By-Laws

Burlington County School Nurses Association Constitution & By-Laws (Revised May 7, 2024)

The Burlington County SNA is a nonprofit organization which encourages advancement and leadership in the expanding multi-faceted role of the professional school nurse. The goal is to facilitate high standards in school nursing through education and legislation.

 BY-LAW I- The name of this association shall be the "Burlington County School Nurses Association.” It shall be a not-for-profit organization. 

BY-LAW II Objectives -The Objectives of this Association shall be: a)To maintain an organized center of professional cooperation and activity. b) To facilitate high standards in school nursing and school health services through education and legislation. c) To encourage advancement and leadership in the expanding multi-faceted role of the professional school nurse in Burlington County. d) To maintain a not-for-profit status. 

BY-LAW III Membership- Membership in the Association shall be in the following categories: 

• Section 1. Active All members in this classification shall possess a current license to practice as a registered nurse in the State of New Jersey and a current New Jersey School Nurse Certificate. They must be currently employed as a school nurse or a school nurse supervisor, or have their primary assignment, the administration, education or the provision of school health services. Active members shall have full privileges including, voting, holding office and serving on committees upon payment of dues.

• Section 2. Associate Associate members shall enjoy the privileges of the Association, may serve on committees, but shall not vote or hold office. Any registered professional nurse who is not eligible for Regular Membership shall be eligible for Associate Membership. This may include public health nurses, substitute school nurses, professors of nursing, and nursing students.

• Section 3. Retired Members upon retirement shall be eligible for Retired membership. Retired members may serve on committees in an advisory capacity. Retired members shall enjoy the privileges of the Association but shall not vote or hold office.

• Section 4. Lifetime/Honorary This honor will be conferred on a member/person who has done outstanding service for the organization. This honor will be bestowed on persons upon recommendation of the Executive Board and approval of the membership.

• 
  

BY-LAW IV Officers The officers of this Association shall be a President, President-elect, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, and a Treasurer. There shall be a detailed job description for each office, to be held by the President. All officers must be full time public school employees in Burlington County.

Financial Responsibility No part of the net earnings of the organization shallto the  inure benefit of or be attributable to its, members, trustees, officers, or other private persons; except that the organization 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 the objectives clause hereof.

Section 1. President

•  The President shall be the official representative of the Association, shall preside at all meetings of the Association, the Executive Board, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees necessary to further the work of the Association, subject to the approval of the Executive Board. The President must sign all contracts and must co sign checks over $250 dollars. The President shall oversee the board and committee chairs.

Section 2. President-Elect 

• The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President when absent or when requested to do so by the President, and shall serve as President-Elect. The President-Elect shall serve as Annual Dinner Chairperson. The President-elect shall succeed the President upon adjournment of term of office. 

Section 3. Recording Secretary 

• The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of the general meeting of the Association and the Executive Board. The Recording Secretary is the custodian of all secretarial records of the Association. The Recording Secretary will sign all contracts with the President.

Section 4. