REVISED

December 10, 2007

MIDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

David Cohen, Principal

LEADERSHIP TEAM

BY-LAWS

Article I

NAME

The name of the team shall be the Midwood High School Leadership Team

Article II

Objectives

The objectives of the Midwood High School Leadership Team are:

1. Create the Comprehensive Educational Plan for Midwood High School.

2. Develop a budget and staffing plan aligned with the Comprehensive

Educational Plan of Midwood High School.

The mission of the Leadership Team is to strengthen the instructional program

of the school (through the CEP process) and assist in creating a professional development program for the faculty (through the CEP process).

Article III

Team Composition

Section 1 Membership in the team shall be limited to 14 members.

1.1 Mandatory members of the team are the Principal, UFT Chapter Leader, and Parent Association President (or Co- Presidents) or their designees.

1.2 The Leadership Team will consist of six parents, two students and six staff members. The six staff members who will serve on the team are the principal, one (1) assistant principal, the UFT chapter chair, and three teachers (elected by the UFT Chapter).

1.3 The parent membership will consist of the president (co-presidents ---if they exist) of the Parents Association and a sufficient number of elected parents to equal a total of six parent team members. All parents must have

students enrolled in the school at the time of election and during service

on the team. Board of Education employees who are parents of students attending Midwood High School and who are employed at Midwood High School may not serve as a parent member of the team. They may, however, choose to run and may be elected as a staff member of the leadership team.

1.4 There will be two (2) student members of the leadership team. The student members shall be students enrolled in the school at the time of the student selection and during the period the individuals serves on the team.

1.5 The supervisor on the team shall be a Midwood High School appointed assistant principal.

1.6 All team members shall serve a term of office of one year commencing in September and concluding in June. Members are eligible for re-election.

1.7 The core consultative team shall consist of the parent association president

(or co-presidents), UFT Chapter Leader, and the principal.

Section 2 Duties (expectations) of Team Members

2.1 Team members shall actively participate as members of their constituent

groups and report back to said constituent groups on the activities of the Leadership Team.

2.2 Team members will be expected to have a minimum of 75% attendance

at leadership meetings during the course of the school year. There are no excused absences.

2.3 Team members shall conduct themselves in a professional manner during

all meetings.

2.4 Leadership Team members are expected to fully implement the consensus

model of decision making --- which is the model the team will use for all

decisions.

2.5 All team members shall be required to attend professional development

activities scheduled by the leadership team through the consensus process.

Article IV

Election of Team Members

Section 1 Election Process of Team Members

1.1 Each constituent group shall develop their nomination and election

procedures which must be broadly advertised with reasonable advance notice and opened to all members of their constituent group. Each constituent group must incorporate appropriate sections of items 1.2 through 1.5 in developing their procedures. Individuals must be nominated by at least two other members of their constituent group.

1.2 The parent members shall be elected at a public meeting of the Parents

Association. Elections shall take place prior to June 30 for positions

commencing the following September. The parents elected shall

require a majority vote of those present and voting at the public meeting.

1.3 The staff members shall be elected by the faculty in an election

conducted by the UFT Chapter Leader. The election shall take place

prior to June 30^th for positions commencing the following September.

Staff members elected shall require a majority vote of those participating

in the election.

1.4 The assistant principal selected shall be elected by a majority vote

of the licensed CSA members assigned to the school. Elections

shall take place prior to June 30^th.

1.5 The students shall be selected by a majority vote of the elected officers

of the student government at a consultative council meeting.

The election shall take place under the direction of the Coordinator of

Student Activities. Elections shall take place prior to June 30^th.

Section 2

2.1 A vacancy shall be created by the resignation or disqualification

of an elected member.

2.2 Vacancies pursuant to section 2.1 above, shall be filled in the same manner as the original election held for that position. This election

shall take place within forty-five days of the declared vacancy.

Section 3 Procedures for Disqualification of a Member

3.1 Members may be removed for neglect of duty, misconduct or failure to attend 75% of the scheduled meetings.

3.2 A 75% vote of the leadership team constituent group (i.e., parents, staff ) is needed to remove a member of that constituent group for neglect of duty

or misconduct.

