WSPA Bylaws
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION
Constitution
Preamble
The Washington School Personnel Association shall stand as an organization committed to the goal of promoting sound practices in personnel administration and employee relations in public, private, and post-secondary education. Through its efforts, the Association shall seek to represent the needs of its members by providing programs and communications specifically designed to keep its members abreast of personnel practice to enable them to be effective in their roles as education personnel professionals.
The Washington School Personnel Association shall be related in purpose and spirit to the Washington Association of School Administrators and the American Association of School Personnel Administrators.
Constitution - Article I- Names
The official name of this organization shall be the “Washington School Personnel Association.”
Constitution - Article II- Purpose
The purpose of the Washington School Personnel Association shall be to promote the growth of knowledge in school personnel administration toward a goal of more effective personnel practices and procedures in public, private, and post-secondary education.
Constitution - Article III – Organizations
Executive Board Officers
The Executive Board shall consist of the immediate Past President, the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. All Executive Board members shall carry an equal vote.
Board
The Board shall consist of the immediate Past President, the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Regional Representatives. All board members shall carry an equal vote.
The fiscal year for the Association shall be September 1 through August 31.
Membership
Membership in the Association is established in the following categories as defined in the bylaws:
- Active Membership
- Retired Membership
- Honorary Membership
- Associate Membership
- District Membership
- Promotional Membership
Constitution - Article IV- Officers/Regional Representatives
Officers of the Association shall include the President, the President-Elect, the Past President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, who shall be elected to terms by majority vote of active members by ballot. The Past President shall also be an official officer of the Association as well as the regionally elected representatives. Terms of office for President, President-Elect, and Past President shall be one year each. Terms of office for Secretary shall be for two years. Term of office for the Treasurer shall be three years. Terms of office for Regional Representatives shall be for three years. The individual elected as President-Elect shall serve the Association for three years through the term of office of Past President. A Regional Representative shall be selected by each region following procedures developed in each region. All officers and Regional Representatives shall officially take office on July 1.
Constitution - Article V- Regional Units
Regional units of WSPA shall be organized to further the goals and purposes as stated in the WSPA Constitution and Preamble. Furthermore, the regional units will serve to further the communication between the membership and the state organizations.
The regions of WSPA shall include all districts, agencies and members serving (or residing for retirees) in the geographic areas served by counties or ESD’s:
Region 1: ESD 101
Region 2: ESD 105, 123, 171
Region 3: ESD 112, Lewis and Pacific countries
Region 4: ESD 113, ESD 121, Thurston County
Region 5: ESD 114, Mason, Gray’s Harbor County
Region 6: ESD 189
Constitution - Article VI- Committees
Standing and special committees shall be established as needed to carry out the purposes of the Association. Committee appointments may be made by the President or Board. Members are encouraged to volunteer to participate on Association committees.
Constitution - Article VII – Meetings
There shall be one regular business meeting of the general membership, which shall take place at the annual Spring Conference. Other meetings may be scheduled by the President and/or the Board as deemed necessary.
Regional meetings shall be held as necessary and are encouraged to be held monthly. The time and place shall be determined by the Regional Representative, who shall so notify the President and Executive Director.
Constitution - Article VIII – Dues and Finance
Dues to the Association shall be determined annually by the Board, with changes approved in accordance with Article IX, Amendments, of the Bylaws. Each region will be allocated funds to provide for the operation of regional activities. This amount shall be determined annually by the Board and shall be specified in the annual budget presented to the membership.
Constitution - Article IX – Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed, in writing, by a current member, at regular Association meeting or to the Board and shall be voted upon. All amendments to the Constitution shall be revised by the board, which shall make a report to the membership. All proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be presented to and voted upon by the entire active membership by ballot or at a statewide meeting of the membership. A majority affirmative vote of the returned ballots is necessary for approval of the amendment(s).
Bylaws
Bylaws - Article I – Duties of State Officers and Executive Director
Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside or to arrange for presiding officers at all state meetings and conferences. The President shall be Chairperson and a member of the Executive Board and shall call extra meetings of the Board (1) whenever he or she deems it necessary, or (2) whenever he or she is requested to do so by a majority of the members of the Board. The President shall also attend the Board’s annual retreat and Board meetings. The President shall provide leadership for all activities of the Association and perform all other duties pertaining to his/her office. The President shall appoint special committees as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association. Upon request by the region, the President shall arrange for visitations by the President and/or designee to regional meetings.
