District ABA Advisory

Constitution & Bylaws
District ABA Advisory

Constitution

Table of Contents

Section I Name

Section II Purposes

Section III Interpretation of Terms

Section I – NAME

The name of this organization is the District ABA Advisory

The Advisory will operate as a non-profit organization with no personal benefit accruing to members.

Section II – PURPOSE OF THE ADVISORY

To improve the quality of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) services to children in the Surrey SD 36 School System.

The District ABA Advisory will:

• Provide parents with a forum for discussion of issues affecting the health, welfare and education of our children.
• Advise the Surrey School District of parents’ views on educational issues.
• Provide information to parents on decisions made by the District.
• Encourage co-operation and communication among all the participants in the education system.
• Inform parents of their rights in the education process, and assist them in obtaining information at all levels.
• Provide ongoing support for parents.

Section III – INTERPRETATION OF TERMS

“ABA” means Applied Behaviour Analysis

“district” means Surrey School District 36

“parent” means parents, guardians and caregivers of students registered in the District that have an ABA program overseen by an ABA Consultant.

“the Advisory” means, as a group, the members of the ABA Advisory

Bylaws

Table of Contents

Section I – MEMBERSHIP

Section II – MEETINGS

Section III – PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS

Section IV – EXECUTIVE

Section V – EXECUTIVE MEETINGS

Section VI-MEETINGS WITH SD

Section VII – CONDUCT OF EXECUTIVE AND REPRESENTATIVES

Section VIII – DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE

Section IX – COMMITTEES

Section X- SOCIAL MEDIA

Section XI – CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENTS

Section XII – PROPERTY IN DOCUMENTS

Section XIII – DISSOLUTION

Section I – MEMBERSHIP
Voting members
1. All parents and guardians of students registered in the District that have an ABA program overseen by a BCBA are voting members of the Advisory.

Non-voting members
2. Individuals in the ABA community who are not eligible to be voting members may be
invited to become non-voting members of the Advisory.
3. At no time will the Advisory have more non-voting than voting members.
Compliance with bylaws
4. Every member will uphold the constitution and comply with these bylaws.

Section II – MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
General meetings
1. General meetings will be conducted with fairness to all members.
2. General meetings will be held not less than three (3) times during the school year. One of those meetings will be the annual general meeting.
Conduct
3. At general meetings, members will not discuss individual school personnel, students,
parents, or other members of the school or ABA community.
4. The Advisory will refrain from partisan political action or other activities that do not serve the interests of the ABA students.
Notice of meetings
5. Members will be given reasonable notice of general meetings of 2 weeks.

Section III- PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
Quorum
1. A quorum for general meetings will be 7 voting members.
Voting
2. Except as provided elsewhere in these bylaws, all matters requiring a vote will be
decided by a simple majority of the votes cast (50% plus 1).
3. Members must vote in person on all matters. Voting by proxy will not be permitted.
4. Except as provided elsewhere in these bylaws, voting is by a show of hands or, where
requested by two voting members present, by secret ballot.
5. A vote will be taken to destroy the ballots after every election.

Section IV – EXECUTIVE

Role of executive

1. The executive will manage the Advisory’s affairs between general meetings.
   Executive defined
   2. The executive will include the Chairperson, vice-Chairperson, secretary, immediate past Chairperson, and such other members of the Advisory as the membership decides. Positions can be shared i.e. co-secretary, but executive will not exceed 5 members.

Eligibility
3. Any voting member of the Advisory is eligible to serve on the executive, except employees or elected officials of School District No. 36 or the Ministry of Education and a member is rendered ineligible if they have a conflict if interest due to their involvement on a board of a for-profit autism agency.

Election of executive
4. The executive will be elected at each annual general meeting.
5. Elections will be conducted by the Chair of the Nominations Committee who will be nominated by executive prior to AGM, executive will determine which ones.
Term of office
6. The executive will hold office for a term of one year from January to January and will be
eligible for re-election at the end of each term.

Vacancy
7. If an executive member resigns or ceases to hold office for any other reason, the
remaining executive members may appoint an eligible member of the Advisory to fill the vacancy until the next annual general meeting.

Removal of executive
8. The members may, by a majority of not less than 75% of the votes cast, remove an
executive member before the expiration of his or her term of office, and may elect an eligible member to complete the term.
9. Written notice specifying the intention to make a motion to remove the executive member must be given to all members not less than 14 days before the meeting.
Remuneration of executive

10. No executive member may be remunerated for serving on the executive and may not be reimbursed for expenses incurred while engaged in the Advisory’s affairs.

