Standard Constitution for ATA Convention Associations

Mission Statement

Teachers’ conventions support professionalism and enhance student learning by addressing teachers’ professional needs, supporting professional collaboration, advancing effective teaching practices and motivating reflective practice by exploring research and emerging educational issues.

Vision Statement

The vision for teachers’ conventions of the Alberta Teachers’ Association consists of the following components:

• engaging sessions that focus on enhancing the professional practice and leadership development of teachers;
• professional appearance of the program and proceedings that reflect the high standards of the profession;
• strong support from teachers across the province for their professional organization’s annual convention as a time to promote the profession, public education and professional practice;
• effective links to other groups within the Association, as well as to other PD partners, in developing and presenting the program;
• building of leadership capacity and succession within the executive and boards of the convention associations;
• promotion of teachers’ conventions as a significant activity of the Association;
• strong support from parents, the media and the general public for teachers’ conventions as one way that teachers improve the quality of teaching and support student learning in Alberta.

Mandate

The Alberta Teachers’ Association, through its convention associations, assumes full responsibility for planning, conducting and evaluating the annual teachers’ conventions held across the province. Because the convention is only one of a number of interdependent professional development forums for teachers, the opportunities provided must be planned so they complement and/or supplement the other components of a teacher’s individual professional growth plan.

Given that teacher attendance is obligatory, convention boards shall therefore develop annual programs of interest to teachers at all levels and in a variety of curriculum areas.

The general nature of conventions must be recognized by choosing a relevant theme of broad appeal and by restricting presentations by outside special interest groups. A wide variety of sessions both as to content and format must be provided so that the convention meets the objectives of:

• motivating and inspiring teachers;
• improving teaching skills;
• introducing teachers to new educational ideas;
• increasing teacher knowledge;
• providing opportunities to renew or develop collegial relationships and share ideas, concerns and solutions;
• providing relevant curriculum information; and
• exchanging information and ideas regarding current issues in education.

I. Definitions

In this constitution,

1. “Active Members” has the same meaning ascribed to it as in the Teaching Profession Act;
2. “Associate Member” means those individuals who are granted associate membership as per the Teaching Profession Act and who are eligible to attend convention as approved by Provincial Executive Council;
3. “Convention Association” means the ______________________ Convention Association of the Alberta Teachers’ Association;
4. “Convention Board” means a representative body consisting of duly elected or appointed members of the locals forming the convention association who have the right to vote and hold office.
5. “Liaison Representative” means a person approved by Provincial Executive Council or the convention board to serve in an advisory, liaison and/or consultative capacity on the convention board;
6. “Member-Locals” means the following local associations of the Alberta Teachers’ Association:
   1.
   2.
   3.

II. Name

The name of this organization shall be the ______________________ Convention Association of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

III. Object

The object of the convention association shall be to plan, organize or authorize an annual teachers’ convention for its members to be held on teaching days, the purpose of which shall be to maintain and improve teachers’ professional practice and leadership capacity.

IV. Eligibility To Attend Convention

Individuals eligible to attend convention shall consist of:

1. Active members of the member-locals;
2. Active members of such other locals of the Alberta Teachers’ Association as may be admitted from time to time on approval of Provincial Executive Council and the convention association;
3. Associate members:
   1. who are declared eligible by Provincial Executive Council; and
   2. who have notified the convention association in writing of their willingness to participate in convention activities and to pay the required fee;
4. D.Liaison representatives approved by the convention board.

V. Withdrawal of Membership

A member-local may withdraw from the convention association upon approval of the Provincial Executive Council, provided written notice of such withdrawal is personally delivered or sent by registered mail to the convention association at least 18 months prior to the date of the convention for which it would be effective, and further provided that the member-local requesting withdrawal has satisfied all Provincial Executive Council guidelines for withdrawal then in force.

