THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT
OF

THE GOVERNOR WENTORTH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

NEA-NH/NEA

We, whose names are hereto subscribed, being persons of lawful age, do by
these Articles of Agreement, associate ourselves with the intention of forming a
voluntary corporation according to the provisions of Chapter 292 of the Revised
Statutes Annotated of the State of New Hampshire, and the acts in amendment
thereof and in addition thereto.

ARTICLE I: The name by which the corporation shall be known is The

Governor Wentworth Education Association, NEA—NH/NEA.

ARTICLE II: The objects for which the corporation is established and the nature
of the business to be transacted by it and the powers with which it shall be
endowed are as follows:

To work for the welfare of school children, the advancement of education ,

and the improvement of instructional opportunities for all.

To develop and promote the adoption of ethical practices, personnel

policies, and standards of preparation and participation as a mark of the
profession.

To unify and strengthen the teaching profession and to secure and maintain
the salaries, retirement, tenure, professional and sick leave, and other
working conditions necessary to support teaching as a profession. To
engage in collective bargaining in matters of wages and hours of work,
working conditions, and adjusting differences between the School Board
and teachers.

(1)
To enable members tospeak with a common voice on matters pertaining to the teaching
profession and to present their individual and common interests before the School Board
and other legal authorities.

ARTICLE III: No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall insure to the
benefit of or be distributable to its members, directors, officers, or
other private persons, except that the corporation shall be
authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for
services rendered and to make payments and distributions in
furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the
corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted
to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal
Income Tax under Section 501 (c) (5) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future
United States Internal Revenue Law).

ARTICLE IV: The principal location of the corporation shall be Wolfeboro, New
Hampshire.

ARTICLE V: This corporation shall have no capital stock and shall not be
conducted for profit.

ARTICLE VI: In the event that this Association is dissolved, its assets shall be
placed in the trusteeship of NEA—NH until such time as another
association is organized.

Name Post Office Address

Proposed By-Laws / Constitution

 Of the

Governor Wentworth Education Association

NEA-NH / NEA

Statement of Articles of Agreement

The name of the Association, the objects for which it is established and the nature
of the affairs to be transacted by it, and the principal location of the Association shall
be as set forth in the Articles of Agreement, as from time to time amended, and these By-
Laws. The powers of the Association and of its officers and Executive Board, and
all matters concerning the conduct and regulation of the affairs of the Association shall
be subject to such provisions in regard thereto, if any, as are set forth in such
Articles of Agreement, and such Articles of Agreement are hereby made a part of
these By-Laws.

Article I
Membership Requirements

Section a. Active membership of the Association shall be open to all professional

employees of the district who are covered by the Master Agreement.

Article II
Affiliation

Section a. The Association shall be an affiliate of the NEA—NH.

Article III
Officers

Section a. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President,

Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer who are elected by
the active, members of the Association.

Section b. Said officers shall serve a one year term, and may be re-elected.

(3)

Article IV
 Executive Board

Section a. The Executive Board of the Association shall consist of all officers,
building representatives and committee chairpersons.

Section b. Building Representatives shall be elected by each building in the district

for a one year term. Each building may choose to elect as many as two
building representatives.

Article V Meetings

Section a. The Executive Board shall meet once a month at such times and places as
called by the Executive Board.
Section b. The Executive Board may meet at the call of the President.

Section c. Special meetings of the general membership may be held at the

call of the President and/or the Executive Board.

Section d. A quorum shall be defined as the number of members present at meetings

of the Membership. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of at
least 4 members.

Section e. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used at all meetings.

Article VI
Powers of the Officers

Section a. The President of the Association shall preside over all meetings of the
Executive Board and the general Membership, appoint chairpersons of
committees, and appoint special and/or standing committees. The
President shall be the executive officer of the Association, and, as such,
shall represent the Association before the public, either personally or
through delegates, and shall perform all other functions usually attributed
to this office.

Section b. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence
thereof.

Section c. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Executive
Board and the Membership, shall maintain official files, and shall assist the
President with Association correspondence.

(4)
Section d. The Treasurer shall hold the funds of the Association and disburse them
upon authorization by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall maintain a
roll of the members and be responsible for collecting the annual dues.
She/he shall keep accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements, shall
report to each meeting of the Executive Board, and shall prepare an annual
financial statement.

Article VII
Power of the Executive Board

Section a. The Executive Board shall be responsible for the management of the
Association, approve all expenditures, carry out policies established by the
membership, report its transactions to the members and recommend
policies for consideration by the Membership.

Section b The Executive Board shall appoint the Professional Negotiating Team for
the purpose of negotiating with the School Board.

Article VIII
Elections

Section a. A nominating committee shall be appointed annually by the

Executive Board. Said committee shall nominate at least one candidate for
the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The
nominations shall be placed before the Membership at a general meeting of
same, and other nominations may be made from the floor.

Section b. In the spring of each year active members shall vote for officers by ballot.

Section c. Officers shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast.

Section d. In the spring of each year Building Representatives shall be elected by each
building. Building Representatives shall be elected by a majority of votes
cast.

Article IX
Dues

Section a. The dues of the Association shall be recommended by the

Executive Board and voted upon at a meeting of the Membership.

Article X

Section a. This document may be amended by amajority of the Association

Membership.

(5)
 GWEA President’s Role
Reviewed and Accepted January 1/11/00

The President of the Association shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Board
and the General Membership, appoint chairpersons of the committees and appoint special
and/or standing committees. The President shall be the executive officer of the
Association and, as such shall represent the Association before the public, either
personally or through delegates and shall perform all other functions usually attributed to
this office.

The duties of the President include, but are not limited to:

• Prepares and distributes the agenda.

