Harwich Education Association Bylaws and Policies
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Harwich Education Association, herein after referred to as the "Association".
Article II: Objectives
" To promote interests of school personnel
" To form a closer bond among the staff by means of fellowship and cooperation
" To increase the efficiency of education as a public service
" To serve as a medium for promoting better public relations
Article III: Membership
Active members who pay yearly dues to the Harwich Education Association and affiliated associations in the Town of Harwich.
Article IV: Affiliation
The Association shall affiliate with the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the National Education Association.
Article V: Officers
Section 1: The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, up to three (3) Vice President(s) (one from each building), Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2: There shall be an Executive Board consisting of those officers plus building representatives from each building. The building representatives are to be elected by the staff of each b building representatives are to be elected by the staff of each building. The past president shall serve ex-officio to the Executive Board.
Article VI: Duties and Terms of Officers
Section 1: All officers shall begin their term on the first day of June and serve for one year. In the case of a vacancy in an office, it shall be filled by action of the Executive Board, excepting the office of president, and the person so chosen shall serve only to the end of the un-expired term.
Section 2: The President
1. Shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Board and the general membership.
2. Appoint the chairmen and members of standing committees and special committees
3. Shall be the executive officer of the Association except when it employs an executive secretary
4. Shall perform all other functions usually attributed to this office.
Section 3: The Vice- President
1. Shall perform functions usually attributed to that office
2. Shall assume all duties of the President in the absence of resignation of the President.
3. If a Vice President has to take over for the President, it will be the senior vice-president who is currently
holding the office on the Executive Board until there is a vote by the Association.
Section 4: The Secretary
1. Shall record and maintain separate minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and General
Membership meetings.
2. Shall maintain official files, and shall assist the President with the Association correspondence.
3. Shall e-mail minutes to the Executive Board before each meeting.
4. Shall act as liaison to Web Administrator
Section 5: The Treasurer
1. Shall hold the funds of the Association and disperse them in accordance with good accounting practices.
2. Shall transmit amounts to the MTA
3. Shall report to each meeting of the membership.
4. Shall prepare an annual financial statement for publication to members as directed by the Executive Board.
5. Shall be bonded by the Association.
6. Shall maintain a role of members and provide a copy to all Executive Board Members.
Article VII: Duties of Executive Board
Section 1: Upon the Executive Board shall rest the duties, responsibilities and final authority for the conduct of the Association in all matters except as stated otherwise in the Bylaws, provided that they may at any time refer any matter to the entire membership for general consideration, with the Executive Board prescribing the manner of voting thereon.
Section 2: The Executive Board by a two-thirds vote shall authorize the spending of money received from dues or contributions.
Section 3. It shall establish committees and create policies to given the committees.
Section 4: Whenever a majority of the Executive Board shall agree that an officer is incapacitated or has been grossly negligent in his duties, it shall recommend immediately to the general membership that the office be declared vacant. It the membership so votes by two-thirds (2/3) majority to uphold the replacement to fill the unexpired term.
Article VIII: Building Representatives
Section 1: In each building, staff members, who are members in good standing, shall elect representatives for the building in each unit. There shall be at least one representative from each building.
Section 2: Building representatives shall attend regular meetings of the general membership and executive board unless they are excused by the President. After two unexcused absences, the President may declare the seat vacant and call for an election to fill the remainder of the term.
Section 3: It is the duty of the representatives to distribute Association communications to the members in their buildings, for keeping the members informed, for being a liaison between the Executive Board and active members in their building.
Article IX: Website Administrator
The Executive Board will fill this position as necessary.
1. Builds, maintain, updates the Harwich Education Association website.
2. Notifies the Executive Board of all Executive Meetings and pertinent information.
3. Creates and maintains email list of HEA members.
4. Maintains and assigns email for all HEA members.
5. Sends updates of significant information via email to membership
Article X: Committees
Section 1: There shall be the following standing committees, appointed by the President and subject to approval of the Executive Board:
Negotiations Committee
…to negotiate in meetings with the School committee on hours, wages, and working conditions including the
instructional programs for all personnel in each bargaining unit.
