As a Word Document

Revised and approved May 2006

To be reviewed before May 2009

      a. To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, church and the community.

      b. To raise the standards of home life.

      c. To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.

      d. To bring into closer relation the home and school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the training of the child.

      e. To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for every child the highest advantages in physical, mental, social and spiritual education.

Section 2. The Objects of Zone are promoted in cooperation with the New Jersey Congress and the National PTA, through an educational program directed through conferences, committees, projects and programs, and are governed and qualified by the basic policies set forth in ARTICLE III.

Section 3. In addition, Zone was organized to promote fellowship, community spirit and exchange of ideas by providing joint meetings among the local PTA units of Cherry Hill and to facilitate communication with the Board of Education and School Administration.

a. Zone shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian and nonpartisan.

b. The name of the association or the names of any members in their official capacities shall not be used in any connection with a commercial concern, or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to the promotion of the Objects of Zone.

c. Zone shall not, directly or indirectly, participate or intervene (in any way, including the publishing or distributing of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to any candidate for public office, but may devote some part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation affecting the education and welfare of children.

d. Zone shall work with the schools and shall seek to participate in the decision making process establishing school policy, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated by the state to the Board of Education. Together, we will provide quality education for all children and youth.

e. Zone may cooperate with other organizations and agencies concerned with child welfare, but persons representing Zone in such matters shall make no commitments that bind Zone.

f. In the event of the dissolution of Zone, its assets shall be distributed in equal shares to the local units it represents.

g. Criticism of individual teachers, administrators, and/or Board of Education representatives shall not be voiced in open meeting.

Section 2. Each local unit shall pay annual dues as determined by the budget committee with consent of the membership.

Section 2. Members in good standing in their local units shall be eligible to observe its business meetings, or serve in any of its elective or appointive positions with the exception of Zone Chair.

      a. The officers of Zone shall consist of a Zone Chairman, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The officers of Zone will be representative of various sections of the township and include secondary as well as elementary schools.

      b. The Zone Chairman, whose name is represented to Camden County Council following elections, shall serve one term of two years. The Zone Chairman nominee shall be elected by ballot in May of alternate years and shall assume all duties of the office at the close of the school year in which he/she is elected.

      c. Zone Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by ballot annually in the month of May for a term of one year and shall assume the office at the close of the school year. These officers shall serve no more than two consecutive full terms in the same office or until their successors are elected.

      d. Candidates for all offices must have served on Zone for at least one year in any capacity. Candidates for Chairman must have served on Zone in the capacity of local unit president.

      e. If there is only one nominee for any office, it shall be in order to move that the secretary cast the elective ballot of Zone for the nominee. If there is more than one nominee, a majority vote of the body shall elect by closed ballot.

Section 2.

      a. There shall be a nominating committee consisting of five Zone members elected by the Zone at the January meeting. The first member nominated and elected shall call the committee together, and the committee shall elect its chairman. The Nominating Committee will be representative of various sections of the township and include secondary as well as elementary schools.

      b. The Nominating Committee shall select one qualified PTA member as the nominee for each office.

      c. Following the report of the Nominating Committee in March, an opportunity shall be given for nomination of qualified members from the floor.

      d. Only those who have consented to serve if elected shall be eligible for nomination, either by the committee or from the floor.

      e. Elections of officers will be held at the regular Zone meeting in May.

Section 3. A vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a Zone member elected by a majority vote, notice of such an election having been given by the secretary at least 10 days prior to the regular monthly meeting in which the election is to be held.

Section 2. The Administrative Vice President, also known as First Vice President, shall be responsible for the organizational support functions of Zone, consisting of, but not limited to, legislation, by-laws, liaison to local units and committee chairs, electronic handbook yearly update, Zone PTA calendar coordination, organizing BOE candidate forum, and shall act as an aide to the Chairman and preside in the absence of the Chairman of Zone.

Section 3. Public Relations Vice President, also known as Second Vice President, shall be responsible for the programming, educational activities, and publicity of Zone. This position acts as a liaison to local units and committee chairs. This position also takes care of all hospitality for Zone, including fall and spring luncheons and shall act as an aide to the Chairman of Zone. This position would oversee and act as the point of contact for the Zone website.

