VASSP Election Notice Memorandum

 The following memorandum is being provided for VASSP members seeking a leadership position on the Board of Directors for VASSP.  These positions are reviewed to be nominated by the VASSP Board of Nominators.  Please read through the information and if you have any questions, please contact the VASSP office in Richmond at:

804.355.2777       (fax) 804.355.4262

www.vassp.org  VIRGINIA  ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

Five Vacancies to be Filled on the VASSP Board of Directors

MEMORANDUM                                                                February 28, 2014

 TO: VASSP Members

FROM: Randy D. Barrack, Executive Director

RE: Nominations for 2014-2015 and Candidate Application Forms

VASSP will hold its annual election of officers and board members in June during the Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference & Exposition. The election of VASSP candidates for the 2014-2015 year are directed by the Association bylaws. The bylaws are posted on the VASSP website. This memo and all the attachments are also posted on the VASSP website at www.vassp.org. I hope you regularly visit your professional association’s website and blog at http://news.vassp.org.

Information about becoming an officer, regional director, or director-at-large of VASSP may be found in Article VII – Nominations and Elections of the Association’s bylaws. Article VII has been reprinted and enclosed for your information. Only Professional Members who have previously served on the Board of Directors shall be elected to be President-Elect (Article V, § 4). Any Professional Member who is a practicing principal or assistant principal may be elected as a Regional Director or Director At-Large (Article VI, § 4 & 5).

Elections for the following offices will be held at the Annual Business Meeting at The DoubleTree Hotel, Williamsburg, Virginia, at 8:15 a.m. on Monday, June 30, 2014:

                                                VASSP President-elect for a ONE year term, 2014-2015

                                               Regional Director from region 1 for a ONE year term, 2014-2015

                                   Regional Director from regions 4, 5, & 8 for a THREE year term, 2014-2017

If you are interested in serving VASSP as its President-elect or Director, please carefully read the bylaws, VASSP Board Member Application, and complete the appropriate form for the position you are seeking. All candidates must answer the questions in Part 2 of the VASSP Board Member Application and attach their curriculum vitae.

Completed forms of all candidates and the completed questionnaire and curriculum vitae for all candidates are due back in the VASSP office by 5:00 p.m. on March 21, 2014. Information also may be faxed to VASSP at 804-355-4262.

                                                                                    NASSP AFFILIATE

                                                             4909 Cutshaw Avenue • Richmond, VA 23230

                                                                                  MEMORANDUM                                

                                                                                 February 28, 2014

                                                                                                Page 2

In accordance with the VASSP bylaws, the Regional Directors on the Board of Directors shall constitute a Board of Nominators for President-Elect, Regional Director, and Director-At-Large positions. The Board of Nominators will meet after March 21, 2014 to review the nominees and select a nominee for President-Elect and nominees for the Regional Director positions. The nominees will be voted on by the membership on June 30, 2014, during the Annual Business Meeting.

If you would like to serve on the VASSP Board, please complete all required information and send it to the VASSP office by the deadline date. By sending in your name and candidacy information, Board members will know of your interest in the position.

If you have any questions about the upcoming elections, please call the VASSP office at our toll free number, 1-800-249-8001, or visit the website at www.vassp.org. In addition, you are encouraged to call a member of the Board of Directors. A VASSP Board Directory is enclosed for your convenience.

Attachments:

Reprint of Article VII of the VASSP Bylaws

VASSP Board Member Application 2014, Part 1 & Part 2

Directory of Current VASSP Board of Directors

List of VASSP State Regions (Same as the Virginia Department of Education’s)

                                           Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals Bylaws

                                             Article VII – Nominations and Elections

Section 1. The Regional Directors on the Board of Directors shall constitute a Board of Nominators. The Chairman of the Board of Nominators shall be elected by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. A Professional Member who is a practicing principal or assistant principal may be nominated for President-Elect and a practicing assistant principal may be nominated as Director At-Large by the Board of Directors of an affiliated organization. A member may be nominated for a Regional Director position by the Board of Directors of an affiliated regional organization from the region the director would represent.

Section 3. All nominations under Section 2 of this Article shall be sent to the Executive Director of the Association, not less than ninety (90) days in advance of the annual meeting. No nominations will be accepted after that date unless there are no nominations for President-Elect or Director At-Large positions. The Executive Director shall then notify each Regional Director that nominations for that position will remain open an additional thirty (30) days.

Section 4. The Executive Director shall then compile a list of all nominees with their qualifications for each of the offices to be filled and shall submit this information to each Regional Director before the annual meeting.

Section 5. Prior to the annual meeting, but no later than April 1 the Regional Directors shall meet as a Board of Nominators to review the nominees and select a nominee for President-Elect and Director At-Large. The Board of Nominators in making its final selection shall consider: (a) service which the nominee has contributed to the Association; (b) qualities and accomplishments which predict successful statewide leadership; (c) frequency of selection from each of the Association’s geographical regions. The Board of Nominators shall also nominate a candidate to the Board of Directors from regions that are not affiliated with VASSP and from affiliated regions who have not rendered a candidate.

Section 6. Six Regional Directors shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Nominators. To be nominated by the Board of Nominators, a nominee is required to receive a majority vote of voting members present. The Board of Nominators shall notify, in writing, the membership of its choices not less than sixty (60) days before the Annual Business Meeting. Thirty (30) days shall be allowed for nominations from the membership. Except for the office of President, which is automatically filled in accordance with Article V, Section 4 of these Bylaws, any member nominated by petition of five percent (5%) of the voting membership shall be placed on the ballot. If, however, no nominations are made by petition, the Chairman shall cast a unanimous ballot for the candidates of the Board of Nominators. If nominations are made by petition, the ballot shall indicate those nominees recommended by the Board of Nominators and those recommended by petition.

