Constitution
OF
THE STRATFORD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I - NAME
This Association shall be known as the Stratford Education Association.
ARTICLE II- AFFILIATION
The Stratford Education Association, as an affiliate of the Connecticut Education Association and the
National Education Association, shall comply with standards and procedures set forth in the Bylaws of the Connecticut Education Association and the National Education Association.
ARTICLE III- OBJECTIVES
III-1 To promote within the teaching group the highest type of professional practices; to encourage active participation of classroom teachers in the solution of school problems; to urge every member of the profession to be a progressive student of education; and to arouse allegiance to a genuine spirit of professional ethics.
III-2 To encourage higher qualifications for entrance into the teaching profession; to promote teacher participation in school management; to aid in securing and maintaining adequate salaries, tenure, sound retirement systems and such other improvement in conditions as will enable teachers to function properly as a vital factor in educational progress.
III-3 To promote, encourage and assist other affiliated organizations of teachers to promote cooperation among such organizations and the members thereof.
III-4 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.
III-5 To encourage teachers to exercise their rights and privileges as citizens and to accept, willingly, leadership in civic affairs.
III-6 To urge each teacher to become an active member of the unified teaching profession by becoming a member of the Stratford Education Association, the Connecticut Education Association and the National Education Association and to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.
ARTICLE IV- MEMBERSHIP
IV-1 Active unified membership shall be extended to all certified personnel who qualify to be members. Membership shall be predicated upon membership in the Connecticut Education Association and the National Education Association. The privilege of holding office, serving on committees, representing the Association, making motions, debating and voting shall be limited to active members of the Association whose dues have been paid.
IV-2 Adherence to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession adopted by the Association shall be a condition of continuance of membership.
IV-3 The Association shall not deny membership to individuals on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation or disability/handicap, nor shall any organization that so denies membership be affiliated with the Association.
IV-4 All rights, title and interest, both legal and equitable, of a member in and to the property of the Association shall end upon the termination of such membership.
ARTICLE V- OFFICERS
V-1 The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Secondary and Elementary Vice
President and Treasurer. Officers must have had four or more consecutive years of Stratford
Education Association membership. When possible, each of the offices of the President and
two Vice Presidents will be filled by one high school teacher, one middle school teacher, and
one elementary teacher. All officers are expected to attend the majority of all SEA meetings
held.
V-2 The terms of the President and Vice Presidents shall be three consecutive years, elected in
alternating years from each other.
V-3 The terms of the Treasurer shall be three consecutive years to be elected in alternating years with the President and Vice Presidents.
V-4 There shall be an Executive Board composed of the officers, chairpersons of standing committees and the immediate past president of the Association, if in good standing.
V-5 There shall be a Board of Representatives composed of the officers, chairpersons of standing committees, past presidents of the Association, if in good standing and one representative for each twenty-five members or fraction thereof, in each of the schools. Members who travel shall be included in the school at which they receive their checks. There shall be a minimum of two alternates and a maximum of four alternates from each school. Schools, teaching sites and programs with its own administration, that have fewer than 25 members are entitled to one member.
V-6 Recall proceedings of a delegate to the Board of Representatives may be initiated by a written petition signed by at least 20% of the membership in said delegate's school. Upon receiving said petition, the Board of Representatives shall give written notification of the petition to the delegate and the affected school. The Elections Committee would hold an election within two weeks from receipt and validation of the petition by the Board of Representatives for an election involving said school.
V-7 Officers of the Association may be impeached for violation of the Code of Ethics of
the Education Profession for misfeasance, for malfeasance, or for nonfeasance in office.
A Impeachment proceedings against an officer may be initiated by a written petition signed by a majority of the Board of Representatives specifying the charge or charges brought.
B. The Board of Representatives shall give written notification to the officer so charged. A notice of the charges shall be given to every delegate for posting in his or her respective school or group.
C. After a due process hearing determined by the Board of Representatives, a two thirds vote of the delegates sitting and present shall sustain the charge causing the office to become vacant.
V-8 In the event of vacancies of any office other than president occurring by reason of resignation, death, incapacity, or by other disqualification, the Executive Board shall forward names of interested, qualified candidates to the Board of Representatives. The Board of Representatives shall have the power to elect any qualified Association member to serve in the vacated position for the remainder of that term.
