The name of this organization shall be the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association, Incorporated (MSSAA). This organization shall consist of Middle Level and High School Administrators.

Article II - Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to provide the best possible educational opportunities 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 voting 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 B.A. or B.S. and have as a career goal attainment of the position of secondary school principal or assistant principal. 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 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 at the Annual Meeting by the voting members. The term of office for all elected officers shall be July 1 through June 30.

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 Ad Hoc Committees

4.2.4.1 The President shall appoint an Ad Hoc Nominating Committee which will recommend to the Board of Directors nominations for the officers; Board of Directors; and standing committees. This Report will be acted upon by the Governing Body during a Business Meeting of the Association.

4.2.4.2 The President may appoint additional ad hoc committees as the need presents itself.

4.3 Vice Presidents

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.

4.5 The President and Executive Director shall have ex-officio membership on each standing 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        Professional Services

                            Cheerleading                 Retired Administrators

                            Educational Policies       Student Programs

                            Legislative                     Student Council
                            Middle Level                 Teaching and Learning
                            Urban                             Vocational

* The Nominating Committee will ensure that two of the at-large members are middle school administrators, while considering ethnicity, gender, geography, urban and vocation 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; 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.

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.

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 three meetings during any fiscal year shall cease to be a member of that committee.

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.

7.2 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.

7.3 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 and make any suggested revisions to the Board of Directors.

7.4 Legislative Committee

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.

7.6.1 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.

7.7.1 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:

• National Honor Society