Amphitheater Education Association

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CONSTITUTION OF AMPHITHEATER EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, INC.

We, the members of the Amphitheater Education Association, Inc., in order to be of the greatest service to our profession, to advance the interests of our school community, to afford added opportunities for effective representation in accordance with the ideals of our profession, and with the primary objective of promoting the development of the students in our charge, do form this Association and adopt this constitution for our guidance.

Article I - Name The name of this organization shall be the Amphitheater Education Association, Incorporated.

Article II - Purposes

The purpose of the Association shall be to aid each member: I. As an education employee:

    1. To promote the professional well-being of the membership of the Amphitheater Education Association, Inc.
    2. To promote active participation in professional and educational organizations.
    3. To provide an opportunity for a continuous study of the problems of the education profession.
    4. To foster good fellowship and professional ethics among its members.
    5. To promote within the group the highest type of professional practices.
    6. To urge every member of the profession to be a progressive student of education.
    7. To arouse allegiance to a genuine spirit of professional ethics.

II. As a member of the school community:

    1. To establish cooperation between the schools and the community.
    2. To cooperate with parent-teacher associations and other civic bodies having educational objectives and to aid in interpreting to the public the problems, the functions, and the steady progress of the public schools.
    3. To encourage all members to exercise their rights and privileges as citizens and to accept willingly, leadership in civic affairs.

III. As a citizen of a representative democratic government:

    1. To form a representative body which will function effectively through and with the County, State, and National Education Association.
    2. To encourage active participation of all members in the solution of school problems.
    3. To encourage higher qualifications for entrance into the teaching profession.
    4. To promote employee participation in school management.
    5. To aid in securing and maintaining adequate salaries, tenure, sound retirement systems, and other such improvements in conditions as will enable employees to function properly as vital factors in educational progress.
    6. To promote, encourage, and assist other local organizations of education employees and to promote cooperation among such organizations and the members thereof.

Article III - Membership

Section II. Each member shall be guaranteed "Due Process."

No member shall be fined, suspended, expelled or otherwise disciplined except for non-payment of dues without being served with specific written charges and given full "Due Process" rights including an administrative hearing before the Association Representatives.

Article IV - Officers

Section I. Officers:

The officers of this Association shall be the President, Certified Vice-President, Educational Support Professional Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

The Association shall guarantee ethnic minority representation within the Officers at least proportionate to its active ethnic-minority membership (the general membership must elect sufficient number of at-large ethnic-minority members to bring the governing body into compliance).

The President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected by the total membership. The Certified and ESP Vice-Presidents shall be elected by their respective membership.

Section II. Qualifications:

All members of the Association shall be eligible to hold office in this Association.

Section III. Nominations:

At the meeting of the Association Representatives two months prior to the date of the election, the president shall recommend a Nominations and Elections Committee which shall be approved by the Executive Board to serve until the next such committee is appointed. Nominations from the membership at large shall be solicited. No person shall be a candidate for more than a single office in any one election. A nominations list and biographical sketch of all candidates shall be posted on the Association bulletin board in each building at least one week prior to the election of officers.

Section IV. Elections:

Voting shall be conducted in each building, by secret/electronic ballot, In compliance with the election dates of the AEA and NEA, under the direction of the Nominations and Election Committee. The ballot shall list all nominees for each office to be filled and shall make provisions for write-in votes. Voting for Association Officers may also be conducted by absentee ballot. A majority of all votes cast shall be necessary for election. If no candidate for an office receives a majority of votes cast, a run-off ballot will be prepared listing only the two candidates for office receiving the most votes. Such run-off elections shall be held the within 10 days of the election.

Section V. Term of Office:

The term for all officers shall be three years, beginning with the adjournment of the NEA Representative Assembly. All incoming officers shall be recognized at the May meeting of the Association Representatives. It is the intent that the office terms be consistent with one another. Each officer position shall be limited to two (2), three year terms. Once a president has "termed out", he/she is not eligible to hold an officers' position on the Executive Board for the next two (2) consecutive terms.

