HSA

Position	Officer	Email
Co-President	Cathy Greenland	LM.HSA.Presidents@gmail.com
Co-President	Elisabeth Browning	LM.HSA.Presidents@gmail.com
Communications Co-Coordinator	Cathy Greenland	lmacesupdate@gmail.com
Communications Co-Coordinator	Elisabeth Browning	lmacesupdate@gmail.com
Community Engagement Coordinator	Michelle Gallagher
Treasurer	Jamie Habre
Secretary	Allison Farcus
9th Grade Parent Reps	Charlene McGrew Pamela Shaw	lmhsclassof2027@gmail.com
10th Grade Parent Reps	Kami Pulsifer Alexa Grollman	lmhs2026@gmail.com
11th Grade Parent Reps	Cathy Greenland Pia Arellano Pex Arellano	lmhsclassof2025@gmail.com
12th Grade Parent Reps	Maryellen Riggio, Kami Pulsifer	lmhs2024@gmail.com
ISC Representative	Monica Romeo
Member-at-Large	Jill Altshuler
Member-at-Large	Pex Arellano
LMHS HSA Facebook Volunteer Administrator	Bobby Fagan

Article 1 – Name

The name of the organization shall be the Lower Merion High School Home and School Association (LMHS HSA).

Article 2 - Purpose and Mission

The purpose of the LMHS HSA is to enrich the educational experience of our students, to support teachers, staff, and administration, and to build a closer connection between school and home.

In pursuit of these goals, the LMHS HSA will:

• Act as a liaison between the home and school by serving as a source of information and support for parents and guardians;
• Offer a forum for presentation and dialogue of school and district issues;
• Provide opportunities for families to engage with the school and each other, such as social events, volunteering, and communications;
• Represent Lower Merion High School in the Lower Merion School District and community;
• Recruit and organize current and future board leadership; and
• Conduct all LMHS HSA business without discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or ability.

Article 3 – LMHS HSA Membership and Dues

Section 1. Membership in the LMHS HSA will consist of all parents, guardians, or other adult(s) standing in loco parentis of students currently attending Lower Merion High School, its principal, administrators, and staff.

Section 2. Dues, if any, will be established by the LMHS HSA board, but it may not require parents/guardians to financially contribute to the LMHS HSA to be members or to serve on the board.

Article 4 – HSA Board Officers and Elections

Section 1. The LMHS HSA Board (“board”) shall consist of the following officers:

• President
• Vice President
• Communications Coordinator
• Community Engagement Coordinator
• Recording Secretary
• Treasurer
• Grade-level Representatives
• Members-at-large

Section 2. When deemed necessary by the board, officer positions may be shared with a maximum of 2 people per role.

Section 3. Eligibility
Only parents and guardians of current LMHS students may serve as officers of the board.

Officers agree to fulfill the duties outlined below to the best of their ability, to attend and participate in board and general membership meetings, to make themselves available to discuss and vote on issues as they arise throughout the year, and to facilitate the smooth transition of their position at the end of the term to the corresponding incoming officer of the board, including the transfer of adequate and accurate records.

Section 4. Nominations and Elections
Elections of officers for the board will be held at the last general membership meeting of the school year. At that meeting, nominations may be made from the floor. Voting will be by voice vote. If needed, a ballot vote may be taken to ensure accurate vote counting. A majority vote of those present will decide the elections.

If there is a vacancy in the office of the President during a term, the Vice President will become the President. If the Vice President is unable to assume the role of President, the officers will elect an interim President for the remainder of the term by majority vote. If there is a vacancy in any other officer position, a replacement may be recommended by the President and elected by a majority vote of officers.

An officer can be removed from office for violation of these bylaws at a general membership meeting where previous notice has been given by majority vote of those present and if a minimum of 15 members in attendance.

Section 5. Terms of Office

The term of office for all officers and ex-officio members is one year, beginning August 1 and ending July 31 of the following year. No one may serve more than 3 consecutive terms as President or as Treasurer. For all other officer roles, no one may serve more than four consecutive terms in the same office. If needed, a term for officer roles other than President may be extended by one year by two-thirds vote of officers.

Section 6. Duties
President – The President will preside over general membership and board meetings, serve as primary contact for the principal, represent the LMHS HSA at meetings outside the organization, be available to assist on all committees, and coordinate the work of all the members and committees to serve the purpose of the organization.

Vice President – The Vice-President will assist the President and carry out their duties in case of absence or inability to serve. The Vice-President will monitor adherence to these bylaws and any subsequent standing rules. They will also be responsible for recruiting future board members and coordinating staff appreciation efforts.

Communications Coordinator – The Communications Coordinator will keep the LMHS Community informed of events and activities. In doing so, they will be an editor of the LM Aces Update, and be responsible for other official LMHS HSA communications including, but not limited to, social media including serving as an administrator for LMHS HSA Facebook group, the LMHS Parent/Guardian Directory, and the LMHS HSA websites.

Community Engagement Coordinator - The Community Engagement Coordinator will engage parents and guardians in the activities of the LMHS HSA. In doing so, they will be responsible for engagement activities including, but not limited to, administrating the Facebook group, organizing parent/guardian socials, coordinating fundraising activities, and recruiting parent volunteers to support LMHS HSA activities.

