Standing rULES

Aviator Parents & Teacher Organization (APTO)
Operating under HHHS Project Graduation EIN 33-4150428

1. Membership & Dues

• Annual membership dues are $10 per person if paid by October 15 of each school year. After October 15, dues increase to $15. 

• Members must be in good standing (dues paid) to vote, serve on the Executive Board, or chair a committee.

2. School Affiliation & Collaboration

• APTO and Project Graduation are seeking formal recognition from the Hasbrouck Heights School District as the official parent-teacher organization and senior event committee for the Middle and High School.

• The APTO board will collaborate regularly with:

  • School administrators

  • Board of Education representatives

  • Class advisors and teachers

• Our purpose is to build trust, foster community, and support student success in a transparent, respectful, and collaborative manner.

3. Use of EIN and Banking

• APTO will operate under one shared bank account held by Project Graduation, using EIN 33-4150428.

• All funds — including general and class-specific — will be housed in this account.

• The Treasurer will maintain an online money management system to track and categorize income and expenses by class and/or initiative.

• If a need arises, additional accounts may be opened and managed under board approval.

• No subcommittees, members, or class reps may open independent accounts.

4. Fundraising Guidelines

• All fundraisers must be approved by the APTO Executive Board and submitted to the Board of Education for final approval, in accordance with district policy.

• At launch, Individual Participation Fundraisers will be coordinated only for high school students, with proceeds earmarked specifically for high school-related activities, including Project Graduation.

• Families or class advisors may request a student’s current individual fundraising balance by submitting a simple email request form to the Treasurer.

• A formal process to request use of funds will be developed and shared once the organization is fully operational.

• Fundraisers may be categorized as:

  • Group/Class Fundraisers: Benefit an entire class or program equally.

  • Individual Participation Fundraisers: Earnings are tracked by student for specific use (e.g., offsetting event fees).

5. Payment & Reimbursement Procedures

• All payment or reimbursement requests must be submitted through the designated form.

• Receipts must be attached and submitted within 30 days of the expense.

• The Executive Board will review and approve requests within 7 business days.

• Only authorized board members may access payment systems (e.g., Square, Venmo, bank account).

6. Committee Structure

• APTO will form standing and ad hoc committees to support events, fundraising, and school engagement. Committees may include:

  • Fundraising

  • Communications & Social Media

  • Membership & Recruitment

  • Events & Hospitality

  • Class Representatives

  • Middle School Committee

  • High School Committee

• The Middle School Committee & High School Committee will function as a sub-boards, recognizing that the needs and activities of middle school students may differ from those of the high school.

  • These committees may plan their own events and initiatives and operate with flexibility.

  • However, they must still follow all financial and organizational guidelines set forth by the APTO Executive Board and use the shared EIN and bank account structure.

  • These committees will submit financial requests and reports through the same process as all other subcommittees.

• All committee chairs are expected to:

  • Attend general APTO meetings or submit written updates.

  • Coordinate with the Executive Board before launching fundraisers or school-affiliated events.

  • Uphold the mission and values of APTO by promoting transparency, fairness, and community collaboration.

  • Work with the Executive Board for planning, budget approvals, and communications.

  • Submit a summary at the conclusion of their event or fundraiser.

7. Meeting Attendance & Participation

• Executive Board members must attend at least 75% of monthly meetings.

• Committee members and class volunteers must attend at least half of general meetings to maintain good standing and voting privileges.

• Any member may attend meetings and participate in discussions. Voting rights apply to those in good standing.

8. Member-Requested Meetings

• A special meeting of the general membership may be called at any time by submitting a written request (physical or digital) signed by at least one-third (1/3) of active, dues-paying members.

• This request must clearly state the purpose of the meeting.

• Once verified, the Executive Board is required to schedule the meeting within 14 calendar days, providing notice to all members at least 5 days in advance.

• The power of this organization lies in its members. The Executive Board is entrusted to serve the collective interest—not control it—and shall not block or delay a valid request for a member-called meeting.

9. Volunteer Conduct & Ethics

• All APTO members agree to:

  • Foster a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment.

  • Avoid gossip, exclusionary behavior, or power struggles.

  • Represent the organization and school community with integrity.

• All members are expected to represent the organization respectfully online and refrain from using personal social media platforms to post threats, target individuals, or spread misinformation related to the organization, its leadership, school officials, or partners.

• All members of the Executive Board and Committee Chairs are expected to uphold the values of integrity, collaboration, and professionalism.

• Failure to act in accordance with these values may result in removal from a leadership role by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

10. Communication & Transparency

• Official communications will be shared through:

  • Email

  • Social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)

  • Shared online folders (for meeting minutes, event plans, and financial updates)

• Meeting agendas will be distributed in advance when possible.

• Meeting minutes will be shared within 7 days.

• The board will provide quarterly financial summaries to members to ensure transparency.

11. Digital Access and Security

• All passwords and access credentials for online platforms—including banking, fundraising, communication tools, and cloud storage—must be made available to the Executive Board.

• At the end of each officer’s term, all shared platform passwords will be updated and reset by the incoming board to ensure continuity, accountability, and protection of organizational data.

12. Financial Review

• A yearly financial review shall be conducted by a committee of at least three members who were not authorized check signers during the fiscal year.

• The committee will be appointed by the Executive Board and present its findings at the final meeting of the school year.

13. Fundraising Financial Policy (Standard Clause for All Fundraisers)

To ensure transparency and maintain the long-term sustainability of the PTO, 5% of the net proceeds from each fundraiser will be allocated to the Aviator PTO General Fund. This supports the operational costs of the organization and allows us to fulfill school-wide needs, sponsor community events, and assist with unfunded requests.

The remaining 95% of net proceeds will be directed toward the specific event, grade-level activity, or initiative for which the fundraiser was held.

All fundraisers will include a summary sheet reviewed at PTO meetings and shared with event leads for documentation and planning purposes in future years.

Special Fundraisers

For multi-grade events or large-scale campaigns (e.g., Tricky Tray, Clothing Drive): a portion of funds may be split among participating grades or classes based on predetermined allocation guidelines approved at a general PTO meeting.

14. Amendments to Standing Rules

• These rules may be amended by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

• Changes will be communicated to members at the next general meeting and posted online