Bylaws
Article 1
Name
This organization shall be known as the Minnesota Kindergarten Association and shall operate within the structure of this association.
Article 11
Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be:
To provide professional growth opportunities for members.
To advocate for developmentally appropriate Kindergarten programs for children.
To advocate for developmentally appropriate education of Kindergarten teachers.
To give organizational directions and focus to collaborative efforts with other early childhood groups.
Inclusive of foregoing purposes, the association is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Article III
Membership
Section 1.
Anyone interested in the development and education of young children is eligible for active membership in this organization.
Section 2.
The organization shall not afford pecuniary gain to any person by reason of membership.
Article IV
Meetings of the Organization
Section 1.
The general business meeting shall take place at the annual Kindergarten conference.
Section 2.
There shall be at least one professional meeting each year.
Section 3.
Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the president.
ARTICLE V
The Executive Board
Section 1.
The executive board shall consist of elected officers, regional representatives, board appointed members and statewide appointees.
Section 2.
The executive board shall meet up to four times per year.
Section 3.
All members may vote at meetings of the executive board.
Section 4.
Special meetings may be called by the president.
Section 5.
Members of the executive board shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred while performing their official duties
Article VI
Elected Officers
Section 1.
Officers shall consist of a president, a president elect, a secretary/historian and a treasurer.
Section 2.
Officers must hold a current Minnesota teaching license with Kindergarten eligibility.
Section 3.
The officers shall be elected at the annual Kindergarten Conference.
Section 4.
Terms of president and president elect shall be two years. Terms of secretary and treasurer shall be four year.
The president elect will automatically move up to the office of president.
The former president shall serve in an advisory capacity two years following his/her term of office.
The former treasurer shall serve in an advisory capacity one year following his/her term of office.
Vacancies occurring during the term of office may be filled by the executive board.
Section 5.
Duties of the President
To preside at all general and conference meetings.
To preside at all executive board meetings.
To prepare and carry out the agenda for all meetings.
To perform duties to carry out association business.
To organize any committees as needed.
To delegate tasks to other executive board members.
To act as advisor on the executive board for two years following regular term of office.
To keep the president’s book up to date.
To create attendance certificates for board meetings.
To renew non profit corporation status before December 31 of each calendar year.
Duties of President Elect
To preside at any meeting the president is unable to attend.
To assume duties of president in the event the president is unable to continue in that capacity.
To perform duties assigned by the president and assist in carrying out association business.
Duties of Past President
To serve on the board in an advisory capacity for two years.
To be a liaison between the Minnesota Kindergarten Association and the National Kindergarten Alliance board for two years.
To perform duties assigned by the president and assist in carrying out association business.
Duties of the Secretary/Historian
To keep documents of all general proceedings, general meetings and executive meetings.
To distribute reports of such meetings to all board members.
To keep the secretary’s book up to date.
To read the secretary‘s report at meetings.
To handle correspondence as designated.
To advise executive board of past actions of the association.
To retain current materials that may be of later historical interest.
To assemble the materials in a manner that membership may view them.
Duties of the Treasurer
To pay all bills
To keep treasurer’s books up to date.
To advise executive board on association financial matters.
To act as advisor on executive board for one year following regular term of office.
To handle professional meeting finances.
Article VII
Appointed Members: Regional Responsibilities
Section 1
There will be representatives from seven regions of the state serving on the executive board. There shall be one representative that lives and or teaches in that region.
Section 2
The regional representatives will have the following duties:
To promote the involvement of kindergarten teachers in the kindergarten association.
To develop a communication system within the region.
To advise the executive board on the concerns of the region.
To seek out leadership within the region.
To attend Executive Board meetings.
To contribute information to the MKA newsletter.
Section 3
Regional representatives will serve for a three year term. They may serve for no more than two consecutive terms. Regional representatives will be replaced by the executive board.
Article VIII
Appointed Members: State-wide Responsibilities
Section 1
Additional members of the executive board may include the following: Newsletter Coordinator, Membership Chairperson, Legislative Liaison, Minnesota Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (MnAECTE) Liaison, Minnesota Department of Education Liaison, Public Relations, MKA Grants/Scholarship Chairperson, Spring Conference Liaison.
Section 2
Duties of the Newsletter Coordinator
To send reminders to executive board members prior to newsletter deadline dates.
To collect newsletter reports from all executive board members.
To solicit news items, book reviews, announcements on meetings, courses, and workshops.
To finalize the newsletter for printing.
To send newsletter extra copies to the membership chair.
Duties of Membership Chairperson
To compile membership roster.
To collect membership dues and mail to the treasurer.
To be responsible for the dissemination of MKA new member information and web site information.
To print membership form.
Duties of Legislative Liaison
To encourage members of the Association to exercise their political rights and keep them informed about new legislation.
To write timely legislative updates for the newsletter.
Duties of the Minnesota Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (MnAECTE) Liaison
To be a liaison between MKA and MnAECTE.
Duties of the Minnesota Department of Education Liaison
To be a resource person.
To keep MKA members aware of current happenings in the early childhood field.
Duties of the Public Relations Person
To help recruit MKA members.
To promote MKA.
To maintain the MKA brochure.
To acknowledge contributions of MKA members.
To maintain and distribute a yearly roster of past presidents, board members (terms of office and addresses) and conference sites.
To create award certificates and follow gift/memorial guidelines.
To correspond for the board.
To provide board member with the MKA notebook and welcome packet.
Duties of the MKA Grants/Scholarship Chairperson
To distribute grant/scholarship opportunities in each newsletter and to Minnesota colleges.
To choose a committee to work with in choosing the grant recipients.
To maintain a record listing all grants/scholarship recipients.
Duties of Spring Conference Liaison
To work in collaboration with the board to secure host sites two years in advance.
To be a communication liaison and resource person between the board and the host site committee.
To submit articles (or have conference host submit articles) for the newsletter and web site promoting the Spring MKA professional conference.
To attend the MKA Spring Conference. If unable to attend, an MKA board member must be secured to fulfill liaison duties that day.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of the organization by a two- thirds vote of the members present, provided such amendment is presented to the secretary in writing at the opening of the annual meeting or before, read to the members present, and voted upon under the heading of “New Business”.
ARTICLE X
Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of the Association, the Association shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501( c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Trustees shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the Association is located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
Last revision 6/18/12
Approved 6/18/12