Constitution

Wyoming Association of Secondary School Principals

ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE

This organization shall be known as the Wyoming Association of Secondary School Principals. Its purpose shall be to consider and act upon all issues involving the middle level and secondary school of Wyoming, to promote the general improvement of our middle level and secondary schools, to develop better relations in all activities among the schools of Wyoming, and to be supportive of public education in general.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I - Joint Membership has been in effect since October 1, 1996. In order for a school administrator to be eligible for individual or institutional membership in the WASSP, he/she must also meet the qualifications for membership in the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). A middle level or secondary school principal must be an active member of WASSP to qualify for membership in NASSP. The membership of the association shall consist of the following classes: individual, institutional, retired, and educator.

SECTION II - On payment of annual dues, individual membership is open to all persons engaged in teaching, administrating, or supervising middle level or secondary schools.

SECTION III - On payment of annual dues, institutional membership in the name of an individual is open to middle level school, secondary schools, libraries, and other educational institutions.

SECTION IV - On payment of annual dues, retired membership is open to active members who have retired and have been members of the association for a minimum of five years.

SECTION V - On payment of dues, educator membership is open to anyone holding a current teaching certificate and in a supervisory role.

SECTION VI - Only individual members holding administrative positions in secondary and middle level education at the time of their election shall have the privilege of holding office in the association.

SECTION VII - The steering committee shall have power to pass upon the qualifications of all applicants for membership.

ARTICLE III - OFFICERS, STATE REGIONS, AND STEERING COMMITTEE

SECTION I - The elective officers of this organization shall be a president, a president-elect, a secretary-treasurer, and assistant principal representative, a middle school representative, and a state coordinator. Each of these officers, except the state coordinator, shall be elected for a one-year term at the annual fall meeting. The state coordinator shall be elected for a three-year term. A nominating committee appointed by the president shall submit a slate for these offices to the membership at the annual fall meeting. Additional nominations shall be requested from the floor in an open meeting preceding the election. Any person nominated for an office must be an active member in good standing. The president-elect and the middle school representative shall be selected from a different region each year from the following regions: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. The presidency of this association shall also rotate each year among senior high school principals or assistants and middle level principals or assistants.

OFFICER ELECTED TAKES OFFICE

President (President Elect) After 1 year as President-elect

President-elect Fall Meeting Conclusion of fall meeting

Secretary-Treasurer Fall Meeting July 1, following fall meeting

State Coordinator Fall Meeting July 1, following fall meeting

Asst. Principal Rep Fall Meeting Conclusion of fall meeting

Middle School Rep Fall Meeting Conclusion of fall meeting

SECTION II - For association organizational purposes, there shall be four state regions identified as follows. Each regional organization shall have as its goal the achievement of the association's goals, and may also set additional goals compatible with those of the association and of special concern for the members of that region. The members of each region shall elect a chairperson during the annual fall conference. The four regional chairpersons shall be members of the association's Steering Committee. Each region is encouraged to hold at least one meeting of the members in that region prior to the fall meeting at a place of their choice to discuss items of common concern to the members in that region and items of concern for association business. Special regional meeting may also be called by the region chairperson and as encouraged by the officers of WASSP to consider special association business. Region chairpersons are not to serve more than two consecutive years. The four regions shall be structured as follows

Northeast: Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Weston, Crook, and Natrona Counties

Northwest: Freemont, Park, Big Horn, Washakie, and Hot Springs Counties

Southeast: Albany, Laramie, Platte, Goshen, Converse, and Niobrara Counties

Southwest: Lincoln, Uinta, Sweetwater, Cargon, Teton, and Buglette Counties

SECTION III - A steering committee shall consist of the following voting members: the president as chairperson, the president-elect, the past president, the secretary-treasurer, the state coordinator, the assistant principal representative, the middle level representative, and the chairpersons from each of the state's four regions. The executive secretary will serve as an ex-officio member. The steering committee may invite other members of the associations to meet with it for any purpose it may designate.

ARTICLE IV - DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

SECTION I - President: The president of the association shall perform the usual duties imposed upon presidents of such groups. In addition, the president shall serve as chairperson of the steering committee and be a member ex-officio of all other committees of the association. The president shall appoint all committee members not otherwise provided for and call special meeting of the general membership with advice and majority approval of the steering committee. The president, or a representative appointed by the president, may from time to time, represent the association at various state and other educationally related meeting. Further, the president shall have the authority to appoint such other ad hoc committees as need would dictate.

SECTION II - President-elect: The president-elect shall perform the usual duties imposed upon the president-elect of any organized group. Specifically, the president-elect shall be a member of the steering committee, act as president in the absence of the president, and with input form the steering committee, shall be the contact person for the executive secretary for planning conferences and programs for the association. He may also serve as an ex-officio member of standing committees as appointed by the president to act in the president's behalf.

SECTION III - Secretary-Treasurer: The secretary-treasurer's position shall be bonded in the amount of $20,000. The secretary-treasurer shall keep a complete record of financial transactions of the steering committee and serve as recording secretary at all general business meetings and at steering committee meetings, and shall perform such other duties as directed by the president and/or the steering committee. The secretary-treasurer shall provide copies of the meeting minutes to all steering committee members within two weeks following the meeting. The secretary-treasurer shall also receive membership dues and shall keep an up-to-date record of membership. To assist the secretary-treasurer with fiscal responsibilities, the president shall appoint an auditing committee to make a financial audit each year.