ARTICLE VI- ELECTIONS
Vl-1 In January the Board of Representatives shall elect a Candidates Search Committee of six members, whose names cannot appear on the ballot: two from the elementary schools, two from the intermediate schools and two from the high schools, no member of which
shall be an officer in the Association. The members of this committee shall elect their own
chairperson.
Vl-2 During the first week in February this committee shall post a notice in each building announcing the opening of the nominating process, positions, regulations and deadlines. Any member wishing to have his or her name placed on the ballot shall submit to the committee in person the signatures of 50 members representing at least two schools by the posted deadline.
Vl-3 It shall be the duty of the Candidates Search Committee to verify the signatures and to report the names of candidates who have qualified for the ballot at the March Board of Representatives meeting.
Vl-4 In the event that no member indicates an interest and/or validated petition, it shall be the duty of the Candidates Search Committee to insure that a name be placed on the ballot for each available position.
Vl-5 A notice listing the names of all nominees shall be sent to each representative in each school no less than fifteen school days before the election. The representative shall post and distribute this notice of nominees and inform the members of the Association in their building.
Vl-6 In the event that a candidate is uncontested for an SEA officer position, said candidate shall be declared elected by the presiding officer at the May Board of Representatives meeting. A vote by secret ballot will not be taken for that position.
Vl-7 The election procedure shall be completed by the May Board of Representatives meeting.
During that meeting, the results of the election will be declared official by the Board of Representatives. The officers shall be elected for a term of office as described in Article V and shall serve until their successors are installed.
Vl-8 The newly elected officers and representatives shall assume office on July 1. Each school shall elect its representatives and alternates by the June Board of Representatives meeting and shall promptly send the names of the elected delegates to the Elections Committee Chairperson.
Vl-9 To insure that the current SEA president will be the head of the delegation attending CEA and NEA Representative Assemblies, election of that officer's position must be stated on the election ballot (President, CEA delegate, NEA delegate) when that person is elected as president of the Association.
ARTICLE VII- MEETINGS
Vll-1 The Board of Representatives shall meet regularly on the third Tuesday of each month from September to June. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President or a quorum of the Board of Representatives. Two thirds of the schools represented shall constitute a quorum.
Vll-2 The Executive Board shall meet a minimum of 3(4) times a year on mutually convenient
dates for the majority of the Board.
Vll-3 The annual General Membership meeting of the Association shall be held in June. General
Membership meetings of the Association may be called (1) by the President on a vote of the Executive Board, (2) by the President in the case of an emergency, or (3) by a written petition signed by at least 20% of the membership with the purpose of the meeting clearly stated on the petition. Notice of a general meeting shall be sent, if possible, at least one week prior to the date of the meeting and shall state the time, place and the business for which it is being called. Fifty (50) members shall constitute a quorum for all General Membership meetings.
ARTICLE VIII - FINANCES
VIII-1 The President and committee chairpersons shall be empowered to expend appropriated budgeted monies. Each expenditure request above $500.00 must be pre-approved by the Executive Board. Any requested expenditures beyond the allocated budget shall be reviewed by the Executive Board and then approved by the Board of Representatives.
The President shall be allotted a line item of $500 for discretionary purposes.
Vlll-2 The Treasurer shall be empowered to pay bills presented by the officers and the committee chairpersons for debts incurred in the regular business of the Association.
Reimbursements will not be made without receipts.
Vlll-3 The accounts of the Treasurer shall be subject to an audit at any time during the year. An audit must be made yearly prior to the June Board of Representatives meeting. The report of the Audit Committee shall be read at that meeting or at any subsequent meeting at the President’s discretion, following an audit.
ARTICLE IX- COMMITTEES
IX-1 The following shall be standing committees of the Association: Audit, Budget, Elections, Human Relations, Instruction and Professional Development, Legislative, Membership, Minority Affairs, Occupational Standards, Personnel Policies, Political Action, Grievance, Public Relations, Retirement and Recognition, Scholarship, Social, and Welfare.
IX-2 The President shall appoint, with the consent of a majority of the Board of Representatives, the chairs of all standing committees with the exception of the Audit and Candidates Search Committees, which shall elect their own chairpersons.
IX-3 There shall be such special committees elected by the Board of Representatives or appointed by the President as may be necessary to promote the objectives and interests of the organization.
