Council Constitution
1. NAME: The name of this not-for-profit organization shall be the Middle Years Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
2. OBJECTS: The objects of this council shall be to support the learning of middle level students in Alberta Schools by
Supporting middle level teachers and students
Providing quality professional development opportunities
Advocating middle level philosophy
Networking of middle level educators
3. MEMBERSHIP:
3.1 Regular Membership—Active members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and associate members who are ineligible for active membership, as specified in ATA bylaws, are eligible for regular membership in this council. All such members shall be entitled to full privileges of Council membership including the rights to vote and to hold office.
3.2 Life Membership—Life members of the ATA, as specified in ATA bylaws, are eligible for life membership in the Council and are entitled to all the benefits and services of council membership except the right to hold office.
3.3 Student Membership—Student members of the ATA, as specified in ATA Bylaws, may join this council and shall be entitled to all benefits and services of council membership except the right to hold office.
3.4 Honorary Membership—Those persons awarded honorary membership from time to time shall have all the privileges of regular membership except the rights to vote and to hold office.
3.5 Membership in specialist councils is not available to those individuals, who, under the Teaching Professional Act and the Teacher Membership Status Election Regulation, are eligible to make an election of membership and elect associate on non-membership in the Alberta Teachers' Association.
4. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: Persons who are ineligible for active or associate membership in the ATA, such as school support staff, parents and libraries, as well as retired teachers and non-active teachers, may be connected with the Council by paying a subscription fee. Payment of the subscription fee includes entitlement to the council’s publications as well as other services determined by the Council, but does not provide membership in the council.
5. FEES: Fees shall be established and may be changed by resolution at an annual general meeting of this council.
6. TABLE OFFICERS: The officers of this council, each to be elected for a term of one year at the annual general meeting of the council, shall consist of:
6.1 President (who must have previously served on the executive of the council)
6.2 Vice-president
6.3 Secretary
6.4 Treasurer
6.5 Past President
6.6 Staff Advisor (appointed by the Alberta Teachers’ Association)
6.7 Provincial Executive Council liaison (Non-voting) (appointed by the Alberta Teachers’ Association)
6.8 Conference Director (appointed by the council executive)
6.9 Communication Director (appointed by the council executive)
To be eligible to become a table officer of the Middle Years Council a candidate must be a regular member of the council.
7. EXECUTIVE: The executive of this council shall consist of all members of the table officers plus
7.1 Regional representatives
7.2 Chairs of committees (non-voting)
7.3 Department of Education representative (non-voting), representation costs paid by the Department.
7.4 University representative(s) (non-voting), representation costs paid by the universities.
8. COMMITTEES: The council shall appoint from time to time such committees as are necessary to carry out the work of the council.
9. LIAISON: Any representations which this council wishes to make to any organization, government department, other agency or official shall be conducted through the Provincial Executive Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
10. REGIONAL COUNCILS:
10.1 The executive committee of this specialist council may encourage the formation of regionals and shall have authority to grant recognition to, and establish boundaries of such regionals,
10.2 Regulations will be developed which are consistent with this constitution and the policies of the Alberta Teachers’ Association for governing the organization and operation of such regional councils. (The executive shall have the authority to disband a regional.)
11. NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: After the same notice of motion that is required for amendments to this constitution, the Middle Years Council, by a majority vote of those present at a regular session of an annual general meeting, may subject to approval by Provincial Executive Council:
11.1 join or affiliate with a national or international organization representing the same special interest;
11.2 cancel its membership or affiliation with a national or international organization.
12. REPORTING ACTIVITIES: This council shall submit annually, not later than August 31, an audited financial statement, a statement of assets and liabilities, an annual report of program and activities, and a copy of the council’s current constitution to the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
13. MEETINGS: (a) Executive—The executive committee shall be the executive and administrative body of this council. It shall meet at least two times per year and shall conduct the affairs of the council between annual general meetings. (b) General—This council shall hold an annual general meeting for which the agenda shall provide for the topics listed below:
14.1 Any member of the executive who misses two meetings, without permission of the president, during their term of office shall be deemed to have abandoned their position. The member may appeal in person to the executive to seek reinstatement, should extenuating circumstances exist. If the member is not reinstated, the position may be filled by a member appointed by the executive to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
14.2. Any member of the executive of the specialist council who has been deemed to be delinquent in fulfilling his/her responsibilities by a two-thirds vote of the executive, conducted by secret ballot, shall be removed from the executive.
The position may be filled by a member appointed by the executive to fill the vacancy or the remainder of the term.
15. AMENDMENTS: After one month notice of motion to amend the constitution being given to each member, this constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the annual general meeting of the council, subject to ratification by the Provincial Executive Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
16. QUORUM:
16.1 A quorum of the executive shall be five persons, one of whom shall be the president or a person named by the president to fulfill his or her duties.
16.2 A quorum for a general meeting shall be five per cent of the membership.
Approved, 2005 04 29 AGM
Ratified by ATA Table Officers, 2005 06 01 (includes legislated membership changes)
Amended by Provincial Executive Council 2006 06 15–16 (membership changes)
2. OBJECTS: The objects of this council shall be to support the learning of middle level students in Alberta Schools by
Supporting middle level teachers and students
Providing quality professional development opportunities
Advocating middle level philosophy
Networking of middle level educators
3. MEMBERSHIP:
3.1 Regular Membership—Active members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and associate members who are ineligible for active membership, as specified in ATA bylaws, are eligible for regular membership in this council. All such members shall be entitled to full privileges of Council membership including the rights to vote and to hold office.
