TLT Bylaws

BYLAWS OF 

ESUPDO Teaching and Learning with Technology Affiliate

ARTICLE I — NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1 — Name: The name of the organization is ESUPDO Teaching and Learning with Technology  Affiliate (TLT). TLT is a branch of the Professional Development Organization (PDO) of Educational Service Units (ESUs), the education service agencies in the State of Nebraska.

Section 2 — Purpose: The purpose of TLT is to support teaching and learning through school improvement efforts, provide professional development, and coordinate statewide projects as defined in the Master Services Agreements. TLT collaborates with other ESUPDO Affiliates and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE)  to support statewide educational initiatives.

Section 3 — Mission: The mission of TLT is to connect educators with resources, best practices, and emerging technologies to transform teaching and learning.

Section 4 — Belief Statements:  

We believe

• Every student is deserving of a high quality education that encourages and supports lifelong learning.

• Professional development is founded on standards of excellence.

• The work to which we aspire embraces service, collaboration, best practice, and diversity.

ARTICLE II — MEMBERSHIP

2.1 Membership

Membership is open to any ESU employee and NDE liaison whose role is defined by and supports the purpose statement in Article I, Section 2. Current members whose role no longer meets these criteria will be removed from the membership.

2.2 Rights of Members

Each member shall be eligible to attend TLT Business Meetings, to attend training events and other opportunities sponsored by TLT.

2.3. Action Item Voting: 

Each ESU will provide one vote per action item. (i.e. Resource Acquisitions)

ARTICLE III — MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

3.1 Meeting Purpose

TLT Business Meetings are conducted to advance the purpose and direction of the organization and to provide a venue for membership networking.

3.2 Meeting Logistic

1. The meeting schedule for the upcoming year is publicized on or before the final meeting of the current year.

2. Registration for upcoming meetings shall be open and publicized at least one month prior to the meeting.

3. The agenda for business meetings shall be publicized at least ten days prior to the meeting. The agenda may be amended once the meeting has been called to order.

3.3 Quorum

The members present at any business meeting shall constitute a quorum.

3.4 Voting

All matters to be voted upon shall be decided by a majority vote representative of one vote per ESU with the exception of changes to TLT bylaws, which shall require a two-thirds majority vote representative of one vote per ESU.

ARTICLE IV — Leadership Team

4.1 Role

The TLT Leadership Team shall:

1. advance the purpose and direction of TLT through business meetings and trainings

2. establish and act upon organizational goals that build membership capacity and accomplish targeted and specific support for schools.

3. align and sustain resources to meet the needs of the organization.

4. create an organizational environment that is welcoming and collaborative.

5. cultivate professional relationships and networking through purposeful activities.

6. facilitate internal membership communication as well as two-way communication between TLT and other stakeholders (e.g. ESUPDO affiliates, ESUCC, NDE).

7. select members to serve on the leadership team maintaining a balance of expertise within the leadership as well as geographically represented.

8. coordinate end-of-year recognition.

9. provide or appoint a representative presence on the ESUPDO planning committee.

10. review the bylaws within each 3 year leadership rotational cycle to reflect current organizational structure and practice as well as the current educational landscape.

4.2 Meetings

Leadership team shall meet as needed to address the responsibilities identified in 4.1. Special meetings shall convene upon request of the chair or one-third of the leadership team. Leadership team meetings entail

1. communicating with members of the ESUCC professional development committee regarding leadership team meeting dates, agendas, and other information as requested.

2. working with an NDE liaison to prioritize and select departmental personnel who wish to address the membership at business meetings.

4.3 Quorum

A simple majority of the leadership team assembled for the purpose of conducting a meeting shall constitute a quorum.

4.4 Leadership Team Positions and Duties

1. There shall be nine leadership positions: 2-current co-chairs, 4-representatives ((2)-Year 2 leadership team members, (2)-Year 1 leadership team members), ESUCC (2), NDE (1).

   1. Co-chair and Representative positions are one year terms (totaling 3 years of service on the TLT Affiliate Leadership Team). The rotation sequence begins with representative and concludes with co-chair. 

   2. ESUCC and NDE positions are not limited in years of service.

4.4.1 Co-Chair (Year 3)

1. serve as the point of contact for all matters pertaining to TLT

2. create agendas for leadership team and TLT business meetings

3. facilitate leadership team and TLT business meetings

4. communicate information to the membership in a timely and efficient manner

5. coordinate the leadership team selection process

6. articulate TLT budget requests to the ESUCC executive director

7. monitor activity on the TLT electronic mailing list (with recorder)

8. attend ESUCC/NDE collaborative meetings

4.4.2 Co-Recorder (Year 2)

1. record minutes at TLT business meetings

2. review and update the TLT membership list, including the electronic mailing list

3. monitor activity on the TLT electronic mailing list (with chair)

4. optional attend ESUCC/NDE collaborative meetings (in place of chair if needed)

5. record minutes at Leadership Team meetings

6. provide leadership team meeting reports at TLT business meetings

4.4.3  Co-Representative (Year 1)

1. coordinate mentoring of new TLT members

2. coordinate mentoring of TLT members serving on the PDO planning committee

4.4.4 ESUCC 

1.  facilitate ESUCC communication

2.  provide direction as described by ESUCC

4.4.5 NDE Liaison

1. facilitate NDE communication

2. provide direction as described by NDE

4.5 Leadership Team Selection

The leadership team shall annually appoint two new members to the co-representative position according to the criteria outlined in Appendix D. Once acceptance of the leadership team appointment is secured, the co-chairs shall communicate the selection to the membership on or before the last TLT business meeting of the year. The newly-appointed leadership team member term shall commence following the last business meeting.