ARTICLE X- PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of the Scott Foresman Roberts' Rules of Order shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution/Bylaws and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.
ARTICLE XI- AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended upon proposal by two-thirds of the Board of Representatives and ratified by two-thirds of the votes cast by the membership in their respective buildings.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE A- POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
A-1 President
It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the Association, Executive Board and Board of Representatives; to be a member, ex officio, of all committees except the Audit and Candidates Search Committees; to supervise all plans for the unifying of and rendering efficient work of the Association; and to perform such other duties as usually devolve upon a president. The President shall automatically represent the SEA at the CEA and NEA yearly conventions. The President shall appoint Chairs of Standing Committees.
A-2 Secondary and Elementary Vice Presidents
It shall be the duty of the Vice Presidents to assist the President in the performance of his or her duties and to temporarily assume the duties and responsibilities of the President in
case of absence or at his or her request. In the case of resignation, death, incapacity, or by other disqualification of the President, we shall have co-presidents for the remainder of the term. The two Vice Presidents will assume the duties. The Elementary Vice President will deal with concerns/issues dealing with grades Pre K - 6. The Secondary Vice President will deal with concerns/issues in grades 7-12.
A-3 Treasurer
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures, to file vouchers for expenditures and to pay all bills. The treasurer shall present to the Board of Representatives a monthly report of the status of each budgetary account and notify the President of any possible over expenditure in any account. The Treasurer shall submit a budget for the May Board of Representatives meeting that compares previous allotments and expenditures and recommended allotments and expenditures for the coming year.
ARTICLE B- POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
B-1 Board of Representatives
It shall be the duty of the Board of Representatives to carry on the business of the Association in such manner as the Board of Representatives shall deem best suited in the attainment of the objectives of the Association and shall carry into effect such measures as the Association shall direct the Board of Representatives shall have the responsibility of resolving the concerns of the general membership.
B-2 Delegates
It shall be the duty of the delegates to present to the Board of Representatives items of concern from the membership and to inform the membership of all issues brought before the Board of Representatives. Delegates shall have the power to vote on behalf of their constituency.
B-3 Executive Board
It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to oversee, suggest and implement policies congruent with the aims of the Association and the actions of the Board of Representatives. The Executive Board shall set the agenda for each Board of Representatives meeting. During the months of July and August the Executive Board shall have the power to act for the Association.
B-4 Audit Chair
It shall be the duty of the Audit Chair to examine the accounts of the treasurer. The committee shall consist of three members and shall elect its own chairperson. This committee shall be elected at the January Board of Representatives meeting and shall serve for a period of six months.
B-5 Budget Committee
It shall be the duty of the Budget Committee to assist the Treasurer in preparing a budget setting forth the estimated receipts and recommended expenditures and to present this budget for the approval of the Board of Representatives at its May meeting.
B-6 Elections Chair
It shall be the duty of the Elections Chair to work with a committee to recommend, implement, monitor and authenticate all elections and elections procedures.
B-7 Human Relations & Recognition Committee
It shall be the duty of the Human Relations Committee to promote and protect human civil rights for all children, youth and adults and to foster affirmative programs to bring about complete equality of educational opportunity and the enhancement of human relations at all levels of the school system and society. The HRC shall also recognize individuals with exemplary performance through established awards.
B-8 Instruction and Professional Development Chair
It shall be the duty of the Instruction and Professional Development Chair to promote and develop professional activities through the PDEC that will strengthen the overall effectiveness of teachers. The IPD Chair will also keep the Board informed on all changes to the Teacher Evaluation Plan, including updates from CEA and NEA.
B-9 Legislative Chair
It shall be the duty of the Legislative Chair to work in conjunction with the local, state and national associations in the initiation and support of state legislation, support of federal legislation and to study and make recommendations on all matters essentially legislative.
B-10 Membership Chair
It shall be the duty of the Membership Chair to promote interest in the unified membership of the Stratford Education Association, Connecticut Education Association and the National Education Association; to handle and report on all such memberships for each individual; and to oversee the collection of all dues.
B-11 Minority Affairs Chair
It shall be the duty of the Minority Affairs Chair to raise the awareness of the Association with regard to issues pertinent to ethnic minority members. The Chair shall monitor the appointment of a liaison to the CEA EMAC and promote adherence to Article.31G
of the NEA Bylaws. In addition, the Chair will encourage the active involvement of minority members in the Association.