…upon reaching tentative agreement on all matters under negotiation, the team shall prepare and submit its report
and recommendations to the members at a ratification meeting. Procedures for ratification shall be developed by
the Executive Board.
Section 2: Other committees shall be added as the need arises.
Article XI: Nominations and Elections
Section 1: elections shall take place at the annual spring meeting.
Section 2: The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President with advice and consent of the Executive Committee no later than one month prior to the announced Spring Meeting.
Section 3: Nominations for the various offices may be brought in by the Nominating Committee in writing, and nominations may also be made from the floor.
Article XII: Meetings
Section 1: The Executive Board shall meet at least monthly during the school year on a schedule to be determined by the Executive Board.
Section 2: There shall be at least one general membership meetings each year. The Board shall prepare a tentative agenda for each meeting and shall distribute it to all members prior to the meeting.
Section 3: Special meetings may be held at the call of the President upon written request or by request of 5% of the members. Business to come before special meetings must be stated in the call which shall be sent in writing to each staff Representative for notice. Business shall be confined to these items.
Section 4: Quorum
…for the Executive Board and Committees, it shall be a majority of members.
…for general membership, it shall be 20% of the membership.
Article XIII: Amendments and Rules of Order
Section 1: The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any regular meeting provided notice in writing shall be filed with the secretary ten days before the meeting.
Section 2: Robert's "Rules of Order Revised" shall be the authority of all rules of order.
Article XIV: Finance
Section 1: The annual dues shall be those set by the NEA, MTA and the Harwich Education Association.
Section 2: Agency fee shall be 80% of full membership dues.
Section 3: The Association shall pay the annual dues assessed by the state and national associations on or before June 30th of each year.
Section 4: Association costs incurred by any officer or member of the Association will be reimbursed with approval of the Executive Board upon receipt of an itemized bill and presence of proof of expense. The treasurer will disburse said monies approved.
Section 5: Dues or a portion there of, will be reimbursed to the actual officers, and representatives, (Executive Board), in June, with the stipulation of those members attending a minimum of 80% attendance of the monthly meetings. Each member who does not fulfill the 80% attendance will have 10% of their dues payment per unattended meeting deducted from this reimbursement. Any officers and/or building representative that serves as an elected member of the negotiation team will receive an additional stipend of 50% of their dues.
Section 6: Beginning July 1, 2006 the annual dues of the association shall increase at the same percentage rate as the MTA votes upon at their annual meeting. The base for 2006 is
Teacher, Nurse $95
Secretary/Clerk $55
Instructional Assistants,
Health Assistant, Library
Assistants, Cafeteria Workers,
Recess/Lunch Monitors $48.00
Title 1 $48.00
Section 7: The officers of the association shall receive an honorarium as follows:
President Dues + $1200
Vice President(s) Dues
Secretary Dues
Treasurer Dues + 500
Building Rep(s) 50% Dues
Web Administrator Dues
(Dues = MTA/NEA/HEA - Unit A)
Section 8: As of September 1, 2006 all employees will be on payroll deduction as long as said person is an employee of the Harwich Public Schools.
Article XV: Policies
Section 1. Ancillary Expenditures
A. Remembrances
In an attempt to establish consistence of remembrances from the Association between building, the following procedures are suggested.
i. Death
a. for the loss in the IMMEDIATE family of Association members
….Memorial gift not to exceed $50.00
b. Deceased teacher who is a member of the Association
…Memorial gift not to exceed $75.00
ii. Leaving/Retirement
Members leaving or retiring will receive a gift as determined by the Executive Board;
… not to exceed one hundred dollars.
Revised Spring, 1974
Revised Spring, 2001
Revised Spring, 2002
Revised Summer, 2006
