Adopted changes May 9, 2000.

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Osceola Classroom Teachers Association,
sometimes called the OCTA or the Association.

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this Association shall be:
1. To improve the structure of the Association in order to insure the full and effective participation of all members, thereby establishing and maintaining an independent, self-governing organization.

2. To represent the educational employees of Osceola County in collective bargaining with the Osceola County School Board.

3. To improve the economic and social status of the educational employees of Osceola County.

4. To promote continuous improvement of instruction and curriculum.

5. To work among the public for broad support of education and for improved attitudes toward the profession.

6. To encourage educational employees to exercise their rights and privileges as citizens and to exert leadership in civic affairs.

7. To promote the rights and welfare of all students.

8. To assist each student in realizing his or her maximum potential.

9. To protect and support its members as employees in disputes with the Osceola County School Board or with those acting on behalf of the Board.

10. To advance the professional rights of educational employees by promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of its members, and to enhance professional responsibilities in order to further the consistent development in improvement of the profession and its practitioners.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

1. Application for membership shall be open to non-administrative employees employed by the Osceola County School Board. (Board Approved 1/28/02)

2. Dues: Annual dues of the local Association shall be in an amount determined by a vote of the membership at a general meeting, provided notice of any change in the annual dues shall have been provided to all members at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the general meeting at which the vote is to occur.
Dues shall be payable at time of application for membership. Dues for educational support professionals will be one half of the amount for teachers. Payments may be made by payroll deduction.

3. Persons eligible for membership are employees of Osceola County School Board and who do not have the power to hire, fire, transfer, suspend, promote, evaluate, discipline, or recommend such action. (Board Approved 1/28/02)

4. After due notice and hearing, the Board of Directors, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, may suspend or expel any member who shall have violated the Code of Ethics of the teaching profession, may cancel the membership of any members convicted in a court learned in the law of a crime involving moral turpitude: and may reinstate a
member who has previously been suspended or expelled from the Association.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES

1. The officers of this Association shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer.

2. Eligibility for office:
a. All candidates for office in this Association must have been members of the Association for at least two (2) school calendar years prior to the date that
term of office begins.
b. All candidates for the office of president and vice-president shall be or shall have been a member of the Board of Directors at the time of or prior to their candidacy.

3. Term of office: The term of office for all officers shall be one 2 (two) years, the president and vice-president to serve no more than two (2) successive terms in the same office. In case a vacancy in the office of president occurs, the vice-president shall become president.
If the offices of president and vice-president become simultaneously vacant, the remaining members of the Board of Directors shall elect one (1) of their number to serve as president for the balance of the term. All other vacancies in the offices of this Association shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment of the president with the approval of the Board of Directors.

4. Duties of Office:
a. President - the president shall call all meetings, preside at meetings of the Association and Board; appoint all standing committees with the approval of the Board; be an ex-officio member of all committees. Ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the president with the approval of the Board of Directors. The president shall give a bond to the Association in a sum to be fixed by the Board for faithful performance of the duties concerning the fiscal affairs of the Association, the premium on said bond shall be paid by the Association. The
president shall have the power to disburse funds.

b. Vice-President- The vice-president shall assume all duties of the president in case of absence or resignation of the president. The vice-president shall serve as Chairman of the Constitution and Bylaws committee.

c. Secretary - The secretary shall keep all minutes of all meetings of the Association and the Board. The secretary shall also keep an accurate record of attendance at all Board meetings. Copies of all minutes and records of the Association shall be kept in a permanent file.

d. Treasurer - The treasurer shall be responsible for handling all moneys submitted. The treasurer shall:
1. Have charge of all funds of the Association in financial institutions authorized by the Board of Directors and shall disburse them as
authorized by the Board.
2. Submit books for annual audit at the close of the fiscal year or within reasonable period of time as shall be determined by the Board.
3. Give a bond to the Association in a sum to be fixed by the Board of Directors for the faith-ful performance of the duties of treasurer
concerning the fiscal affairs of the Association and for restoration to the
Association in the case of death, resignation, retirement, or removal from office of all books, paper, vouchers, money, and other property of whatsoever kind in the treasurer's possession or control belonging to the
Association. The premium on said bond shall be paid by the Association.

5. Attendance at Meetings: It shall be the responsibility of each representative to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors. After two (2) successive unexcused absences from regularly scheduled meetings, the representative shall be notified by the president that one more absence shall require action by the Board of Directors that
may result in termination of tenure as a representative.

