CONSTITUTION OF THE TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SOCIETY

PREAMBLE Believing that it is the duty and privilege of Christian parents to provide Christian Education for their children and that the education in school should be in harmony with the education in the family, supported by the Christian community, we do here by make and adopt the following articles of association:

ARTICLE I This organization shall be known as the Timothy Christian School Society herein referred to as “the society”. It is an autonomous Christian society. It is not a church body nor is it subject to any church organization. The government of the society is autonomous.

ARTICLE II - BASIS
a) The basis of the society is the Word of God as interpreted in the Reformed Standards. It is not an ecclesiastical body nor is it subject to any ecclesiastical organization. The government of the society is autonomous. It is based upon the three-fold office of the believer – Prophet, Priest, and King.
b) Moreover, this organization is committed to the following educational principles.
l. Christian education has its foundation in the Creator-creature relationship taught in the Scriptures. It is understood as a process wherein a child's personality is formed by instruction in the truth of God and human knowledge, leavened with that truth.
2. The responsibility for education rests upon the parents (Deut. 6:6-9, Eph. 6:l-4). They may delegate a part of this responsibility to an institution which is able to carry forward their God-given task. The authority of the teacher in discipline and character training is derived from the fact that he stands in loco Parentis; and the teacher derives authority in subject matter from faithfulness to the laws of God in special and general revelation.
3. The child is regarded first of all as a spiritual- physical creature, created in the image of God, capable of learning, knowing, and obeying the truth of God's Word and the laws of His creation. He is also regarded as a social creature standing in the relation to his fellow man, having moral, intellectual, and social needs.
4. The curriculum of the Christian school is the medium through which the child is oriented to a life in Christ and to the culture of this world for fellowship with and service to God in this life and the life to come.

ARTICLE III - PURPOSE
The purpose of the society is to maintain schools for the daily instruction of children, in accordance with Article II and directed toward the end that these children may occupy their places worthily in society, church and state.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
FULL MEMBERSHIP
a) a) All persons who agree with Articles II and III and who contribute the full membership fee as determined by this society or more annually and are actively attending a Christian church are eligible for full membership.
b) b) Full membership includes the privilege of participating in all activities of the society, of voting at the meetings, and of eligibility for holding office.
c) Married couples may cast only one vote.

ASSOCIATED MEMBERSHIP
c) All persons who wish to support Christian education at Timothy, wish to receive up to date information about the school and
d) Contributes annually the associate membership fee as determined by this society or more annually may become an associate member of the Timothy Christian School Society.
e) While an associate member does not hold voting privileges and may not hold an office in the society, he/she will support Timothy Christian School financially, prayerfully and verbally across the community.

ARTICLE V -MEETINGS
a) The society shall hold two stated meetings each year: one in the Spring,
the other in the Fall.
b) At the Spring meeting, the annual election of board members shall
take place and the board shall present a budget for the following school year for approval by the society.
c) Newly elected board members shall begin their term of service in an advisory
capacity in June following their election allowing for a three month orientation period for new board members. Outgoing board member complete their duties in August.
d) At the Fall meeting, the principal, chairperson and treasurer shall render their annual reports.
e) Special meetings may be called by the Board at any time, provided the reason is stated.
f) f) If a special meeting is requested in writing by at least one-fourth of the members, the Board shall call such a meeting, provided the reason is stated.
j) The agenda of meetings are prepared by the Board.
k) Elections shall be by ballot.
l) All other decisions may be by oral vote.
m) A majority of votes cast(one-half of the votes plus one) shall determine the issue in each case, except where otherwise required by this constitution or if deemed necessary by the board to set a higher percentage.
n) Members shall be notified at least two weeks prior to a meeting. This notice shall include the date, place, time and agenda.
o) A quorum for the transaction of business of any meeting of members shall be 15% of the full Members in good standing.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
a) The directors shall be chosen by the Society at the Spring meeting the Board shall consist of at least ten members.
b) The term of office shall be three years.
c) The directors can be re-elected for a maximum of 2 consecutive terms.
d) Before the Spring meeting, the Board of Directors shall state the coming vacancies and publicize an up-to-date list of members in order to enable the members to make nominations.
e) Nominations by the members shall be made to a nominating committee consisting of two society members elected at the Fall meeting and the directors whose term of office is drawing to a close.
f) The nominating committee shall inform the members of the closing date for nominations and ordinarily nominate at least two names for election for each vacancy.
g) Vacancies occurring during the year may be filled by the board at its discretion from the previous slate of unelected nominees. And thus elected directors shall finish the term of the director they replace.