3.3 A unanimous vote of the core consultative team (UFT Chapter Leader,

Parents Association President or Co-Presidents and Principal) shall be

necessary to remove the student or CSA member for charges of

neglect of duty or misconduct.

Article V

Roles and Responsibilities

of the Chairperson, Secretary and Financial Officer

Section 1 Role of Chairperson

1.1 The chairperson or the co-chair of the leadership team shall chair all

meetings, call meetings to order, adjourn meetings and act as a

facilitator in the consensus process. The chairperson is responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of the school’s Leadership Team.

The chairperson shall also set the agenda of the meeting in consultation

with the core consultative team. Core consultative team members shall be responsible for surveying their leadership team members for agenda items.

Section 2 2.1 Nominations may be made by any member of the team.

2.2 A majority of each constituent group must be present at the election meeting. The chairperson shall be selected through the consensus process.

Section 3

3.1 The chairperson shall serve for a one-year term and is eligible for re-

election.

Section 4

4.1 The chairperson may be removed through the consensus process (as

outlined in Article VII with the modification that the chairperson is ineligible to participate in this specific consensus process) for malfeasance and/or neglect of duty. The chairperson will have the opportunity to address the team prior to the call for a removal vote.

Section 5 Role of the Secretary

5.1 The secretary shall be responsible for disseminating the minutes, agenda and meeting notices to all team members. The secretary shall also serve as acting chairperson in the absence of the chairperson.

5.2 Article V, Sections 2, 3 and 4,shall also apply to the position of secretary.

Section 6 Role of the Financial Officer

6.1 The financial officer shall be responsible for certifying the end-of-school year reimbursement form and will be responsible for maintaining the financial records for the Leadership Team.

6.2 Article V, Sections 2, 3 and 4, shall also apply to the position of financial officer.

Article VI

Team Meetings

Section 1 Schedule of Meetings

1.1 There shall be a minimum of six meetings per year.

1.2 Members must attend a minimum of 75% of all regularly scheduled meetings.

1.3 Members in violation of Section 1.2 above shall be deemed to have resigned from the Leadership Team and their vacancy should be filled pursuant to Article IV Section 2.

Section 2 Notice of Meetings

2.1 Meeting notices shall be mailed to all team members by the secretary and/or his/her designees at least ten calendar days in advance of the meeting.

Section 3 Attendance at Meetings

3.1 All meetings of the Leadership Team shall be public meetings except for

meetings held in executive session. Executive sessions shall be scheduled by the core consultative team through the consensus process. Each constituent group shall be responsible for notifying their constituency of all public meetings.

3.2 Members of the Leadership Team, through the consensus process, may invite guest speakers.

3.3 All non team members wishing to speak at a leadership meeting must notify the chairperson forty-eight hours prior to the meeting of their request to speak and the agenda items they wish to speak on.

3.4 Non team members receiving approval to speak are limited to a three minute presentation.

Section 4 Format of Meetings

4.1 All decisions of the Leadership Team shall be made by consensus.

4.2 The agenda will be established under procedures outlined in Article V Section 1.1.

Section 5 Procedure for Calling Special Meetings

5.1 The chairperson of the Leadership Team with the unanimous approval of the core leadership team (PA President and/or Co-President, UFT Chapter Leader and Principal) shall have the authority to call an emergency meeting. Team members shall be notified by the secretary at least five days in advance of the special meeting.

Section 6 Quorum

6.1 A quorum shall consist of the presence of the core leadership team or their designee and 50% of the remaining team members.

Section 7 Order of Business

7.1 The order of business shall be set by the agenda.

Section 8 Minutes

8.1 The chairperson shall designate a recorder for each meeting.

8.2 Service as a recorder is part of the professional responsibility of team members.

8.3 The secretary shall mail a draft of the minutes to all team members within fifteen days of a meeting.

8.4 Minutes will be kept on file in the principal’s office.

Section 9 Process for communicating with constituencies within the school

community, including how team recommendations and decisions

will be shared

9.1 It shall be the obligation of each core constituent group to communicate

with their constituency on the deliberation and decisions of the Leadership Team.

