PDS Bylaws

Our PDS is governed by a set of Bylaws that have been approved by our Professional Development School Advisory Council: 

Professional Development School (PDS) Consortium Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the SUNY Cortland School of Education Professional Development School (PDS) Consortium.

Article II: Mission Statement

The Professional Development School (PDS) Partnership between the SUNY Cortland School of Education and participating schools includes collaboration among college administrators, faculty, staff, PK-12 school administrators, teachers, and teacher candidates in order to promote the following:

1. Positive impact on PK-12 student learning;
2. Effective mentorship of teacher candidates engaged in authentic classroom practice;
3. Shared professional development for all stakeholders; and
4. Ongoing innovation in policy and best practices in administration, teaching and learning.

Article III: Membership

Members of the Professional Development School (PDS) Consortium are those elementary schools where the school personnel and SUNY Cortland’s School of Education faculty, staff and teacher candidates work in partnership to facilitate high levels of learning of all children enrolled in the schools. Membership in the PDS Consortium includes all participants in PDS sites (school faculty and staff and college faculty, staff and teacher candidates).

Article IV: Organizational Structure and Leadership Roles and Responsibilities

The work of the PDS Consortium will be led, supported and facilitated by the PDS Coordinator or Co-coordinators and the PDS Advisory Council.

• Role of the PDS Consortium Coordinator or Co-coordinators
  • The Coordinator or Co-coordinators of the PDS Consortium shall:
    • Be appointed by the Dean of the School of Education
    • Provide leadership for the PDS Consortium
    • Act as a liaison between college personnel and P-6 personnel
    • Coordinate meetings for the PDS Advisory Council
    • Create schedule, establish agenda, and facilitate regular meetings of the PDS.
    • Meet as needed with the Dean, with SOE chairs and with SOE faculty members to communicate information and represent concerns of the school personnel and college faculty
    • Meet as needed with school partners to communicate information and represent concerns of the school personnel and college faculty
    • Distribute PDS policies and procedures to new members of the PDS Consortium
    • As needed, convene and monitor ad hoc committees of the PDS Advisory Council to complete specialized or designated tasks
    • Write an annual report about the PDS Consortium initiatives, participation and activities
    • Ensure that PDS Advisory Committee meeting notes and/or minutes are taken and distributed
    • Oversee the PDS Consortium budget
  • The term of appointment for the Coordinator or Co-coordinator shall be continued based on the recommendation of the Dean of the School of Education

The PDS Advisory Council Definition and Roles

The PDS Advisory Council is defined as a group of designated representatives (liaisons) from several PDS partner schools that meet at regularly scheduled times to discuss issues related to the PDS Consortium, establish policy, foster specific PDS Consortium initiatives and provide an essential communication link with SUNY Cortland’s School of Education.

Membership of the PDS Advisory Council includes the Dean of the School of Education, the PDS Consortium Coordinator or Co-coordinators, representatives from PDS school sites and the School of Education. These may include administrators, faculty and staff from both the school sites and the School of Education.

Article V: Procedures of the Professional Development School (PDS) Consortium

The Professional Development School Consortium shall adhere to the following procedures:

PDS membership shall be governed by a Memorandum of Understanding drafted by the School of Education personnel and school personnel.

PDS Memorandum of Understanding will be renewed each semester with each PDS site.

An Annual Meeting and Conference of the PDS Consortium will be held each year to which all participants in the PDS Consortium will be invited.

The PDS Advisory Council shall meet at least two times during each semester and these meetings will be set by the PDS Coordinator or Co-Coordinators.

Minutes shall be taken for all PDS Advisory Council members and disseminated to the PDS Advisory Council members and the SOE Dean’s Office.

Special meetings of the PDS Consortium or the Advisory Council may be called by the PDS Coordinator(s) or by the SOE Dean.

To convene a regular or special meeting, the Coordinator must notify the PDS members by email, with a proposed agenda, no less than 5 days prior to the meeting.

Article VI: Terms of PDS Agreement

As per PDS Memorandum of Understanding, college and school partners will adhere to signed agreements which highlight responsibilities of all parties as noted in the agreement.

Those partners who participate in PDS initiatives (i.e. mini grant projects, etc.) will be invited to present their projects at the PDS Consortium Annual Meeting and Conference.