Parents » School Leadership Team (SLT) Bylaws

School Leadership Team (SLT) Bylaws

Eagle Academy Harlem School Leadership Team Bylaws


Article I — School Leadership Team Mission Statement and Educational Vision

 

The mission of the School Leadership Team of Eagle Academy for the young men of Harlem ("SLT") is to assist the school’s administration and faculty in providing an effective environment for its students’ academic, social, and emotional growth. The members of the SLT are committed to working collaboratively and by consensus to ensure that all students reach for academic excellence and develop leadership skills and a sense of personal responsibility.


Article II — Team Composition

 

  1. Size of Team

The total number of members shall be 12. The team shall maintain an equal number of parents and staff members,
up to 6 each.


  1. Mandatory Members


The three Mandatory Members of the SLT are:

  1. The Principal,
  2. The Parent Association President (or one, and only one of the Co-Presidents, if and only if there is more than one PA President), and
  3.  The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Chapter Leader.

Mandatory Members of the SLT may designate another member of their constituent group to serve in their stead.


  1. Members at Large


The additional members of the team shall consist of:

  • Six (6) elected parent members;
  • Two (2) elected at-large UFT members;
  • One (1) elected at-large UFT member who is a school counselor or school
    social worker in the school; if no such faculty member is willing to serve,
    then the seat may be filled by one at-large UFT member;
  • One (1) DC37 elected representative; if no such member of DC-37 is willing to
    serve, then the seat may be filled by one at-large UFT member;
  •  One (1) member of the administration designated by the Principal;
  •  Two (2) students; and
  •  One (1) Community Based Organization member representing Tomorrow’s Leaders Inc/ Eagle Foundation
  1. Election of Team Members


Parent and staff SLT members must be elected by their respective constituent groups in a fair and unbiased manner as determined by each constituent group. All elections must be advertised widely with reasonable advance notice given. Elections must be open to all members of the constituent group and must be held in accordance with the rules set forth in these bylaws.


Parent member elections will be scheduled simultaneously with Parent Association elections each spring and at other times as needed to fill vacancies. Parents must be provided a minimum of ten calendar days notice prior to the election. The Parent Association is encouraged to stagger the terms of the non- mandatory parent members of the SLT.


Student members will be selected by the students in a fair and unbiased manner as determined by them. Such elections shall be held in September prior to the September SLT meeting if possible. Student members shall serve for a period of one year. Student members will be included in the total number of team members but will not be counted when determining the balance of parent and staff members.


Community Based Organizations, such as the school’s alumni association, may also serve on the SLT. A member of the SLT may recommend a Community Based Organization for membership to the Mandatory Members. If (i) all Mandatory Members and (ii) at least one of the student members agree to such proposal, then membership shall be considered as an Agenda item at a subsequent SLT meeting for discussion and approval or denial in the manner specified in these bylaws under Article V - Decision Making. Community Based Organization members will be included in the total number of team members but will not be counted when determining the balance of parent and staff members.


Elections held to fill vacancies due to resignation, cessation of member eligibility or removal pursuant to Article IV will be conducted by the appropriate constituent group prior to the next scheduled team meeting. Team members elected to fill vacancies shall be eligible to serve until the completion of that term.



  1. Chairperson


The Chairperson shall be elected by consensus of the team and shall serve for a period of one year. The election for the subsequent academic year shall take place at the June meeting. The Chairperson is responsible for scheduling meetings, coordinating the sending of notices, setting meeting agendas, ensuring that team members have the information necessary to guide their planning, and focusing the team on issues consistent with the mission of the School Leadership Team as set forth by NYCDOE and NYSDOE regulations. The Chairperson ensures that voices of all team members are heard and facilitates the meeting.


  1. Additional Leadership Roles


Secretary - The Secretary shall be elected by consensus of the team and shall serve for a period of one year. The election for the subsequent academic year shall take place at the June meeting. The Secretary will be responsible for keeping the minutes of SLT meetings. Such minutes must be maintained at the school and shall be posted on the school website. The Principal may designate a staff member to assist with the minutes.


Financial Liaison - The Financial Liaison shall be elected by consensus of the team and shall serve for a period of one year. The election for the subsequent academic year shall take place at the June meeting. The Financial Liaison shall assume responsibility for documenting member participation in order to determine eligibility for the annual SLT remuneration.


  1. Length of Term and Term Limits


Team members, with the exception of Mandatory Members, student members, and Community Based Organization members, are elected for two-year terms, at the discretion of their respective constituent group. However, all members must remain eligible to serve pursuant to Chancellor's Regulation A-655 for the duration of their term.

Elected members may not serve for more than two consecutive terms. If no other willing, eligible candidate is identified for a particular constituent group, a member may be elected for one additional year.

 

Terms of the non-mandatory members representing the UFT and Parents shall be staggered so that at least one member from each constituency carries over to the following year. Furthermore, any SLT members elected to new seats following the January 2024 SLT meeting and prior to the March 2024 meeting may serve for terms no longer than 3 years if the relevant constituent group determines that such a term is in the best interest of creating staggered seats on the SLT going forward.

