Secretary

The recording secretary is elected and is one of the three officers required for a PTA/PTSA. The secretarial responsibilities may be assigned to one person or divided between a recording secretary and a corresponding secretary as specified in the bylaws. If there is no corresponding secretary, the duties of the corresponding secretary may be combined with the duties of the recording secretary, in accordance with the bylaws. In addition to the bylaws, the duties of a secretary are discussed in the California State PTA Toolkit, the National PTA Annual Resources for PTAs (available from the PTA president) and Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

What To Do

Attend PTA-sponsored workshops or trainings.
Obtain secretary's minute book with minutes of previous meetings and other materials from your predecessor, including master copy of the bylaws, list of members, and official documents and records of the PTA.
Keep an accurate, concise, permanent record of the proceedings of all meetings of the association and of the executive board. These minutes are the legal record of the PTA/PTSA.

Minutes contain a record of what the group did, with action recorded in the order it took place. Personal opinion and discussion are omitted.

Minutes are entered in a bound book, hand-written in permanent ink, or typed and the original copy pasted into the bound minute book.

Prepare a list of unfinished business items for the president and assist with preparation of the agenda, if requested.

Have on hand for reference at each meeting a copy of the bylaws and standing rules, minutes of previous meetings, list of all committees, and an up-to-date list of all members.

Read the minutes of any previous meeting when called upon to do so.

Copies of the association minutes may be prepared for each member to expedite the meeting, or association minutes may be published in the newsletter. When the newsletter is distributed to the school community, only a summary of action is printed.
With approval of the association, reading of the minutes may be postponed to a succeeding meeting, or a committee may be appointed by the president to read the minutes and report.

Prepare the minutes and give a copy to the president soon after each meeting.

Make all corrections to the official minutes. Corrections to the minutes are made immediately following the reading of the minutes, during the time specified on the agenda for minutes, or at any subsequent meeting when errors are discovered. The current minutes shall reflect that a correction was made. In the master copy of the minutes, the secretary circles the incorrect words with a red pen and places the correction in the margin of the bound minute book. Corrections must be dated and initialed. Only the group that created the minutes (executive committee, executive board, association) may correct them.

Prepare and read a report (not the full minutes) of each executive board meeting at each association meeting, and move the adoption of board recommendations.

Sign immediately, with the president, authorizations for payment after the association votes to pay a bill. Record all expenditures in the minutes.

Enter all amendments to the bylaws in the minutes when the vote is taken.

In the absence of the president and vice presidents, call the meeting to order and preside until the election of a chairman pro tem, unless the bylaws specify otherwise.

Be prepared to help count a rising vote when requested and have blank paper available for voting by ballot.

Be responsible for all records, documents and papers (except those assigned to others).

Minutes should contain:

Name of the association and kind of meeting (association, executive board, special);
Date, time and place of meeting;
Name and title of presiding officer (or pro tem);
Disposition of minutes of previous meeting – whether read and approved/corrected or their reading postponed including when and how they are to be approved;
Statement of account as given and list of bills approved for payment;
Summarized reports of other officers and chairmen (important reports such as budget should be attached to the minutes in full);
Record ofeach motion voted upon, the name of member who made the motion, and whether carried or lost (the name of the seconder is not recorded);
Copy of any resolutions adopted;
Record of results of any election and votes cast;
Brief notation of program topic, names of participants, and method of presentation;
Time of adjournment;
List of persons in attendance or excused absences; and
Signature of secretary, using own given name.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Responsibilities of the corresponding secretary are defined in the bylaws and include other related duties that the president or executive board may assign.

What To Do

Send notices of meetings to executive board members and/or association members as directed.
Read correspondence at executive board and association meetings as requested by the president.
Check with the president about letters to be written immediately after the meeting.

Some letters will be written for the president to sign and will contain specific wording as directed by executive board or association action.
Other letters will be written and signed by the corresponding secretary following general instructions.

Write authorized letters promptly.

Be accurate – check names and titles carefully.
Give precise information, with exact copy of recommendations, resolutions or motions and reasons for action taken.
Refer to any one of many reference books on writing business letters for suggestions as to form and style.

Keep file of all letters received and copies of replies written.

Important correspondence should be passed along to your successor or placed with the official records of the unit.

Unless the bylaws specify otherwise, notify officers and committee members of their election or appointment and send names of newly elected officers to council (if in council) or district promptly.

COUNCIL SECRETARY

In addition to the duties listed for the PTA secretary, the council secretary shall:

Maintain a list of member units.
Keep an accurate, concise, permanent record of the proceedings of all meetings of the executive committee.
Have on hand for reference at each meeting a list of all unit representatives to the council and a membership list for each unit belonging to the council.
Have available at each meeting motion forms/blanks.
Plan and present PTA secretary training for member units.

COUNCIL CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

In addition to the responsibilities listed for the PTA corresponding secretary, the council corresponding secretary shall:

Send notices to unit representatives and council board members as directed.
Unless the bylaws specify otherwise, notify officers and committee members of their election or appointment and send names of newly-elected officers to district promptly.
Plan and present PTA corresponding secretary training for member units.

DISTRICT SECRETARY

In addition to the duties listed for the council secretary, the district secretary shall:

Maintain and have on hand for reference at each meeting a list of member units and councils.
Keep an accurate, concise, permanent record of the proceedings of all meetings of the executive committee.

DISTRICT CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

In addition to the responsibilities listed for the council corresponding secretary, the district corresponding secretary shall:

Unless the bylaws specify otherwise, notify officers and committee members of their election or appointment and send names of newly elected officers to the California State PTA promptly.