PALS Enrichment Programs, Inc. (PEP) is a non profit umbrella under which any number of PALS programs may choose to operate.
PEP mission statement:
PALS Enrichment Programs, Inc. strives to provide educational programs and resources for home educators in the Pittsburgh region, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or personal lifestyle choices.
PALS Enrichment Classes are a program of PEP.
Mission of PALS Enrichment Day:
1. PALS Enrichment Day stives to offer classes with quality instruction at a reasonable price in a clean, safe, accessible environment for our children to learn and socialize.
2. PALS Enrichment Day's primary commitment is to independant homeschoolers between Kindergarten and 12th grade.
For clarity, here's how PALS differs from PEP or Enrichment....
PALS (People Always Learning Something) is the loosely knit group of people who PEP and Enrichment aim to serve. It does not fall under PEP.
PALS is an unaffiliated group of homeschoolers from Pittsburgh and surrounding areas whose members are tolerant of all styles of homeschooling, home education, and learning at home. PALS is an open and inclusive homeschoolign group which does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, homeschooling style or one's personal lifestyle choices. PALS is a group that accepts all who homeschool or have a positive interest in homeschooling and everyone is encouraged to participate in and/or plan activities.
If you have questions not answered on the website, please contact us:
New families with questions: Brandi Mathers, new@palsenrichment.org
Tech Support: Sarah Fawaz, techsupport@palsenrichment.org
For questions about registration: Ashley Cadaret, registrar@palsenrichment.org
For questions about payments: Andy Medici, treasurer@palsenrichment.org
For questions about jobs: Mary Crago, jobs@palsenrichment.org
For questions about Clearances: Sarah Fawaz, secretary@palsenrichment.org
For questions about Events: Colleen Wedler, colleen.wedler@palsenrichment.org
BOARD MEMBERS:
Mary Crago (Interim President) president@palsenrichment.org
Sarah Fawaz (Interim Vice President) vice.president@palsenrichment.org
Andy Medici (Treasurer) treasurer@palsenrichment.org
Brandi Mathers (New Family Liason) new@palsenrichment.org
Sarah Fawaz (Secretary; Clearances) secretary@palsenrichment.org
Mary Crago (Parent Jobs) jobs@palsenrichment.org
Colleen Wedler (Events Coordinator) colleen.wedler@palsenrichment.org
Appendix C BYLAWS OF PALS ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (amended 6/2025)
ARTICLE I - CORPORATE NAME
1. The Name of the corporation shall be: PALS Enrichment Programs.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
1. The corporation shall have unlimited powers to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful activity for which nonprofit corporations may be incorporated under Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988, as amended, under the provisions of which the corporation is incorporated.
2. The corporation shall undertake such acts as it deems necessary to provide educational programs and resources for home educators in the Pittsburgh region, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or personal lifestyle choices.
3. No part of the corporation's net earnings will inure to the benefit of members, directors, or other private persons except that the corporation shall pay reasonable compensation to staff for services rendered.
ARTICLE III – OFFICES
1. The principal office of the corporation shall be located at the address of the treasurer. This office will be continuously maintained in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the duration of this corporation. The Board of Directors may from time to time change the address of its registered office by duly adopted resolution.
2. The corporation may also have offices at such other places as the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or the activities of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERS
1. The corporation shall have no members. All powers, obligations, and rights of members provided by law shall reside in the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV – DIRECTORS
1. The business and affairs of this corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors. The number of directors shall not exceed nine. The minimum qualifications of the members of the Board of Directors shall be: Anyone using or participating in programs offered by PALS Enrichment Programs, or who has served on the board of directors in the past year.
2. In addition to the powers and authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon
them, the Board of Directors shall have the maximum power and authority now or hereafter provided or permitted under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Directors of Pennsylvania nonprofit corporations acting as a Board.
3. The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held annually during the calendar year at such time and place as the Board of Directors shall designate in the notice of the meeting.
4. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall occur at least four times a year, including the annual meeting, at such times and places as it shall designate from time to time.
5. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or by a quorum of the Board of Directors at such times as the President or the Board shall deem necessary.
6. Written, personal, or online notice of every regular meeting of the board of directors shall be give to each director at least 21 days prior to the day named for the meeting. For a special meeting 3 days notice is required.
7. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of two-thirds of the Board of Directors. The acts of a 2/3 majority of the directors in office shall be the acts of the Board of Directors.
8. Except where inconsistent with law or these bylaws, corporate proceedings shall be governed by majority rule. Consensus among all board members will be the goal for each decision made; a majority vote of the directors in office will carry if consensus cannot be reached within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the majority of directors present.
9. One or more persons may participate in a meeting of the Board or a committee of the Board by means of the telephone or similar communications equipment whereby every participant can hear every other participant. Participation in a meeting pursuant to this section shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
10. All Directors shall be nominated and elected to serve on the Board. A written, in person, or online announcement will be sent out to all eligible persons a minimum of two (2) weeks before the elections, requesting that people interested in being on the board contact the nominating committee. The nominating committee will be responsible for reviewing interested persons and nominating candidates for the Board of Directors. Candidates will be announced in the notice for the annual meeting, and elections will take place at the annual meeting.