Section VI. Vacancies:

If any office becomes vacant, the person to fill the vacancy shall be elected by the membership of the Association in a special election. The date of such election shall be set by the Association Representative, and one or more candidates for the office shall be presented by the Nominations Committee. If a vacancy occurs after January 1,the Association Representative body may choose to allow 1) the office may remain vacant,2) a special election or 3) approve a candidate(s) as recommended by the Executive Board.

Section VII. Duties: A. The President shall: - call and preside over meetings, appoint committees with the approval of the Executive Board, appoint a parliamentarian, be ex officio member of all committees except the Nominations and Elections Committee, be a delegate to the AEA Delegate Assembly and the NEA Representative Assembly. In the event that the president is unable to fulfill his/her obligation as delegate to either assembly, the president shall make a recommendation for the appointment for his/her position, (to be approved by the Executive Board). The president shall be the official spokesperson of the Association. The President shall not serve as a chair or voting member of any sub committee.

B. The Past President(s)Shall be considered available historians/references in their areas of expertise. To be called upon by request of the Executive Board, as deemed necessary.

C. The Certified and/or ESP Vice-President shall: work closely with the President on all Association business, in the absence of the President assume the duties as appointed by of the President, be ex officio members of all committees except the Nominations and Elections Committee, be co-chairs of the Membership and Advocacy Committees, and be a nominees in the AEA Delegate Assembly election.

D. The Treasurer shall: be bonded, keep a current list of the membership, receive all monies due the Association, giving a receipt for each sum, keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements, deposit all money in a depository designated by the Executive Board, and submit books for audit prior to the installation of new officers.

E. The Secretary shall: keep a list of all members, keep the Minutes of all general, Association Representatives, Executive Board meetings, notify all officers of their election, and notify Association Representatives of all Representative and General meetings, assist in handling correspondence relating to the work of the Association, and keep a record of such.

F. All officers, upon retiring from office, shall deliver to the President all monies, accounts, record books, papers and other property belonging to the Amphitheater Education Association.

Article V. - The Executive Board

Section I. Composition:

The Executive Board shall be composed the officers, (Representatives of) each Senior High School, a Middle School and K-8,2 Elementary School one for the northern and one for the southern ends of the district, Pre-K/SpEd >and 2 Education Support Professional one for school site ESP and one for non school site ESP. Chairs of sub committees i.e.; membership, advocacy and political action shall also serve as part of the Executive Board as NON VOTING members.

The Association shall guarantee ethnic minority representation on the Executive Board at least proportionate to its active ethnic-minority membership (the general membership must elect sufficient number of at-large ethnic-minority members to bring the governing body into compliance).

Each representative shall be elected by their respective groups i.e.; elementary to be elected by elementary, high school by high school.

Section II. Chairperson:

The President shall serve as chairperson of the Executive Board.

Section III. Qualifications:

All members of the Association shall be eligible to hold positions on the Executive Board in this Association, provided that they are employed within the capacity of the position elected to represent.

Section IV. Nominations

At the meeting of the Association Representatives two months prior to the election, the president shall appoint a Nominations and Elections Committee which shall serve until the next such is appointed. Nominations from the membership at large shall be solicited. No person shall be a candidate for more than a single office in any one election. A nominations list shall be posted on the Association bulletin board in each building not later than at least one week prior to the election of officers.

Section V. Elections

Voting shall be conducted in each building, by secret/electronic ballot, by the second Tuesday of April, under the direction of the Nominations and Election Committee. The ballot shall list all nominees for each office to be filled and shall make provisions for write-in votes. Voting for Association Executive Board may also be conducted by absentee ballot. A majority of all votes cast shall be necessary for election. If no candidate for an office receives a majority of votes cast, a run-off ballot will be prepared listing only the two candidates for office receiving the most votes. Such run-off elections shall be held within ten days of the election. If there is only one candidate for a position, that person may be elected by acclamation at the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section VI. Terms of Office:

The term for all officers shall be two years, ending with the adjournment of the NEA Representative Assembly. All incoming Executive Board members shall be recognized at the May meeting of the Association Representatives. It is the intent that the terms of positions with multiple representatives (i.e.: Elementary Representatives, E.S.P. Representatives, etc.) be staggered.