Section 2. The President–Elect, shall preside at the meeting(s) in the absence of the President. The President–Elect shall attend the Board’s annual retreat and Board meetings. The President–Elect will perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board and will be responsible for conducting the annual Board transition meeting.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a complete and accurate record of all regular meetings of the Association and all meetings of the Board. The Secretary shall have the records present at all regular meetings of the Association and of the Board. Correspondence and special conference notices may be sent by the Secretary as requested. At the expiration of the term of office, the Secretary shall turn over to the successor all books, records, and property of the Association for which he or she is custodian. The Secretary shall attend the Board’s annual retreat and Board meetings. The Secretary will perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the monies due the Association and shall keep an accurate record of all Association funds. The Treasurer shall have his or her records present at all regular meetings of the Association and of the Board. The Treasurer shall provide a current accounting of all Association revenue and expenditures to date at the annual transition meeting to facilitate the development of budget allocations for the following fiscal year. The Treasurer shall present a budget to the general membership annually following approval by the Board. At the expiration of the term of office, and after approval of an auditing committee, the Treasurer shall turn over to the successor all money, books, records and property of the Association for which he or she is custodian. The Treasurer shall attend the Board’s annual retreat and Board meetings. The Treasurer will perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Board.
Section 5. The Past President may assist the Executive Director with coordination and communication of legislative activities, including written position statements, resolutions and testimony. The Past President shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board.
Section 6. The Executive Director, hired as a consultant by the Association, shall perform the contractual duties as specified in the consultant contract between the Executive Director and the Association. The Executive Director shall be responsible for planning, organizing, and conducting annual educator career fairs; preparing communications as deemed necessary by the President and the Board; keeping the Board informed about legislative issues; and other duties as assigned by the President. An annual review of the consultant contract will be conducted by the Board.
Bylaws - Article II – Duties of Regional Representative Officers
Section 1. The primary task of the Regional Representative shall be to prepare timely and effective programs for the region which provide information and in-service to members. The Regional Representative shall be a member of the Board and shall respond to requests from the Board pertaining to the dissemination or collection of information and will work to ensure that the regional membership needs are communicated to the Board. The Regional Representative shall also be active in developing membership in WSPA. The Regional Representative shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board.
Section 2. The Regional Representative/Designee shall send out notices of all regional meetings, arrange meeting places, arrange meals as needed, and accept reservations from members. At the end of the term of the office of the Regional Representative all books, records, and property of the region shall be turned over to the newly elected Regional Representative. Regional Representatives are encouraged to involve other regional members as needed to fulfill the duties of the position.
Section 3. Each Region shall have two representatives elected with alternating terms and each shall vote when Board votes are taken.
Section 4. Regional Representatives shall attend the annual board retreat. Attendance shall include the incoming and standing co-representatives. The outgoing co-representatives shall not attend.
Bylaws - Article III – Qualification, Terms of Office, Vacancy, and Removal of Executive Board Members, and Regional Representatives Officers and Executive Director
Section 1. All Association officers shall have major responsibilities in the area of personnel administration at the time of nomination and election for vacant positions.
Section 2. If, after having been elected, an officer assumes responsibilities in an area outside of personnel administration, the President (or President-Elect if the President is involved), will appoint a committee to review the duties of the new position to determine the eligibility of the individual to continue in the Association office. The Committee will send its recommendation to the Board.
Section 3. Terms of office for elected officers shall be as follows:
President-Elect 1 Secretary 2
President 1 Treasurer 3
Past President 1 Region Reps 2
Section 4. Regions select Regional Representatives for two (2) year terms of office to the Board. The term for each Co-Representative shall be two (2) years rotating with the other Co-Representative so that only one Representative is elected each year unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Section 5. Each year, new officers shall be announced in the spring and will officially take office on July 1.
Section 6. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President prior to January 1, the President-Elect shall at once succeed to the office of the President and shall serve the remainder of the vacant term. After December 31, the President-Elect shall also assume the office of the President and shall serve for the remainder of the vacant term for which he or she was elected.
Section 7. In the event of the vacancy in the office of the President-Elect, a special election will be held to elect a new President-Elect.
Section 8. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary or Treasurer, the president shall, with the concurrence of the Board, appoint a member to complete the remaining portion of the term of office.
