CONSTITUTION
COUNCIL OF SCHOOL LEADERS
OF THE MANITOBA TEACHERS’ SOCIETY
SECTION 1 – INTERPRETATION
1.01 In this Constitution, unless context otherwise requires,
(a) “Council” means the Council of School Leaders of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society;
(b) “Member” means a regular member or an associate member, except where otherwise specified;
(c) “Region” means a group of schools or school divisions that is represented by a director;
(d) “Director” means an elected representative of a region to the Council;
(e) “Leadership Team” means six members elected by the Council;
(f) “Board of Directors” means the members of the Leadership Team, the Chairperson, and directors elected from each duly recognized region as defined by the Council;
(g) “Delegate” means member representative elected from a region to attend the Annual General Meeting;
SECTION 2 – NAME
2.01 The name of the organization will be the Council of School Leaders of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, hereafter referred to as the Council.
SECTION 3 – PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
3.01 The Council is an organization, which exists to provide leadership and support to all principals and vice-principals in all their areas of responsibility as school leaders. It strives to work for the betterment of education in Manitoba by promoting, organizing and conducting activities designed to increase the knowledge, understandings and skills of its members in the practice of educational leadership.
3.02 The objectives of the Council are to provide leadership and support to principals and vice-principals within the Province of Manitoba by:
(a) promoting and advancing public school education;
(b) promoting educators as leaders within public schools;
(c) representing, developing and promoting the professional and economic interests and welfare of its members;
(d) promoting excellence in human resource practices that encourage growth and development;
(e) cooperating with other organizations in Canada or elsewhere having the same or like aims and objectives.
SECTION 4 – MEMBERSHIP
4.01 The membership year will be September 1 to August 31.
4.02 Regular Members
(a) All school based principals and vice-principals who are Members of the MTS, as defined in MTS Bylaw I, are paying and voting regular members of the Council of School Leaders.
(b) Notwithstanding (a), a principal or vice-principal may, by registered letter addressed and mailed to the General Secretary of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society before July 1st, elect to be excluded from membership in the Council for the ensuing membership year.
(c) Principals or vice-principals who have excluded themselves from membership pursuant to (b) may, if otherwise qualified for membership, change that person’s election and be readmitted to membership in the Council by giving notice by registered letter addressed and mailed to the General Secretary of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society and including payment of the annual membership fee.
(d) Rights of regular members are to vote and hold elected office and to participate in the ongoing activity of the Council.
4.03 Associate Members
(a) Any Member of the MTS may join the Council, as an associate member, by payment of the annual fee to Council.
(b) Except where otherwise provided in this Constitution, associate members are entitled to all rights, benefits and services of Council membership but only insofar as those rights, benefits and services are provided directly by the Council.
(c) Associate members shall not have the right to vote and/or hold and/or run for elective office.
(d) An application for membership as an associate member shall be made in accordance with the policy of the Council.
SECTION 5 – FEES
5.01 All membership fees shall be established by resolution at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of this Council. The amount of the membership fees shall vary depending upon the type of membership.
SECTION 6 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
6.01 The Board of Directors is composed of the Leadership Team and the directors elected from each duly recognized region as defined by the Council.
6.02 A representative of the MTS Executive may attend meetings of the Board of Directors as a non-voting member.
6.03 The Province of Manitoba shall be divided into 16 regions. (See Appendix A, Composition of COSL Regions).
6.04 Each region shall have representation to the Board of Directors by a ratio of 1 director to each 50 regular members or portion thereof.
6.05 The Board of Directors shall be the executive and administrative body of the Council and shall be responsible for conducting the affairs of the Council between AGM’s. Decisions and actions taken by the Board of Directors shall comply with resolutions of the Council and may not conflict with its Constitution or the policies.
6.06 The Board of Directors shall meet at least 5 times a year.
SECTION 7 – LEADERSHIP TEAM
7.01 The Leadership Team is normally composed of six members elected by the Council. Where, as a result of being elected for two years, a Chairperson’s time on the Leadership Team is extended from three years to four years, then there will be, for a period, seven members on the Leadership Team. This will not affect the election of new Leadership Team members from the normal rotation set out below.
7.02 Each member is elected for a term of three years. Two members will be elected to the Leadership Team each year.
7.03 The election of the Leadership Team will take place at least one month in advance of the AGM.
7.04 The calendar Term of Office for members of the Leadership Team, other than the Leadership Team Chairperson, shall begin immediately after the COSL AGM until the conclusion of the following COSL AGM. A transition meeting will occur as soon as possible following the COSL AGM.
7.05 The Leadership Team shall be the executive and administrative body of the Council and shall be responsible for conducting the affairs of the Council between meetings of the Board of Directors. Decisions and actions taken by the Leadership Team shall comply with resolutions of the Council and may not conflict with its Constitution or the policies.
7.06 The collective and individual responsibilities of the Leadership Team shall be to ensure that following mandates of the Council are fulfilled:
• Governance
• Financial Management
• Communication
• Educational Leadership
• Principal Supports
SECTION 8 – CHAIRPERSON
8.01 The Chairperson shall be elected at the AGM of the Council of School Leaders from among the members of the Leadership Team who are in office at the commencement of the AGM, and who have at least one further year remaining in their term of office.
8.02 The Term of Office for the Chairperson shall be for a period of two years, beginning on July 1st following the COSL AGM to June 30th of the final year, unless mutually agreed by the departing Chairperson and the incoming Chairperson and approved by the Leadership Team.
8.03 In the event that no member of the Leadership Team runs for Chairperson, then the following process will take place:
(i) The existing Chairperson will be offered the opportunity to stay on as Chairperson for one further year, and if the existing Chairperson declines;
(ii) The Leadership Team will divide the duties of the Chairperson amongst its members for the following year.
