South Sanpete School District | Manti Elementary 

Adopted by the Council on September 23, 2025

Code & Rule References

The Rules of Order & Procedure adhere to all relevant legal requirements for School Community Councils and the School LAND Trust Program, as outlined in Utah Code §§ 53G-7-1202, 53G-7-1203, 53G-7-1206, and 53G-7-13, as well as Utah Administrative Rules R277-477 and R277-491.

Council Duties

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

• Creating (all components of) the School LAND Trust Plan, to include:
  • The Goal Statement, Academic Area, Measurement, Action Plan Steps, and 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 administrators regarding safety principles
• Providing input to the school's principal on a positive behaviors plan

Council Member Expectations

To promote ethical behavior and respectful discussion, each council member shall: 

• Attend council meetings on time and come prepared
• Make decisions with the best interests of students as the primary focus
• Listen to and value diverse opinions
• Ensure that the perspectives of those the council represents are considered in discussions
• Be accountable for their actions and expect accountability from others
• Act with integrity

Rules of Procedure:

1. Training: Council members will receive annual training to understand their responsibilities.  Training is the responsibility of the local school board.
2. Open Meetings: All meetings are open to the public, and the public is welcome to attend.
   • Should a non council member like to comment, they need to notify the chair and principal of their request in writing (email or print) preferably the Friday before the meeting is scheduled to take place to be added to the agenda. 
   • Non Council members are not voting members.  During council discussions and voting, these guests aren’t permitted to participate.   
3. Meeting Agendas and Minutes:
   • The agenda for each upcoming meeting, along with draft minutes from the previous meeting, will be provided to all council members at least one week in advance.
   • The agenda will be posted on the school website and will include the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as any proposed action items.
4. Meeting Minutes: Written minutes will be taken at all meetings. These minutes will be prepared in draft form for approval at the next scheduled meeting. Once approved, minutes will be retained for three years.
5. Annual Timeline: The council will create a timeline for the school year. This timeline will include due dates for all required reports and other activities or tasks that the council agrees to undertake or participate in. The timeline will be used to help prepare meeting agendas and ensure the council completes its work efficiently.
6. Election Procedures: 
   • Election Announcement
     • The school will announce the annual Community Council elections at least ten (10) days prior to the start of the nomination period.
     • Announcements will be made via:
       • School website
       • School marquee
       • Email or text notification system
       • Flyers posted in the school office
     • The announcement will include:
       • The purpose of the School Community Council
       • Eligibility requirements for nominees and voters
       • Dates and details of the nomination period
       • Dates and details of the election period
       • Information on how to access ballots (in person or online)
   • Candidate Nomination Period
     • Parents/guardians of students enrolled at the school may nominate themselves or another parent/guardian to be a candidate for the School Community Council.
     • Nominations may be submitted:
       • Online via a Google Form
       • In writing at the school office (school staff will transfer written nominations into the Google Form).
     • After the nomination period closes:
       • Each nominee will be contacted by the school to confirm whether they accept or decline the nomination.
       • Only confirmed candidates will be placed on the ballot.
   • Ballot and Voting Procedures
     • Elections will take place over a period of three (3) consecutive school days.
     • Voting options:
       • In person: Parents may cast their vote using a paper ballot in the school’s main office during school hours.
       • Online: Parents may cast their vote via a password-protected Google Form. Instructions and unique access codes will be provided to parents.
     • Each parent/guardian is entitled to one vote at the school.  Any vote received by someone who does not have a child attending Manti Elementary, will be dismissed.
   • Ballot Review and Verification
     • At the close of the election period, school officials will:
       • Review all submitted ballots.
       • Discard any duplicate, incomplete, or fraudulent ballots.
     • Tally the remaining valid votes.
   • Notification of Results
     • Once the votes are verified and tallied:
       • Candidates will be notified privately of the election results.
       • The results will then be announced publicly through the school website and email notification system
   • Tie Vote
     • In the event of a tie vote during the election, the principal will flip a coin to determine the outcome.  This will be witnessed by multiple school officials and documented.  
7. Council Composition: The council’s composition ensures a two-parent majority and includes the following eight members:
   • The principal (an ex officio voting member).
   • Two school employee member(s), half of which are elected in even-numbered years, and half of which are elected in odd-numbered years.
   • Five parent members, three of which are elected in even-numbered years, and two of which are elected in odd-numbered years.  
8. Filling Vacancies: If a full council is not elected or if a seat becomes vacant, parent members of the council will appoint individuals to fill vacant parent positions, and school employee members will appoint individuals to fill vacant school employee positions.
9. Removing Members:  A council member may be removed from office under the following circumstances:
   • Member Relocation: Council membership may be discontinued when a member's relocation prevents them from serving on the council.
   • Attendance: The member fails to attend two consecutive regular council meetings without prior notification to and approval by the council chair or designated officer. 
     • Should a council member not be able to attend a meeting in person but would like to attend digitally, the school will make accommodations do so by utilizing a digital meeting platform.  The person’s attendance will be noted in the meeting minutes.

