Constitution and Bylaws

of

ARTICLE I

Title

This organization shall be known as NORTHVIEW SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST SCHOOL.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of this school is to continue providing education in grades K-10 for the youth of any Seventh-day Adventist church which may wish to affiliate; or any youth, regardless of religion, race or national origin whom the board may vote to accept as students. It shall further be the purpose of the school to instruct the children, not only in academic studies, but in Christian living, Bible study, prayer, and in seeking a fellowship with the living God.

ARTICLE III

Constituency Description

A Constituency of the school is the members of the current affiliated Seventh-day Adventist churches. The Constituency, through its elected delegates, shall function as a guide to the school board by approving:

1. Constitution and by-law revisions.
2. Capital improvements above $5,000.
3. Financial and legal obligations that would seriously affect the stability of the constituent churches.
4. Any master plan for the development of the school and the property.

Each constituent church is to elect delegates to serve as voting members at the school constituency meetings. A delegate’s term of office shall be for one year. Each constituent church is entitled to one delegate, plus an additional delegate for each fifteen members, or major fraction thereof. No one church shall have more than 49% representation of all elected delegates. The names of those delegates shall be forwarded, immediately upon their election, to the secretary of the school board. The constituency shall hold no fewer than one required meeting per year, the date of which shall be established by the school board.

ARTICLE IV

Constituent Affiliation

After a church has approved this constitution and by-laws, and made financial arrangements under ARTICLE XII with the school board, said church may apply for constituent status through the school board and must be approved at a constituency meeting. Withdrawal from affiliation requires a two-thirds vote of the seceding church in a duly-called church business meeting. A request for withdrawal must be filed with the chairperson by May 1^st of the current school year. All obligations accrued by the withdrawing school shall be binding until such debts are liquidated.

The school board shall consist of:

1. The pastors of all school-affiliated churches. They shall be non-voting members.
2. The principal of the school, who shall be a voting member.
3. Any visiting Conference or Union Educational superintendents. They shall be non-voting members.
4. The Home and School coordinator, who shall be a non-voting member.
5. Each church who is affiliated shall have a minimum of two members on the board and an additional member for each 50 church members (or major fraction thereof).

Members shall sit on the board for a two-year period beginning in July of each year. Churches shall alternate the tenure of their members. It is the responsibility of elected board members to attend regularly. Any elected member absent for three consecutive meetings, or a total of one-fourth of the board meetings in the school year, is subject to replacement by his/her local church board.

ARTICLE V

Quorum of School Board

A quorum of the school board shall consist of a simple majority (half plus one) of the voting members. Delegates from at least three churches must be present in quorum. The school board shall be conducted under the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VI

Vote of the School Board

Favorable action of the board shall require a majority vote of the voting members present.

ARTICLE VII

Officers of the Board

The officers of the board shall consist of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary, an assistant secretary, and a treasurer. All officers shall be elected by the board at the organizational meeting, which is the first meeting of the school year, and shall hold office from July 1^st through June 30^th. Officers shall take office immediately upon election. The person presiding over the election of new officers shall be chosen from the pastors of the affiliated churches by the previous church board at their final meeting.

The duties of the officers shall be as follows:

Chairperson

1. Shall preside at all meetings.
2. Shall call all meetings to order.
3. Shall see that a tentative budget is presented to the board.
4. Shall act as the authorized spokesperson for the board, and act in the name of the board, when so instructed by the board.
5. Shall refer delinquent board members to local church boards for replacement.
6. Shall act as chairperson of constituency meetings.

Vice-Chairperson

1. Shall act in the absence of the chairperson.

Secretary

1. Shall keep records of all meetings.
2. Shall give a report at each meeting, and present written minutes of the previous meeting.
3. Shall assist in the preparation, accounting, and expending of budgeted monies.
4. Shall send out notices to the board members of all forthcoming meetings five day in advance whenever possible.
5. Shall send reports of meetings to the Michigan Conference Education Department.

Assistant Secretary

• Shall act in the absence of the secretary at meetings.

