in paper copy to any member of the
Horizons Community upon request.
IX. Finance Review Committee
A. Responsibilities
of Finance Review Committee Members
1. Reviewing
the school’s expenditures, receipts, investments and accounts to confirm that
the school’s monies are used in a manner consistent with the Council Budget as
determined by the Council and the District Budget as determined by the
Faculty.
2. Reporting
the results of their ongoing review of the Council and District Budgets, including
the status of total revenues, total expenses and remaining cash reserves, and
their recommendations for addressing any issues that arise with respect to the
budgets, to the Council, the Council Board and the Faculty. The Finance Review Committee will
report at all Council meetings and at Faculty meetings as requested by the
Faculty or the Lead Teacher, and at Council Board meetings as requested by the
Co-Chairs; and will prepare financial statements quarterly or more frequently.
3. Working
with the Lead Teacher in developing the annual District Budget, and
recommending modifications to the budget. The District Budget will then be submitted to and approved by the
Faculty.
4. Assisting
the Council in developing the annual Council Budget and any modifications.
B. Finance
Review Committee Meetings
1. The Finance
Review Committee will meet prior to each Council meeting at meetings
established on the annual school calendar. Special meetings may be called to review any urgent
financial matter by any two members of the Finance Review Committee upon such
notice to Committee members as the circumstances reasonably permit.
2. Meetings of
the Finance Review Committee are open to the public, except when the Committee
is in Executive Session to consider any information the school is legally
required to keep confidential.
C. All Finance
Review Committee members are authorized to request, receive and review any and
all financial records and information of Horizons, whether maintained by the
school, the District or any other person or entity. Finance Review Committee members must use such information
only for the purpose of fulfilling the Finance Review Committee’s
responsibilities, and must keep confidential, to the extent required by law,
all individual personnel or student-related information.
D. Selection
and Terms of Finance Review Committee Members
1. Election
of Parent Finance Review Committee Members
a. All
Horizons parents who are not employed by the school are eligible for election to
the Finance Review Committee for a two-year term. Each year, one parent member is elected, such that the terms
of the two parent members are staggered.
b. The
annual election of parent Finance Review Committee members will be at the March
Council meeting.
c. A
Horizons parent may run for the Finance Review Committee by submitting a notice
in writing to either of the Council Co-Chairs at least four weeks prior to a
scheduled election. The notice
will include the candidate’s name, contact information, a brief personal
statement, and such other information as the Council may require. If there is no parent member candidate
by the deadline, the Council Co-Chairs may extend the deadline until one week
prior to the election meeting.
d. Parent
and Staff Council members attending the election meeting may each vote for one
candidate by secret ballot. The
Faculty will not vote in the election of parent Finance Review Committee
members.
e. The
candidate receiving the most votes is elected to the Finance Review
Committee. A run-off is held in
case of a tie. If a tie cannot be
broken at the same meeting, a future election will be scheduled.
f. The term of
office for parent members will be from July 1 in the year elected to June 30 of
the second following year, or until the member’s successor is elected. Parent members may run for re-election.
g. Any parent
member vacancy occurring on the Finance Review Committee may be filled, to
serve the remaining term of the departing member, at a meeting of the Horizons
Council specified by the Co-Chairs following the election procedures provided
above.
2. Faculty
Member Election: The Faculty
member of the Finance Review Committee will be elected annually by the Faculty,
from among the Faculty following the Faculty Board election. The Faculty member will serve on the
Finance Review Committee for a term of July 1 in the year selected to June 30
of the following year, or until the member’s successor is elected. The Faculty will elect the Faculty member
to fill any vacancy that occurs.
3. School
Bookkeeper: The School Bookkeeper will be a member of the Staff responsible for
keeping the school’s books and records of the Council and District Budgets who
will be nominated annually by the Lead Teacher for approval by the Council
Board. The responsibilities of the
School Bookkeeper may be assigned to more than one such employee as approved by
the Council Board.
X. The
Lead Teacher
The position of Lead
Teacher encompasses the roles of teacher and administrator. The Lead Teacher, and any Assistant
Lead Teachers, are selected by the Faculty Board. The Council Board will participate in the hiring of any Lead
Teacher or Assistant Lead Teacher not selected from among the school’s existing
Faculty. (The Lead Teacher’s
responsibilities may be held by one or more persons. For simplicity, the position is referred to as “the Lead
Teacher” throughout this and other school documents.)
The responsibilities of
the Lead Teacher include:
A. Serving as the
school's principal administrator and primary representative to the District
School Board, administration, parents, and the public.
B. Serving
as Faculty Co-Chair of the Horizons Council.
C. Guiding the
school’s development of yearly school goals, and preparation of reports to the
District regarding the goals.