Section V – EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
Meetings
1. Executive meetings will be held at the call of the Chairperson. At least one meeting will be held before each general meeting.
2.  Executive members will be given reasonable notice of executive meetings.

3. Minutes will be recorded and kept on file in secretary’s binder.

External committees
5. The membership or executive may elect or appoint a member who is not an employee or elected official of School District No. 36 or the Ministry of Education to represent the Advisory on an external committee or to an external organization.
6. The representative will report to the membership or executive as required.

Section VI-MEETINGS WITH SD

1)Meetings will happen on as needed basis and an attempt will be made to meet with SD three times per year.

2)Members of executive must comply with advisory code of ethics and self-interest shall not be promoted.

Section VII – CONDUCT OF EXECUTIVE AND REPRESENTATIVES
Code of ethics
1. On election or appointment, every executive member and representative must sign and agree to abide by a code of ethics acceptable to the membership.

Representing the Advisory
– Every executive member and representative must act solely in the interests of the parent membership of the Advisory.
Privilege
– Any information received in confidence by an executive member or representative from school personnel, a student, parent, or other member of the school or ABA community is privileged and must not be divulged without permission of the person giving the information.

Section VIII – DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE AND REPRESENTATIVES

The Chairperson will
(a) foster, facilitate and maintain a positive working relationship with the District.
(b) speak on behalf of the Advisory
(c) consult with Advisory members
(d) preside at membership and executive meetings
(e) ensure that an agenda is prepared and printed copies for distribution at meetings
(f) appoint committees where authorized by the membership or executive
(g) ensure that the Advisory memberships’ views are represented to the District
(h) ensure that Advisory activities are aimed at achieving the purposes set out in the constitution
(i)review minutes from meetings from SD, parents and executive meetings

(j)schedule and co-ordinate all meetings

(k)monitor incoming emails

(l) responsible for monitoring, posting on and/or responding to FB forum.  This can be delegated to other members of the executive.

The Vice-Chairperson will
(a) support the Chairperson
(b) assume the duties of the Chairperson in the Chairperson’s absence or upon request
(c) assist the Chairperson in the performance of his or her duties
(d) accept extra duties as required
(e) book room for meetings with parents

(f)Screen membership on social media

The Secretary will
(a) ensure that members are notified of meetings
(b) record and distribute to executive  minutes and final draft  minutes of all meetings
(c) keep an accurate copy of the constitution and bylaws, and make copies available to members upon request
(d) prepare and maintain other documentation as requested by the membership or executive
(e) ensure safekeeping of all records of the Advisory
(f) Update website about meetings and upload minutes

(g) Maintain email database of sign-in sheets

(h)Print/provide sign-in sheets at parent meeting and welcome to Kindergarten

The Immediate Past Chairperson will
(a) advise and support the membership and executive
(b) provide information about resources, contacts, and other matters

The Member-at-large will

(a)Perform duties as delegated by the chairperson

Section IX – COMMITTEES
1. The membership and executive may appoint committees to further the Advisory’s purposes and carry on its affairs.
2. The terms of reference of each committee will be specified by the membership or
executive at the time the committee is established, or by the committee at its first meeting, as the membership or executive decide.
3. Committees will report to the membership and executive as required.

4. External committees
   1. The membership or executive may elect or appoint a member who is not an employee or elected official of School District No. 36 or the Ministry of Education to represent the Advisory on an external committee or to an external organization.
   2. The representative will report to the membership or executive as required.

Section X -SOCIAL MEDIA

The advisory agrees to provide a forum (currently on Facebook or similar) for its membership.  The purpose of the forum is

i)to disseminate information related to concerns that impact implementation of ABA in the Surrey school district.  The executive will screen requests to join those that are eligible members of the advisory

1. ii) Create community of parent support.

The advisory doesn’t assume responsibility for information posted by individual members nor can it guarantee confidentiality as this is an online forum.  Members who violate confidentiality and disrespect other members will be removed from the group.

Section XI – CONSTITUTION AND BYLAW AMENDMENTS

1.The members may, by a majority of not less than 75% of the votes cast, amend the
Advisory’s constitution and bylaws.
2. Written notice specifying the proposed amendments must be given to the members not less than 14 days before the meeting.

Section XII – PROPERTY IN DOCUMENTS
All documents, records, minutes, correspondence, or other papers kept by a executive member, representative, or committee member in connection with the Advisory shall be deemed to be property of the Advisory and shall be turned over to the Chairperson when the executive member, representative, or committee member ceases to perform the task to which the papers relate.

Section XIII – DISSOLUTION

1. In the event of winding up or dissolution, all records of the Advisory shall be given to the Districts Director of Special Education.
   Adopted February 20th, 2008

Amended Jan__27th______, 2020