Section 4. The Secretary shall record and promptly distribute to the members the minutes of all Zone meetings, shall have a copy of the standing rules available at every meeting, shall be responsible for all correspondence, act as a liaison to local units and committee chairs, and shall perform other duties as may be delegated.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility of all the funds of Zone, shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures and report at each meeting, shall disburse funds in accordance with the approved budget as authorized by Zone. The Treasurer must file all required state and federal documents annually. This position shall be responsible for the ordering of all publications and subscriptions for Zone members, shall inform all local units of dates and details of financial responsibilities such as audits and budgets and act as a liaison to local units and committee chairs.

The Treasurer's accounts shall be examined annually at the end of the term, or in the event of a midterm vacancy, by an auditing committee of not less than three members who satisfied that the Treasurer's annual report is correct, shall sign a statement to the facts at the end of the report. The audit must be completed within 30 days of the end of the fiscal year. The Auditing Committee shall be appointed by the Zone Chairman in May. The report shall be read at the first regular Zone meeting of the following school year. A copy must be sent to the County Treasurer.

Section 6. The officers shall constitute the Executive Committee with the immediate past Zone Chairman having a non-voting courtesy seat on the Executive Committee of the first year of the new Chairman's term.

Section 7. The officers shall constitute the Budget Committee and shall present a budget for approval at the First regular Zone meeting of the school year.

Section 8. All officers shall deliver to their successors all official material no later than 10 days following the close of the school year.

      a. Such Standing Committees shall be created by the membership of zone as may be required to promote the Objects and interests of Zone.  

      b. A committee consisting of three members of Zone PTA shall be elected and nominated by Zone in February for the purpose of recommending standing committees for the following school year. The first member nominated and elected shall call the committee together, and the committee shall elect its own chairman. The committee will report back to Zone in March with its recommendations for Standing Committees for the following school year. Following acceptance of a slate of Zone Standing Committees by the Zone membership, the committee will meet again to select chairmen for those committees. Proposed chairmen will be represented in April and voted on at the regular Zone meeting in May.

      c. The Chairmen of the Standing Committees shall be elected by Zone membership and shall be members of good standing in their local PTA units.

      d. The term of office for Standing Committee Chairmen shall be for one year, and these Chairmen shall be eligible to serve three consecutive full terms in the same position.

      e. The Chairmen of Standing Committees shall hold regular meetings and shall provide the executive committee with a schedule of these meetings.

      f. The Chairmen of the Standing Committees shall present regular reports to the membership of Zone, preferably in writing.

Section 2. Special Committees

      a. Special Committees shall be appointed by the Chairmen, Executive Committee or by the membership of Zone as deemed necessary.

      b. The Chairmen of Special Committees shall present regular reports to the membership of Zone.

      c. The Special Committees shall be dissolved upon the completion of their task.

Section 3. The Zone Chairman shall be a member, ex-officio, of all Standing and Special Committees, except the Nominating and Audit Committees.

Section 2. A majority, of the voting body, shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3. A majority vote of those present is required for the disposition of a motion.

Section 2. During the period of "candidacy" for public elected office, declared candidates may not attend Zone caucus sessions. It is suggested that schools or committees arrange alternate representation during this period, approximately six weeks in duration.

Section 3. It is the expectation of this body that any member under consideration for employment or contract with the Cherry Hill School District, or who becomes employed by the District, shall notify the Zone Executive Board within five working days. Certain positions may be deemed incompatible with the autonomy of Zone, or represent a potential conflict of interest. If the Executive Board, with the approval of the Zone body, finds such conflict, the member will be asked to resign their position.

Section 2. A five member committee representative of the Zone table shall be appointed by the Zone membership to review the Standing Rules every three years. The Zone By-Laws Committee Chair shall serve as the chairman of this committee. Standing Rules shall be brought to the Zone membership at the regular Zone meeting and voted on at the next regular Zone meeting. A two-thirds vote of those present is necessary. A quorum must be present.