THE by-laws of the CNMI Council of Parents-Teachers Association must be changed to meet the standards set by its counterparts in the U.S., according to the president of the organization.
PTA Council President Vince Merfalen said they have formed a committee that will review their by-laws.
Among the changes being sought is the inclusion of parents of students enrolled in private schools.
The organization is currently dominated by parents whose children are enrolled in public schools.
“It’s supposed to be for everybody. There must also be representatives from the private schools,” Merfalen said.
About 3,000 students were enrolled in various CNMI private schools during school year 2001-2002.
But the current by-laws of the organization only mentioned the word “private” once and offers no clear policy how the active involvement of parents from private schools can be tapped, Merfalen said.
He said the local PTA by-laws were designed many years ago and no longer conform with the national PTA standards.
The council also wants to change the amount of the membership dues that each school pays.
Currently, every public school in the CNMI pays $150 per year to the national PTA. However, Merfalen said schools usually end up paying more to finance various projects.
He said the council would like to get more input from parents before changes in the dues are made.
Merfalen’s son is enrolled at Northern Marianas College’s Lab School. He was elected president of the organization in Jan. 2001. His term will expire next year.