Treasurer

1. Shall receive all money for school projects such as tuition, books, insurance, and building.
2. Shall keep a record of all money received.
3. Shall keep a record of each church’s financial standing with the school, make a monthly report to each church treasurer, and present a written report at each board meeting.
4. Shall pay all bills authorized by the board.
5. Shall present a school financial report at each board meeting, and make duplicate copies for board member for posting in their churches.
6. Shall maintain a bank account for deposit of all funds.
7. Shall bill appropriate accounts.

Assistant Treasurer

1. Shall act in the absence of the treasurer.

ARTICLE VIII

School Board Meetings

The regular meetings of the school board shall be held at the school on a monthly basis. The chairperson may call special meetings if necessary. Special meetings will be considered closed meetings. All regular board meetings are open meetings. Anyone desiring to be heard must present a request in writing to the chairperson before the meeting, with a summary of remarks, and gain the chairperson’s permission.

ARTICLE IX

Special Committees

Executive Committee

The school board shall appoint an Executive Committee consisting of the current board chairperson, the principal, and a representative from each constituent church. Members of this committee must be current school board members. Term is for one year, July 1st to June 30th.

The Executive Committee shall make recommendations to the school board concerning issues of administration and policy, and have the authority to decide on unexpected issues that must be handled before the next regular meeting. A report of these decisions shall be given to the board at its next regular meeting or by telephone contact.

This committee shall be called into session by the chairperson of the school board, or in his/her absence, the vice-chairperson. The quorum of this committee shall be 4 (four). The chairperson of this committee shall be the school board chairperson.

Finance Committee

The school board shall appoint a Finance Committee consisting of the current school board treasurer, principal, and two other board members. The term of the Finance Committee shall be for one year from July 1stto June 30th.

The Finance Committee shall make recommendations only to the school board concerning the school budget, and any other financial matters sent to them by the board.

This committee shall be called into session by the school board chairperson, or in his/her absence, by the treasurer. The chairperson of the Finance Committee shall be appointed by the school board.

Other Committees

When the need arises for other special committees, a representative from each affiliated church shall serve on such committees. The school board shall appoint the chairperson of these committees.

ARTICLE X

Financial Obligations

(See current financial plan/budget as voted by the constituency)

Financial obligations shall be approved by the respective affiliated church boards by no later than the fourth Friday after Labor Day. The board shall pass a tentative operating budget by the March meeting and shall update and approve it at the September meeting when enrollment figures are available.

Present and future financial needs of the school, including but not restricted to general operating and building expenses, shall be prorated among the affiliated churches by the method of: 1) placing one-third emphasis on student enrollment; 2) one-third on tithe; and, 3) one-third on church membership. In making such division of responsibility, the board shall use figures for tithe and membership available on July 1st of each year.

ARTICLE XI

Rates

Rates are to be established by vote of the constituency meeting. Children from SdA families attending non-constituent churches, and children from non-SdA families, shall be accepted when adequate financial arrangements have been made with the school board.

ARTICLE XII

School Bulletin

The school board shall adopt by its July meeting, and cause to be available to parents upon enrollment, a school bulletin as specified in paragraph 65 of the General Conference Department of Education Bulletin C-52.

ARTICLE XIII

School Buses

All school buses bringing children to Northview Seventh-day Adventist School shall meet state bus requirements. Buses other than public school buses must carry the name of the school and be numbered. Public school buses may be used.

ARTICLE XIV

Home and School Association

The Home and School coordinator shall hold no less than five regular Home and School meetings per school year, and carry on activities as recommended by the Michigan Conference and the school board. The secretary of the school board shall call together the elected Home and School representatives of the affiliated churches before the October board meeting. The secretary shall chair the election of the Home and School coordinator from among these representatives. A representative of the Home and School shall be a non-voting member of the board unless currently and simultaneously holding an elected board position. A written financial statement shall be submitted to the board on a monthly basis.

ARTICLE XV

Constitution and Bylaws

These laws can only be amended by a majority vote of a duly-authorized constituency meeting. Action for amending the constitution may initiated by any school board member, or any affiliated church board.

Revised and adopted: May 2001
Northview Seventh-day Adventist School
Constituency Meeting