Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School 201 E. Franklin Street, Naperville, Illinois 60540 School Board Constitution

2 Table of Contents

3 Article I. Name The name of this body shall be the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School Board, hereinafter referred to as the School Board and/or Board.

Article II. Mission and Purpose A.) Mission: The mission of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School Board is to act in a consultative and advisory capacity to the pastor and principal in efforts to assist in achieving the school Mission.

1.) School Mission: Saints Peter and Paul School is a parish school, serving students in grades K through 8. Founded in 1853, we are committed to excellence in preparing students to think critically and become confident, sensitive Catholic leaders modeled in the image of Jesus Christ prepared to succeed in future academic endeavors and contribute to the community.

2.) School Catholic Identity Statement: The Catholic Faith is at the very core of a Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School Education. Recognizing that true knowledge and excellence come first through faith, we sustain, nourish and develop within our students and families a true spiritual relationship of love with the person of Jesus Christ, through the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist and prayer in the light of the Catholic Tradition, the knowledge of authentic Catholic teaching, and developing the practice of a true Christian attitude of charity toward others. We prepare the students to know and live their faith, including taking an active role in the parish and in forming the culture and community as adults.

B.) Purpose: The purpose of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School Board shall be for each member to carry out assigned Board responsibilities in efforts to provide policy direction for the school, to promote the implementation and governance of said policies, and to ensure that all local policies are in accord with the intent and spirit of the policies established for the school system by the Joliet Diocesan Board of Education.

Article III. Terminology A.) Board - shall refer to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School Board.

B.) Board Year – August through June commencing with the election of new officers at the regularly scheduled meeting of the school year.

C.) Calendar - The official school Annual Calendar as maintained by the Chief Administrator of the Board.

4 D.) Catholic Schools Office (CSO) – Refers to the diocesan Superintendent of Catholic schools and staff. The CSO establishes regulations, programs and procedures to implement the policies promulgated by the diocesan bishop in the Diocese of Joliet Handbook of School Policies.

E.) Chief Administrator or Administration - shall refer to the principal of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School.

F.) Executive Session – The Board meets in executive session in order to deal with sensitive issues that may not necessarily be shared with the public. The decision, topic, issue or concern discussed in executive session is not published and is kept confidential among Board members.

G.) Officer – Refers to board leadership positions held within the school board. These positions include the president, vice president and secretary.

H.) Parish or Church - shall refer to Saints Peter and Paul parish or church.

I.) Pastor – Canonical administrator of the parish; spiritual and administrative leader of the parish and school. The Board is consultative to the pastor. All votes are subject to his approval – the pastor has ultimate responsibility for the parish and school.

J.) Policy Book - The official book of policies governing Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School maintained by the vice president.

K.) Principal – Educational leader and administrator of the school – responsible for the operation of the school program.

L.) School - shall refer to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School.

M.) School Year - August through May commencing on the first day of school.

N.) Superintendent – The superintendent of Catholic schools interprets diocesan policies; provides in-service programs; consults; is the chief spokesperson for the diocesan Catholic school’s mission; is responsible for the general administration of parish and secondary schools; and receives recommendations for additions/changes to diocesan Catholic school procedures.

Article IV. Membership A.) Board Composition 1.) The Board is made up of a total of eleven Board members: a.) Two ex-officio members 1.) The pastor of the parish 2.) The principal of the school

5 b.) Nine voting members 1.) Three of which are appointed by the pastor for a three-year term 2.) Six of which are elected by the parish and school families in secret balloting for a three-year term.

6 2.) Officers – Elected by Board members and serve a one-year term. a.) President b.) Vice President c.) Secretary

B.) Board Elections and Appointments 1.) Board members are either elected or appointed to the Board.

2.) All Board members, elected or appointed, shall be registered contributing, practicing members of Saints Peter and Paul Church or a neighboring parish with a student enrolled in the school.

3.) In the event that a total of more than two elected positions become vacant in one year, the elected members shall select a one, two, or three year term, chosen by straw ballot, in order to prevent more than two elected positions to expire in the same year and to ensure that at least one elected position will expire annually in the future.