VI. Convention Board

1. The governing body of this organization shall be the convention board.
2. Membership on the convention board
   1. Membership on the convention board shall include
      1. representatives elected or appointed by each member-local of the convention association by the first local council meeting following convention;
      2. members selected by or from within the convention board including
         1. members of the board elected as president, secretary, treasurer and program chair of the association and
         2. such other members as shall be appointed directly by motion of the convention board. The number of members so appointed shall not exceed 20 per cent of the total number of members on the board; and
      3. Alberta Teachers’ Association district representatives as voting members of the convention board for the convention association(s) to which locals from that district are assigned.
3. Duties of representatives on the convention board shall include
   1. liaise and provide regular reports to member-locals;
   2. attendance at duly called meetings of the convention board and/or its committees;
   3. assistance at the convention including but not limited to duties hosting speakers and chairing sessions;
   4. faithful fulfillment of duties of any office of the board to which a member is elected;
   5. such other duties as may be authorized by the convention board by motion from time to time.
4. Duties of the district representative shall include
   1. represent Provincial Executive Council at convention meetings and at convention;
   2. provide updates/reports from Provincial Executive Council at convention meetings;
   3. participate in the development and implementation of a program that promotes teaching as a profession;
   4. evaluate the convention and provide feedback to the convention board.
5. The convention board shall:
   1. plan, organize, administer and evaluate the annual teachers’ convention;
   2. report on all convention matters to the member-locals through their representatives on the convention board;
   3. request services from the Alberta Teachers’ Association and specialist councils and review, from time to time, the services provided;
   4. act as an appeal body for those teachers whose request to be absent from the convention has been denied by the convention attendance committee.
6. The quorum shall be one more than half the number of voting members of the convention board.

VII. Executive Officers

1. The executive officers shall be:
   1. Past President (if applicable),
   2. President,
   3. First Vice-President (if applicable),
   4. A minimum of one and a maximum of seven Vice-Presidents or Committee Chairs,
   5. Secretary(or secretary/treasurer)
   6. Treasurer (or secretary/treasurer)
   7. District Representative
2. All executive officers are members of the convention board.
3. In addition to the above executive officers, an honorary president may be appointed by the convention board. Such office shall be honorary in nature and a person so appointed may attend meetings but shall not vote in deliberations of the executive or the convention board.
4. The secretary and treasurer or secretary-treasurer shall be appointed annually by the convention board.
5. All officers other than the honorary president, past president, secretary and treasurer or secretary-treasurer, shall be elected by and from the existing convention board at its first meeting and, thereafter, annually at the first meeting of the convention board to be held not later than May 1 following its annual convention.
6. The quorum shall be one more than half the number of voting members of the executive officers.

VIII. Duties

1. President: It shall be the duty of the president to call and preside at all meetings of the convention board and the executive officers. Notwithstanding the above, in the absence or in the capacity of the president, it shall be the designated duty of another executive member to act in this capacity.
2. Vice-presidents or committee chairs: It shall be the duty of each vice-president or committee chair to carry out those duties as assigned by the president and as approved by the board.
3. Secretary: It shall be the duty of the secretary to
   1. Keep accurate and complete minutes and records of all convention board and executive officers meetings and proceedings;
   2. Bring before the convention board all official notices and communications received from the Alberta Teachers’ Association or from member-locals;
   3. Be generally familiar with the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Privacy Policy and maintain records containing personal information in accordance with the law;
   4. Prepare and forward all reports required by member-locals and the Alberta Teachers’ Association;
   5. Prepare and forward all meeting notices;
   6. Send copies of the convention program to the Alberta Teachers’ Association and to the Minister of Education as soon as the program is printed.
      