Section 7. The President will preside over the election of candidates at the Annual Business Meeting in which each voting member will have one vote to cast for president-elect and each directorship position to be elected. Candidates receiving the highest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected.

                                                       VASSP BOARD MEMBER APPLICATION    2014

                                                                             Part 1 – Information

POSITION: VASSP President-Elect and VASSP Regional Directors from State Regions 1, 4, 5, & 8. See enclosure for school division membership listings by region.

TERM OF OFFICE: One (1) Year, 2014-2015 for President-Elect; One (1) Year, 2014-2015 for Region 1, and Three (3) Years, 2014-2017 for Regional Directors from regions 4, 5, and 8.

TIME REQUIREMENTS: The VASSP Board of Directors holds three regular meetings and one organizational meeting each year. One of these meetings (budget permitting) traditionally runs the first Thursday night through Sunday afternoon in August. The organizational meeting is held in conjunction with and immediately following the last session of the annual conference. All current Board members are expected to attend the annual conference, the Board meeting held prior to the opening of the conference, and the organizational meeting. Newly-elected Board members are expected to attend the post-conference meeting. In addition, Board members are expected to be present at their respective regional meetings held in either the spring or fall, which are usually day meetings. Added to this is a variety of other meetings, conferences, conventions, programs, etc., at which a Board member may be asked to represent VASSP. These obligations comprise all or parts of approximately seven (7) school/work days per year. Responsibilities of Board members to their employing school divisions understandably carry the highest priority. However, one cannot, in good conscience, remain a member of the Board without regular attendance.

EXPENSES: VASSP covers all reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of Board responsibilities. Some individual personal costs are unavoidable, but the school division will not be liable for any expenses.

PERSONAL AND SCHOOL DIVISION COMMITMENT: It should be clear that a prime requisite for VASSP Board service is a strong commitment of support from the candidate’s superintendent, board of education, other building administrators, faculty, and family through the term of office. To this must be added a strong personal commitment to serve. It is strongly recommended that the candidate secure complete approval from his or her appropriate supervisor(s) and the board of education. The term of office may transcend changes in boards of education and top level division administrators. It is further advised that a written “memorandum of understanding” be executed between the candidate, the local school division, and VASSP.

REGIONAL REPRESENTATION: VASSP bylaws state that each of the eight regions is represented on the Board by one member, serving staggered terms. The election is held at the business meeting during the annual conference following the recommendation of a slate by the Board of Nominators.

VASSP

Candidate Form for VASSP President-Elect

Candidate Form for VASSP Regional Director

Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals

VASSP BOARD MEMBER APPLICATION

Part 2 – Questionnaire

The principal or assistant principal from a middle level or high school to serve on the VASSP Board of Directors as an officer, at-large member, or representing one of the eight regions in the Commonwealth will be selected by the Board of Nominators of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals. The election is held at the business meeting during the annual conference in June following the recommendation of a slate by the Board of Nominators. The first consideration of the Board of Nominators is to nominate the most qualified person available. This application will serve as the primary instrument to judge the qualifications of the candidate applying for the opportunity to serve the VASSP and its member regions. Please complete this questionnaire and attache your resume or curriculum vitae here. 

The candidate’s name and the written responses made on this application will be held in strict confidence by members of the VASSP Board of Nominators.

Please answer each question, using additional paper, restating each question before providing an answer. Print or type each answer.

1. How do you perceive the role of a state association’s board member?

2. What particular contribution will you bring to the governance of VASSP?

3. How would you communicate board activities and your personal and professional actions to the membership as an officer or to the school divisions you would represent as a regional director?

4. Which aspect of VASSP programs and services is of most interest to you? Why?

5. Is there a program or service not presently being offered by VASSP that you would recommend?

6. If the provision of the above program or service required the elimination of a current program or service, what would you recommend?

7. Being an effective board member may sometimes require taking an unpopular position (playing a minority role). Would you feel comfortable doing this? Please comment briefly.

For Regional Director Applicant’s Only:

8. Of the new regional directors who take office, it is probable that one of them will become president-elect and serve as state president. Would you have an interest in being a candidate for this position? If so, please understand that if you are successful in winning the office, your three-year commitment now becomes a six-year commitment on your behalf – three years on the board, one-year as president- elect, one-year as president, and one-year as immediate past president. The time requirement will become greater in the fourth year and much more so in the fifth year.

9. VASSP is a membership-based professional association. What is its primary obligation to those members?

10. Any additional comments or information?

**Please attach your curriculum vitae or resume.

VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

www.vassp.org

July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014

*Executive Committee

UPDATED 02.05.2014

VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

PRESIDENT-ELECT CANDIDATE APPLICATION

4909 Cutshaw Avenue

•

Richmond, VA 23230

CANDIDATE FOR VASSP PRESIDENT-ELECT FROM REGION #

Complete this required form in addition to submitting your curriculum vitae or resume.

Candidate’s Name:

Present Position: School Division

School Name:

School Address:

School Phone: FAX Phone:

E-Mail Address: Home Phone:

(a) Education background (institutions & degrees by year):

(b) Professional experience (by years):

(c) Major educational activities, committee appointments, offices held in associations, etc. (by years):

(d) Membership in VASSP since (year).

Signature of Candidate: Date:

Return by 5:00 p.m. March 21, 2014

to: Dr. Randy D. Barrack, Executive Director

VASSP

4909 Cutshaw Avenue

Richmond, VA 23230

FAX 804.355.4262

Please attach:

 Curriculum Vitae or Resume

 Questionnaire Answers