8.04 In the event that a Chairperson resigns between AGM’s, then the Leadership Team will perform the Chairperson’s duties until the next meeting of the Board of Directors, at which meeting an Acting Chairperson shall be elected from among the Leadership Team.
8.05 Where a Chairperson is elected in accordance with section 8.02 above for a period of two years, a vote of confidence will be held during the March Board Meeting following the Chair’s election, only in the event that three members of the Leadership Team request, in writing, that there be such a vote. For the Chair to remain in office a majority of those voting at the Board Meeting must vote in favour of the Chair remaining in office.
8.06 Duties of the Chairperson
(a) The Leadership Team may specify additional duties of the Chairperson.
(b) The Chairperson shall:
(i) be the official spokesperson for the Council of School Leaders consistent with Society policy;
(ii) subject to the Bylaws of the Society, preside at all meetings of the Leadership Team and the AGM of the Council of School Leaders;
(iii) be an ex-officio member of all standing committees and all other committees established by the Leadership Team; and
(iv) submit a report of the preceding year to members at the AGM.
(v) remain neutral during the process leading to the election of the Chairperson’s successor.
SECTION 9 – CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PRINCIPALS (CAP)
9.01 The Council shall be an affiliate member of the CAP in order to provide a national forum for educational issues and serve needs of the principals and vice-principals.
9.02 The Chairperson shall be COSL’s nominee to the CAP Board of Directors.
SECTION 10 – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
10.01 The AGM delegates shall be the supreme policy making and planning body of the Council.
10.02 The date for the AGM shall be determined annually by the delegates of the Council’s AGM.
10.03 Delegates to the AGM will be the members of the Board of Directors and those members elected by their regions based on the ratio of one delegate per 25 regular members or portion thereof in the region. These are the voting members of AGM.
10.04 Any member may attend AGM as an observer.
10.05 The business of the AGM shall be conducted in accordance with the policy manual.
10.06 The delegates at the AGM shall be responsible for:
(a) Changes to the Constitution and policies.
(b) Setting of fees
(c) Business brought forward by the Board of Directors or individuals.
(d) Approval of an annual plan.
(e) Approval of an annual budget.
(f) Receive the latest audited financial statements.
(g) The appointment of auditors.
(h) Receiving reports from the Board of Directors.
(i) Providing a forum for comments from members attending the AGM.
(j) Electing the Chairperson of the Leadership Team.
10.07 The rules of order governing formal procedures at the Council’s AGM shall be those governing the MTS AGM.
10.08 The Leadership Team will submit written reports of their actions and recommendations for future actions at each AGM of the Council.
10.09 Regional Directors will submit written reports of their regional activities at each AGM of the Council.
10.10 The Council will provide a report outlining activities, a budget, and an audited financial statement to the AGM of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society.
SECTION 11 – CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
11.01 Notice of Intent for constitutional amendment shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the date of the AGM.
11.02 The Board of Directors shall notify the general membership of a proposed constitutional amendment at least four weeks prior to the AGM.
11.03 Constitutional amendment by the AGM of the Council of School Leaders shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
SECTION 12 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS AND DELEGATES
12.01 The election of the directors and the delegates to the AGM will be the responsibility and decision of the local regional councils.
12.02 The Council will elect the members of the Leadership Team through a general election.
12.03 Candidates must be regular members.
12.04 In the event of a vacancy occurring, the Board of Directors will elect a member to the end of the year. A special election will be held at the AGM to fill the remainder of the term.
12.05 The MTS Assistant General Secretary or designate shall act as Chief Returning Officer.
12.06 Should a vacancy still exist at the end of the AGM, the members of the COSL Leadership Team at their first meeting following the AGM shall appoint a regular member to the vacant position to serve the remainder of the current year.
Section 13 – Quorum
13.01 Quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors (as defined in 6.01), shall be a majority of its membership.
13.02 Quorum at the AGM shall be a majority of the delegates of the AGM.
SECTION 14 – BYLAWS
14.01 Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, no Bylaws, regulations, policy or any other resolution of COSL may limit or extend the provisions of the Constitution.
14.02 All or any existing Bylaws and all Acts and things done on behalf of the Council on or before the date of adoption of this Constitution shall continue in effect unless such Bylaws, Acts or things done on behalf of the Council are inconsistent with this Constitution or have been amended or rescinded by the Council.
This Constitution was ratified at a meeting of the Council of School Leaders on May 4,
2001.
A revised Constitution was adopted at the Council of School Leaders AGM on April 28, 2012.
This revised Constitution was adopted at the Council of School Leaders AGM on April 25, 2015.
Approved by Provincial Executive
at its meeting on May 20, 2015 COSL Chairperson
COSL Leadership Team Member
General Secretary
The Manitoba Teachers’ Society
APPENDIX A – COMPOSITION OF COSL REGIONS
Region Association
Brandon Brandon
DSFM AEFM
Interlake Evergreen
Interlake
Lakeshore
Lord Selkirk
Sunrise
Whiteshell
Louis Riel Louis Riel
Midwest Beautiful Plains
Park West
Pine Creek
Rolling River
Sandy Bay
North West Mountain View
Swan Valley
Turtle River
Northern East Frontier (School Division Areas 1, 3, and 5)
Nelson House
Thompson
Northern West Flin Flon
Frontier (School Division Areas 2 and 4)
Kelsey
Pembina Trails Pembina Trails
River East Transcona River East Transcona
Seven Oaks Seven Oaks
South Central Garden Valley
Portage la Prairie
Prairie Rose
Prairie Spirit
Western
South East Border Land
Hanover
Seine River
Red River Valley
South West Fort la Bosse
Southwest Horizon
Turtle Mountain
St. James Assiniboia St. James Assiniboia
Winnipeg Winnipeg