Adopted April, 2000

The name of this organization shall be the SOUTH DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS. The organization is also referred to as SDAESP and the Association.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSES

It shall be the purpose of this organization:

1. To advocate and promote child centered programs that enhance the self worth and self-concept of each child.
2. To work for continuous improvement of elementary education in South Dakota.
3. To enhance the image of the elementary school principal as an educational leader.
4. To provide assistance to elementary school principals through such services as publications, conferences, research, peer advising, and cooperation with local, state, and national associations.
5. To serve as the spokesperson for elementary school principals on issues affecting education.
6. To promote the goals of the elementary principals’ association and evaluate the progress being made.

Active membership is open to those persons who support the purpose and pay the dues of SDAESP, and are (1) engaged in the administration and supervision of schools of elementary grades, or (2) employed in professional work related to the elementary school principalship.

Associate membership is reserved for those persons who are not eligible for active membership but those whose work is related to elementary education. Associate members will pay the regular membership dues and are entitled to all the privileges of the Association except the right to vote and hold office.

Honorary membership is open to those retired persons who have held active membership or associate membership in SDAESP. Honorary members will not pay the regular membership dues or registration fee, other than the cost of their meals for the annual conference and are entitled to all privileges of the Association except the right to vote and hold office.

The officers of the Association shall be a president, a president-elect, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer, a federal relations coordinator, and a state representative. The vice-president shall move through the office of the president-elect and president in subsequent years.

Section 2

The secretary shall serve for a term of one year and may succeed himself/herself in the same office. The treasurer shall serve for a term of two years and may succeed himself/herself in the same office.

The state representative and federal relations coordinator, appointed by the president and the Executive Board, shall serve for one or two three-year terms as designated by the National Association. Vacancies will be announced on the website, and interested persons may submit written application to the Association President within thirty (30) calendar days of website posting.

The officers, with the exception of the state representative and federal relations coordinator, shall be elected by ballot.

In case of a vacancy in the office of the president, the president-elect shall become president and serve as president until the regular succession of the vice-president.

The Executive Board shall consist of the officers, the immediate past president, the area representatives, and editors of association publications. Members will also include those holding national positions.

The Executive Board shall be the governing body of the Association. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held subject to the call of the president or upon request of a majority of the Executive Board.

The president shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board, shall appoint all standing committees, and shall perform all other duties pertaining to the office. The president shall be an ex officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. He/She shall appoint a qualified parliamentarian to be present at all regular assembled membership meetings.

In the absence of the president of the Association, the president-elect shall assume the duties of the president.

The president-elect shall assist the president in the work of the Association.

The secretary shall record minutes of all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board and shall perform all other duties of the office.

The treasurer shall collect and have custody of all funds of the Association in an institution approved by the Executive Board and shall keep the accounts of the Association and submit copies of a current itemized statement at each meeting of the Executive Board. An audit will be made at the end of the fiscal year and the report shall be presented to the Executive Board at the first scheduled meeting following the audit. The Executive Board will appoint a committee annually to prepare an audit report at the end of each fiscal year.

Section 7

The state representative shall serve as a liaison between the recognized State Association of Elementary Principals and the NAESP. The representative shall coordinate the national membership campaign within the state. The state representative shall advise the Executive Board and the Association of policies and programs of NAESP.

SDAESP shall provide two persons to represent its organization on the Executive Board of the School Administrators of South Dakota. These two persons will be the current president and president-elect of SDAESP. When the SDAESP is responsible for the president and vice-president of SASD, the most recent past president shall become the organization’s candidate for president and the current president of SDAESP will become the vice-president of SASD. In the event that either the president or past-president is not a member of SASD, the president will appoint a three-member Nomination Committee for SDAESP membership who concurrently holds membership in SASD. This committee will place in nomination at the spring conference one name for each vacancy. Any SDAESP member may submit additional names from the floor, but all persons nominated must be current members of the SASD. The year the SDAESP provides the president of SASD, the SASD president and the SDAESP president will be the two persons to represent SDAESP on the Executive Board of the SASD.

Section 9

The federal relations coordinator shall serve as a liaison between the recognized federal legislators and the state organization. The federal relations coordinator shall advise the Executive Board and general membership about state and national legislative issues pertaining to education. The federal relations coordinator will represent SDAESP at the Federal Relations Convention and at the Leadership Conference.

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the assembled members at any regular meeting.

The fiscal year and the membership year shall be from July 1 through June 30.

An annual conference for the entire membership shall be held each year.

Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of the assembled members at any regular meeting after considering recommendations of the Executive Board.

The officers shall determine registration fee for the Annual Conference.

The operation funds shall include all income, revenue, and grants to the Association.

SDAESP shall assist with expenses: for the president-elect and the state representative to attend the National Convention; for the president, president-elect, federal relations coordinator, and state representative to attend the Leadership Conference; and for the Federal Relations Coordinator to attend the Federal Relations Conference.

Section 5

The president shall present a budget for the approval of the membership at the annual conference.

The state shall be divided into areas for the purpose of promoting the objectives of the Association. The Executive Board shall determine the boundaries of the areas.

The representative of each area shall be selected by the members of each respective area.

The Association shall have the following standing committees: the Constitution Committee, the Curriculum Committee, the Resolutions Committee, the Publications Publicity Committee, the Educational Research Committee, and the Legislative Committee.

The rotation of the six standing committees shall be as noted in Appendix A.

Section 3 Nominating Committee

The nominating committee shall consist of the last three active past presidents with the immediate past president acting as chair. Meetings will be held as needed to complete responsibilities prior to annual conference. The committee shall meet prior to the annual spring conference to make nominations for vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The nominating committee shall prepare a slate of candidates to be voted prior to the annual conference. A minimum of two candidates shall be nominated for all offices except president and president-elect. Candidate profiles will be publicized and ballots included in the SDAESP website prior to the annual conference.

These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the assembly of members at any regular meeting.

The Association website will be maintained by an assigned member of SDAESP. The Executive Board and other members of the Association will assist the with expertise and ideas as requested.

The Association website will be used for the dissemination of business and information to the membership and other interested parties, promotion of membership, participation and benefits, promotion of the Association goals, objectives and legislative positions and recognition of outstanding principals and programs.

Any questions or disagreements concerning the website will be resolved by a majority vote or the Executive Board.

Constitution 5 4 1 6

Curriculum 4 1 3 6

Educational Research 1 3 7 4

Legislative Proposal 3 7 2 1

Newsletter* 7 2 6 3

Journal* 2 6 5 7

Resolutions 6 5 4 2

*Publications Publicity Committee