6. At the time of the general election, each work site shall elect its representatives, teachers and educational support professionals. For work sites with more than twenty (20) members, a representative shall be elected for each additional twenty (20) members or major fraction thereof. Additional representatives shall be elected when the membership in a work site reaches 31, 51, 71, 91, etc. Each work site shall also elect one alternate for each representative. Alternates shall have all rights and privileges at all meetings at which the elected representative is absent. (Alternates must be members of the Association).
Members who are not assigned to a work site shall be entitled to representation on the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors shall annually review all sites to determine the number of representatives the site qualifies for.

7. Eligibility for Representatives: All candidates for the position of Association representative must have been members for at least one year prior to acceptance of this position.
Exception: In case a site does not have a member who meets the eligibility, such site shall have the right to elect a member in good standing who shall have all the rights and privileges accorded other representatives.

8. Term of service of representatives: Each representative shall serve for a term of one year. In case of a vacancy, the OCTA members of that site shall elect a representative to fill the unexpired term.

9. Duties of representatives: Representatives shall serve as members of the Board of Directors. In each site representatives shall organize an OCTA unit and serve as its chairperson. The representatives shall report the business and activities of the Association to the members and in turn present to the Board of Directors the wishes and desires of the members. Note: Where two (2) or more representatives occur in one site, one shall be elected as chairperson to be responsible for the duties enumerated. Upon appointment, the representatives may serve as committee chairpersons or in other specific capacities. If an elected site rep or alternate cannot attend a Board meeting, a duly elected representative may appoint another member to represent him or her at a Board of Directors meeting. For this meeting the substitute representative shall assume the voting rights of the duly elected representative.

10. Any officer or representative may be removed through due process by two-third (2/3) vote of the membership of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. Members: All officers and representatives shall comprise the membership of the Board of Directors.

2. Duties: Upon the Board of Directors shall rest the duties, responsibilities, and authority for the conduct of the Association in all matters except as otherwise
stated in the Constitution or Bylaws; provided that the Board may, at anytime, refer any matter to the entire membership for general consideration and/or action. The members of the Board of Directors shall serve as liaison with the various sites. The Board shall have the power to arrange financial support, to approve the budget, and to act upon the business of the Association.

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

1. Appointment: Appointment of shall be made pursuant to Article IV, Section 4, A.

2. Formation and Duties:
a. The Executive committee shall be composed of the elected officers and one Executive Committee member from each of the following: high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, one from the cluster of special facilities as designated in Article IV, Paragraph 6, and four educational support members. These members will be elected from and by the Board of Directors.
b. Standing Committees: The standing committees shall include the following: Budget and Finance, Bargaining, Grievance, Public Relations, Constitution and Bylaws, Government Relations, Human and Civil Rights, Minority Affairs, and Membership. Members of these committees shall be appointed by the President and shall serve for a period of one (1) year. Each committee shall consist of a chairperson and not fewer than two (2) members.
c. Ad Hoc Committees: Special committees shall be appointed by the president pursuant to Article IV, Section 4, A.

ARTICLE VII - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

1. Nominations: All persons desiring to run for office shall make formal application to the O.C.T.A. not later than two (2) weeks prior to the spring meeting. Nominations for eligible candidates may also be made from the floor. The Election Committee shall be responsible for checking the eligibility of candidates.
2. Elections: The Election Committee shall direct the election procedures, and total, and validate the election return. A majority of the votes cast shall determine those elected. Only paid members of the Association shall be eligible to vote. Elections shall be conducted upon the direction of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS

1. General Membership:
a. There shall be two (2) general membership meetings of the Association annually. One such meeting shall be scheduled in the spring of the year at least one month prior to the close of school.
b. Special meetings for a specific purpose shall be called by the president if the need exists or by the majority of the Board of Directors.
2. Board of Directors: A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held once each month during the school year, or at any other time by the call of the president or at the call of the majority of the Board members.

ARTICLE IX - QUORUM

1. A quorum for all general meetings of the Association shall be the number of members present at the general meeting as provided in the Constitution, Article VII.
2. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of the Board members present.

ARTICLE X - FISCAL YEAR

1. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin and end to coincide with the fiscal year of FEA which begins September 1st and ends August 31st.

ARTICLE XI - RULES FOR AMENDING

Amendments to the bylaws of this Association may be introduced at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of this Association. An amendment once submitted to the Board, may be acted upon at the next regular meeting of the Board, but not later than the second subsequent regular meeting of the Board. A copy of this amendment together with the recommendation of the Board shall be presented to each OCTA member. The membership must be given thirty (30) days written notice of the proposed amendment and the amendment must pass by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members voting on the amendment at a general meeting of the Association.

ARTICLE XII. RULES OF ORDER

Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically stated in the Constitution or Bylaws of this Association.