CONSTITUTION
Effective: August 1, 2007
Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be
the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association, Incorporated (MSSAA). This
organization represents the interests of middle school and high school administrators in
Massachusetts.
Article II - Purpose
The purpose of the Association shall be
to provide the best possible education for the middle level and high school youth of
Massachusetts. In pursuing this commitment, the Association shall:
2.1 Provide
school leaders with services designed to promote collaboration, communication, and
continuous school improvement.
2.2
Collaborate with other professional and
educational organizations for the improvement of secondary education.
2.3
Advocate positions of the Association on
significant local, state, and national issues.
2.4
Provide leadership and support in areas of
student services to include non-athletic activities, wellness, leadership, and
citizenship.
2.5
Provide executive leadership training for
members of the Association and sponsor professional development programs to support the
staff and schools of Association members.
2.6
Provide programs to support the general
welfare of the members.
2.7
Strive to ensure the development of future
school leaders.
2.8
Encourage interscholastic athletic leadership
both locally and through the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.
2.9
Develop guidelines and regulations for middle
level interscholastic athletic and co-curricular activities.
Article III - Membership
3.1
Active: Active membership is open to any practicing middle
or high school administrator in Massachusetts. A
practicing school administrator is defined to include any educator who spends a major part
of his/her daily assignment in administering and supervising a middle or high school.
3.2
Associate: Associate membership is open to any individual who
supports the objectives of the Association. Associate members shall have all the rights,
services, and privileges of active members except that Associate members may not vote at
the Annual Meeting nor serve on the Board of Directors.
3.3
Aspiring: To be eligible for Aspiring Administrator
membership, an individual must have earned a college degree and have as a career goal
attainment of the position of secondary school administrator. Aspiring administrators may
serve on Association standing committees in a non-voting capacity. They are entitled to
the discounted workshop and conference registration fees of Active members. Aspiring
administrators will receive all publications and mailings sent to Active members. Special services available to aspiring members
include mentoring by retired administrators, visits to schools of practicing
administrators, workshops specifically designed for this membership category, and
notification of job openings in secondary schools.
3.4
Retired: Retired membership is open to former members of the
MMLSAA (Massachusetts Middle Level School Administrators Association) and MSSAA who are no
longer eligible for active membership. Retired
members shall have all the rights, services, and privileges of active members except that
they will not be eligible to serve as President or Vice President. A member who holds a “Retired” membership
but then returns to active practice may choose the membership category to which to belong.
3.5
Honorary: Honorary life membership may be conferred upon any
individual who is deemed worthy of the recognition by the Board of Directors.
Article IV - Organization
4.1 Officers
The officers of the Association shall be a President, First Vice President, Second
Vice President, Third Vice President, Coordinator for the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, and Executive Director. With
the exception of the Executive Director, officers shall be elected by the Governing Body
at the Annual Summer Business Meeting. The
term of office for all elected officers shall be August 1 through July 31.
4.2 President
4.2.1
The President shall supervise the affairs of the Association and shall preside
at all meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors.
4.2.2
The President shall represent the
Association or may appoint a delegate(s) to represent the Association at meetings or
occasions deemed appropriate by the Board.
4.2.3 The President
may, from time to time, appoint committees other than standing committees as deemed
necessary to carry out business for the Association.
4.2.4
The President shall appoint an Ad Hoc Nominating Committee which will recommend
to the Board of Directors nominations for officers, Board of Directors, and standing
committees. The Nominating Committee’s Report as approved by the Board of Directors
will be acted upon at the Summer Business Meeting of the Governing Body.
4.2.5
The President shall serve as a member of the Finance/Personnel
Committee and as an ex-officio member on each standing and ad-hoc committee.
4.3 Vice Presidents
There are three Vice Presidents, the First Vice President, the Second Vice
President, and the Third Vice President. The three Vice Presidents shall serve as members
of the Finance/Personnel Committee. The First Vice President shall serve as chairperson. The Vice Presidents shall succeed in order to the
Presidency on an annual basis and shall perform the duties of the President in the event
of the absence or unavailability of the President, and shall assume other tasks as
requested by the President.
4.4 Executive
Director
The Board of Directors shall hire the Executive Director and determine the
conditions of employment. Further, the Board of Directors shall evaluate the performance
of the Executive Director.