        The process for removal is as follows:

• Identification of Concern
  • When a member has missed two consecutive meetings without prior approval, the council chair will notify the member in writing (email or letter) of the attendance concern.
• Opportunity to Respond
  • The member will be given an opportunity to explain or provide justification for the absences within seven (7) calendar days of receiving notification.
• Council Review
  • At the next regular council meeting, the council will review the situation, including any explanation provided by the member if submitted.
• Decision
  • The council may vote to remove the member from office by a simple majority of the members present.
  • The decision will be recorded in the official meeting minutes.
• Notification
  • The removed member will receive written notification of the council’s decision in a timely manner after the decision has been made.
• Filling the Vacancy
  • The procedure for filling the resulting vacancy is outlined in Section 8, “Filling Vacancies.”

10. Resignation of members: A council member may resign from their position by providing written notification to the Council Chair and/or Principal.  The procedure for filling the resulting vacancy is outlined in Section 8, 'Filling Vacancies.
11. 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.
    • The procedure of the vote is as follows.
      • A council member nominates another council member for chair or vice chair.  There can be multiple nominations made.  
      • An election will then be held regardless of the number of council members nominated. Results will be a simple majority vote and be recorded in the meeting minutes.
12. Officer Responsibilities: The chair will conduct meetings, make assignments to council members, and request reports on those assignments. In the chair's absence, the vice-chair will conduct the meetings. The chair may delegate responsibilities to other council members as needed.
13. 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.
14. Reporting Conflicts of Interest: Council members must adhere to the conflict of interest policy established by South Sanpete School District. Please refer to SSSD Board Conduct, Ethics, and Conflict of Interest Policy for detailed guidelines.
15.  Tie Votes:  Tie votes regarding council business will be considered a lost vote.  
    • There will be no coin flip in the event of a tie vote during votes regarding council action items.
16. Parliamentary Procedure: Meetings will be conducted and actions taken according to simplified rules of parliamentary procedure as required by Utah Code § 53G-7-1203. Council actions will be decided by motions and voting, with all votes and motions recorded in the meeting minutes.  See table below for this procedure

Simplified Motions of Parliamentary Procedure:

Understanding the Motions:

• Motion: A formal proposal for the council to take a specific action. A motion must be stated clearly.
• Second: Another council member must indicate their support for the motion to allow it to be discussed and voted upon.
• Discussion: Once a motion is seconded, council members can offer their input and opinions when recognized by the chair.
• Voting: After discussion, the chair will call for a vote on the motion. The outcome depends on the type of motion and the required majority.
• Calling the Previous Question: A member can make a motion to end the discussion on the current motion by saying, "I move the previous question." This requires a second and a two-thirds (2/3) vote to pass. If it passes, the council immediately votes on the original motion without further discussion. If it fails, the council continues discussing the original motion. This motion is typically used to expedite the meeting.
• Tie Vote: A vote that results in an equal number of votes for and against the motion is considered a lost vote.
• Main Motion: This is the primary type of motion used to introduce new business or ideas. Main motions can be debated and amended.
• Amend a Motion: A motion to change the wording or details of the main motion. Amendments require a second, are debatable, and require a majority vote.
• Point of Order: A member raises a "point of order" if they believe a procedural error has occurred during the meeting. The chair will rule on whether the point is valid.
• Reconsider: A motion to bring back a previously decided motion for further discussion and another vote. This motion can only be made by a member who voted on the winning side of the original motion and requires a second and a majority vote.
• Withdrawal of Motion: The person who originally made a motion can ask to withdraw it before a vote is taken. This does not require a second or debate and is usually granted by the chair.
• Close Nominations: A motion to end the process of nominating candidates for an office. It requires a second and a two-thirds (2/3) vote.