BYLAWS OF
ARCADIA CHARTER SCHOOL
ARTICLE 1 – NAME, PURPOSE
Section 1: The name of the organization shall be Arcadia
Charter School
(also Arcadia or ACS).
Section 2: The Arcadia
Charter School
is organized exclusively for educational purposes, more specifically to provide
educational services to middle and secondary students, grades six through
twelve, in the Northfield, Minnesota,
area.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership shall consist only of members of the
Board of Directors.
ARTICLE III – BOARD MEETINGS
Section 1: Annual meeting: The date of the regular annual
meeting shall be set by the Board of Directors who shall also set the time and
place.
Section 2: Regular Meeting: The Board will adopt a schedule
of at least 10 regular meetings a year. The schedule shall include dates, time
and place and will be kept on file. If
the Board decides to change the date, time or place it must give the same
notification as required for a special meeting. Agenda will be sent out a
minimum of five days before the meeting.
Section 3: Special Meeting: A special meeting is a meeting
that is called because of circumstances that require timely consideration but
are not of an emergency nature. The
Board chair or his/her designate may call a special meeting. A minimum notice
of 3 days must be given and will include: the date, time, place, purpose and/or
agenda of the meeting.
Section 4: Emergency Meeting: An “emergency” meeting is a
special meeting called because of circumstances that, in the judgment of the
school board, require immediate consideration.
The Board chair or his/her designate, may call an emergency
meeting. A good faith effort to notify
those required as soon as practicable after notification of Board members must
be made. Notice must include the purpose of the meeting, date, time and place.
Section 5: Closed Session: Closed sessions are allowed to
discuss issues involving confidentiality or as defined by law. State the reason
for closing a meeting, or a portion thereof, prior to closure. Ref. Minnesota Open
Meeting Law for additional requirements.
Section 6: Quorum: A quorum must be attended by at least 51
percent of the Board members before business can be transacted or motions made
or passed.
Section 7: Notice: Notice is valid via any of the following methods:
written notice, e-mail or other electronic means, phone or direct contact.
Section
8: Electronic Meeting: Electronic meetings may take place under Board approved
policy. This section has been
removed from the bylaws.
Section 9: Overriding Board Decisions: Overriding a Board
decision is done through a “motion to reconsider.” A two-thirds majority is
needed to override.
Section 10: Grievance Procedure: The Board will establish a
procedure for bringing forth and addressing grievances. This procedure will be
included in Board Policy
Section 11: Conflict of Interest: Trustees shall be excluded
from discussion and/or voting on issues of self dealing, conflict of interest,
and confidentiality issues as defined in Board Policy. This policy shall be in
accordance with charter school best practice.
Section
12: Board Policy Document: A document will be on file at ARTech to further
define Board management issues. This section has been removed from the bylaws.
ARTICLE IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1: Board Role, Size, and Composition: The Board is
responsible for overall policy and direction of the school and is accountable
for its outcomes. The Board shall
hire—by a two-thirds majority vote—and delegate responsibility for day-to-day
operations to the school’s Executive Director. The membership of the school
board consists of nine elected directors, and will consist of three licensed teachers
employed at the school, three parents or guardians of student(s) currently
enrolled at Arcadia, and one interested community member who is not employed by
Arcadia and does not have a child enrolled at the school and two at-large
positions to be filled by either parents or community members. The Board shall not include more than one
member of a family; this includes spouse, partner or children.
Section 2: Board Compensation: The Board receives no
compensation other than reasonable expenses.
Section 3: Board Elections: The school will hold an annual
election of new directors or re-election of current directors to a second term. Officers will be elected at the annual
meeting.
Section 4: Terms: Parent and community member Board members
shall serve three-year terms. Board members who are licensed teachers employed
by the school shall serve two-year terms. Board members will be limited to two
consecutive terms.
Section 5: Officers and Duties: There shall be four officers
of the Board: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Their duties are as follows:
The Chair shall convene regularly
scheduled Board meetings and shall act as the CGO of the Board between meetings
as defined by Board Policy.
The Vice-Chair will chair Board
Meetings as designated by the Chair.
The Secretary shall be responsible
for keeping records of Board actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes
at all board meetings.
The Treasurer shall be responsible
for chairing the finance committee and reviewing the school finances.
Section 6: Vacancies and New Board Members: The Board shall
follow Board Policy for bringing on new members or filling Board vacancies.
Section 7: Resignation, Termination and Absences:
Resignation from the Board must be received by notice to the chair. A Board
member shall be dropped for excess absences from the Board if he/she has three
absences from Regular Board Meetings in a year.
A Board member may be removed for any other reason by a two-thirds vote
of the remaining directors.
Section 8: Staff/Board Meetings: When a Board member is
denied employment or is no longer employed by Arcadia,
they are automatically removed from the Board.
A two-thirds majority of the remaining Board members may override this
section if it is in the best interest of the school.
ARTICLE V – COMMITTEES
Section 1: Board Committees: The Board may create committees
to fulfill Board needs.
ARTICLE VI – AMENDMENTS
Section 1: These By-Laws may be amended when necessary by a
two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors.
Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Chair or Secretary for
Board consideration in accordance with Board Policy.
These Bylaws were
approved at a meeting of the Board of Directors of Northfield School of Arts
and Technology on April 15, 2004
Article IV, section 1
amended September 10, 2009
Article IV, Sections
1 and 4 amended August 25, 2011
Article III, Section
8 and 12 amended January 28, 2012
Article IV, Section 5
amended January 28, 2012
Article I, Sections 1
and 2; Article III, Sections 2, 8 and 12; Article IV, Sections 1, 2, 3, and
4: amended August 23,
2012 by the Arcadia Charter School Board of Directors