3.2 Life Membership—Life members of the ATA, as specified in ATA bylaws, are eligible for life membership in the Council and are entitled to all the benefits and services of council membership except the right to hold office.
3.3 Student Membership—Student members of the ATA, as specified in ATA Bylaws, may join this council and shall be entitled to all benefits and services of council membership except the right to hold office.
3.4 Honorary Membership—Those persons awarded honorary membership from time to time shall have all the privileges of regular membership except the rights to vote and to hold office.
3.5 Membership in specialist councils is not available to those individuals, who, under the Teaching Professional Act and the Teacher Membership Status Election Regulation, are eligible to make an election of membership and elect associate on non-membership in the Alberta Teachers' Association.
4. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: Persons who are ineligible for active or associate membership in the ATA, such as school support staff, parents and libraries, as well as retired teachers and non-active teachers, may be connected with the Council by paying a subscription fee. Payment of the subscription fee includes entitlement to the council’s publications as well as other services determined by the Council, but does not provide membership in the council.
5. FEES: Fees shall be established and may be changed by resolution at an annual general meeting of this council.
6. TABLE OFFICERS: The officers of this council, each to be elected for a term of one year at the annual general meeting of the council, shall consist of:
6.1 President (who must have previously served on the executive of the council)
6.2 Vice-president
6.3 Secretary
6.4 Treasurer
6.5 Past President
6.6 Staff Advisor (appointed by the Alberta Teachers’ Association)
6.7 Provincial Executive Council liaison (Non-voting) (appointed by the Alberta Teachers’ Association)
6.8 Conference Director (appointed by the council executive)
6.9 Communication Director (appointed by the council executive)
To be eligible to become a table officer of the Middle Years Council a candidate must be a regular member of the council.
7. EXECUTIVE: The executive of this council shall consist of all members of the table officers plus
7.1 Regional representatives
7.2 Chairs of committees (non-voting)
7.3 Department of Education representative (non-voting), representation costs paid by the Department.
7.4 University representative(s) (non-voting), representation costs paid by the universities.
8. COMMITTEES: The council shall appoint from time to time such committees as are necessary to carry out the work of the council.
9. LIAISON: Any representations which this council wishes to make to any organization, government department, other agency or official shall be conducted through the Provincial Executive Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
10. REGIONAL COUNCILS:
10.1 The executive committee of this specialist council may encourage the formation of regionals and shall have authority to grant recognition to, and establish boundaries of such regionals,
10.2 Regulations will be developed which are consistent with this constitution and the policies of the Alberta Teachers’ Association for governing the organization and operation of such regional councils. (The executive shall have the authority to disband a regional.)
11. NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: After the same notice of motion that is required for amendments to this constitution, the Middle Years Council, by a majority vote of those present at a regular session of an annual general meeting, may subject to approval by Provincial Executive Council:
11.1 join or affiliate with a national or international organization representing the same special interest;
11.2 cancel its membership or affiliation with a national or international organization.
12. REPORTING ACTIVITIES: This council shall submit annually, not later than August 31, an audited financial statement, a statement of assets and liabilities, an annual report of program and activities, and a copy of the council’s current constitution to the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
13. MEETINGS: (a) Executive—The executive committee shall be the executive and administrative body of this council. It shall meet at least two times per year and shall conduct the affairs of the council between annual general meetings. (b) General—This council shall hold an annual general meeting for which the agenda shall provide for the topics listed below:
- Election of table officers.
- Adoption of minutes from the preceding annual general meeting and any special general meetings held in the interim.
- The annual reports from this council’s president and treasurer.
- Receiving of reports of committees.
- An audited financial statement for the preceding fiscal year.
- An annual budget.
- Revisions to the fees for membership in this council for which the required notice of motion has been given.
- Amendments of this constitution for which the required notice of motion has been served.
- Other business.
14.1 Any member of the executive who misses two meetings, without permission of the president, during their term of office shall be deemed to have abandoned their position. The member may appeal in person to the executive to seek reinstatement, should extenuating circumstances exist. If the member is not reinstated, the position may be filled by a member appointed by the executive to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
14.2. Any member of the executive of the specialist council who has been deemed to be delinquent in fulfilling his/her responsibilities by a two-thirds vote of the executive, conducted by secret ballot, shall be removed from the executive.
The position may be filled by a member appointed by the executive to fill the vacancy or the remainder of the term.
15. AMENDMENTS: After one month notice of motion to amend the constitution being given to each member, this constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the annual general meeting of the council, subject to ratification by the Provincial Executive Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
16. QUORUM:
16.1 A quorum of the executive shall be five persons, one of whom shall be the president or a person named by the president to fulfill his or her duties.
16.2 A quorum for a general meeting shall be five per cent of the membership.
Approved, 2005 04 29 AGM
Ratified by ATA Table Officers, 2005 06 01 (includes legislated membership changes)
Amended by Provincial Executive Council 2006 06 15–16 (membership changes)