4.4.1 The Executive Director shall be the
chief administrative officer of the Association and shall have charge and direction of the
day-to-day operation of the Association, and shall act at all times in accordance with the
established policies of the Association as interpreted by the Board of Directors.
4.4.2 The Executive Director shall oversee
dissemination of information to the members and the public.
4.4.3 The Executive Director shall fill staff positions and be
responsible for personnel matters.
4.4.4 The Executive Director shall attend
all meetings of the Board of Directors, as a non-voting member, and shall
serve as secretary of the Board and of the Governing Body.
4.4.5 The Executive Director shall present
during an Annual Business Meeting of the Association a report which shall include
financial information that results from the most recent financial audit.
4.4.6 The Executive Director shall have
responsibility for the finances of the Association, and shall keep records according to a
system approved by the Board of Directors.
4.4.7
The Executive Director shall perform other duties as the Board
of Directors may request.
4.4.8 The Executive Director shall serve as
an ex-officio member on each standing and ad-hoc committee.
Article V - Board of Directors
Any member of the Board who is absent
without good cause for more than three consecutive meetings or for more than three
meetings during any fiscal year shall cease to be a member of the Board.
A quorum of the Board of Directors
shall consist of a majority of the voting members.
5.1
The Board of Directors shall consist of the
Executive Director, President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice
President, six Members-At-Large, three immediate Past Presidents, the NASSP Coordinator,
and the Chairs (elected annually by the members of the respective standing committees) of
each of the following standing committees:
Assistant Principals
Retired Administrators
Cheerleading
Student Programs
Educational Policies
Student Council
High School
Teaching and Learning
Legislative
Urban
Middle Level
Vocational-Technical Administrators’
Professional Services
* The
Nominating Committee will ensure that two of the at-large members are middle school
administrators, while considering ethnicity, gender, geography, urban and vocational high
school representation when nominating all at-large positions.
5.2
Whenever an MSSAA member serves on the NASSP
Board of Directors (and is not a member of the MSSAA Board of Directors) that person shall
serve on the MSSAA Board of Directors as an ex officio, non-voting member.
5.3
Duties
The Board of Directors shall carry out the general activities and policies of the
Association; address unexpected issues that may arise; respond to significant legislative
matters; appoint and evaluate the Executive Director; decide on the time and place of the
meetings of the Association and of the Board; establish the annual dues in all membership
categories; fill vacancies on committees or among the officers until the next Annual
Meeting; determine the number of members of each committee when not otherwise specified
herein; and appoint special committees as needed. Should
an unexpected issue arise, the Board of Directors may elect to poll the membership
regarding official action outside of the Annual Meeting.
5.4 Finance/Personnel
Committee
5.4.1
The Finance/Personnel Committee shall consist of the President
and three Vice Presidents. The First Vice
President shall serve as chairperson.
5.4.2
Duties - The Finance Committee shall:
5.4.2.1
Prepare an annual budget to be submitted to the Board of
Directors for approval.
5.4.2.2
Advise and confer with the Executive Director on personnel
matters.
5.4.2.3
Advise the Board of Directors, standing committees, and members
on financial policies and personnel matters.
Article VI - Governing
Body
6.1
The Governing Body shall consist of all Active
and Retired members in good standing. Each Active and Retired member in attendance at a
meeting of the Governing Body shall have one vote.
6.2
Duties and powers of the Governing Body shall
be to:
6.2.1
Meet annually at the call of the Board of Directors, and at such
other times as the Board of Directors may decide.
6.2.2
Receive reports of officers and committees.
6.2.3
Elect officers, Board of Directors members, and standing
committees.
6.2.4
Perform such other duties, not otherwise expressed or delegated,
as may be necessary for the welfare of the Association.
6.3
Robert's Rules of Order shall be the governing
rule of the meetings of the Association, the Board of Directors, and the standing
committees.
6.4
At any meeting of the Governing Body where
official action of any kind is to be taken by vote, forty (40) members shall be a quorum.
6.5
Nominations for officers and/or committee
membership may be made from the floor by any voting member at the Annual Meeting. Each such nomination must be announced to the Board
of Directors and the Nominating Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual
Meeting. Each nomination must be seconded and be accepted by the nominee.
Article VII - Standing Committees
Standing committees are constituted to
fulfill the purpose of this Association. Each standing committee shall consist of a
minimum of ten members elected at the Annual Meeting by the Governing Body, or appointed
by the Board of Directors as a result of a vacancy between the Annual Meetings.