 

  1. Responsibilities of School Leadership Team Members

 

Team members, including those additional roles outlined in these bylaws, are responsible for developing an annual school Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) that is aligned with the school-based budget for the ensuing school year. The school-based budget provides the fiscal parameters within which the SLT will develop the goals and objectives to meet the needs of students and the school's educational program.

 

The SLT shall provide an annual assessment to the Superintendent of the Principal's record of developing an effective shared decision-making relationship with the SLT members during the year. The A-655 Form for assessment shall be distributed to SLT members at the May meeting for collection at the June meeting by the Secretary. The Secretary shall provide a copy of the feedback to the Superintendent and the Principal.

 

The SLT shall provide an annual assessment to the wider school community of the performance of the school against the goals and actions of the prior year’s CEP. The form of assessment is to be determined by the SLT but must include detailed assessment of each goal and action. Such assessment should be included in the SLT minutes and should be provided to the community no later than the time at which the December minutes are ratified.

 

On all other issues, the SLT shall play an advisory role to the Principal and to the school administration, and the consensus of the SLT shall be taken into account. The final decision on other issues shall remain with the Principal and school administration.

 

Team members must work collaboratively by sharing their ideas and concerns and listening to the ideas and concerns of others and by engaging in collaborative problem solving and solution seeking that will lead to consensus- based decisions.

 

Team members must communicate effectively with their constituent groups and share the views of their constituencies with the team.

 

Article III — Team Meetings

 

  1. Schedule of Meetings

 

The SLT shall meet at least once a month during the school year. The SLT shall schedule the September meeting in June, and the October meeting in September. All additional meeting dates for the academic year shall be determined at October’s meeting. Meeting dates may be altered from month to month, provided that such changes are made in the manner specified in these bylaws under Article V - Decision Making, and no changes are made that would conflict with open-meeting laws.

 

No later than October 24, the SLT shall meet to a) review of the C-30 and A-655 regulations; and b) participate in NYCDOE training for SLT members and the CEP. These agenda items may be included on a regular team meeting agenda or be scheduled as a separate meeting.

 

Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Chairperson as needed or upon request by the team members. Meetings will be scheduled at a time convenient for Parent members on the team. Parent members will be polled each year to determine a convenient time for team meetings.

 

Members who miss more than two consecutive meetings without rendering in writing a good and valid excuse will be subject to removal from the team.

 

  1. Notice of Team Meetings

 

The calendar of meetings shall be posted in (i) the Faculty/Staff Mail Room, (ii) the Office of Parent and Student Engagement, and (iii) on the school website. Meetings shall also be announced at PA meetings. Such posting and/or announcement shall be made as soon as practicable to enable broadest awareness. Any updates to the calendar shall be promptly updated in all locations. Meeting dates must be posted at least 10 days in advance of any meeting. The Chairperson will send meeting reminders one week prior to all meetings.

 

  1. Meeting Attendance

 

SLT members are expected to attend all meetings and to arrive on time. If team members are unable to attend the meeting, they must notify the Chairperson in advance of the meeting. Meetings are open to other members of the school community.

 

  1. Quorum

 

A majority of SLT members including representation from each constituent group shall constitute a quorum. Each constituent group shall be responsible for ensuring that their group is adequately represented at each meeting. Mandatory Members (as defined in Article Il Section 2 above) may designate a temporary member, including an individual who is not a current SLT member, to take their place at individual meetings if they are unable to attend, and such member (a “Mandatory Member Designee”) shall be counted for quorum purposes.

 

  1. Executive Session

 

The SLT may only go into Executive Session following the introduction, during an open meeting, of a resolution to do so approved by a majority of members. This resolution must generally identify the area(s) of the subject(s) to be considered in the Executive Session. Section 105 of the New York State Open Meetings Law is included by reference. As an example, a resolution might state, “The Board resolves to enter into an Executive Session to discuss the qualifications of several candidates for the position of Secretary to the Board.” If an official decision or action is taken during an Executive Session, that vote or action shall be recorded in the minutes. If no vote or other action is taken during an executive session, no minutes of the Executive Session need to be prepared. The Executive Session may exclude member(s) of the SLT and may include non-members. Discussions held in an Executive Session are confidential unless the majority of members votes to make them public via meeting minutes or other public communication.

 

  1. Meeting Agenda Establishment

 

Any member may propose agenda items at least 14 calendar days prior to the meeting at which the item is proposed to be discussed. The Chairperson, in consultation with the Mandatory Members, will determine by consensus which items should be on the agenda. The final agenda shall be distributed no later than 7 days prior to the meeting date. If any agenda items are proposed by students, at least one such item must be included in the final agenda.

 

  1. Standard Order of Business:

 

Unless otherwise agreed in Article III Section F (Meeting Agenda Establishment), the standard order of business shall be:

  1.  Call To Order
  2. Reading and approval of the previous meeting minutes
  3. Agenda items as determined in F (Meeting Agenda Establishment) above
  4. CEP goal reports/ Principal’s Report
  5.  Review of budget alignment
  6.  Any new business
  7.  Confirmation of date/time of next meeting
  8. Adjournment

  1. Participation

 

Individuals who are not members of the SLT shall be permitted to observe and listen to all parts of the meeting except the Executive Session.

