1.1 The name of this school shall be ˇ§Portland Chinese Schoolˇ¨ (PCS).
1.2 The purpose of PCS shall be to teach and promote Chinese language and culture.
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2.1 PCS shall have its own administrative and financial structure independent from any other organizations. It shall be a non-profit, non-religious, non-political and educational co-op open to students of all races and genders.
2.2 PCS shall consist of Parentsˇ¦ Association, Administration Group and the Board of Directors (the Board).
2.3 All school measures and policies shall be enforced in accordance with the by-laws. Items not stipulated in the by-laws shall follow the resolution of the Board.
2.4 The term of school year commences July 1st following the election and ceases June 30th thereafter.
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3.1 Parentsˇ¦ Association shall include general members who are the parents or guardians of the students. Parentsˇ¦ Association is governed by the Parentsˇ¦ Representative Committee (PRC) which shall consist of parentsˇ¦ representatives of each classroom elected at the beginning of school year.
3.2 General meetings shall be held within the first month of the beginning of each semester. Each member shall be entitled to one vote at election. Any number of general members present shall constitute a quorum.
3.3 The Principal, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chairperson of the PRC may call a special meeting as deemed necessary.
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4.1 The Parentsˇ¦ Representative Committee (PRC) shall assist school volunteer functions and facilitate the election of the five standing directors of the Board from the parents representing the lower, middle, upper grade and conversation classes in proportion of student headcounts. The current standing directors of the Board shall call the election meeting of each group. The elected directors are eligible for re-election.
4.2 The Chairperson of the PRC shall be elected among the parentsˇ¦ representatives and can serve for more than one term if re-elected.
4.3 The Chairperson of the PRC shall call and preside at the quarterly PRC meetings and all general meetings. He/She shall also serve as a standing director of the Board.
4.4 The Chairperson of the PRC shall not receive pay from PCS, but is entitled to free tuition for one student.
4.5 A new Chairperson of the PRC shall be elected should the position become vacant.
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Article 5: Administration Group ˇV Principal and the Administrative Officers
5.1 Principal is an elected officer and he/she needs not be a current member. The Board will elect the principal based on his/her qualifications, legal working status and commitment to multi-year service. The principal is elected by the majority votes of the Board members and can serve for more than one term if re-elected.
5.2 The Principal shall not make any administrative decisions in contradiction with the by-laws or the resolutions of the Board.
5.3 The Board, by majority votes of the members, has the right to suspend the Principal for up to two weeks. During these two weeks, the board will investigate and decide if the removal of the Principal is warranted. The principal is automatically reinstated after the two-week suspension, if no action has been taken against him/her during this period.
5.4 Should the position of the Principal become vacant, an administrative officer will be appointed by the Board to temporarily perform principal duties until a new principal is elected by the Board.
5.5 Principal will become a paid position by PCS starting 2007-2008 school year*. Principal will appoint all other administrative officers whom will not receive pay from PCS, but each officer is entitled to free tuition for one student.
5.5.1 All of the administrative officers can not be the Board members at the same time.
5.5.2 The duties of the Principal and the officers shall include hiring teachers, formulating, interpreting and enforcing all administrative rules, and performing all PCS business such as administration, academics, finance, etc. They should also submit a yearly budget by July 31 following election to be approved by the Board. During election in March, they shall elect two people among the outgoing and former officers to be the standing directors of the Board. Each officer is entitled to vote for up to two people at the election.
5.5.3 The Principal and the officers shall meet monthly to vote through all administrative decisions.
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6.1 Directors of the Board do not receive pay from PCS and can serve for more than one term if elected.
6.2 The duties of the Board include, but not limited to, counseling school policies and directions, selecting and appointing Principal, auditing the Schoolˇ¦s fiscal matters monthly, assisting in securing school funding, and interpreting the by-laws.
6.3 The standing directors of the Board shall consist of nine members namely the Chairperson of the PRC, Teachersˇ¦ Representative, five parents elected by the general members, and two former administrative officers. The two former administrative officers do not need to be the current members. In addition, the Board shall invite three distinguished citizens to serve as, non-voting, honorary directors.
6.4 The Chairperson of the Board shall be elected among the nine standing Board members.
6.5 Board meetings shall be held quarterly to vote through measures and policies. The Chairperson of the Board or any two other members may call a special meeting as deemed necessary.
6.6 A new board member shall be elected should the position become vacant and the remaining term is more than one third of the school year.
6.7 The Board may invite administrative officers to attend the meeting. The administrative officers shall not vote at the board meeting.
6.8 Revisions and additions of the by-laws shall become effective after being resolved by the Board and passed by the general members in one of two ways: i) the majority of the quorum at the general meeting; ii) the majority of the total current members in the case of collection of membersˇ¦ signatures.
6.9 Board resolutions may be passed via e-mail exchange or phone meeting as deemed necessary provided that all the Board members are able to reach a unanimous consent.
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7.1 Only those who have legal working status shall be considered for a teaching position at PCS. Each teacher shall be contracted for one school year. Contracts less than one year shall be effective with the Boardˇ¦s consent.
7.2 Either the teacher or the School has the right to terminate the contract.
7.3 Teachers shall only be hired when the Principal and two officers in charge of academic and curriculum affairs reach a mutual consent. Involuntary termination of the teacher shall be approved by the Board.
7.4 The Principal has the right to suspend a teacher for one week. However, if the Board does not approve within this one-week period, the teacher shall go back to work.
7.5 Teachers shall be paid by PCS. The Board shall determine the pay and its adjustments.
7.6 During election in March, a Teachersˇ¦ Representative shall be elected among the teachers and can serve for more than one term if elected.