Recommendations from a standing committee to the Board of Directors must be approved by no
fewer than eight (8) members of the committee. Any
member of a standing committee who is absent without notice to the chair for two
consecutive meetings, or who misses more than two meetings during any year shall cease to
be a member of that committee. The term of
office for all standing committees shall be from August 1 through July 31.
7.1 Assistant Principals' Committee
7.1.1
Duties - The Assistant Principals' Committee shall:
7.1.1.1
Conduct surveys and disseminate information on the role of the
Assistant Principal and various practices in fulfilling that role.
7.1.1.2 Coordinate the
study of issues of particular relevance to Assistant Principals and make recommendations
to the Association regarding these issues.
7.1.1.3
Organize and Promote workshops, conferences, and publications on
the Assistant Principalship.
7.1.1.4
Develop position papers on issues relevant to the Assistant
Principalship. Such papers shall be approved by the Board of Directors before publication.
7.1.1.5
Promote the membership of Assistant Principals in MSSAA and
NASSP.
7.1.1.6
Promote and develop skills and opportunities for assistant
principals.
7.2 Committee on Teaching and Learning
7.2.1
Duties - The Committee on Teaching and Learning shall:
7.2.1.1
Encourage the continual evaluation and development of
curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the best interests of the students being
served.
7.2.1.2
Conduct surveys of current best practices and disseminate
information to the membership in regard to innovative ideas and successful programs.
7.2.1.3
Organize and promote workshops, conferences, and publications.
7.2.1.4
Establish liaison with all other organizations studying
curriculum development and instructional practices.
7.2.1.5
Promote articulation between middle schools and high schools.
7.2.1.6
Coordinate as appropriate with the Legislative Committee.
7.3
Educational
Policies Committee
7.3.1
Duties - The Educational Policies Committee shall:
7.3.1.1
Coordinate the study of specific educational issues confronting
the members of the Association and make recommendations to the Association or any of its
subdivisions in regard to these issues.
7.3.1.2
Develop position papers on issues referred by the Board of
Directors, and initiate creation of position papers on other topics identified by the
Committee. Such papers shall be approved by
the Board of Directors before publication.
7.3.1.3
Review all policy statements of the Association on an annual
basis to ensure that they reflect the current positions of the MSSAA, and make any
suggested revisions to the Board of Directors.
7.3.1.4
Maintain a policy manual that contains all current position
papers.
7.3.1.5 Coordinate as appropriate with the
Legislative Committee.
7.4.1
Duties - The Legislative Committee shall:
7.4.1.1
Provide relevant legislative information to the membership.
7.4.1.2
Recommend to the Board of Directors the positions the
Association should take on legislation relative to the Association and to the middle and
high schools of the Commonwealth.
7.4.1.3
Recommend to the Board of Directors bills which should be
submitted in the best interest of students and their administrators.
7.4.1.4 Establish a system by which elected
officials are kept informed consistently on issues of interest to the MSSAA.
7.5 Professional Services Committee
7.5.1
Duties - The Professional Services Committee shall:
7.5.1.1
Generally promote the status and welfare of members and
encourage the continual strengthening of professional standards.
7.5.1.2
Establish relations with neighborhood groups by recruiting a
member of each active neighborhood group to serve on the Committee, and to ensure
Committee representation at each active neighborhood group meeting.
7.5.1.3
Provide a fact-finding team at the request of an aggrieved
member.
7.5.1.4
Develop procedures and instruments for the evaluation of
administrators.
7.5.1.5
Conduct surveys and provide data on salaries and other relevant
matters.
7.5.1.6
Organize and promote workshops, conferences, and forums.
7.5.1.7
Establish liaison with other organizations in furthering
professional services for members.
7.6 Retired Administrators' Committee
7.6.1
Duties - The Retired Administrators' Committee shall:
7.6.1.1
Sponsor activities for retired members.
7.6.1.2
Support active Association members through
"mentoring."
7.6.1.3
Support Association efforts to recruit future secondary school
administrators.
7.6.1.4
Support efforts and goals of the Board of Directors and other
standing committees.
7.6.1.5
Promote Active, Associate, and Retired memberships.
7.7 Student Programs Committee
7.7.1
The members of each subcommittee are elected at the Annual
Meeting of the Governing Body for terms of three years.