11. Directors will serve for a duration of 2 years. Tenures will be structured in such a way that approximately half of the Directors' terms will expire each year. There is no limit on the number of terms a Director may serve.
12. The Board of Directors may declare vacant the office of a director if he or she is declared of unsound mind by the order of the court or is convicted of felony, or if he or she is absent from at least two meetings without explanation, or if he or she commits
any action that harms the corporation or any participants of its programs, or for any other such cause that the Board of Directors deems to warrant removal of that Director.
13. Any Director or Officer of the corporation is authorized to receive reasonable compensation from the corporation for services rendered and for actual expenses incurred when authorized by the Board of Directors or its designee. No director of the corporation shall receive compensation merely for acting as a director.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
1. The executive officers of the corporation shall be natural persons of full age, shall be chosen by the Board, and shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers and assistant officers as the needs of the corporation may require. They shall hold their offices for a term of one year and shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as are provided by the Bylaws and as shall from time to time be prescribed by the Board. The Board of Directors may secure the fidelity of any or all such officers by bond or otherwise. There shall be no limit on the number of terms an officer can serve.
2. Any officer or agent may be removed by the Board of Directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the corporation will be served thereby but such removal shall be without prejudice to the legal or contract rights of any person removed.
3. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation; he or she shall preside at all meetings of the Directors; he or she shall have general and active management of the affairs of the corporation; shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect, subject, however, to the right of the Directors to delegate any specific powers, except as may be by statute exclusively conferred on the President to any other officer or officers of the corporation. He or she shall be ex officio a member of all committees and shall have the general powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the office of President.
4. The Vice President shall act in all cases for and as the President in the latter's absence or incapacity, and shall perform such other duties as he or she may be required to do from time to time.
5. The Secretary shall ensure that proper records are made of each meeting, and that the minutes of all transactions of the Board are kept. He or she shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or President.
6. The Treasurer shall have custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts or receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the corporation, and shall keep the moneys of the corporation in a separate account to the credit of the corporation. He or she shall disburse the funds of the corporation as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and Directors, at the regular meeting of the Board, or whenever they may require it, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and
of the financial condition of the corporation.
7. Contracts executed by the corporation must be signed by an officer and at least one other member of the Board of Directors, or program director of any authorized program of the corporation.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
1. The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a 2/3 majority of the Directors in office, establish one or more committees to consist of two or more Directors of the corporation or other interested persons to report back to the Board on the matter(s) within the committee's jurisdiction. A quorum for the purpose of holding and acting at any meeting of a committee shall be a simple majority of the members thereof.
2. Each committee of the Board shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
3. The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a 2/3 majority of the Directors in office, establish an Advisory Committee to advise and assist the Board of Directors in carrying out its responsibilities.
4. The Executive Committee will consist of the officers of the corporation and shall have such powers as a 2/3 majority of the Board of Directors in office shall see fit to confer upon it.
5. The Nominating Committee will be appointed yearly by the Board and shall have the responsibility of nominating the candidates to fill Board vacancies.
ARTICLE VII – VACANCIES
1. If the office of any officer or agent, one or more, becomes vacant for any reason, the Board of Directors may choose a successor or successors, who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which such vacancy occurred.
2. Vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be filled by appointment by a 2/3 majority of the Board of Directors in office after the vacancy occurs, until the next election. Notice that such appointment will occur will be given in the notice for the meeting in which the appointment is to take place.
ARTICLE VIII - BOOKS AND RECORDS
1. The corporation shall keep an original or duplicate record of the proceeding of the Directors, the original or a copy of its Bylaws, including all amendments thereto to date, certified by an Officer of the corporation, and an original or a duplicate Board register, giving the names of the Directors, and showing their respective addresses. The corporation shall also keep appropriate, complete and accurate books or records of account which shall be reviewed on an annual basis. The records provided for herein shall be kept at either the registered office of the corporation in this Commonwealth, or
at its principal place of business, wherever situated, or electronically at a site accessible to Directors.
ARTICLE IX - FISCAL YEAR AND ANNUAL REPORT
1. The fiscal year of the corporation shall commence on June 1 and end on the following May 31.
2. The Board of Directors may cause a report of the activities of the corporation to be prepared annually and sent to such persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.
ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS
1. The Board of Directors may alter, amend, suspend or repeal these Bylaws at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, except as restricted by the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. Notice will be given in the notice of such meeting of the intent to modify the bylaws.
ARTICLE XI - LIMITED LIABILITY Of DIRECTORS
1. A Director shall not be personally liable for monetary damages as such for any action taken, or any failure to take any action, unless the director has breached or failed to perform the duties of his or her office under section 8363 of the Directors' Liability Act (relating to standard of care and justifiable reliance); and the breach or failure to perform constitutes self-dealing, willful misconduct or recklessness. The provision of this section shall not apply to the responsibility or liability of a director pursuant to any criminal statute; or the liability of a director for the payment of taxes pursuant to local, State or Federal law.
Adopted this 8th day of November, 2004. Amended June, 2025