4.) In the event that a total of more than one appointed position becomes vacant in one year, the appointed members shall select a one, two or three-year term chosen by straw ballot, to ensure that only one appointed position expires annually in the future.

5.) Teachers and other school and parish employees and their immediate families are prohibited from running for or serving as a voting member of the Board.

6.) Board members may be appointed or elected for only two consecutive full terms of membership to the Board.

7.) Any appointment to fulfill a vacancy during the Board Year shall not be counted as one of the two consecutive terms as described in Article IV, Item B6.

C.) Board Resignations and Terminations 1.) The pastor replaces appointed position.

2.) Elected position is replaced by the president with the approval of the pastor and a majority of the Board, for the duration of the Board Year.

3.) The vice president assumes the office of president upon the resignation of the president. A special election shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting to elect a new vice president for the remaining Board Year.

4.) All available openings for elected positions on the Board shall be published in the church bulletin and school newsletter.

7 5.) A Board member who is absent for two consecutive regular meetings, unless excused by the action of the Board, shall have his/her case brought before the Board for discussion.

Article V. Meetings A.) Regular Meetings 1.) Shall be held one per month on dates established at the May meeting for the subsequent school year. Meetings are typically held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at a publicly designated meeting room. There are normally no regularly scheduled meetings in the months of June, July and December.

2.) All regularly scheduled monthly meetings shall be open to all members of the parish, parents of children attending the school and staff of the school.

3.) Official written records of all acts of the Board shall be made of all regularly scheduled Board meetings and shall be prepared and preserved by the secretary of the Board.

4.) A copy of the minutes of the current calendar year shall be posted on the school website. All other copies of minutes will be warehoused and will be made available upon request.

5.) Minutes of the regular meetings will be posted on the school board page of the school website within 1 week after they are approved at the next scheduled monthly meeting.

6.) Highlights of action taken by the Board should be included in the school newsletters.

7.) The right to address the Board shall be granted to an attending visitor(s) at the time designated by the president. All matters brought to the Board for action or official comment or reply must be submitted in writing to the principal or Board president five days preceding the meeting. The principal’s report and supporting documents (if any) shall be a regular part of all regular Board meetings and can be distributed to all Board members in advance by email.

8.) Because of the consultative nature of the Board, no meeting will be held without the pastor (or his designate) and/or principal in attendance.

9.) The rules of procedure for meetings are outlined in this Constitution document, however, if there is a rule that is not indicated within this document, Robert’s Rule of Order shall apply.

B.) Executive Meetings and Special Meetings

8 1.) Meetings that are typically called after regular meetings but can be held at anytime.

2.) Executive meetings shall consist only of all Board members and ex-officio members and shall be called to discuss confidential items.

3.) Special meetings may be called by the president, principal or the pastor as necessary, and include all members and ex-officio members of the Board.

C.) Confidentiality 1.) General Meetings a.) The school board can bring up policy issues and discuss the viability of these policies and issues, but concerns about specific families or faculty members need to be brought privately and directly to the principal and, then, if necessary, brought to the pastor. b.) Specific issues with individuals that the principal or pastor feel affect the broader community, will be brought to the board in executive session only.

2.) Executive Session a.) Strictly confidential matters will be discussed in executive session which may be called by the pastor, principal or by the Board president. This will include, but not limited to personnel issues, legal matters, and financial issues. By virtue of their role on this board, members may have access to confidential information. In order to serve as an effective governing body, the Board needs its deliberations to be open and frank. To achieve this, board members pledge not to share confidential information revealed during these deliberations with those who are not part of the Board. All confidential issues dealt with and decisions made will be communicated to others through the appropriate channels and publications.

Article VI. Voting and Motions A.) Voting 1.) Each member of the Board shall have the right to one vote, with the exception of the ex-officio members.

2.) Voting on all issues is by voice unless any one member requests the use of secret balloting.

3.) For the purpose of transacting official business, it shall be necessary that the majority of the total number of voting members (five out of nine) be present and voting. B.) Motions

9 1.) A quorum, meaning a minimum of five affirmative votes, are necessary to approve a motion dealing with official policy of the Board.