• Acts as liaison to the school board.

• Meets with the Superintendent

• Acts as liaison to the administrative team.

• Stays abreast of grievances.

• Active member of the Teacher Assessment Committee

• Keeps regular contact with the Central Office.

• Active member of the Negotiations Team

• Welcomes staff, new and returning, in September

• Attends NEA/NH summer Leadership Conference.

• Stays informed of all committee activities

• Communicates to the general membership

 GWEA Vice President’s Role
Reviewed and Accepted 1/11/00

The Vice President has the major role in assisting the President in the activities of the
Association. she/he becomes a part of a leadership team that helps coordinate all the
undertakings of the membership and Executive Board. The Vice President must be
continually informed of actions on the part of the local so he/she is always prepared to act
in the place of the President should the need arise.

The GWEA Vice President should:

• Be prepared to act in the place of the President and perform all the duties usually
subscribed to that office if the need arises.

• Be prepared to become the President designated duties, following the completion

of the President’s term(s).

• Coordinate the local’s activities, including contact with NEA/NH

• Recruit and develop new leaders among association members.

• Review and revise stipends on a yearly basis

 GWEA Secretary’s Role
Reviewed and Accepted 1/11/00

The GWA secretary is responsible to:

• Reflect actions from all GWEA meetings within a week of the meeting.

• Type and keep records of all &WA business.

• Distribute minutes to the Board.

• Assist the Association in designated areas such as phone calls, printing of

materials, incorporation, etc. as needed.

• Keep a secretary’s notebook

• Certify with the local president the names of all persons chosen to serve as
delegates from the local association to annual meetings, including NEA/NH and
NEA conventions.
 GWEA Treasurer’s Role
Reviewed and Accepted 1/11/00

The GWA Treasurer is responsible to:

• Receive all of the income of the local association.

• Bank all funds to the credit of the association, in a timely fashion.

• Pay membership dues to NRA/NH and NEA via NEA/NH, in a timely fashion.

• Pay association funds on orders signed by him/herself the President and the
secretary.

• Keep an itemized record of all receipts and expenditures.

• Maintain records and file reports needed to maintain appropriate status of

incorporation and Internal Revenue service.

• Make such reports as may be required by the constitution and bylaws or by order
of the President

• Prepare an annual report for the association.

• Present for audit all necessary records to the proper persons.

• Assist the other officers in preparing the budget for the corning year.

• All records should be passed on each year to the new Treasurer.

 GWEA Grievance Chair’s Role
Reviewed and Accepted 1/11/00

The GWFA Grievance Chair is responsible to:

• Maintain complete familiarity with the contract

• Ensure the integrity of the negotiated contract

• Represent teachers in meetings where punitive action is considered or upon

teacher’s request.

• Meet with administrators to negotiate/mediate issues

• Report all issues to the GWEA President

• Ensure due process

• Report issues to the NEA Uniserve representative.

• Contact NEA lawyers when necessary.

• Meet with NH retirement officials when necessary.

 GWA sick Leave Bank Committee Role
Reviewed and Accepted 1/11/00

The sick Leave Bank Committee consists of three (3) association members appointed
annually by the President of the Association and confirmed by the Executive Board of the
GWEA. The committee’s membership shall include the following: one member each from
an elementary school, the middle school and the high school.

The sick Leave Bank Committee shall meet as necessary. It is recommended that the
committee meet at the end of each school year to review its action of that year and to
review guidelines/procedures.

Guidelines for application by a member to the sick Leave Bank shall be determined by the
Sick Leave Bank Committee, approved by the Executive Board of the GWEA and
published by said committee.

The sick Leave Bank Committee will review all applications for sick leave from the bank.
They will submit their recommendations to the Superintendent and the school Board for
their action.

The Sick Leave Bank Committee is responsible for maintaining records of membership in
the sick leave ban (donation of days) and assuring that these records are on file in the
Superintendent’s office with the payroll department. Enrollment in the Sick Leave Bank
takes place in September of each school year and is completed annually.
 GWEA Wellness Chairperson’s Role
Accepted 1/11/00

The overall goal of the GWRD Wellness Program is to improve the health and well being
of the employees of the GWRD, including their physical, social and emotional health.
The GWEA Wellness Chairperson is responsible to:

1. Attend monthly GWA meetings.

2. Conduct monthly Wellness Committee meetings.

3. Wellness Committee objectives:

• Improve communication between the Wellness Committee and staff

• Provide ideas, resources, information, and programs that promote wellness.
• Encourage staff participation in NH Celebrates Wellness programs.
• Encourage staff participation in the Healthsource Working Wonders Program.
• Seek opportunities for staff to engage in physical activity.
• Seek opportunities for staff to handle/manage stress.
• Act as a liaison and distribute Schoo1Care information and wellness surveys as
needed.
 Building Representative

As a building representative and for representative to the GWEA Executive Council, there
are a number of duties and responsibilities which must be taken seriously and performed
consistently. These include:

In order to ensure that GWEA membership within your assigned building receives full
representation it is imperative that you attend all GWEA meetings. There are on average
ten meetings per year. The executive board realizes there maybe times when attendance is
not possible. Representatives are expected to follow the following procedure:

1.) Notify the President that you will not be able to attend. If at all possible explain the
reason(s) for your absence.

2.) Identify which GWEA executive board member you will be in contact with in order to
follow up on any issues generated from the meeting. It is important to contact someone in
a timely fashion in case information needs to be gathered or shared immediately with the
membership.

If an executive board member misses three meetings or more, the president and vice
president may consider asking for your resignation in order to appoint a replacement for
the remainder of the year. This is meant to ensure that membership is fully represented at
meetings.