Constitution - South Canterbury Principals Association

South Canterbury Principals’ Association

The Constitution

[Amended 1997 / 2005]

 

1. NAME

The name of the organisation will be: The South Canterbury Principals’ Association

2. OBJECTIVES

The South Canterbury Principal’s Association will be concerned with support and professional development of its members.

 

The South Canterbury Principals’ Association aims to:

 

2.1             Support the principal in his/her role as school professional leader and manger

 

2.2             promote the development of its members professional leader and managerial skills

 

2.3             Ensure recognition as a professional organisation actively representing the special interests of its members.

 

2.4             Maintain a liaison with kindred organisations

 

3. REGION

The headquarters of the South Canterbury Principals’ Association will be in Timaru.  The Association’s area lies between the Waitaki and Rangitata rivers and extends to the McKenzie Basin.

 

4. MEMBERSHIP

There will be four categories of membership, associate, honorary membership and life membership.

 

4.1 Full membership

Full members will be individual principals of educational institutions within our region.

 

4.2 Associate membership

Any senior educationalist may be elected by the Annual General Meeting of the Association to become an associate member.

 

4.3 Honorary membership

Former full members who have now retired may become honorary members and such membership entitled then to participate in social functions of the Association.  Honorary members will not be required to pay a subscription and will not have voting rights.

 

 

4.4 Life Membership

Non voting life members elected at an Annual General Meeting.

 

4.5 Membership list

Each year a current membership list will be drawn up listing members in each category.

 

5. VOTING RIGHTS
   
   

Voting at the Annual General meeting and other general meetings of the Association will be restricted to financial full and associate members of the Association who will be entitled to one vote each.

 

6. SUBSCRIPTIONS

6.1             All full and associate members will pay an annual subscription determined by the Annual General Meeting.  The amount is due for payment within 60 days of the A.G.M.

 

6.2             Any member will cease to enjoy privileges of membership for the current year (or until arrears are paid), if their subscription for the current year is not paid within 60 days of the AGM.

 

7. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

7.1             The Association will at its Annual General Meeting elect the following officers:

President

Junior Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

7.2             The office of Senior Vice President will be held by the outgoing President of the Association.  If that person is not available for the position any member of the Association may be nominated.

 

7.3             The Association will, at its General meeting elect three (3) executive members.

 

7.4             The elected executive will co-opt at least three (3) other members to form the executive.  Consideration to gender balance, geographic representation, school size and range of skills will be paramount.

 

7.5             Only financial full members of the Association will be eligible for office and executive.

 

Note - Constitutional Change:

The November 2005 SCPA minutes outlined a need for a change to the constitution in regards to the election of Treasurer.

 

8. DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS

8.1 President

The President will be the chief spokesperson and administrative leader of the Association.  He/she will act as chair at general and executive meetings.  He/she will be an ex officio member of any committees set up by the Association Executive.

 

8.2 Senior Vice President

He/she will act as assistant to the President

8.3 Junior Vice President

The intention of this office is for the holder to be groomed as the incoming President.  He/she will be an ex officio member of any committees set up by the Association or Executive and will preside at meetings in the President’s absence.

8.4 Secretary

The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping all records (other than financial) of the Association, maintaining an efficient filing system and keeping minutes of all Executive and committee meetings.

 

9. THE ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE

The Executive will:

 

9.1             Promote the objective and aims of the Association

 

9.2             As soon as possible following the Annual General Meeting the executive will establish an action plan and programme for the ensuring year.  A summary of this plan will be notified to all members.

 

9.3             Prepare reports for the general meeting.

 

9.4             Deal with routine correspondence.

 

9.5             Approve payment of accounts.

 

9.6             Publish the agenda for each meeting.

 

9.7             Report to the Association the business attended to at each executive meeting.

 

9.8             Act on behalf of the Association.

 

9.9             Form, and co-opt members to, working sub-committees as the need arises.

 

10. SUBCOMMITTEES

Each sub-committee will:

 

10.1         Have a clearly defined purpose set out by the executive and with clearly stated authorities to act on behalf of the Association.

 

10.2         Have an executive member as convener

 

10.3         Have an obligation to report to general meetings of the Association and to present a written report to the Annual General Meeting.

 

11. PRINCIPALS’ ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES

The Annual General Meeting of the Association will elect their representatives for various bodies and management groups.

 

12. GENERAL MEETINGS

12.1         The Annual General Meeting will be held by the end of the first week in March.

 

 

12.2.       Four (4) weeks written notice of date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting will be given to members

.

12.3.       Meetings will be run in accordance with normal standing orders and procedures.  The Executive will meet at least once per term and convene at least one general meeting per term.  Executive meetings will be open to all members.

 

12.4.       A special general meeting of the Association will be called within one month of the receipt of a written request for such a meeting, addressed to the president and signed by five (5) or more full members of the Association.

 

12.5.       A quorum at Executive Meetings will consist of at least five (5) full members.

 

12.6.       A quorum at the Annual General Meeting will consist of ten (10) full members.

 

13. FINANCIAL

13.1         The financial year will be from January 1 to December 31.

 

13.2         The Auditor, who will not be a member of the Association will be elected at the Annual Meeting.

 

13.3         The Annual General Meeting will appoint the trustees of the Association.  Two (2) signatures will be required.

14. HONORARIUMS

An honorarium, decided by the Annual General meeting, will be paid to the Secretary.

 

15. FILLING OF VACANCIES

In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Executive a replacement can be made by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive.  The replacement must be a person who would have been eligible for nomination for office at a normal election of officers.

 

16. ALTERATION TO RULES

16.1         Any addition to alteration to this constitution will require (3) weeks notice of motion to all members of the Association and will be decided by majority vote at the Annual General meeting or at a special general meeting of the Association.

 

16.2         No addition to or alteration of the personal benefit clause or the winding up clause shall be approved without the approval of Inland Revenue.

 

17. WINDING UP

If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association there remains after satisfaction of all debts and liabilities any property whatsoever the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the organisation but shall be given or transferred to some other charitable organisation or body having objects similar to the objects of the Association, or some other charitable purpose within New Zealand.

 

18. PAYMENTS TO MEMBERS

18.1         No member of the organisation or any person associated with a member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the organisation in respect of the payment to or on behalf of that member or associated person of any income, benefit, or advantage whatsoever.

 

18.2         Any such income paid shall be reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arms length transaction (being the open market value).  The provisions and effects of this clause shall not be removed from this document, and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.