THE BYLAWS OF THE WOODLANDS HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS PARENTS CLUB, INC.
Revised January 2021
ARTICLE 1 - NAME
The name of this club is The Woodlands High School Cheerleaders Parents Club, Inc. (“TWHS CPC").
Principal Office: The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Texas shall be located in Montgomery County, Texas. The Corporation may have such other offices, within Montgomery County, Texas, as the Board of Directors may determine or as the affairs of the Corporation may require from time to time.
Registered Office and Registered Agent: The Corporation shall have and continuously maintain in the State of Texas a registered office, and a registered agent whose office is identical with such registered office may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office of the corporation in the State of Texas, and the address of the registered office may be changed from time to time by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE II - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
To raise money and coordinate parent/volunteer activities for the support of TWHS Cheerleader program and to provide scholarships for eligible graduating TWHS senior cheerleaders.
This club will operate strictly for charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Corporation shall observe the following regulations: Conroe Independent School District Parent Organization Guidelines, University Interscholastic League Booster Club Guidelines and all local, state and federal laws which apply to nonprofit organizations.
To assist where needed in any TWHS Cheer function.
To help the Coach(es) of the TWHS Cheerleaders and the school authorities with their program. All activities of the organization shall be carried out with the advice and counsel of the Head Coach and the school authorities.
This organization seeks to avoid any action that would tend to establish or interfere with current school policy; and to cooperate with any other organization that promotes all phases of the school program.
To provide an environment and events that will promote the self-esteem and social well-being of the TWHS Cheerleaders.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
The dues of this organization shall be determined by the Executive Board. Payment shall be submitted to the designated person or persons no later than the date determined by the Officers of the Board. A waiver of membership dues may be extended to any member due to financial hardship. A written request must be submitted to the Treasurer, with the granting of such request at the discretion of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES CONT’D
All parents or guardians of TWHS Cheerleaders are considered participating members. Participating members may attend general meetings, serve on committees, and assist in activities sponsored by TWHS CPC.
Dues shall be required by all participating members of TWHS CPC.
Only members of TWHS CPC who have paid their current annual dues are considered voting members. Voting members have the right to hold office, elect the Board of Directors and Executive Board, and approve amendments to the Articles of Incorporation and to the By-Laws.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
Regular Meetings. There shall be one regular meeting of TWHS CPC each month unless the Executive Board deems such a meeting is unnecessary.
Annual Meeting. An annual meeting of the members shall be held before the close of the fiscal year. This meeting will be held for the presentation and voting of the proposed slate of Executive Officers and Board of Directors for the upcoming year and for any other business that may come before the meeting.
Special Meetings. The President of the Executive Board or a member of the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of TWHS CPC. The business at the special meeting must be confined to that business for which said meeting was called.
The business activities of this organization shall be conducted by a minimum of ten members, with the majority of the quorum being Board of Directors or Executive Officers.
ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Eligible candidates for Board and Executive Officer positions will be CPC members for one year prior to serving a term.
Board of Directors will be established under the Cheer Parent Club Articles of Incorporation to maintain the organizations status of a non-for-profit corporation as defined as a 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Board of Directors shall consist of a minimum of three (3) members and a maximum of five (5). Each director position will be up for re-election each year with at least one Board of Director being a previous member of the Executive Board, whenever possible.
The Executive Officers. Known collectively as the Executive Board of TWHS CPC (Executive Board), shall be: President and/or Co-President, First Vice-President (Ways and Means), Second Vice-President (Social Events), Secretary, Treasurer (Co-Treasurer), Parliamentarian, and Chairman of Sponsor Committee.
An Officer or Board Member vacancy occurring at any time shall be filled at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Any elected officer may be removed with or without cause by a majority vote of the Executive Board and a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
The Head Coach shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall be accorded all privileges, shall be a member of the Executive Board and shall always hold the tiebreaking and/or veto right.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Following cheer tryouts, the Parliamentarian will email interest surveys to all voting members. They are due to the Parliamentarian by April 1.
The Nominating Committee will consist of the Head Coach, the Parliamentarian (serving as the officio) and one parent from Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes. These class reps will be requested to notify the Parliamentarian via email of their interest to participate on the committee. The Nominating Committee will evaluate the nominees from the interest surveys and any email nominations received. There will be no self- nominations accepted. This evaluation will produce the slate that is presented to the general membership. This slate will be emailed by the Secretary to the membership prior to the April general meeting. No additional nominations will be accepted once the slate has been emailed to the membership. In the event the Nominating Committee presents multiple candidates for any one position-a vote via ballot by CPC members, will be taken, otherwise elections will be by acclamation. All votes either in person or electronic shall be delivered to the Parliamentarian and the Head Coach to tally results.
All positions will be up for re-election each year. There is a two-year term limit on each position. Only one member from each cheerleader/mascot family may serve; if 2 family members from a family wish to share the duties of a position they may do so after approval by the Board.
