The Expedition School Community Association

Charter and By-Laws

Charter

The Expedition School Community Association (Community Association) is an organization dedicated to supporting The Expedition School (School) and its families. It is based on the premise that the time, talents and energy of families at the School are indispensable ingredients in fostering and maintaining the culture and sense of community of the School.

The Community Association is not affiliated with the School although its members are subject to all of the policies of the School. The mission of the Community Association is to act as an organization through which families, teachers, staff, and the larger community can work cooperatively to support and enhance the educational and social experiences of the children and families at The Expedition School.

By-Laws

Membership

Membership in the Community Association is voluntary and is open to the families, teachers, and staff of the School, as well as members of the larger Expedition School community.

Steering Committee

The Community Association is led by a Steering Committee consisting of at least ten and no more than twelve elected members. The Steering Committee shall be led by two Co-Chairpersons, two Fundraising Coordinators, two Room Parent Coordinators, two Community Liaisons, one Communications Coordinator, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Steering Committee may invite a member of the School’s Board of Directors to become a member of the Steering Committee.

The members of the Steering Committee shall serve one-year terms beginning on July 1st of each year except that the Co-Chairs, Fundraising Committee, and Community Liaisons shall agree to serve alternating two-year terms for continuity of leadership purposes (i.e. one new co-chair may be elected each year so that there will be a co-chair with at least one year’s experience). Members of the Steering Committee may serve successive terms.

The Steering Committee shall be tasked with appointing additional committees as needed, drafting a budget to be confirmed by the members of the Community Association, and working with school Teachers, Staff and General Membership to support the Community Association’s mission.

Community Association Steering Committee Annual Election

A Steering Committee election shall be held on or before May 22nd of each year, and one member of the Steering Committee will be identified as the Election point of contact. The Election point of contact is responsible for ensuring election related activities occur in a timely manner and with fidelity to the by-laws. The Election point of contact may seek assistance from
other Steering Committee Members, Committee Members, TES Staff Members, TES Administration Personnel, TES Board Members, or Current Members of the Community Association to execute these activities. A summary table of the standard election related activities is presented below, inclusive of proposed interim deadlines to ensure timely execution. All proposed deadlines in the table are suggestions, except the May 22nd deadline for the annual election.

ActionProposed Deadline

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Outreaches to current Steering Committee Members whose terms are ending to determine if the Steering Committee Member is interested in running as the incumbent for the same role or for another TESCA Steering Committee role in the upcoming election cycle*

March 14

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Organizes a Question and Answer Session about TESCA for Interested Individuals

March 21

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Completes Outreach to Solicit Nominations for the Available Steering Committee Roles in the Upcoming Election Cycle**

March 28

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Completes Outreach to Solicit Interest in Available Committee Chair Roles for the next TESCA year (July-June)**

March 28

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Completes Outreach to Announce the Question and Session Date/Time**

March 28

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Facilitates the Question and Answer Session

April 15

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Organizes Additional Efforts to Recruit Eligible Candidates (If Needed)

April 21

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Outreaches to Nominated Candidates to Obtain Confirmation of Acceptance/Rejection of Nomination

May 1

Nominated Candidates Submit Required Information to TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact

May 10

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Leads the Execution of the Community Association Wide Election Activity

May 22

TESCA Steering Committee Election Point of Contact Releases Election Results to the Community Association General Membership**

May 30

*Need to identify TESCA SC member as primary point of contact for election cycle activities.

**Outreach will be completed via official and unofficial communication channels.

Candidate Eligibility
Individuals nominated or interested in self-nominating for an available Community Association Steering Committee shall meet the following eligibility criteria:
● Current Member of the Community Association
● Able to pass the background check process utilized by TES for all TES Volunteers
● Willing to sign the TESCA Attestation Document: TESCA Attestation
● Willing to provide a brief bio for inclusion with election communication to Community Association Members

Candidate Nomination
Any current member of the Community Association may nominate other eligible individuals in the Community Association for any of the available positions on the Steering Committee for the election cycle. Eligible individuals may also self-nominate for any of the available positions on the Steering Committee. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Election POC and/or TESCA Co-Chairs in writing, either electronically or in hard copy.
All nominated Candidates must confirm acceptance of their candidacy in writing before inclusion on the election ballot.

TESCA Steering Community Annual Election
The vote shall be conducted by ballot and a majority vote shall elect.

Filling Vacated Roles on the Community Association Steering Committee

If a Steering Committee role is vacated prior to completion of the elected term, the Steering Committee will serve notice to the general membership. The Steering Committee may nominate an individual, including self-nomination, for the vacancy. Community Association Members may also nominate, including self-nomination, eligible individuals for the vacancy. The remaining members of the Steering Committee will then vote to fill the vacated position with an individual from the candidate pool. The person elected to the vacated role will remain in the role until the next regular Community Association election cycle. If the vacated role is associated with a two-year term and is vacated during the first year of that term, the next election cycle will include a vote for the second-year term only to ensure the regular two-year cycle is reinstated.

Removing a Community Association Steering Committee Member from Office

There are three ways by which a member of the TESCA Steering Committee may be removed from office: resignation, removal due to excess absences, and termination.

Any member of the Steering Committee may resign their role by providing their resignation request in writing to both the Secretary and TESCA Co-Chairs. This request may be delivered electronically or in hard copy.

Any Steering Committee failing to notify the Co-Chairs of an absence for three meetings in a year shall be considered to have vacated their role. Notification for meeting absences must be made in advance in writing electronically or in hard copy, except in cases where it is not reasonable to require advance notice (e.g., illness, death in family, etc.).

A Steering Committee member may be removed for other reasons by a three-fourths vote of the Steering Committee Members (i.e., 8 votes).

Organization

The Community Association is founded as an unincorporated association of individuals supporting the School. The Steering Committee may from time to time change the organizational nature of the Community Association by amending these by-laws.

Meetings

The Community Association shall have regular monthly meetings at a date and time selected by the Steering Committee. Minutes of all meetings shall be kept by the Secretary and shall be shared with all members of the Community Association. The Steering Committee may call special meetings at other times as needed. All regular monthly meetings are open to all members of the Community Association and shall be announced in advance either by email or other means selected by the Steering Committee.

Quorum and Transacting TESCA Business

A quorum, at least 5 members of the Steering Committee, must be in attendance at any meeting before business can be transacted or motions may be made or passed.

All Steering Committee members may vote on all proposals presented, even if a Steering Committee Member prepared the proposal being voted on at a given time. A simple majority vote will carry any motion proposed and voted on by the Steering Committee (i.e., 5 votes without the inclusion of a Board Member as a Steering Committee member, 6 votes with inclusion of a Board Member as a Steering Committee member). For each vote, each Steering Committee member will be asked to vote one of the following responses: yes, no, abstain, absent.

Annual Dues

The Expedition School may open an account at a bank or other institution to hold the membership dues and any other donations or funds raised by the Community Association. The Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee are hereby authorized to open such account(s). The Steering Committee may from time to time create such policies as may be necessary or prudent regarding authority to deposit or withdraw funds from such accounts. The Treasurer shall regularly update the Steering Committee on the amount and uses of those funds.

Amendment

These by-laws may from time to time be amended at a Steering Committee meeting by a majority vote of the Steering Committee members. Prior to such amendment, the proposed amendment shall be sent to members of the Community Association along with the notice of the Steering Committee meeting in which the amendment will be voted on.

Final May 8, 2023