7.7.2
Duties - The Student Programs Committee shall:
7.7.2.1
Oversee and regulate the following student programs:
¨
Academic Decathlon
¨
National Honor Society
7.7.2.2
Aid members in developing comprehensive, balanced, productive
student programs.
7.7.2.3
Disseminate information about successful student programs and
practices.
7.7.2.4 The Chair of the
Student Programs Standing Committee will annually appoint a Chair of the Academic
Decathlon and National Honor Society committees. The
Subcommittee Chairs will also serve on the Student Programs Committee.
7.8.1
Duties - The Student Council Committee shall:
7.8.1.1
Oversee and regulate all Student Council activities.
7.8.1.2
Develop for MSSAA Board of Directors action a recommended annual
budget for Student Council activities.
7.8.1.3
Recommend to the MSSAA Board of Directors those to be engaged
and the stipends for those engaged to fulfill functions sponsored by the Student Council
Committee.
7.9.1
Duties – The Cheerleading Committee shall:
7.9.1.1
Oversee and regulate all cheerleading activities;
7.9.1.2
Develop for MSSAA Board of Directors action a recommended budget
for cheerleading activities;
7.9.1.3
Organize and sponsor Cheerleading Tournaments that will lead to
State Championship(s);
7.9.1.4
Recommend to the MSSAA Board of Directors those to be engaged
and the stipends for those engaged to fulfill activities sponsored by the Cheerleading
Committee.
7.10.1 Duties – The Middle Level Committee
shall:
7.10.1.1 Advise
the MSSAA Board of Directors in areas of leadership and service which MSSAA will provide
and expand where appropriate in support of middle level administrators.
7.10.1.2 Develop
strategies for promoting MSSAA membership among middle level administrators.
7.11
Urban Committee
7.11.1 The Urban Committee shall consist of at least five
(5) members elected at the Annual Meeting of the Governing Body.
7.11.2
Duties – The Urban Committee shall:
7.11.2.1
Advise
the MSSAA Board of Directors in areas of leadership and service which MSSAA might expand
in support of urban administrators.
7.11.2.2 Provide
forums for urban MSSAA members to exchange ideas and provide collegial support.
7.12 Vocational Technical
Administrators’ Committee
7.12.1 Duties - The
Vocational-Technical Administrators’ Committee shall:
7.12.1.1 Advise the MSSAA
Board of Directors in areas affecting vocational administrators that might benefit from
MSSAA action.
7.12.1. 2 Provide a
collegial forum for the discussion of vocational concerns, and the development of ideas
for curricular and procedural advances.
7.12.1.3 Maintain liaison
with the vocational education section of the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE),
in order to provide DOE personnel with input and suggestions from practitioners.
7.12.1.4 Disseminate
information on best practices and curriculum initiatives in the field of vocational
education.
7.13.1
Duties – The High School Committee shall:
7.13.1.1
Advise the MSSAA Board of Directors in areas of leadership
and service which MSSAA will provide and expand where appropriate in support of high
school administrators.
7.13.1.2
Provide forums for high school MSSAA members to study and
exchange ideas relative to problems and situations pertinent to high schools.
7.12.1.3
Organize and promote workshops and conferences on issues
specifically appropriate for high schools.
7.13.1.4
Recommend courses of action to the MSSAA Board of
Directors and through the Board to other standing committees.
Article VIII - Annual Dues
8.1 Dues
and assessments are payable on July 1 of each year.
Article IX - Amendments
9.1
The Constitution may be amended at any regular
business meeting of the Governing Body by
a two-thirds vote of those present. Proposed
amendments must be presented to the Board of Directors at least thirty (30) days prior to
the meeting.
9.2
Amendments shall be referred to the membership
by sending a notice of the proposed amendments to each voting member at least twelve (12)
days prior to meeting with a statement of the action recommended by the Board of Directors
with each amendment.
9.3
The Constitution shall be reviewed every three
years by an “Ad Hoc Committee” appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Board of Directors.
Article X - Internal Revenue Code
No part of the net earnings of the
corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, its members or any
private individuals. No substantial part of
the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise
attempting to influence legislation, except as permitted by Section 501 (h) of the
Internal Revenue Code. The organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted
under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Article XI - Dissolution
Upon
dissolution of the corporation, all of the assets of the corporation shall be distributed
exclusively for the purposes of the corporation to an organization or organizations
organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes as shall qualify for exemption
under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.