School Leadership Team Bylaws

2025-26

By-laws of Northern Guilford Middle School Leadership Team

 

Article I--Name

 

The name of the Northern Guilford Middle School shall be Northern Guilford School-based Leadership Team (SBLT).

 

Article II—Purpose

 

The purpose of Northern Middle SBLT is to discuss the school achievement and school climate issues. SBLT will deal with issues related to instruction, student performance, school climate and improvement. Any decisions made are binding on Northern Guilford MS provided the decision are within the authority of the school and with the understanding that the principal may make a different decision than the leadership team.  In these cases, the principal may provide an explanation to the team which will be noted in the minutes.

 

Mission Statement:  Northern Guilford Middle School’s community is dedicated to creating a nurturing environment for all students. Our goal is to inspire students to develop the skills needed to take control of their lives and actions and to improve the quality of life for themselves, their community and their world.

 

Article III—Functions

 

The function of Northern Guilford Middle SBLT is as follows:

·         Facilitate the development of the School Improvement Plan

·         Monitor, assess, and amend the School Improvement Plan

·         Advance policies and procedures that enhance achievement and meet educational, safety, parent involvement, school climate, staff development, and communication goals

·         Facilitate decision-making based on available data

·         Work in concert with the principal and make recommendations on budgetary issues related to staff development, instructional materials, and staff positions

 

 

Article IV—Membership

 

Section I:  Membership

 

Composition of Leadership Team:

·         Principal

·         Assistant Principals

·         One teacher representative for each grade level and encore

·         One EC representative (certified)

·         One classified representative -- add

·         Counselor

·         Media Specialist

·         Curriculum Facilitator

·         One parent representative from each grade level

·         PTSA Designee – non-voting member

In addition to elected parents, in order to meet the school demographics of the student population, the principal may designate other parent representatives.

 

Section II:  Election Process

 

Each member shall serve a minimum of one year and a maximum of two consecutive years, provided that the person is still presentative of the constituents that originally elected him/her.  To ensure consistency of membership from year-to-year, it is recommended that at least one-half of the composition of the team remain each year, while approximately one-half of the members rotate off the team.

 

The members should be determined by the end of the preceding school year. Each team should develop a process for ensuring that there is continuity on the team from year-to-year, while still upholding the election guidelines. In the case of attrition, a preplacement representative from the constituency group will be nominated by the group or the SBLT and voted on to complete the departing representative’s term.  Leadership team members are expected to regularly attend leadership team meetings.

 

A.      Election of parent representatives

Parent representatives shall have children enrolled at NGMS and shall be elected by the parents of children enrolled at NGMS in an election conducted by the PTSA in the spring. The SBLT parent membership should reflect the racial, geographical and socioeconomic status of students at NGMS. If the elected parents do not represent the racial, geographical and socioeconomic status of students at NGMS, the principal can appoint a parent representative which would go to the PTSA for approval.  Elected parent members should not be members of the NGMS staff.

 

B.       Election of NGMS staff representatives

Representatives of school staff shall be elected by the respective groups and voted on by secret ballot. The nominee, voted on by their respective groups will then be presented to the entire staff for approval, also by secret ballot. In the case of a tie at the respective group level, both names will be on the secret ballot for a staff vote.

 

C.       Voting Rights

Decisions will be made by consensus when possible, with a majority vote of 51% as a fallback option.  Each SBLT member will make voting decisions on the best interests of students and the school as a whole. In the event the chair determines after reasonable time that a decision cannot be made by consensus, a vote will be taken.  Voting and discussion will be conducted using Roberts Rules of order.  An affirmative vote of 51% of the members present shall constitute a majority. Each representative has one vote and agrees 100% to support the SBLT decisions.  The decision-making role of the leadership team will respect each member’s contributions and will evolve with the support and participation of the school’s principal, staff and parents.  Each member has one vote, and votes as directed by the majority of members in that team member’s constituency.

 

Consensus is not a vote. Consensus is a polling process to ensure that members can support the position that is taken. When consensus does not occur, the majority vote fallback option of 51% will be implemented. Decisions are made by consensus when possible.  Failing a consensus, a matter under discussion will be tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting or a specially called upon emergency meeting where 51% vote shall suffice.

 

Article V:  Roles

 

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS:

 

As the instructional and organizational leader of the school, the principal is ultimately responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school and the effective implementation of the school improvement process.  This is required by GCS policy which states that the leadership team is not designed to usurp the legal authority of the principal and as the instructional and organizational leader of the school, the principal is ultimately responsible for the implementation of the school improvement process. 

 

However, effective implementation by definition must include the share of responsibilities and decision-making with the other members of the leadership team.  To this end, the following leadership positions would be established for the SBLT at the beginning of each school year:  Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, and Secretary.

 

Each team should elect these positions. Any team member other than the school principal may serve as an officer on the SBLT.  Below is a list of responsibilities of each of these positions:  Chairperson, Co-chairperson, Secretary, and Representative.  The following officers will be elected by the SBLT from its membership to serve on year terms:  Chair, Co-Chairperson, and Secretary.