Officers and Board members shall be installed at the May general meeting and will be considered active after the closing of the current school year.
ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Board of Directors: Shall oversee all areas of the corporation to ensure that the Cheer Parent Club maintains compliance with all federal, state and district laws and guidelines. Annually review and/or update the bylaws to maintain compliance with the corporations 501(c)(3) status, the districts UIL guidelines, and the Conroe ISD Parent Organization Guidelines. Shall attend the Executive Board meetings.
President: Shall be the principal executive officer, in general, supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. Shall preside at all meetings. He/she will be accorded all privileges of an Executive Board Member. The President shall give the authorized signature, along with any other proper Executive Board Member, as deemed by the Executive Board, on any authorized contracts and banking accounts after being prepared by the Treasurer with proper documentation. Shall be responsible for informing the Executive Officers and Board of Directors of programs, meetings, and functions of the Cheer Parent Club.
First Vice-President (Ways and Means): In the absence of the President or in the event of his/her inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the President. Shall oversee all fundraising and benefits approved by the Executive board and members. Will serve as co-chairman of the Sponsor Committee.
Second Vice-President (Social Events): Shall oversee all events approved by the Head Coach, Executive Board and sponsored by the Cheer Parent Club, other than regular meetings.
Secretary: Shall record and distribute the minutes of each meeting, retain copies of all officer and committee reports, conduct such correspondence as may be delegated by the Coaches, officers and committees and shall perform other duties as may be necessary. The Secretary shall give all notices in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws, be custodian of the corporate records, and maintain the Cheer Parent Club roster.
Treasurer: Shall be responsible for all funds and securities of the CPC, receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the CPC, make deposits in the name of the CPC to the bank or trust company as designated. He/she shall always keep proper account the amount of funds and property belonging to the CPC, including separate scholarship account. The Treasurer shall present an annual proposed budget for approval by the membership at a General Meeting held at the beginning of the school year. Shall submit a report of the financial condition of the CPC at each General Meeting and prepare and provide a year-end financial report. The Treasurer shall ensure that a year-end financial audit be conducted by the audit committee or accountant and submitted, along with the year-end financial report, to the Board of Directors, Executive Board, CPC membership, Coaches, the Principal of TWHS, and the CISD Internal Auditor. In order to maintain the highest level of internal control, the Treasurer shall not be an authorized signer on checks or other financial documents.
Co-Treasurer: Shall be responsible to support the Treasurer in all aspects of the Treasurer’s duties and shall serve as the Treasurer the following fiscal year. (Thus the Co Treasurer shall be a member of the CPC with a student in a grade lower than 12th so the Co Treasurer is able to serve as Treasurer the following year.
Parliamentarian: Shall be responsible for ensuring that all meetings and business are conducted in accordance with the appropriate parliamentary procedures. Serve as the officio to the Nominating Committee.
Chairman of the Sponsor Committee: Shall be responsible for overseeing the Sponsor Committee and ensuring that the duties of the Sponsor Committee are satisfied. The Sponsor Chairman shall also maintain the official list of the CPC Sponsors (by level).
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
The standing committees of TWHS CPC shall be decided upon by the Executive Officers. Recommended committees included, but are not limited to, Ways and Means, Special Events, Publicity, Scholarship, Cheer Parent Apparel, Nominating, Website Administration, Class Representatives, Philanthropy, Sponsorship and Audit. Each Chairperson chosen for the stated Committees shall attend all General Meetings and Board Meetings as deemed necessary by the Executive Board. No committee shall have the authority of the Board of Directors regarding amending, altering, or repealing the Bylaws or removing any member of a committee. All CPC members may chair or serve on a committee.
ARTICLE IX - DUTIES OF COMMITTEES
Ways and Means (1st VP): Shall oversee all fundraising. Each fundraiser may have an event chair. Fundraising ideas must be approved first by the Executive Board, then by the Cheer Coaches and TWHS principal prior to being presented to the CPC.
Special Events (2nd VP): Shall oversee all Special Events, including, but not limited to, the Red and Green Parade and the Cheer Banquet, which shall be chaired or co-chaired by at least one senior parent.
Publicity/Social Media: Shall be handled by the Head Coach, who will be responsible for keeping updated social media accounts for the Cheer Teams.
Scholarship: Shall be responsible for determining scholarship distributions by TWHS CPC, in conjunction with the Executive Board. The committee shall coordinate with the President, Treasurer, and three members, one parent representative from each of the freshman, sophomore and junior classes. This committee shall provide scholarship applications to the graduating senior cheerleaders, verify the eligibility of the cheerleaders seeking scholarships and review the amount of scholarship to be awarded to each candidate.