 

Individuals who are not members of the SLT shall not be permitted to speak at SLT meeting unless they are placed on the agenda in advance and if and only if they are bringing information relevant to the work of the SLT relating to the goals and objectives set forth in the CEP or in the alignment of the budget to the CEP. For the avoidance of doubt, the prohibition on speaking at SLT meetings includes any chat features of any virtual meeting tools used to conduct the meeting.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, Mandatory Member Designees will be deemed to be members of the SLT for the purposes of this section with respect to all parts of the meeting except the Executive Session.

 

If any attendees cause disruption and do not comply with requests to refrain, they may be escorted from the meeting by a School Safety Agent. Similarly, disruptive attendees of a virtual meeting may be removed by the meeting host.

 

The public, press, and school community may record the meetings through the use of photographs, webcast, and other audio/video means provided there is no flash photography, no close-up photography, and no disruption to the meeting.

 

Article IV — Removal of a School Leadership Team Member

  • Removal Process Team members who fail to attend two consecutive meetings, fail to
    perform their roles and responsibilities as outlined in these bylaws, regularly show up late for meetings, or otherwise behave in a manner that is disruptive and undermining to the work of the team will be removed by consensus of the remaining team members. The SLT must have a quorum of members present and reach unanimous agreement when deciding to remove a member. The member shall be provided a written notice of the team's decision. The letter shall include the reason for the removal. The letter shall be signed by the Chairperson and shall be sent by registered return receipt mail delivery to ensure proper notification and receipt.
  • Filling a Vacancy
    When a member resigns or is removed, the vacancy will be advertised to the appropriate constituent group and an election will be held in accordance with these bylaws Article V — Decision Making.

 

Article V — Decision Making

 

Consensus-based decision making is the primary means of making SLT decisions. Consensus should be defined as reaching an agreement acceptable to all members. The team should develop methods for engaging in collaborative problem-solving and solution seeking and, when necessary, effective conflict resolution strategies.

 

If consensus is not reached, and the Mandatory Members unanimously agree that a matter requires closure, then the following process will apply:

  1. The matter will be brought to a vote of the SLT members at the meeting at which the Mandatory Members agree that the matter requires closure provided a quorum exists and the item in question is on the meeting agenda. If no quorum exists and/or the item is a new matter not on the agenda, then the matter shall be added to the agenda for the next regularly scheduled meeting and shall be voted upon at such meeting.
  2.  Regardless of when such a vote is held, the matter will be decided based upon an affirmative vote of (i) 75% of those present, and (ii) an affirmative vote of at least one member from each constituent group (for the avoidance of doubt, this includes teachers, students, parents, and administrators).

Regardless of what manner of decision making is used, the SLT minutes will make note of the manner in which a decision was reached (e.g. either via consensus or a vote). Any subcommittees formed for any purpose by the SLT must contain at least one representative from students, parents, faculty, and administration. Any such constituency may waive its membership at its discretion.

 

Article VI — Conflict Resolution

 

  1. Assistance from the District Leadership Team (DLT)

 

The SLT will seek assistance from the DLT or the Superintendent when members cannot reach agreement on an issue. Where team members have difficulty obtaining information or wish to obtain assistance in resolving issues relating to consultation with the Principal, they may seek assistance from the DLT or Superintendent. If after receiving assistance from the DLT or Superintendent, the team still cannot reach an agreement, the superintendent will make the final determination.

 

  1. Assistance from the Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy (OFEA)

 

If the DLT or Superintendent is unable to resolve such issues to the satisfaction of team members, team members may send a written request for assistance to the designated OFEA engagement staff.

 

Article VII — Bylaws Review and Amendment

 

The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the team, provided notice of any proposed changes has been given at a previous meeting. In addition, the bylaws will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the document's provisions meet the needs of the team and remain consistent with Chancellor's Regulation A-655. Nothing in these bylaws shall be inconsistent with Chancellor's Regulation A-655 rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

These bylaws were amended on October 21, 2024, as reflected in the SLT Minutes and are on file both in the Principal's office Rm. 258 and on the school website www.eagleharlem.nyc

 

 

 

 

Appendix 1: Schedule of Events

 

Every Month: 

Ratify Minutes

 Post Minutes online and in school

 

September:

Student member elections

Schedule October SLT meeting

Begin prior-year CEP Goals and Actions assessment

 

 

October:

Schedule all subsequent SLT meetings for the year

Review C-30 and A-655 regulations

Conduct any required SLT training

 

November:

Ordinary business

 

December:

Finalize prior-year CEP Goals and Actions assessment

 

January:

Publish prior-year CEP Goals and Actions assessment

 

February:

Discuss current-year budget alignment to allow for March modification deadline

 

March:

Latest time to commence drafting CEP Goals and Actions for next year

 

April:

Ordinary business

 

May: 

Circulate A-655 Principal Assessment forms

Parent member elections to be held

 

June: 

Latest time to finalize CEP Goals and Actions for next year

Fill SLT Officer roles for next year


As Needed:

Fill any open SLT officer roles

Fill any open SLT seats