Constitution
of the
Stanley Seventh-day Adventist School
Preamble
WHEREAS we believe it to be our privilege and responsibility to provide
Christian education for our children and those of the community; to provide
an atmosphere which will facilitate their moral and spiritual development; to
encourage their creative ability and the ability to think clearly and logically; to
teach them the responsibilities and privileges of good citizenship and service
to God, to their church, to their country, and to their fellow humankind;
We, the members of the Stanley Seventh-day Adventist Church, do here
establish this school, which shall operate under the Department of Education
of the Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists in harmony
with the policies and standards adopted by the duly-constituted policymaking boards and councils of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Article I
Name and Location
The school shall be known as Stanley Seventh-day Adventist School, also
known as Stanley SDA School. Stanley Seventh-day Adventist school is located
at 118 Church Avenue, in Stanley, Virginia, just off Route 340.
Article II
Purpose
At Stanley SDA School, our purpose is to partner with the church and the
community to develop young people with active and creative minds, a sense of
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understanding and compassion for others, and the courage to act on their
beliefs. We stress the total development of each child: spiritual, moral,
intellectual, social, emotional, and physical.
We commit to maintaining high expectations that promote academic
excellence and self-disciplined behavior. We commit to the creation of a
positive learning environment where teachers and students practice respect,
trust and support.
Article III
Mission
Working with the community to develop young leaders, creators and thinkers
who love, serve and honor God.
Article IV
Non-discriminatory Policy
We admit students of any race, color, gender, religion or national or ethnic
origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally available
to students in the school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
gender, religion, or national or ethnic origin while administering admission
policies, educational policies, loan and scholarship programs or other schooladministered programs. Likewise, employees of this school are to be
employed without regard to their race, color, gender or national or ethnic
origin. All teachers of this school shall be members of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
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Article V
Constituency
A. The membership of the Stanley Seventh-day Adventist Church shall be
considered the primary constituent group. The church is duly
represented through the school board.
B. Area Seventh-day Adventist churches may also enjoy a constituent
relationship by requesting, in writing, to enter into a constituent
relationship. The procedure for entering or dissolving a church
constituent relationship is found in Article IV of the Stanley SDA School
Bylaws.
C. Members of a constituent church are eligible to receive all the benefits,
to exercise all the privileges that apply and to assume the
responsibilities inherent in a constituent relationship. These are
outlined in Article IV of the Bylaws.
D. Each constituent church shall pay its share of budgeted operating
expenses not covered by the school income derived from registration,
fees, tuition and conference subsidies. During the development of the
Stanley SDA School budget, the Stanley SDA School board shall
determine each church’s share based on a formula using such factors as
membership, number of students, and tithe.
E. Each constituent church’s subsidy formula for financial responsibility
shall be reviewed every year by the Stanley SDA School board.
Article VI
Participating churches
A. A Seventh-day Adventist church wishing to have a working relationship
with Stanley SDA School, but not wanting to enter into a full constituent
relationship, shall be considered to be in a participating relationship.
B. A participating church may choose to contribute to individual student
accounts and/or to church subsidy.
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C. While participating churches are welcome to contribute to capital
expenditures, they will have no financial obligation to do so; neither will
they be able to benefit from the sale of such capital in the event of the
dissolution of the school.
D. Church members of participating churches shall be invited to attend
constituency meetings. The only voting member(s) shall be the school
board members from the participating church.
Article VII
School Board
A. The school board is responsible for the operation of the school within
the guidelines and policies adopted by the Potomac Conference
Corporation Board of Education and the Stanley Seventh-day Adventist
School constituency as stated in the Stanley Seventh-day Adventist
Constitution and Bylaws. The board has authority only when meeting in
official session; individual members may not speak for the board, unless
directed by the board to do so. All actions of the board are implemented
by the principal or head teacher in cooperation with the Stanley SDA
School Board chairperson and the Vice President of Education for the
Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists.
B. The nominating committee of each constituent Seventh-day Adventist
church shall nominate members in good standing to serve on the
Stanley SDA School board. The nominees to the school board shall be
voted into office by the church members at the same time as the slate of
church officers. Their service shall begin July 1. For qualifications of
school board members, see Article III of the Stanley SDA School Bylaws.
For duties of school board members, see Article III, Bylaws.
C. The school board may request of participating, but as yet nonconstituent, area church members to fill an officer position such as
Home and School Association Leader or Treasurer. The exception shall
be school board chairperson. The chairperson must be a member of a
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D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
constituent church. For the definition of a participating church, see
Article VI of this document.
The nominating committee shall nominate the school board
chairperson, who will be voted into office by the church board members
at the same time as the slate of church officers.