SECTION IV - State Coordinator: The state coordinator shall be a member of the steering committee and shall serve as chairperson of the membership committee; encourage membership in both state and national associations, interpret and explain the work and various projects of the national association to the state association; encourage individual participation in the professional work of the state and national associations; recommend key people for committee assignment by the state president and the NASDSP Board of Directors; keep the NASSP Board of Directors informed concerning problems and projects of the state association; and shall serve on the NASSP Board of Nominators, as provided for in Article X of the NASSP Constitution.

SECTION V - Assistant Principal and Middle Level Representatives: These representatives shall bring particular concerns of the assistant principals and the middle level principals to the attention of the steering committee.

SECTION VI - Regional Representatives: The four regional representatives to the steering committee shall be the communicational link between the steering committee and the members of the association by providing an organized way of disseminating information to the membership and by providing input, ideas, and proposals from the membership to the association. Other duties include:

1. Coordinate regional meeting of secondary principals.

2. Submit at least one article for publication to the WASSP Newsletter each year.

3. Convey to the regional membership the results and proposals of the other committees as well as other information as directed by the WASSP President.

4. Attend the Annual Fall WASSP Conference and the Wyoming School Administrators (WSA) Spring Conference.

5. Seek out and encourage new membership into the WASSP and NASSP Associations.

6. Be accessible as mentor/resource to the new secondary administrators in the region.

7. Seek and nominate principals for Principal of the Year , Assistant Principal of the Year, and Middle Level Principal of the Year.

8. Attend WASSP Steering Committee meetings when scheduled.

SECTION VIII - Executive Director: The executive director shall be responsible to the WASSP Steering Committee, as directed, shall assist with implementation and provide information concerning the policies of the association and special committees; shall see that the membership is informed of official actions; shall assist with clerical duties related to membership; shall serve as editor of the WASSP Newsletter and assist in the publication and distribution of any other association publications and any special reports as directed by the steering committee. The executive director shall (a) provide coordination services for the various regions and standing committees of the association, (b) assume major responsibilities for structuring the association conference meeting, (c) work to help the association realize its aims as outlined in its constitution, (d) direct status studies and needed research activities, and (e) provide other association services as directed by the president or requested by the regional chairpersons and committee chairpersons. The executive director may represent the association at various educational meetings as directed.

SECTION IX - Steering Committee: The Steering Committee shall be the representative body for the Wyoming Association of Secondary School Principals. The steering committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the president of the association and have the authority to represent the membership in all matters affecting policy, procedure, meeting and programs. It shall consider authorizations for the president to call special meetings of the membership and have control of the association's finances including the development of an annual budget. It shall periodically review the association's constitution and submit proposals for change to the membership. It shall fill vacancies of elected positions until the following fall meeting.

SECTION X - Special Committees: Special committees, appointed by the president, shall be responsible for specified activities as stated and others that the president may deem necessary to assign. Special Committees that may be appointed by the president as needed are as follows.

1. Instructional Program Committee: It shall be responsible for finding and reporting on exemplary programs and procedures that strengthen learning opportunities at the secondary level which may be used for presentations at the fall meeting. This committee shall consist of four members, one from each region, which will report to the president-elect.

2. Legislative Committee: This committee shall work cooperatively with corresponding committees of other educational organizations for furthering the support of secondary education and education in general. It will also seek to establish a working relationship with state and federal legislators that will enable the association to make its views known. The committee may solicit the membership's help in influencing legislation that relates to education. This committee shall consist of six members: four regional representatives (one from each region), the president as chairperson, and the executive director as an ex-officio member.

3. Status, Welfare, and Ethics Committee: This committee is to be organized and activated as needed by the president.

4. Nominating Committee: It shall nominate candidates for each of the offices, secure the candidates' approval and present recommendations to the members at the fall conference. Nominations will also be called from the floor according to position rules and regulations. This committee has three members.

5. Retirement Recognition and Awards Committee: It shall seek information concerning association members who will retire from practice and according to association rules and regulations shall arrange for any other recognition awards as provided by the association. This committee shall consist of the four regional representatives and the secretary-treasurer as committee chairperson.

6. Auditing Committee: It shall make an annual audit of the association's financial records and present a report at the fall meeting. It shall also direct and audit any special association elections conducted by mail that relates to association business. This committee shall consist of three members from the same region.

7. Membership Committee: The state coordinator is chairperson of this committee and the committee shall encourage state and national membership. It shall be responsible for recruiting members and for conduction yearly membership programs. The committee shall consist of representatives from each region to include the state coordinator and the secretary-treasurer.

ARTICLE V - DUES

A dues structure for the membership will be proposed by the steering committee, voted upon by the association membership at its fall meeting, and approved by simple majority of those present.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution may be made by recommendation of the steering committee and referendum by the membership at an association meeting. Each member must be sent a copy of the proposed change one month in advance of the general membership meeting at which the proposed change will be discussed. The proposed change may be passed by a simple majority of those present at the annual fall conference of the association.