 

 

 

 

CHAIRPERSON:

 

Primary Duties:

·         Meets regularly with principal to discuss school issues and develop meeting agenda using the Standing Meeting Agenda

·         Requests agenda items for meetings

·         Leads meetings and facilitates distribution of agenda to all team members of the NGMS SBLT.

·         Reminds team members about meetings at least one week in advance

·         Assists in completing reports due to the team

·         Facilitates the public notification of meetings

·         Starts and ends meetings promptly

 

Any staff member or parent may present an issue to the leadership team in writing. For each issue, the leadership team may decide that it needs referral to an individual (e.g. Principal) or to another school committee or group. The leadership team can create a task force to address an issue not covered by existing committees.  The person initiating the issue can be invited to discuss the issue with the leadership team providing the issue is an appropriate matter for SBLT review and discussion.  All people who submit issues will receive a response and be told to whom their issue was referred.

 

Additional Duties:

·         Make sure roles are assigned for the day’s meeting

·         Welcome members and introduce any guests

·         Remind members of group norms

·         Ensure that minutes are being kept

·         Open discussion on current agenda items

·         Encourage decision making through consensus

·         Summarize each meeting, reviewing key actions and decisions: check that all members have the same clear understanding of all decisions

·         Review the time, date and location of the next meeting and any items that will require action prior to the next meeting

 

CO-CHAIRPERSON:

·         Runs the meeting when the chairperson is absent

·         Assumes all responsibilities of chairperson in the event that the chairperson is unable to complete term

 

SECRETARY:

·         Is responsible for taking minutes at all meetings that clearly reflect the activities of the SBLT

·         Distributes minutes to all SBLT members no later than one week after the meeting

·         Posts minutes of each SBLT to website that is visible to parents and teachers within a week of Minutes approval

 

Requirements of meeting minutes:

·         The date, time, and place of the meeting as per the meeting notice, and the time the meeting was called to order

·         A statement of the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting

·         A list of all committees, subgroups and individuals that gave reports and any recommended action

·         A list of individuals and groups who addressed SBLT

·         A list of all decisions reached by consensus and all motions approved or defeated by vote; this shall include exact wording of motions

·         Items that were placed on agenda for the next meeting

·         The time the meeting was adjourned

 

REPRESENTATIVE:

·         Attends meetings regularly

·         Represents the interests of constituent group—not just their own

·         Determines how to engage stakeholders in meaningful ways in school affairs

·         Commits to working collaboratively with team

·         Brings issues and concerns of constituent group to the team meetings and communicates the activities and decisions made by SBLT to their constituent group

·         If assigned a role, abides by the responsibilities and time-lines assigned to the role

·         Representatives should solicit agenda items from constituents to submit for SBLT agenda

 

 

Article VI:  Meetings

 

Section 1.  Meeting day and time

 

            The standing regular meeting day and time will be determined by the consensus of the SBLT members prior to the September 1^st of the academic year.  The SBLT will meet at least once per month.  Standing regular meeting days and times will be posted on the SBLT web page (noting any changes due to a holiday or scheduled workday).  Meetings will take place in the media center, unless otherwise noted.  SBLT meetings must be held at times that are convenient for parents to attend.

 

Section 2.  NC Open Meeting Law

 

SBLT meetings fall under the Open Meetings Law of North Carolina. The law dictates the following and SBLT shall abide by the law

·         SBLT shall file a notice of the day, time, and place of all regular meetings

·         If a regular meeting time is changed, SBLT shall file a notice of new meeting at least seven days prior to new meeting

·         SBLT shall abide by the following requirements for Special Meeting—specifically called meetings that are hold on different days and at different times during the year than regular meetings requires one of the following two methods of notification:  post a notice or mail/deliver a notice to every period of SBLT and those requesting the special meeting.  A notice may be posted on a centrally located bulletin board or on the door of the meeting place.  If notices are mailed to interested persons, the intent is to provide at least 48 hours notice.

 

Section 3.  Quorum

 

            Two-thirds shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any meeting of SBLT less than a quorum is present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting without further notice, until a quorum is obtained.

 

Section 4.  Standing Meeting Agenda

 

A.      Team/Guest Attendance

B.      Celebrate recent successes

C.      Review and respond to Coaching Comments

D.     Approval of Last meeting's minutes

E.      Old Business

F.       Indicators to Assess-Create-Monitor

G.     Other Business

H.     Next Meeting Information—date, time, location

 

Article VII—Committees

 

SBLT Committees

 

            Members of the SBLT shall have the authority to establish Special or Standing Committees as needed to meet the purpose of the SBLT as stated in Article II. Committee members and chairs are to be appointed and agreed upon by consensus. A majority of any committee, if more than two members, may fix its place and time of meetings. All committees shall report back to SBLT as requested.

 

Article VIII—Amendment of By-laws

 

SBLT By-laws may be amended with two-thirds of the collected SBLT votes if a prior notices has been given during the prior meetings. Otherwise, it shall require a majority of NGMS faculty and staff to amend any by-law.