Section VII. Vacancies:

If any Executive Board position becomes vacant, the person to fill the vacancy shall be elected by the membership of the Association in a special election. The date of such election shall be set by the Association Representatives, and one or more candidates for the position shall be presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee. If a vacancy occurs after January 1, the Association Representative body may choose to allow 1) the office may remain vacant, 2) A special election or 3) appoint a candidate(s) as recommended by the Executive Board.

Section VIII. Functions: The Executive Board shall:

    A. Serve as an advisory committee to the Association Representatives.
    B. Designate a depository for all money.
    C. Authorize expenditures.
    D. Approve the budget before presenting it to the Association Representatives for final adoption.
    E. Designate a regular day each month for meetings of the Executive Board.
    F. Propose matters of business for the Association Representatives.
    G. Designate the Officer(s) who shall have financial responsibilities for the Association.

All duties, responsibilities, and final authority for the conduct of the Association in all matters except as otherwise stated in the Constitution and By-laws shall rest upon the Executive Board, provided that they may at any time refer any matter to the entire membership for consideration or vote.

Article VI - Board of Association Representatives

Section I Composition:

The Board of Association Representatives shall consist of the Executive Board and the site Association Representatives. The Association shall guarantee ethnic minority representation in the Board of Association Representatives at least proportionate to its active ethnic-minority membership (the general membership must elect sufficient number of at-large ethnic-minority members to bring the governing body into compliance).

Section II Representation:

For the purpose of representation, each of the following shall be considered a building:

    A. Each school unit
    B. Special Education Department
    C. Special teachers of the elementary schools
    D. Each Support Service Department
    E. Regional representation of schools, as determined by the Executive Board.

Section III Number:

It is recommended that each building be entitled to one representative for every twenty members. In cases where this ratio is not met, it is to the discretion of the Executive Board to determine representation.

Section IV Term:

The term of office for Association Representatives shall be two years beginning beginning with the adjournment of the NEA Representative Assembly. In buildings where there are two or more representatives, terms of office shall be staggered. Representatives shall be eligible for re-election.

Section V Election:

Election shall be by the membership of the building unit. Election of the Association Representatives and an equal number of alternates for the ensuing year shall take place in conjunction with the election of the new officers. Voting shall be by secret ballot and elections shall be conducted by the Association Representatives or a committee designated by them. If there is only one candidate for a position, that person may be elected by acclamation at the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section VI New Schools:

Any new schools in operation shall be entitled to elect representatives immediately.

Section VII Duties:

Each Association Representative shall:

A. Be a Conduit for Communication.

    1. Participate in communication tree.
    2. Promote changes at site, district, state and national levels.
    3. Understand and Articulate why members join the Association.
    4. Set up and regularly update site bulletin board.
    5. Be a resource for members for information and referral.

B. Be an Advocate of the Association and its Members.

    1. Obtain input from members first.
    2. Promote the image of the Association.
    3. Be visible at site.
    4. Represent the members at site.

C. Participate in the organization of membership.

    1. Organize membership on site.
    2. Empower and educate co-workers.
    3. Hold site meetings on a regular basis.
    4. Be a membership recruiter.

D. Attend Association Representative meetings.

E. Be involved in at least one aspect of Association business beyond an AR Meeting.

Section VIII Function:
The Board of Association Representatives shall be the legislative body of the Association, and as such shall have the usual powers vested in such a body.

Section IX Meetings:

The Board of Association Representatives shall meet at least once each month that school district is in session. The Executive Board shall set the dates of the regular meetings of the Board of Association Representatives, and may in addition call special meetings. The President of the Association shall serve as chairman of the Board of Association Representatives.

Section X. Standing Rules:

At the first meeting of each school year, the Board of Association Representatives shall adopt a set of Standing Rules, which shall include guidelines for committees, election procedures, and any other items considered necessary for the orderly conduct of the business of the Association. Revisions to the Standing Rules may be made at subsequent meetings.

Section XI Removal from Office:

In the event that any elected or appointed officer or committee chairperson fails to perform the duties of his/her office, the Executive Board may request the Board of Association Representatives to declare the seat vacant. If the Board of Association Representatives, by a two-thirds or greater majority approved, the office shall be declared vacant and shall be filled by election or appointment as described elsewhere in this Constitution.