      AND
4. Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the treasurer to
   1. Keep accurate and complete records of all monies received and disbursed;
   2. Disburse funds as approved and in accordance with convention policy;
   3. Prepare, after consultation with appropriate persons, the annual budget for consideration and approval by the convention board and forward copies of the approved budget to all member-locals and the Alberta Teachers’ Association;
   4. Prepare annual audited financial statements for approval by the convention board and forward copies to each member-local and the Alberta Teachers’ Association by September 30 of each year
      
      OR
5. Secretary-treasurer: It shall be the duty of the secretary-treasurer to
   1. Keep accurate and complete minutes and records of all convention board and executive officers meetings and proceedings;
   2. Keep accurate and complete records of all monies received and disbursed;
   3. Bring before the convention board all official notices and communications received from the Alberta Teachers’ Association or from member-locals;
   4. Be generally familiar with the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Privacy Policy and maintain records containing personal information in accordance with the law;
   5. Disburse funds as approved and in accordance with convention policy;
   6. Prepare and forward all reports required by member-locals and the Alberta Teachers’ Association;
   7. Prepare and forward all meeting notices;
   8. Prepare, after consultation with appropriate persons, the annual budget for consideration and approval by the convention board and forward copies of the approved budget to all member-locals and the Alberta Teachers’ Association;
   9. Prepare annual audited financial statements for approval by the convention board and forward copies to each member-local and the Alberta Teachers’ Association by September 30 of each year;
   10. Send copies of the convention program to the Alberta Teachers’ Association and to the Minister of Education as soon as the program is printed.
6. Past President: It shall be the duty of the past president to
   1. Call and preside at all meetings of the convention attendance committee;
   2. Annually update the policies and procedures manual for the convention association.

IX. Convention Attendance Committee

1. The convention board shall appoint a convention attendance committee consisting of three members of the convention board including the past president, who shall be chair.
2. The duties of the convention attendance committee shall be
   1. To receive and rule upon requests from members of the convention association to be absent from the annual convention to attend alternative professional development activities in accordance with the Protocol for Convention Attendance;
   2. To notify all members of the convention association making such requests as to the decision of the convention attendance committee and to advise those teachers whose requests have been denied about the appeal process available to them;
   3. To notify the Alberta Teachers’ Association of possible cases of non-attendance and to cooperate with the Association in the investigation and resolution of the cases;
   4. To ensure that guidelines for convention attendance are well communicated to members.

X. Finances

1. The convention board, after consultation with member-locals, shall set fees for the annual convention.
2. The convention board shall approve an annual budget and submit it to its member-locals and to the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
3. The convention board shall be responsible for the control, collection and distribution of all monies.
4. All honoraria, travelling and other necessary expenses of members of the convention board shall be paid in accordance with policies established by the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
5. The signing officers shall be the treasurer or the secretary-treasurer and such other officer or officers as designated by the convention board.
6. An accredited accountant, or other person acceptable to the Association, shall be appointed annually by the convention board to audit the convention association’s annual financial statements.
7. The convention board shall ensure that the audited financial statements are forwarded to each member-local and to the Alberta Teachers’ Association by September 30 of each year.

XI. Meetings

Meetings of the convention board shall be called by the secretary or secretary-treasurer on at least three (3) days’ notice on the instruction of the president or upon the request, in writing, of at least one member-local.

XII. Replacement of Convention Board and/or Executive Committee Member

1. Any member of the convention board and/or executive committee who misses three (3) meetings during their term of office shall be deemed to have abandoned their position. The member may appeal in person to the executive committee to seek reinstatement should extenuating circumstances exist.
   
   If the member is not reinstated the member and the local will be notified in writing and a replacement will be requested. If the member being replaced was on the executive committee the convention board will elect a member to fill the vacancy.
2. Any member of the executive committee who has been deemed to be delinquent in fulfilling his/her responsibilities by a two-thirds vote of the convention board conducted by secret ballot shall be removed from the executive committee. The member may appeal in person to the convention board to seek reinstatement.

XIII. Amendments to the Constitution

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the convention board provided

1. A notice of motion respecting the amendment has been filed with the secretary or secretary-treasurer at the preceding regular meeting of the convention board;
2. Receipt of the approval of a majority of the member-locals has been obtained; and
3. The amendment is ratified by the Provincial Executive Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

Amended and Approved by ATA Table Officers Committee 2002 02 13
Amended and Approved by ATA Table Officers Committee 2004 06 02
Amended and Approved by ATA Table Officers Committee 2005 06 01
Amended and Approved by Provincial Executive Council 2006 06 15–16