2.) Motions may be made by any voting member of the Board, excluding the president.

3.) A proposal that effectively changes existing policy and/or defines a new policy of the Board shall be presented to the Board. A motion shall be made to accept the proposal. If passed, the proposal shall be approved as a new policy. If passed, the proposal shall be accepted as the official school policy and shall be included in the Policy Handbook maintained by the vice president. If defeated, revisions can be made to the proposal and it can be submitted for another attempt at approval.

4.) If the proposal is not officially accepted, or is modified under the procedures in Article VI, Item B3, during the “Approval Reading,” the revised policy is not retroactive and shall apply only to subsequent school years, or subsequent similar circumstances. C.) Pastor Approval - All votes and motions are subject to the pastor’s approval. The pastor has ultimate responsibility for the parish and the school.

Article VII. Duties of Board Members and Officers A.) Members 1.) Six Members of the Saints Peter and Paul School Board shall be elected in a parish-wide election and the pastor will appoint three members.

2.) After new members have been seated on the Board, the Board shall elect at the May meeting a president, vice president, and secretary from among the voting members of the Board.

3.) Each member shall serve a term of three years with a maximum of only two consecutive full terms of memberships to the Board. The exception to this membership is when filling resignation vacancies as detailed in the Membership section of this Constitution. B.) Officers/Committee Chairs 1.) Pastor a.) The pastor shall designate a committee to interview candidates and recommend to the pastor their preference as to who to hire as the Principal of the School.

b.) If minutes are recorded in an Executive Session meeting, the pastor shall maintain those records in a confidential manner and they will not be kept with the general minutes.

c.) All votes are subject to the pastor’s approval. The pastor has ultimate responsibility for the parish and the school.

10 2.) Principal/Chief Administrator of the School a.) The principal shall be responsible for the publication of the date, time and place of the regularly scheduled meeting in the school newsletter.

b.) The principal, in conjunction with the School Board president, shall prepare and publish the agenda of all regularly scheduled meetings of the Board.

c.) The School Calendar shall be maintained by the principal and distributed to all Board members and is available upon request in the school’s office. The Board must approve all changes to the Calendar.

d.) The principal will distribute and post to the school website the approved/updated School Board meeting minutes, Strategic Plan and the quarterly School Board Newsletter within one week of receipt.

e.) The principal shall be responsible for all aspects of the formal educational program of the school.

f.) The principal shall implement at the local level the policies of the Joliet Diocesan Board of Education and the policies of the Board as published and maintained in the Policy Handbook. 3.) President a.) The president shall form committees, as necessary, to inquire into or obtain relevant information on subjects of interest to the Board.

b.) The president shall preside at all regular, special and executive meetings of the Board.

c.) The president shall appoint all chairpersons of committees.

d.) The president or pastor shall call all special and executive meetings of the Board.

e.) The president shall determine the procedure of submitting items of new business on issues requiring the Board’s action when the normal procedures do not apply or are not considered appropriate.

f.) The president shall give the Board’s decision, in writing, to individuals requesting such.

g.) The principal, in conjunction with the school Board president, shall prepare and publish the agenda of all regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. 4.) Vice President

11 a.) The vice president, in the absence of the president, shall preside at all regular, special and executive meetings of the Board.

b.) The vice president shall serve as the chairperson of the election committee, and is responsible for executing the Election Procedures as stated in Article X unless the vice president is a candidate for re-election. The alternate chairperson of the election committee shall then be filled by the secretary, or, if necessary, a chairperson shall be appointed by the President.

c.) The vice president shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the president if the Board determines the president is unable to fulfill the responsibilities or resigns from the Board.

d.) The vice president shall record and maintain all revisions, deletions and additions to the Policy Handbook.

e.) The vice president shall draft and submit to each Board member a copy of all proposed policies for the “Approval Reading.”

f.) The vice president shall periodically publish/highlight School Board activities to school parents through school communication (i.e. in principal newsletter, e-envelope, etc.).

g.) The vice president shall assist the principal, pastor and president in making arrangements for social activities/meetings for the School Board. 5.) Secretary a.) The secretary shall maintain and distribute a record of all acts of the Board, conduct, receive and dispose of all official correspondence as directed by the president or the Board, and preserve all reports and document committed to their care.