Cheer Parent Club Apparel: Responsible for ordering and distributing parent apparel, cheer yard signs, cheer patches, and any other promotional items approved by the Executive Board and the Cheer Coaches.
Nominating Committee: Shall perform the duties outlined in Article VI and obtain chairpersons for standing committees.
Team Representative: Shall consist of a representative from each of the following teams: Freshman, Junior Varsity, and Varsity (Junior class rep & Senior class rep). Shall oversee all events involving their team members and their parent(s). Varsity (Senior class) Representative assumes additional responsibilities, such as, but not limited to, varsity photos, trophy case, yearbook ad, pre-game dinners, opposing team gift bags, and Varsity collages under the direction of the Coaches.
Team Representatives will be responsible for communication between the coaches and parents and assist in any other activities for their team as requested by the coaches or TWHS CPC.Audit Committee: Shall consist of one (1) or more non-Board CPC members. They shall review the records provided by the Treasurer and complete the Year End Audit Report to be submitted to the appropriate persons by the date provided by the Executive Officers. This committee can and may be replaced by external auditor/accountant as determined by the Executive Officers.
Sponsor Committee: The committee shall develop sponsor levels and produce the annual sponsor recruitment packets at a time determined by the Executive Board. Ensure that all promised sponsor obligations have been fulfilled in a timely manner.
ARTICLE X - FINANCIAL POLICY
The Executive Board shall appoint a person or persons as auditor(s) to conduct a thorough review of the financial records of TWHS CPC after May of each year. The auditor(s) should not be a current member of the CPC Board. A written report of the findings must be submitted to the Board of Directors, Executive Board, Principal of TWHS and the CISD Internal Auditor by September 1 of each year and presented to TWHS CPC no later than the second general meeting each school year. Audits and year-end financial reports should be completed by July 15th each year.
The outgoing Treasurer shall turn over the completed year-end financial reports and the financial books to the Audit Committee no later than June 15th. The Audit Report shall be completed by the Audit Committee and ready for review no later than July 15th. These dates may be altered by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
All monies received by The Parents Club shall be held in a checking account, money market account or a certificate of deposit in a local bank. A separate checking account shall be maintained for the deposit of all cash sponsor donations.
All checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidence of indebtedness issued to the CPC, shall be signed by the President, the 1st Vice President, or the 2nd Vice President. Such items shall be signed by the officer deemed other than the Treasurer.
All funds of the CPC shall be deposited within 30 days after they are received to the credit of the CPC in such bank, trust company, or other depositories as the Executive Board may select.
Cash Sponsor proceeds will fund the operating budget for the CPC yearly.
A minimum of one-half (1/2) of the proceeds from third-party fundraisers (other than cash sponsors) shall be paid to the TWHS Cheer coach’s fund each program year. This distribution may be changed by a majority vote of the Executive Board and Board of Directors.
One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00) or an amount determined by the Executive Board and Board of Directors shall be kept in operating budget to carryover for the following fiscal year.
No debit cards shall be issued on any of the bank accounts.
All transactions will be maintained in the Quick Books application or a similar application.
ARTICLE Xl - FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year for TWHS CPC shall be from June 1 to May 31 of each calendar year.
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
These By-Laws may be amended by the Executive Board or Board of Directors with the consent of the Head Coach and the approval of a two-thirds vote of the voting members present at the next meeting of TWHS CPC, if at least one (1) day's written notice is given of an intention to alter, amend, or repeal these By-laws. Amendments shall be provided to TWHS Principal and CISD auditors.
ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES
The Articles of Incorporation of the Cheer Parent Club may, to the extent allowed by law, be altered, amended, or restated and new Articles of Incorporation may be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors, Executive Officers, and members present at any regular meeting, if at least one (1) day's written notice is given of an intention to alter, amend, or restate the Articles of Incorporation or to adopt new Articles of Incorporation at such meeting.
ARTICLE XIV - SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBLITY
Scholarships (one-time) will be granted to graduating cheerleaders who are active members of TWHS cheerleading squad during their entire senior year and who have no unpaid debts to TWHS CPC or TWHS, and who are in good standing with CPC and The Woodlands High School. Other requirements for scholarship include that the cheerleader must be represented by a voting member of the CPC. Qualified applicants will be awarded an amount to be determined by the Executive Board along with the Scholarship Committee for each year that the applicant is a TWHS Cheerleader. The scholarship will be forfeited if a TWHS Cheerleader fails to return a completed scholarship form to the treasurer of TWHS CPC by a date established by the Board in accordance with TWHS requirements for Senior Awards Night of the year for which the application is made. Scholarship checks will be payable to the designated college, university, or institute of higher learning of choice for each recipient. The scholarships will be mailed directly to the college, university, or institute of higher learning. Scholarship checks not used by May 1st following the year of graduation will be voided. Scholarship amounts may vary from year to year based on the success of the fundraising by TWHS CPC.