D. Facilitating
school communication processes and collaborative decision-making.
E. Hearing and
resolving public complaints or referring them for appropriate response.
F. Exercising
the school’s authority over all school accounts maintained by the District, and
opening, closing, and exercising authority over all other school financial
accounts, including District and Council Budget accounts.
G. Exercising
primary responsibility for:
1. Executing
contracts on behalf of the School in a manner consistent with the approved
District and Council Budgets.
2. Daily
school operations.
3. Developing
the annual District Budget with the Finance Review Committee, and recommending
modifications to the budget. The
District Budget will then be submitted to and approved by the Faculty.
4. Contracting
for services for the school.
5. Recruiting,
training, supervising, and evaluating of all Faculty and Staff.
6. Providing
the evaluations to the Faculty Board.
7. Supervising
the Special Education teachers, the after-school childcare personnel, and other
special program personnel at the school.
8. Providing
final determination of teaching assignments on a yearly basis after consulting
with the Faculty Board.
9. Providing
final determination of student homeroom assignments after consulting with the
appropriate grade-level teams.
10. Maintaining records of
the school’s operations.
11. Directing the
school’s compliance with legally required student testing and evaluations.
H. Supporting
student learning at Horizons by:
1. Coaching,
advising, and supporting all Faculty and Staff members.
2. Participating
in curriculum development and teaching.
3. Assisting
in academic planning and behavior management.
4. Settling
unresolved student discipline issues, and counseling of students, as needed.
5. Facilitating
parent education and inservice opportunities for the Staff.
6. Serving as
facilitator for communication among Faculty, Staff, students, and parents.
7. Facilitating
long term planning.
8. Handling
emergencies as they arise.
I. Serving as
the editor in chief of Skylines, and providing for its regular publication.
J. Informing
the Faculty at least 4 weeks in advance of the Faculty meeting in May at which
the Faculty Board will be elected, supervising the election, and encouraging
Faculty participation.
XI. The
Faculty
The Faculty is comprised
of all teachers employed by the school as Certified Teachers, including
homeroom teachers, the Lead Teacher and any Assistant Lead Teacher. Faculty decisions are made by
Concordance.
The Faculty has the
following responsibilities regarding school governance:
A. Knowing
and supporting the Horizons governance structures.
B. Regularly
attending Council meetings.
C. Regularly
attending and actively participating in Faculty meetings.
D. Determining and
approving the District Budget, after consideration of Finance Review Committee
recommendations.
E. Fulfilling
District-mandated school improvement duties as necessary.
F. Electing
Faculty Board Members and the Faculty member of the Finance Review Committee
XII. The Faculty Board
The Faculty Board is
comprised of the Lead Teacher and five other Faculty members elected by the
Faculty with a goal (but not a requirement) of having at least one Faculty
Board Member of each grade-level team. The five elected Faculty Board Members are elected at a Faculty meeting
in May from the current Faculty to serve a one-year term from July 1 in the
year elected through June 30 of the following year, or until their successors
are elected. Faculty Board Members
may run for re-election. All
Faculty Board Members must have been a member of the Faculty for at least three
years prior to the year they will serve. The Faculty Board will make decisions by Concordance. Each Faculty Board Member will be
recused from Faculty Board action regarding such Member’s own employment, or
the employment of a member of the Board Member’s family.
The responsibilities of
the Faculty Board include:
A. Participating
in interviewing and hiring Faculty.
B. Determining
the process for evaluating Faculty.
C. Providing
input to the Lead Teacher in the evaluation of all Faculty and Staff.
D. Determining the
contract status of all Faculty, after considering the recommendations of the
Lead Teacher.
E. Sharing
non-confidential information regarding staffing decisions with the Council,
such as hiring and placement decisions.
F. Sharing
information regarding non-retention of Faculty with the Council Board.
G. Selecting,
reassigning, and terminating the Lead Teacher.
H. Annually
determining the Lead Teacher’s contract status, and evaluating the Lead Teacher
with input from the Horizons Council, and the District administration, as appropriate.
I. Approving
the Lead Teacher’s compensation, which will be consistent with the compensation
of a District administrator, except Faculty approved modifications.
J. Approving
Faculty compensation, which will be consistent with compensation as District
teachers, except Faculty approved modifications.
K. Serving as
a decision-making body in situations where the Faculty is unable to reach Concordance
in resolving an issue.
L. Keeping
records of Faculty Board meetings
XIII. Amendments
A. These Bylaws may
be amended by the Horizons Council according to the Council decision-making
procedures.
B. Proposed
amendments to the Bylaws will be submitted to the Co-Chairs at least three
weeks before the Council meeting at which they are to be considered, and will
be published in Skylines at least two weeks before the meeting.
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