Recording Secretary - The Recording Secretary shall record and distribute minutes at all board and general meetings of the LMHS HSA. Minutes will be distributed to the board in a timely manner and archiving them. If the Recording Secretary is unable to attend a board meeting, another officer will be assigned by the President to keep and distribute the minutes.

Treasurer – The Treasurer will be responsible for all LMHS HSA fund deposits and disbursements into the bank account approved by the board; will disburse funds only under an approved budget or as authorized by the board; will keep complete and accurate records of all receipts and expenditures and will make these records available to the board for audit at the end of the school year or at any time requested by the board.

Grade-level Parent/Guardian Representatives (maximum of two per grade) - Grade-level Parent/Guardian Representatives will coordinate with the Grade-Level Class Sponsors to support class activities and events. They will also create grade specific communications for parents/guardians to include that summarizes or promotes information relevant to that grade and/or related to LMHS HSA activities.

Members-at-Large (maximum of six) - Members-at-large participate in all activities of the board and may contribute unique expertise or guidance.They may be assigned tasks by the President which align with their skill sets.

Ex-officio Members:

The LMHS principal and immediate past president may serve as ex-officio members of the board. They will be non-voting members of the board.

ISC Representative - The LMHS HSA ISC Representative will inform the board on ISC activities and programs. The ISC Representative will attend board meetings as a non-voting member (and, per ISC bylaws, cannot concurrently serve as an officer of any LMSD HSA).

School Staff Board Liaison - A teacher or staff member of LMHS will provide the board with a teacher/staff perspective on LMHS HSA programs and activities and inform other teachers about the LMHS HSA’s efforts. They will be a non-voting member of the board.

Article 5 – Meetings

Section 1 – The board will have at least six regular board meetings a year. Time, place and date of such meetings will be set at the start of the year and subject to change if needed.

Section 2 – Special board meetings may be called by the President or Vice President or any two officers of the board by submitting a request to the Communications Coordinator.

Section 3 - For each regular board meeting, the President will prepare an agenda and officers will report. The annual budget will be presented at the first board meeting of the new school year. A report prepared by the Treasurer will update this information at every subsequent meeting. If any officer is unable to attend a board meeting, they must provide an update on any activities/programs that would be relevant to their role or the LMHS HSA overall.

Section 4 - Forty percent (40%) of officers shall constitute a quorum for regular or special board meetings. In the event a quorum is present at any point of the meeting, a majority of voting officers present shall be sufficient to carry a motion. Officers unable to attend a board meeting may give a proxy vote to a duly qualified officer. Officers attending virtually or via conference call may be counted in the quorum and may vote.

To conduct time-sensitive business between regular board meetings, the President may conduct a proxy vote exclusively via electronic mail to officers. For proxy votes conducted exclusively via electronic mail, a majority of the full board shall be required to carry a motion. The Recording Secretary shall record the vote and the President shall acknowledge the outcome of the vote during the next regular board meeting.

Section 4 – Any member of the LMHS HSA can request to attend a board meeting as a guest. Minutes from all meetings and the LMHS HSA budget will be available to members upon request.

Section 5 – There will be a minimum of two General Membership/All School LMHS HSA Meetings during the school year. The meetings will be hosted by the board to share updates about LMHS HSA activities, address questions, and hear from relevant guest speakers. All members of the LMHS HSA will be welcomed.

Section 6 – The transition between the outgoing board and incoming board will take place at a board meeting held prior to the end of the fiscal year. Prior to the meeting or immediately following, all records are to be shared (or digital access provided) by the members of the outgoing board to the corresponding members of the incoming board.

Article 6 – Finances

Section 1. The fiscal year of the LMHS HSA begins August 1 and ends July 31 of the following year.

Section 2. All funds shall be kept in a checking account in the name of the Lower Merion High School Home & School Association, and held at a local financial institution.

Section 3 – An annual budget will be drafted and approved by a majority vote of the board by the first scheduled board meeting of the school year or by September 30th, whichever occurs sooner.

Section 4 – Unbudgeted expenditures of up to $500 can be approved by the President and Treasurer. A vote by the majority of the officers is required to approve unbudgeted expenditures over $500.

Article 7 – Amendments

Section 1 - These bylaws may be amended at any general membership meeting, providing that previous notice was given in writing and sent to all officers. Notice may be given by US mail, e-mail, or facsimile. Amendments will be approved by a two-thirds vote of members present, a minimum of 15 members required.

Section 2 - Bylaws will be fully reviewed every year by the President and Vice President. They will present suggested amendments to the board on or before the second board meeting of the fiscal year. If no amendments are needed, a motion will be made and voted on to reconfirm the bylaws as of that date.

Article 8 - Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern board and general membership meetings when they are not in conflict with the organization’s bylaws or any other standing rules. If these rules are invoked at a meeting, the President may table the matter to further review procedures.

Article 9 - Dissolution

The LMHS HSA may be dissolved at a general or special meeting with previous notice (at least 14 calendar days) given in writing and sent to all officers and a two-thirds vote by members present at the meeting. All assets must then be distributed within sixty calendar days to directly benefit the students and parents/guardians of LMHS or its successor.

Amended: February 2024