Parent Leader Updates During Remote Learning
Below is information that was recently shared from the Office of Family and Community Empowerment (FACE)
Parent Associations (PAs) & Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs)
The health and safety of all students, staff, and families is the DOE’s first priority in the wake of the evolving situation around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in New York City. Moreover, the DOE seeks to ensure that PA/PTA elections are conducted in a free, fair, and inclusive manner, and provide an opportunity for the full participation of all members.
Given the closure of DOE school buildings, the DOE recognizes the difficulties faced by PA/PTAs and Presidents’ Councils in accessing their documents. Based on current federal, state, and local orders and recommendations related to public gatherings, social distancing, and staying home except for essential business, as well as the current closure of DOE school buildings, the following provisions of Chancellor’s Regulation A-660 have been waived and allow for the following:
- Extends deadline for holding PA/PTA elections to October 31, 2020, and extends current officers’ terms until elections are held;
- Extends deadline for submission of Annual Financial Report to October 31, 2020;
- Eliminates in-person meeting requirement for PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council meetings.
PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council Officer Elections
The waiver extends the deadline for holding PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council elections to October 31, 2020, relieving parent leaders of the pressure to organize and hold elections this spring. The terms for PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council officers will continue until elections are held, and PA/PTAs should follow their current procedure for filling vacancies that arise prior to the election.
The waiver does not prohibit PA/PTAs from holding elections prior to October 31st, and we are working with legal to develop guidance around virtual elections (detailed guidance and training will follow).
Virtual Meetings
In order to best support PA/PTAs and Presidents’ Councils as they transition to virtual meetings as outlined by the waiver, FACE recommends the following best practices:
Notice
- Meeting notification must be shared with PA/PTA members at least 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting. PA/PTA members should work with the Parent Coordinator or Principal to email notice to all parents, and post meeting notice on the school’s website.
Running the Meeting
- Parents should work with the Parent Coordinator or Principal to use Microsoft Teams, Google or Zoom to host the meeting. The PA/PTA will need to identify a technology facilitator for the meeting who will manage the technical features of the virtual meeting platform (e.g., mute/unmute, admission to the meeting, presentation, etc.). The technology facilitator should not have an additional role in the meeting.
- The meeting chair, or designee, should make introductions and announce meeting norms at the beginning of the meeting and periodically throughout. (For example, speaking order and “one mic” rule). The meeting should follow the agenda, and all members should have an opportunity to speak and be heard during the meeting.
- The meeting should be recorded on the videoconferencing application to assist the recording secretary in taking the minutes.
Decision-making
- In order to make any decisions, the PA/PTA will need to meet the quorum. Quorum remains 8 members. Of the 8 members, 2 must be Executive Board members and 6 must be parents.
- Every member has the right to vote on all matters presented at general membership meetings.
- The five following principles should be followed to ensure independence, transparency, integrity, competence, and fairness.
- Independence – Associations are autonomous and self-governing
- Transparency – Associations are required to use multiple means of communication to ensure that the general membership is provided with the opportunity to participate in the decisions made by the association.
- Integrity – All possible means should be considered to allow members to actively participate in discussions and debates on matters before the membership for consideration.
- Competence – Employ best practices for remote/conference call decision-making and voting.
- Fairness – Good communication can mitigate potential issues of unfairness.
PA/PTA and Presidents’ Financial Activity
PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council Checking Accounts
All PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council funds must be deposited into the organization’s checking account. A checkbook that provides a stub or carbon copy of each check must be used. PA/PTAs or Presidents’ Councils that wish to use an alternate form of checks (e.g., checks printed from financial software) must obtain permission from FACE. FACE will work with CPAC to issue guidance on acceptable alternatives (guidance to follow).
Other Bank Accounts
Any accounts other than the mandatory checking account must be authorized by a vote of the membership and must be in the name of the PA/PTA. However, the primary checking account must be used for all transactions, including deposits and withdrawals. For example, if a PA/PTA or Presidents’ Council has a savings account, funds must be transferred from the checking account to the savings account. Funds can only be withdrawn by transferring the funds from the savings account to the checking account.
Emergency PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council Executive Board Expenditures
PA/PTA and Presidents’ Council bylaws must contain a process for executive boards to authorize emergency expenditures. The bylaws must outline the circumstances that warrant an emergency expenditure, a maximum dollar amount that may be allocated, and a timeline for reporting emergency expenditures to the membership. At the next general membership meeting following the emergency expenditure, members must have the opportunity to vote on whether the emergency expenditure was an appropriate use of the funds. FACE will be issuing further guidance and a template to assist PAs/PTAs regarding this section of their bylaws.
Title 1 PACs
District and school PAC representatives can continue using the 1% set-aside of title 1 parent involvement funding during the current fiscal year (FY20) for parent engagement activities in the current virtual Remote Learning environment. PAC parent leaders can reach out to their principals for specific requests to use these funds following the existing Remote Learning purchasing guidance.
Once principals receive requests for purchasing services/goods with the 1% set-aside of title 1 parent involvement funding, they should reach out to the BCO Director of Finance and HR to navigate the current purchasing restrictions.
Additional Information about Parent Leadership Roles
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PARENT ASSOCIATION (PA)/
PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) Chancellor's Regulation A-660
Bylaw Template Chinese English Spanish Elections Certification Form Expedited Election Notice Ballots Check box ballot English & Spanish English & Chinese Write-in ballot English & Spanish English & Chinese Ballot Tally Sheet Attendance sheet Fundraising Proposed Budget Form Fundraising Activity Report Guide to Completing Financial Reports Interim PA/PTA Financial Report Chinese Bengali English Spanish Annual PA/PTA Financial Report Chinese Bengali English Spanish June Transfer of Records Guide PA/PTA Guide to Conducting Raffles |
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM (SLT)
Chancellor's Regulation A-655
Chinese English Spanish What is a School Leadership Team? Chinese English Spanish Roles and Responsibilities Bylaw Template English Spanish Click here to access your school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) through iPlan Portal. School Leadership Team FAQ |
COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL (CEC)
Chancellor's Regulation D-140
Roles and Responsibilities Chinese English Spanish Click here for additional information 
Want to contact District 1 CEC? You can email them at CEC1@schools.nyc.gov
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TITLE I REPRESENTATIVES
Title I 101 Presentation
Chinese English Spanish Title I Part 2 Presentation Chinese English Spanish Title I 101 Tip Sheet Chinese English Spanish Title I Budget Form Title I Parent Committee Ballot Click here to access your school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) through iPlan Portal For questions on Parent Advisory Council (PAC), please contact Family Leadership Coordinator Celsa Pacheco at cpacheco5@schools.nyc.gov |
PRESIDENTS' COUNCIL
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