B-12 Occupational Standards Chair
It shall be the duty of the Occupational Standards Chair to establish guidelines for working conditions in all buildings under normal operating conditions as well as during renovations and/or repair of any nature. The Chair shall assist in the expeditious handling of all questions and concerns. The committee will be composed of two members from schools with concerns and four permanent members, including one who has been involved in a previous building project.
B-13 Personnel Policies Chair
It shall be the duty of the Personnel Policies Committee to solicit and determine contract proposals for salaries, fringe benefits, working conditions and matters relating to educational policies. A Negotiating Team shall be formed from this committee. The chairperson of the Personnel Policies Committee will be the chairperson of the Negotiating Team.
B-14 Political Action Chair
It shall be the duty of the Political Action Chair to provide an awareness of the candidates running for office at the local, state and national level and to provide knowledge of each candidate's platforms through public forums or any other appropriate format. Endorsement of candidates shall be decided by a majority vote of the Board of Representatives.
B-15 Grievance Chair
It shall be the duty of the Grievance Chair to investigate all grievances, either formal or informal, in respect to any educational policy affecting the professional staff.
B-16 Public Relations Chair
It shall be the duty of the Public Relations Chair to promote a favorable public opinion that is intelligent, informed and favorable toward education.
B-17 Retirement and Recognition Chair
It shall be the duty of the Retirement and Recognition Chair to recognize outstanding professional achievement, accomplishment or retirement of any member of the Stratford Education Association.
B-18 Scholarship Chair
It shall be the duty of the Scholarship Committee to review applications and select recipients under the Stratford Education Association Scholarship Program. The scholarship funding will be voted on by the Association at the first meeting of the Executive Board. Awards shall be funded through interest generated from the Stratford Education Association/Nettie Filmer scholarship fund and/or money raised by the Association.
B-19 Social Chair
It shall be the duty of the Social Chair to be responsible for all social activities that have not been delegated to other committees.
B-20 Welfare Chair
It shall be the duty of the Welfare Chair to send a card to members in the case of an illness of more than 3 weeks. In the event of a birth or adoption of a child, of serious or prolonged illness, death, or of death in the immediate family, an appropriate remembrance shall be sent.
ARTICLE C-FINANCES
C-1 Dues
The dues of the Association shall be voted upon each year at the May Board of Representatives meeting.
C-2 Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of each calendar year.
C-3 Honoraria
Honoraria shall be given to the President, secondary and elementary Vice Presidents, Treasurer, chairperson of the Grievance Committee, chairperson of the Membership Committee and chairperson of the Personnel Policies Committee (amount to be determined by a vote of the majority of Board of Representatives in attendance)
ARTICLE D - REPORTS
The President, Secondary and Elementary Vice Presidents, Treasurer, and the Chairpersons of standing committees shall submit their annual reports in writing to the President by June 1. The complete annual report will be duplicated and distributed to all delegates and members at the annual June General Membership meeting.
ARTICLE E- CONTRACT RATIFICATION
E-1 Contract Analysis Committee
It shall be the duty of the Contract Analysis Committee to evaluate and analyze any proposed changes in the Stratford Education Association's contract with the Board of Education, not involving binding arbitration, and to present its opinion to the Negotiating Team. The committee shall consist of at least three members, each of whom is a former officer or a former chairperson of the Association.
E-2 Contract Review
It shall be the duty of the Negotiating Team of the Personnel Policies Committee to allow the members of this Association to review any proposed contract between the Board of Education and this Association. The time allocated for this review will be no less than three (3) working days before the members are asked to vote on the proposed contract.
E-3 Voting Procedure
Any vote taken on the ratification of a proposed contract between the Board of Education and the Association will be by a written secret ballot at the conclusion of discussion.
APPENDIX A: DUE PROCESS
Due process of law implies the right of the person affected thereby to be present before the Tribunal which pronounces judgment upon the question of life, liberty, or property, in its most Comprehensive sense; to be heard, by testimony or otherwise, and to have the right of Controverting, by proof, every material fact which bears on the question of right in the matter involved. If any question of fact or liability be conclusively presumed against him, this is not due process of law.
Current Stipend Amounts should be listed here:
Last revised on May 19, 2017