Rules of Order & Procedure

Reviewed & Approved by North Park School Community Council on October 1, 2025;
revised with council members' approval on January 7, 2026

The North Park Elementary SCC is composed of the following members:

• School Principal: Serves as a permanent member of the council.
• Teacher Representative: One faculty member, elected by their fellow teacher staff.
• Parent Representatives: who make up the the majority of the council and are elected by other parents

Election Process Requirements of Council Members:

• Approximately half of the SCC seats are up for election each year.
• The election for new council members will be held at the beginning of each school year and must be completed before the 3rd week of school.
• Elections are overseen by the school’s principal at the start of each school year.
• Notice will be given 10 days prior to election: including date and time the election takes place, open positions, and how to file for open positions.
• A formal election must be held when more candidates file for community positions or staff positions than there are vacancies. Non-contested races do not require an election- voters will be notified that there is no need for an election.
• The actual voting period for an election must run for 3 consecutive school days.
• Elections will be administered by secret ballot.
• Results of the election will be made available upon request and will be maintained for 3 years.
• Unfilled seats for parent and school employee members following an election will be filled by appointment of the Principal and/ or Council President.

 

• After elections, the council elects officers for the current year
  • Parent member chair
  • Parent or school employee vice chair
  • Principals do not serve as officers

 

• Following the election; and within the first six weeks of the school year, schools post the following on the school website and provide the same information in a direct delivery method to every student household:
  • Names of council members with email and/ or phone numbers
  • Proposed meeting schedule for the year

 

• Process for selecting a Chair and Vice Chair:

1. During a Council meeting a council member shall nominate another existing council member for the position.  
2. The nominated council member shall accept or reject the nomination
3. If the council member accepts, a majority vote from the Council shall constitute selection of the Chair and the Vice Chair.

 

 To promote ethical behavior and civil discourse each council member shall:

• Attend council meetings on time and prepared
• Make decisions with the needs of students as the main objective
• Listen to and value diverse opinions
• Be sure the opinions of those you represent are included in discussions
• Expect accountability and be prepared to be accountable
• Act with integrity

 

Rules of Procedure:

All meetings are open to the public and the public is welcome to attend.

The agenda of each upcoming meeting with draft minutes of the prior meeting will be made available to all council members at least one week in advance, will be posted on the school website and made available in the main office.  The agenda will include the date, time and location of the meeting. 

Minutes will be kept of all meetings, prepared in draft format for approval at the next scheduled meeting.

The council will prepare a timeline for the school year that includes due dates for all required reporting and other activities/tasks that the council agrees to assume or participate in.  The timeline will assist in preparation of agendas to be sure the council accomplishes their work in a timely manner. 

The council consists of the principal, one school employee who is elected in odd years,  and 4 parent members, a portion of whom are elected in even years and the remaining portion in odd years.  In the event there is a tie vote in an election, the principal shall flip a coin to determine the outcome.  

The chair conducts the meetings, makes assignments and requests reports on assignments.  In the absence of the chair, the vice-chair shall conduct meetings.  The chair and vice-chair are selected annually by nomination from the current SCC members and then voted on by the council members for approval.  

The council must have a quorum to vote.   A quorum is equal to a majority of council members.

 If a parent member is absent from two consecutive meetings, the chair will notify the member that if the member does not attend the next meeting, the council may consider the seat vacant and the remaining parent members will appoint a parent to fill the unexpired term.  Council membership may also be discontinued when a member’s relocation prevents them from serving on the council.

Council members must immediately disclose possible conflicts of interest to all council members.  The council member may be excluded from voting on issues that may be associated with the conflict of interest.  

Meetings shall be conducted and action taken according to very simplified rules of parliamentary procedure as required in 53G-7-1203(10).  Council actions will be taken by motions and voting with votes and motions recorded in the minutes. 

 

 

Simple Motions of Parliamentary Procedure

 

A motion (or an action to be taken by the council) is stated as a motion.  Someone else on the council “seconds” the motion indicating that at least one other person on the council feels the motion is worthy of discussion.  Then the council members may provide input and discussion as called upon by the chair.  When discussion seems complete the chair may call for a vote on the motion.  Or when a member of the council “calls the previous question” (a motion to end discussion of the first motion), a second is required.  Without discussion the chair calls for a vote that must pass by 2/3.  If the vote on the previous question fails, the council goes back to discussing the first motion.  If the motion to call the previous question passes, the chair directly calls for a vote on the first motion.  A vote to call the previous question is usually used to move business along.

• A tie vote is a lost vote.
• Most motions are main motions.  A main motion may be amended.
• A point of order is offered when there is some question if procedure had been followed correctly.
• To stop debate or discussion on a motion and force the vote a member would say, “I move the previous
  question.”  This requires a second and a 2/3 vote.
• Hasty action may be corrected by use of the motion to reconsider. This motion may be made only
  by one who voted on the prevailing side.
• A person who made the motion may withdraw the same motion.