Section 9. In the event of the vacancy in the office of Regional Representative or Regional Secretary, the regional unit shall determine the procedure for filling the vacancy.
Section 10. The Board shall be responsible for negotiating a contract with a consultant to perform the duties of the Executive Director.
Section 11. Any Board member, who in the judgment of the majority of the Board, is found to be performing the responsibilities as an elected representative of the Association in a less than satisfactory manner will be informed of same by the President of the Association. The President will give the Board member an opportunity to present any mitigating circumstances, either orally or in writing. After discussion of the circumstances with the Board, the President will then inform the member of the Association’s decision regarding the elected position.
Bylaws - Article IV – Membership
Membership in the Association shall be defined as follows:
- Active Membership: Active membership in the Association shall be for those individuals with responsibilities for personnel administration and related functions in public, private, or post-secondary school systems, or that have interest in personnel administration. It shall also include those employed in professional-technical positions in personnel-related fields including, but not limited to, employee relations, data processing, employee benefits, salary administration, staff selection, or substitute operations. Only active members have the right to vote.
- Retiree Membership: Retiree membership in the Association shall be for those individuals who have been active members of the Association and have retired. All retiring active members will be recognized with a plaque at the annual conference.
- Lifetime Membership (Honorary): A lifetime membership shall be awarded to an individual for meritorious service in school personnel work. Such an award will be recommended by the Board and authorized by a majority vote of active members present at a regular Association meeting. Honorary members will be afforded the following privileges:
- Lifetime dues at no cost;
- Receipt of regular association communication and
- Special recognition as determined by the Board.
- Associate Membership: Membership shall be opened to individuals serving in the capacity of administrative intern, consultant, and others with focus upon personnel functions as recommended by the Board.
- District Membership: District Membership: A district membership includes all of the benefits of an active membership, however is for those districts who would like to have up to 10 employees receive all WSPA communications. In addition all district employees are eligible for the reduced membership rate for all WSPA events. District employees outside of the 10 identified members will received the reduced rate for all WSPA events, but are not eligible to vote and are not eligible for WSPA program scholarships and grants.
- Promotional Membership: A promotional membership shall be awarded to an individual for participation in an identified WSPA event. Promotional memberships shall be for one membership year only. Such promotional memberships will be recommended and authorized by the Board.
Bylaws - Article V – Meeting and Rules of Procedure
Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all state and regional meetings of the membership and the Board of the Association.
Section 2. Quorum. A quorum for Board meetings of the Association shall be constituted by four members.
Section 3. Board. Board decision may be made by a majority of the Board through conference call, by telephone, fax, electronic mail, at a regular executive meeting, or by mail ballot. Actions resulting from such phone or mail ballot shall be included in the minutes of the next regular meeting of the Board.
Section 4. General Membership Meeting(s). A general membership meeting will be held at the Annual Conference. Should additional meetings be needed, notice of the time and place shall be distributed to each active member no less than thirty (30) days before such meetings.
Bylaws - Article VI – Minutes of the Board Meetings
Minutes of all meetings of the Board shall be sent to all members of the Board and the Executive Director.
Bylaws - Article VII – Dues
For members who have been active at least five (5) years in the Association, dues will be waived for the first year following retirement and will receive the retiree membership pricing thereafter.
Membership dues are as follows, payable to the Association:
- Individual memberships: $175 annually
- Retiree and Associate memberships: $100 annually
- District memberships: $1500 annually
Bylaws - Article VIII – Audit Committee
Shall consist of at least two (2) members (one of which shall include a past treasurer) who are responsible for auditing the records of the Treasurer of the Association on an annual basis and providing a written report to the Board as to the condition of the records annually. The committee shall:
- Review all records of the Treasurer, including budget documents, receipts, billings, checkbook, and banking statements.
- Reconcile all statements to the checking and savings records of the bank.
- Review all receipts and expenditures for appropriateness.
Bylaws – Article IX – Legislative Liaison
The Legislative Liaison, hired as a consultant by the Association, shall perform the contractual duties as specified in the consultant contract between the Legislative Liaison and the Association.
Bylaws - Article X – Amendments
Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed in writing by a current member, at a regular Association meeting or to the Board. All amendments to the Bylaws shall be reviewed. Subsequently, all approved amendments shall be presented to the entire membership through a ballot or at a statewide meeting of the membership. A majority Affirmative vote is necessary for approval of the amendment.
Updated January 2024
Membership approved: March 5, 2024