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
a) The board shall determine school policies in accordance with the constitution, the by-laws and the decisions of the society.
b) The board shall select and appoint or re-appoint a staff capable to carry out the educational program and policies of the school.
c) The board shall establish ways and means for obtaining the necessary funds for operating the school and distribute these funds in accordance with the budget approved by the society.
d) Twice annually, the Board of Directors appoints the Education Committee to visit each classroom in the school to assure that the school’s program is carried out faithfully.
e) The board, through the Promotion Committee, shall promote the cause of Christian education in the community by means of public meetings, propaganda literature, etc. and promote this cause in general through the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools and the Christian Schools International.
f) The Board may appoint such committees as it may deem necessary.
g) The appointments to the committees shall be for one school year.
h) The committees shall be responsible to the board.
i) Elections and decisions of the board shall be taken as prescribed for the membership meetings in Article V, items h, i, and j.
j) Each committee shall have representation on the board and will communicate with the board through committee minutes.

ARTICLE VIII - OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
a) At the first meeting in September, the board shall elect the following officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
b) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board, and enforce the provisions of the constitution, the by-laws and the decisions of the Society.
c) The President is ex officio a member of all committees and shall be notified of all meetings.
d) The Vice-President shall assist the President whenever possible in the discharge of his duties and in his absence take his place.
e) The Secretary shall take care of the official documents of the organization; he/she shall conduct all correspondence, and enter into the records of the organization the minutes of all meetings.
f) The Treasurer is entrusted with the Society's funds and makes all disbursements.
All monies received by him/her shall be deposited in the name of the Society in a bank approved by the Board, and no disbursements shall be made except by cheque. No payment shall be made without the approval of the Board. The Treasurer shall report regarding the finances of the organization at the monthly meetings of the Board and at the Fall meeting of the Society.

ARTICLE IX -ORDER OF PROCEDURE AT BOARD MEETINGS
a) A quorum for the transaction of business of any Board of directors meeting shall be 50% of the board.
b) Procedures are as follows
i) Bible reading
ii) Prayer
iii) Reading of minutes of previous meeting
iv) Reading of papers and correspondence
v) Report of principal
vi) Report of standing committees
vii) Report of special committees
viii) Consideration of unfinished business
ix) Consideration of new business
x) Adjournment and closing prayer

ARTICLE X - FINANCES
The funds necessary for the operation of the schools shall be provided by the members of the Society and supporters and distributed by the Board in accordance with the budget adopted by the Society.

ARTICLE XI - THE STAFF
a) The principal and teachers shall be appointed by the Board after careful consideration of their spiritual, academic, and physical qualifications. They should be appointed for such terms and with such salary and other conditions as the Board may determine.
b) The Board shall appoint only staff members who declare their unconditional agreement with Articles II and III of this constitution, whose teaching is in accordance with the Bible and who lead exemplary lives.
c) The Board shall enter into a yearly contract with each staff member on the forms provided by the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools.
d) The Board has the authority to dismiss a teacher who in the Board's opinion proves to be unfit for the work because such teacher's instruction or personal life conflicts with the basis and purpose of the organization.
e) The school term shall be determined by the Board and such holidays and vacations shall be allowed as may be decided upon by the Board.
f) The principal shall be advisory member of the school board and of its standing committees.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS
a) This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any regular meeting of the organization provided that two weeks' previous notice has been sent to each member stating the desired change.
b) Articles II, III, and XII of this constitution are not subject to change.

ARTICLE XIII - DISSOLUTION
In case of dissolution of the Society, the property and monies belonging to the organization shall be donated after liquidation to a Christian educational cause in Canada as the organization may determine.
Revised April 2001