Ex officio voting members shall include the pastors of the constituent
churches, the Home and School Association Leader, the Stanley SDA
School principal, the Stanley SDA School Treasurer, the Potomac
Conference Superintendent/Vice President for Education or designee;
and, where applicable, the Columbia Union Vice President for Education
or designee.
Officers of the Stanley SDA School board shall consist of a chairperson,
vice-chairperson, and secretary and, if applicable, the treasurer.
The school board shall elect its own vice-chairperson in a July board
meeting each year.
The chairperson and the vice-chairperson shall be members of a
constituent church, but shall not be ex officio members.
The school board secretary shall be the Stanley SDA School principal or
head teacher. The principal or head teacher has the option of appointing
someone to record the minutes during each meeting.
The Stanley SDA School treasurer shall be appointed by the Stanley SDA
School board and shall serve as treasurer of the board. In the absence of
a suitable candidate for treasurer, the school board may appoint a
bookkeeper, who will serve in the bookkeeping duties of treasurer but
will not hold board membership.
The Home and School Association Leader shall be appointed by the
school board.
The school board shall also be empowered to appoint such
subcommittees at it shall deem necessary for the effective
administration of the school. These subcommittees shall include at least
one school board member who shall serve as subcommittee chairperson
or co-chairperson and who shall be responsible for reporting the
progress and recommendations of the subcommittee to the school
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board. The subcommittee chairperson may appoint another member of
the subcommittee as spokesperson to the board.
M. The term of membership on the board shall be two years. A member
may serve two consecutive terms.
N. Constituent churches shall be represented on the board by their
pastor(s) and at least one member-at-large.
O. Constituent church boards shall fill vacancies occurring on the school
board if the church nominating committee is not functioning.
P. For procedures for removal of a school board member, see Article III of
the Stanley SDA School Bylaws.
Q. The duties and powers of the members of the Stanley SDA School Board
and officers are set forth in Article III of the Bylaws.
Article VIII
School Board Meetings
A. Regular meetings: Regular meetings of the board shall be held during
the school year, not less than eight (8) times to carry out the duties of
the school board.
B. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the school board may be called by
the chair person and/or the principal/head teacher at any time. Notice
of the meeting shall be sent either electronically at least two (2) days
prior to the meeting or by postal service at least five (5) days prior to
the meeting.
C. Executive Session: An executive session is to be called any time the
school board discusses personnel matters and/or matters of a personal,
sensitive nature that should not be part of public discourse, regarding
students, parents, volunteers, appeals, etc. Only school board members
are to participate in executive sessions. Executive session matters or
decisions shall not become part of the board’s official minutes or
disseminated to others. See Article III of the Bylaws for additional
executive session provisions.
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D. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the school board
in session or any of the subcommittees in session.
E. Actions of the school board and its subcommittees shall be approved by
a simple majority vote of those present.
F. Standard rules of parliamentary procedure shall be observed.
Article IX
Finances
The financial support of the school shall be derived from, but not limited to,
the following:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Constituent church subsidies
Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists subsidies
Tuition, registration and other fees
Fund raising projects and efforts
Gifts and donations from individuals and entities
Bequests and distributions from estates and trusts
Capital improvement funds from constituent churches
Rentals
Miscellaneous income such as, but not limited to, directed and nondirected gifts, annuities, trusts and wills.
Article X
Bylaws
The membership of this constituency may enact Bylaws and amend or repeal
them at any session thereof. Such Bylaws may embrace any provision not
inconsistent with this Constitution. All changes to the Bylaws shall be enacted
based on the provision for amendments in Article XI of this constitution.
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Article XI
Amendments
A. Amendments may be added to this constitution or to the bylaws by a
two-thirds majority vote at any duly called regular or special session of
the constituency in which a quorum is established, and provided the
proposed amendment has been announced in the notice of the regular
or specially called meeting(s) of the constituency.
B. An amendment to the constitution or the bylaws may be proposed by
any constituent by submitting it in written form to the school board for
consideration. At a subsequent regular meeting of the school board,
action shall be taken upon the proposed amendment; a two-thirds
majority vote of the total school board (not just the members present) is
required for passage. Voting shall be by secret ballot.
C. Amendments approved by the school board shall be referred to the next
business meeting of each constituent church for approval by a twothirds majority of those present. If an amendment is rejected by the
constituents, and the Stanley SDA School board wishes to review the
matter, a committee of three Stanley SDA School board members and
three members of each of the constituent churches not currently serving
on the school board may meet to resolve differences and suggest a draft
amendment for the approval of both the Stanley SDA School board and
the constituent churches.
Article XII
General Policy
The provisions of the Columbia Union Conference Education Code, so far as
they shall apply, shall cover any matters not specifically covered by this
constitution and its bylaws as though the same were set forth herein at length
and are by this reference made a part of this Constitution and its Bylaws and
shall be binding upon all members of this constituency.
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Article XIII
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