Article VII - Delegates

All members of the Association are eligible to serve as delegates to meetings of the National Education Association and the Arizona Education Association.

Article VIII - General Meetings

A general meeting shall be called by the President upon request of the majority of the Board of Association Representatives or by the Executive Board. The President shall determine the date and order of business for any general meeting. At any general meeting, all members shall have the right to vote.

Article IX - Distribution of Assets

If the Association is dissolved for any reason by its members, the total assets remaining after liabilities have been paid shall be given to the Arizona Education Association to be used in the Amphitheater School District for educational services.

AMPHITHEATER EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

BY - LAWS

Article I - Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order, Revised shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically stated in the Constitution and By-laws. All questions of order may be referred to the Parliamentarian. Rules of order may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

Article II - Dues

The dues of the Association shall be determined by the Board of Association Representatives, and shall be voted upon at the last regular meeting of the Assembly each year. The membership year shall be from September 1 to August 31, and membership renewal will be automatic unless the President is notified in writing by September 15 the first full payday of the year. Dues shall be paid or a payroll deduction agreement executed, on or before October 1 each year to maintain membership in good standing.

Article III - Quorum

At Association Representative/Executive Board meetings, greater than or equal to 40 per cent of sites with active representation/board members shall constitute a quorum; for committee meetings, a majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

Article IV - Election of Delegates

Section I. Election of delegates to official meetings of the NEA and AEA shall follow the procedures of this article, provided that in case of conflict between this article and the Constitution of the NEA or AEA, the latter requirements shall prevail.

Section II. The Chairperson of the Elections Committee shall solicit names of persons wishing to serve as delegates to each such meeting by announcing the need for delegates at a meeting of the Board of Association Representatives and by distributing to all members of the Association an announcement of the need for delegates, in sufficient time to permit full response before the deadline set by the NEA or AEA.

Section III. Biographical statements giving professional qualifications of candidates shall be furnished to the voters.

Section IV. The ballot for each slate of delegates shall list all names in alphabetical order in one list and shall designate by an asterisk the members of the Board of Association Representatives, committee chairpersons, Executive Board members and officers for the current year.

Section V. Candidates receiving a majority of votes cast shall be declared elected in the order of the number of votes received, up to the number of delegate positions allowed. It shall be established on the election ballot for delegates that a proportional representation for certified and classified membership be achieved. The Certified Representatives shall be elected by Certified members only, and the Classified Representatives shall be elected by the Classified members only. The Association shall guarantee ethnic minority representation within the delegates at least proportionate to its active ethnic-minority membership (the general membership must elect sufficient number of at-large ethnic-minority members to bring the governing body into compliance).

Section VI. All other candidates receiving a majority of votes cast shall be listed as alternates, in order of the number of votes received.

Article V - Committees

Section I. Standing committees shall be appointed by the President and Executive Board to deal with the regular, on-going work of the Association.

Section II. Membership:
At least three members of each standing committee shall be retained for a second consecutive year of service on the same committee thereby providing continuity to the work of the committee.

Section III. Standing Committees:
Standing committees shall include, but not limited to; membership, advocacy, political action, bargaining, scholarship, hospitality, professional development, social and nominations/elections.

Section IV. Special Committees:
Shall be appointed by the President and Executive Board as deemed advisable and necessary.

Section V. Monthly Reports:
At each monthly meeting of the Executive Board, the Treasurer and chairperson of each committee shall submit a written and oral report.

Article VI - Amendments

Section I. The Constitution and By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all members voting.

Section II. A proposed amendment must be submitted in writing to the Board of Association Representatives at a regular meeting.

Section III A proposed amendment shall be referred to the members by either:

A. Majority vote of the Board of Association Representatives present at a meeting, or B. Petition to the Executive Board by 10 percent of the members of the Association.

Section IV Notice in writing of a proposed amendment must be posted in each school one week prior to the day designated for voting. Statements for and against the amendment shall be included in the notice, as well as the original statement of the Constitution and By-laws.

Article VII - Abbreviated Name

Section I. The abbreviated form of the Amphitheater Education Association shall be the "Amphi E A."

Amended: JANUARY, 1997

Amended: MARCH, 2001

Amended: May, 2011

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