9.2 Communications shall take place as constituent team members deem most

appropriate (i.e., public meetings, newsletters).

Article VII

Decision-Making Procedures

Section 1 Decision Making

1.1 All decisions of the Leadership Team will be made through the consensus

process. The consensus model will operate as follows:

Step 1: A proposal is put forward.

Step 2: Through discussion, all participants have the opportunity to

articulate their ideas and position on the matter. (All team members should be focused on making sure all other members have a chance to speak and be heard).

Step 3: As appropriate and depending upon the input of the team,

modifications or amendments to the original proposal are made through a discussion.

Step 4: When a proposal appears to be well understood by all team

members and no team member is requesting additional changes, the chairperson asks if there are any objections or reservations.

Step 5: The chairperson allows time for reflection.

Step 6: If no objections or reservations are raised, the final version

of the proposal should be articulated; then there can be a call for consensus.

1.2 Disagreements: When a team is nearing agreement, a member who

disagrees with an approaching decision has several ways in which to express his or her objections.

· A member can voice NON-SUPPORT. (“I don’t see the need for this, but I’ll go along.”)

· A member can voice RESERVATIONS. (“I think this may be a mistake, but I can live with it.”)

· A member can choose to STAND ASIDE. (“I personally can’t do this, but I won’t stop others from doing it.”)

· A member may BLOCK. (“I can’t allow this to go forward. It is fundamentally wrong.”)

Section 2 Conflict Resolution

2.1 The need for conflict resolution shall be established when an agenda item

fails to receive consensus approval for two consecutive meetings, and the core consultative team unanimously recommends conflict resolution.

Section 3 Emergency Decision-Making Procedures

3.1 In an emergency, the core consultative team may represent the Leadership

Team.

3.2 In such cases, the action taken by the core consultative team must be

reported to the entire Leadership Team at their next scheduled meeting. It should be the first item placed on the agenda of that meeting.

Article VIII

Committees or Task Forces

Section 1 Standing Committee/Task Forces

1.1 There shall be the following standing committee or task force.

1.1.1 By-law Committee

1.1.2 CEP Committee

1.1.3 Curricular Committee

1.1.4 Good and Welfare Committee

1.2 Committee chair members shall be selected by the Leadership Team through the consensus process following the procedures outlined in Article V Section 2.

1.3 Committee chairpersons shall be subject to removal by a consensus vote of the Leadership Team in accordance with Article V Section 4.

1.4 Where an issue or situation arises that necessitates the establishment of a

ad hoc committee that committee may be formed by a consensus vote of the Leadership Team. The committee shall be dissolved when said committee is no longer necessary as found by a consensus vote of the Leadership Team.

1.5 All special committees referred to above shall disbanded on June 30^thof the school year in which they are created.

1.6 Committee membership is limited to duly authorized members of the Leadership Team.

1.7 For each special committee established, a chairperson shall be selected and subject to the removal procedures outlined in Article V Section 4

1.8 Membership on committees both regular and special shall be duly selected (through the consensus process) by leadership team members.

Article IX

Communication with Constituency Groups

Within Larger School Community

Section 1 Communications

1.1 Each constituent group shall be responsible for communicating to their

constituencies the decisions of the Leadership Team.

1.2 Parents shall discuss Leadership activities at the public Parents’ Association Meetings and should summarize activities in their newsletters.

1.3 The U.F.T. chapter leader shall discuss leadership activities at chapter meetings and summarize activities in the chapter’s newsletter.

1.4 The student member shall work with the C.O.S.A. in disseminating leadership decisions through the Midwood City Council and Executive Committee. Appropriate written material should be placed in the school’s newspaper.

1.5 The supervisor on the Leadership Team shall discuss leadership decisions with the supervisory staff

Article X

Amendments

Section 1

1.1 These By-laws may be amended by a 75% vote of team members upon

the unanimous recommendation of the core consultative team. Amendments must be proposed in writing and subject to discussion and review at a public meeting prior to the meeting in which the ratification vote is taken. Amendments are effective immediately unless otherwise stated in the motion.

1.2 A review of these By-laws shall take place every two years.