FA Bylaws

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A. Mission

All parents and guardians of Friends Select students are members of the Family Association (FA). Its mission is to support Friends Select School as a learning community rooted in Quaker values. Led by a FA board and several committees, members of the FA work with the school administration to achieve the following goals:

• Serve as a communications link between the school and families, particularly through FA Class Representatives.
• Facilitate parent financial and volunteer support to the school.
• Provide opportunities for FSS families to engage in service activities.
• Create opportunities for parent education through lectures, speakers and discussion sessions.
• Provide opportunities for parents to meet socially.

The FA carries out its mission through meetings conducted under the oversight of the co-presidents.

2. Governance

Parents are represented by a Family Association Board (FA Board), which includes co-presidents, co-vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, and co-vice presidents of each division. The board also includes a president elect for the following school year.

The FA Board carries out its meeting in Quaker fashion and performs most of its work through committees. Both the FA Board and the various FA committees work with the school administration to meet the standards and the spirit of the school’s mission.

FA Board Members have a term limit of three consecutive years in one position beginning in school year 2011-2012.

3. Roles

• The FA creates opportunities, both formal and informal, for parents to meet together socially.
• The FA serves as an important communications link between the school and parents by communicating to parents about school policies, practices, and procedures, and by facilitating communications between parents and the school through established protocols
• The FA creates opportunities for parent education through scheduled events, which may include both formal and informal presentations (lectures, speakers or discussion of issues).
• The FA creates opportunities for the parent body to lend financial and volunteer support to the school.
  • Traditional fund-raising events include the auction and the book fair. Additional fund-raising events may be scheduled in conjunction with the development office.
  • The FA provides financial support for the annual fund and for dedicated school projects.
  • The FA helps to coordinate the many parent volunteers throughout the school.

4. Officers (detailed description below)

Co-Presidents: Preside at all FA meetings; ex officio on all standing or special committees; appoints all chairs of such committees.

President Elect: Assist and work with the co-presidents to attend board and committee meetings and to coordinate activities.

Communications Officers (may be co-chairs): Works closely with co-presidents and the Director of Parent Programs to improve communications between parents and the FA.

Co-Vice Presidents: Perform duties and responsibilities designated by the president; will serve on special committees as needed. Each Vice-President one of the two committees: Families of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity (FECD) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender (LGBT) committee.

Divisional Co-Vice Presidents: Work with class representatives to facilitate communication between class representatives, the FA Board and the school administration. Meet regularly with head of respective division and report at FA meetings; clerk divisional breakouts, which follow some FA meetings.

All officers of the FA Board are responsible to clarify for parents the process to register concerns: with classroom teachers, advisors, and division directors, prior to contacting the head of school.

5. Class Representatives

FA Class Representatives serve as a channel of communication between parents, the FA Officers and the administrative staff.

• Class representatives have responsibility in these areas:
• Communication with classroom teacher(s); create and update class group email and telephone list
• Schedule at least two potlucks or other social events at school or another venue such as private home, playgrounds, etc.; coordinate such events with the school calendar
• Attend FA meetings and act as informational liaison among the school, the FA and the classroom families
• Knowledge of the school handbooks, policies, protocols and procedures

6. Committees of The Family Association

Multicultural Friends And Family (MCF2) is a standing committee which works with the school to provide support to parents of students of color within the school community. One chair of the MCF2 committee will serve as co-vice president of the FA board.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer + (LGBTQ+) Committee is a standing committee which works with the school to provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Queer and other parents within the school community. One chair of the LGBT committee will serve as co-vice president of the FA board.

7. The FA Board

The FA Board will meet two times throughout the school year. All members of the FA Board are asked to attend those meetings.

8. General FA Meetings

General FA meetings, which are open to all members of the Family Association, are held no more than seven times per academic school year. Meetings will be scheduled prior to the start of an academic school year and extended or retreat meetings are scheduled, as needed.

I. Nominating Committee

• The Nominating Committee shall consist of no fewer than five (5) members, including the Co-Presidents, director of parent programs and the Head of School. The Co-Presidents shall appoint one of the Co-Vice Presidents of the FA Board as chair of the Nominating Committee.
• The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for officers to be sent to all members with the notice of the Annual Meeting.
• Nominations may be made directly to the Nominating Committee by any member at any time including at the Annual Meeting.
• Officers shall be appointed at the Annual Meeting by approval of those present.

10. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by the members at any Annual or special meeting of the FA, provided that the notice of the meeting at which such action is taken must specify the general nature of any proposed revision to the Bylaws. In addition, these Bylaws may be amended or repealed and new Bylaws adopted by the FA Board at any regular or special meeting, provided that a notice of the meeting at which any such action is taken by the FA Board is sent to all members and specifies the general nature of any proposed revision to the Bylaws.

11. Cessation of the Family Association

If the FA should cease existence, any funds held in FA accounts shall automatically revert to the General Development account of Friends Select School.

FA Board- Officer Descriptions

President (may be co-presidents)

• Presides at all FA meetings
• Attends FSS Board of Trustee meetings
• Works closely with Director of Parent Programs to ensure FA objectives are met
• Supports all FA committees with goals and objectives
• May be asked to represent FA at special events/functions
• Leads annual FA retreat—helps set annual FA calendar of events
• FA President or Representative Required at School Functions

September: New Parent Orientation/US, MS, & LS Parent Night
May: Senior Award Assembly/New Parent Reception

President elect

• Attends all FA meetings
• Works closely with FA President(s) and Director of Parent Programs to ensure FA objectives are met
• Supports all FA committees with goals and objectives
• May be asked to represent FA at special events/functions

Co-Vice Presidents (2)

The PA Co-Vice Presidents will serve as the chair for the Multicultural Families and Friends Group (MCF2) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Families and Friends Group (LGBT). Each VP will chair one committee only.

• Parent liaison between MCF2 and LGBT committees and the FA
• Reports committee updates at FA meetings
• Coordinates LGBT or MCF2 committee meetings
• Performs duties of the president in his/her absence and such duties as may be assigned by the president or the executive board.

MCF2 Co-Chair

• Works closely with FA Vice Presidents MCF2 Representative
• Plans and attends all MCF2 Committee Meetings

LGBTQ+ Co-Chair

• Works closely with FA Vice Presidents LGBT Representative
• Plans and attends all LGBT Committee Meetings

Co- Vice Presidents for Lower School (2) Middle School (2) Upper School (2)

• Works with class or grade representatives to facilitate communication between the FA and parents
• Should attend FA meetings
• Leads class representative meetings each school year
• May lead divisional breakout session at FA meetings
• Meets regularly with divisional head and reports to the FA board.

FA Committee Chairs-Chair Descriptions

Auction Chair (may be co-chairs)

• Attends FA meetings, and school events to promote the auction
• May be asked to represent FA at special events/functions
• Works closely with the Director of Parent Programs
• Assembles a committee representing parents of all three divisions
• Holds by-weekly auction committee meetings in the months prior to the auction
• Solicits donations of goods, services, and monetary contributions for the auction
• Auction Chair or Committee Member Presence Required at FA and School Functions

Fall: FA Meeting / New Parent & LS Orientation
Winter: LS MS/US Winter Concerts
Spring: FA Meeting

Learning with Differences Family Affinity Group Chair (may be co-chair)

• Works closely with FA Leadership
• Plans meetings and programing for the group and wider community

Jewish Family and Friends Group Chair (may be co-chair)

• Works closely with FA Leadership
• Plans meetings and programing for the group and wider community

Wellness Committee Chair (may be co-chair)

• Works closely with FA Leadership
• Plans meetings and programing for the group and wider community

Bookfair Chair (may be co-chairs)

• Should attend all FA meetings
• Works closely with the director of parent programs to coordinate with bookfair provider
• Responsible for set up and tear down of bookfair
• Trains and schedules volunteers
• Opens and Closes bookfair each day or identifies and trains this person
• Attends to daily book fair operations
• Tallies end-of-day receipts

Social Justice Committee Chair (may be co-chairs)

• Should attend all FA meetings
• Plans MLK DAY Activitie: Identifies service project, secures locations, plans activities for the day 
• Assembles community service committee
• Works closely with the director of parent programs to coordinate volunteers and supplies

Lunar New Year Celebration Chair (may be co-chairs)

• Should attend all FA meetings
• Establishes a committee to run the event
• Works closely with the director of parent programs to coordinate ticket sales
• Responsible for set up and tear down

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Breakfast Chair (may be co-chairs)

• Should attend all FA meetings
• Responsible for set-up and clean-up
• Manages volunteers
• Solicits donations