b.) The secretary shall prepare and publish the minutes of all the regular and special meetings of the Board. The School Board at the next scheduled monthly meeting will then approve minutes of the regular meetings. Once approved, the Secretary will forward the minutes to the principal by the next school day. The principal will have the minutes posted on the School Board page of the school website within one week after they are received from the secretary.

c.) The Secretary will post and update annually the names of all School Board Members, office/committee assignments, term status and contact information on the school website.

d.) The secretary, in his/her judgment, shall provide appropriate correspondence of condolences, get-well, etc. on behalf of the Board.

12 6.) Committees a.) The Standing Committees shall be:  Building & Grounds  Finance  Legislative Action  Marketing  Safety & Security  Strategic Plan (Implementation)  Technology b.) The Reporting Committees shall be:  Advancement Board  Athletic Association  Home & School Association  Parish Council c.) Committee Chairs - The committee chairperson shall prepare all correspondence relating to the business of the committee. Supporting documents (if any) shall be a regular part of all regular Board meetings and can be distributed to all Board members in advance by email.

d.) The Board may, by resolution, create temporary committee(s) as it deems necessary and may discontinue them when they are no longer needed.

Article VIII. Financial Matters A.) Review and Archiving - All financial matters and records shall be maintained by the parish business manager and the school budget shall be submitted to the Board monthly for review. B.) Approval 1.) The Board shall approve the preliminary school budget and the final school budget for the new school year when submitted by the principal and the pastor as scheduled by the Calendar.

2.) The Board shall review and approve the tuition schedule annually.

3.) The Board shall review and approve annually any and all fees imposed upon the students and/or their parents.

Article IX. Publications A.) A Policy Handbook shall be posted on the school website.

B.) The Calendar shall be maintained by the principal and distributed to all Board members and posted to the school website. The Board must approve all changes to the Calendar.

13 C.) Minutes of all regular and special meetings of the Board shall be published by the secretary and posted to the school website by the principal. (No written minutes are required of the executive meetings to insure confidentiality of private or sensitive information.)

D.) The vice president shall periodically publish/highlight School Board activities to school parents through school communication (i.e. in principal newsletter, e-envelope, etc.).

E.) The Strategic Plan for the school shall be managed and updated by a Committee Chair at each regularly schedule meeting and posted on the School Board website by the principal.

F.) The Secretary will post and update annually the names of all School Board Members, office/committee assignments, term status and contact information on the school website.

Article X. Election Procedures A.) Notice of all forthcoming elections and a call for candidates shall be published in the parish bulletin in the Spring and shall be published in subsequent parish bulletins until nominations are closed.

B.) Applications for candidates must be submitted to the school.

C.) Names and profiles of candidates shall be published in the parish bulletin in an order dictated by random selection of all candidates.

D.) The person designated by the chairperson of the election committee (vice president) shall retain the applications and arrange for pictures of candidates and for publication of candidates in the parish bulletin.

E.) Balloting will be after each weekend mass and online. Members of the School Board who are not candidates will supervise balloting.

F.) Balloting will be open for ten minutes after each mass or until all persons requesting a ballot are finished voting.

G.) Each member of the parish, 18 years of age or older, is entitled to one ballot.

H.) Ballots will be counted by three members of the Board who are not candidates. A final tally will be made immediately after the last Mass and the online voting polls close.

I.) Full election results shall be submitted to the Board members.

14 J.) All candidates should be notified by phone of the newly elected members as soon as possible after the results are known and the new member (s) of the Board be published in the parish bulletin and in a school communication by the principal as soon as practical.

K.) In the event the number of candidates filing does not exceed the number of positions vacant, the candidates filing will be considered elected with no election held. If there are fewer candidates filing than vacancies available, the balance will be filled by appointment of the pastor.

15 Article XI. Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a vote of two-thirds (six out of nine) of the voting members of the Board.

APPROVED: President, on behalf of the Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School Board/ date

APPROVED: Pastor, Saints Peter & Paul Parish /date

16