4.6 Vacancies

In the event a vacancy should occur in a leadership team position, the leadership team shall determine the best approach to addressing the vacancy, including

1. appoint a member to the representative position with the current leadership team advancing their positions accordingly

2. appoint a member to fill the vacated position for either the balance of the term or as a replacement for the position

3. leave the position vacant with the remaining leadership team temporarily assuming the responsibilities for the balance of the term.

The co-chairs shall notify the membership once an appointment has been accepted.

ARTICLE V — COMMITTEES

Section 1 — Committee formation: Ad hoc committees are created as needed. The co-chairs appoint all committee chairs, if warranted. Committees may be dissolved once the specified task of the committee has been completed.

Section 2 — PDO Planning Committee: One member at large will be selected each year for a two-year term. At any given time there will be a total of two TLT members on this committee.

Section 3 —  Standing Committees: Standing Committees will be created, as determined by the Master Services Agreement (MSA). 

1. Committees will meet throughout the year as needed based on on-going projects.

2. A report from each committee will be included in the regular TLT agenda.

3. Standing committee discussion can support and identify focus group topics.

ARTICLE VI — AMENDMENTS

Section 1 — Amendments to Bylaws: TLT members may propose a new or revised Amendment to the leadership team for consideration. Proposals must be in writing and include the exact language to be considered as well as the rationale for the proposed Amendment. The leadership team shall review the proposal at the next leadership team meeting and determine whether the proposal is ready for consideration by the membership or whether further clarification and/or rationale is needed. The resulting proposal will be shared with the membership at least two weeks prior to the TLT Business Meeting in which it will be considered for approval. Proposed Amendments must receive a two-thirds majority vote of those present in order to be approved.

Section 2 — Changes to Appendices: Changes to the Appendices, which reflect practices rather than governing procedures, may occur through a simple majority vote during an TLT Business Meeting.

CERTIFICATION

These Bylaws were approved at a regular TLT  Business Meeting by a two-thirds majority vote on 09/25/2020 (Appendix I - Record of Responses)

Appendix A — Mission Review

The TLT Mission (Article I, Section 3) is formally reviewed at the September TLT Business Meeting in years that are evenly divisible by five.

Appendix B — Organizational Norms

1. Contact other ESUs when working with their schools

2. Share information, knowledge, and expertise

3. Network with neighboring ESUs

4. Serve as a partner with NDE and other agencies

Appendix C — Meeting Norms

Meetings are conducted according to the following norms, which are reviewed annually.

1. Engage in open and honest dialogue

2. Honor diversity of ideas and practices

3. Share information, knowledge, and expertise

4. Exhibit professional behavior, such as limiting sidebar conversations and silencing electronic equipment that may cause interruptions

Appendix D — Leadership Team Selection Criteria

The leadership team will consider the following criteria when selecting new leadership team members, including regular annual appointments and openings that result due to attrition:

• Leadership qualities

• Participation and involvement in ESUPDO and TLT

• Areas of expertise

• Willingness and availability to serve

• Geographic balance

• ESUCC and NDE members will be assigned by the ESUCC Executive Director 

Appendix E — Networking

Information-sharing occurs through these primary channels

1. TLT electronic mailing list: tlt@esucc.org Members can subscribe by accessing the website or by contacting the ESUCC executive assistant. The TLT electronic mailing list is primarily used to communicate information of importance to the membership and as a venue in which to post questions.

2. ESUPDO website: esupdo.org. Members must request an account through the website in order to register online for statewide meetings and training events and to access resources.

3. A TLT directory (electronic) is shared with the membership following the first TLT Business Meeting of the year.

Appendix F — Member Recognition

• TLT acknowledges retiring members.

• The TLT co-chairs and any non-returning members are recognized by members.

Appendix G - New Member Mentoring Program

Prior to the first regular TLT Business Meeting, new members are assigned mentors from the current membership. In order to encourage networking, mentors are not from the same ESU as the new members to whom they are assigned. The co-representatives serve as coordinators.

Appendix H — Governance History

2023-2024

Co-Chairs Jody Bauer (ESU 11)  and Jason Everett (ESU 10)

Co-Recorders Otis Pierce (ESU 7) and Lynne Herr (ESU 6)

Co-Representatives Jaci Palmer (ESU 8)  and Laurie Kerr (ESU 3)

NDE Representative Dorann Avey

ESUCC Representative Rhonda Eis and Andrew Easton

2022-2023

Co-Chairs Chris Haeffner and Kate Carlson

Co-Recorders Jody Bauer and Jason Everett

Co-Representatives Otis Pierce and Lynne Herr

2021-2022

Co-Chairs Lori Biesecker and Nick Ziegler

Co-Recorders Chris Haeffner and Kate Carlson

Co-Representatives Jody Bauer and Jason Everett

2020-2021

Co-Chairs Kelly Means and Nick Ziegler

Co-Recorders Lori Biesecker and Ben Hanika

Co-Representatives Samantha Pavelka and Chris Haeffner

2019-2020

Co-Chairs Peg Coover and Katie Morrow

Co-Recorders Kelly Means and Nick Ziegler

Co-Representatives Lori Biesecker and Ben Hanika

2018-2019

Co-Chairs BJ Peters and Eileen Barks

Co-Recorders Shara Johnson and Katie Morrow

Co-Representatives Peg Coover and Nick Ziegler

2017-2018

Co-Chairs Chris Good and Patty Finney

Co-Recorders BJ Peters and Eileen Barks

Co-Representatives Shara Johnson and Katie Morrow

2016-2017

Co-Chairs Wade Gibson and Dawn Ferreyra

Co-Recorders Chris Good and Patty Finney

Co-Representatives BJ Peters and Eileen Barks

Appendix I — Voting Response - 09/2020

Yes - ESU 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,10,11,13,16,17,18,19

Abstained - ESU 6, 9, 15