Rules of Order and Procedure

Reviewed and ratified on October 8, 2025 by members of Heritage Elementary School Community Council

Council Duties

In accordance with Utah Code 53G-7-1202, the responsibilities of the council includes:

• Creating all components of the School LAND Trust Plan, to include:
  • Goal Statement
  • Academic area
  • Measurement
  • Action Plan steps
  • Expenditures
• Advising and making recommendations to school and school district administrators and the local school board regarding:
  • the school and its programs
  • school district programs
  • a child access routing plan
  • safe technology utilization and digital citizenship
  • other issues relating to the community environment for students
• Partnering with the school's principal and other administrators to ensure that adequate on and off-campus Internet filtering is installed and consistently configured to prevent viewing of harmful content by students and school personnel
• In accordance with state board rule regarding school community council expenditures and funding limits: working with students, families, and educators to develop and incorporate safety principles at the school; and holding at least an annual discussion with the school's principal and district administrator regarding safety principles 
• Providing input to the school's principal on a positive behavior plan (PBIS)

Council Member Expectations

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 the council represents are included in discussions

• Expect accountability and be prepared to be accountable

• Act with integrity

Rules of Procedure:

Training: Council members will receive training to understand their responsibilities. Council members receive training before preparing and taking action on School LAND Trust Plans and reports. Training is the responsibility of the local school board

Open Meetings: All meetings are open to the public and are welcome to attend. Public members are welcome to attend, listen, ask questions, and give input, but they are not allowed to vote on a point of order. The chair conducts the meeting, makes assignments, and requests reports on assignments.  In the absence of the chair, the vice-chair shall conduct meetings.  

Meeting Agendas and Minutes: The agenda for each upcoming meeting, with draft minutes of the prior meeting, will be made available to all council members at least one week in advance and will be posted on the school website.  The agenda will include the date, time, and location of the meeting, and any proposed action items.

Meeting Minutes: Written minutes will be kept of all meetings, prepared in draft format for approval at the next scheduled meeting. Approved minutes will be retained for three years.

Annual Timeline: 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 be used to help prepare meeting agendas and ensure the council completes its work efficiently. 

Election Procedures: Procedure for election of new officers:

• Elections will be announced to the public via email, newsletter, or school website at least ten days before the election is to take place.
• Eligible candidates can file for election with the school office
• Votes may be cast and submitted to the school by the following options:
  • In person
  • By mail
  • Electronically via district-approved methods

Council Composition: The council consists of 6 members: 2 school employees, including the principal, and 4 parent members, two elected in even years and two elected in odd years.  OR the size of the SCC must be consistent with 53G-7-1202. (Councils may have a 2-parent majority, and elections are required to be staggered with half of the council elected each year.) 

Filling Vacancies: If a full council is not seated in the election, or a seat becomes vacant, parent members of the council will appoint members to fill vacant positions, and school employee members will appoint individuals to fill vacant school employee positions. There is also the option to drop a school employee or a parent to meet the state guidelines if a volunteer cannot be found.

Removing Members: A council member may be removed from office under the following circumstances:

• Member Relocation: Council membership may be discontinued withn a member's relocation prevents them from serving on the council. 
• Attendance: The member fails to attend two consecutive regular council meetings without an acceptable reason or prior notification and approval by the council chair.
• 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 will consider the seat vacant and the remaining parent members will appoint a parent to fill the unexpired term.

Resignation of members: A council member may resign from their position by providing written notification to the council and/or Council Chair or Principal.

Council Officers: At the first meeting of each year after the council is seated, the council will elect a chair from the parent members and a vice-chair from either the parent or school employee members.  The principal is not eligible to hold an office. 

Quorum: A quorum, which is a majority of the council members, is necessary to conduct official business and vote. This quorum requirement does not necessitate a two-parent majority. 

Reporting Conflicts of Interest: Council members must adhere to the conflict of interest policy established by Cache County School District. Please refer to xxxx for detailed guidelines. 

Parliamentary Procedure: Meeting will be conducted and actions taken according to simplified rules of parliamentary procedure as required by Utah code 53G-7-1203(10). Council actions will be decided by motions and voting, with all votes and motions recorded in the meeting minutes. 

The SCC timeline is as follows:

• August 1st - Council members will let the principal know if they cannot serve for the upcoming school year.
• First Day of School - The community will be notified of the process to volunteer/be elected for a position on the SCC for the upcoming school year. They will have until September 1st to submit their name for consideration.
• September 1st - Nominees will be posted on the school website and through the school messenger system. A Google Form will be sent to the school community for the voting process. Votes for nominees will be taken up until September 14th. If there are not enough nominees for a vote, those who volunteered to be on the SCC will be accepted onto the team. IF there are not enough volunteers, the current SCC member will reach out to the community and school members to participate. (If September 1st falls on a weekend, the final date for votes to be counted will be on the following school day.)
• The SCC will meet monthly on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:50 unless otherwise posted. The agenda for upcoming council meetings will be posted on the school website a week prior to the meeting.

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 the 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 about whether the procedure has 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 the 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.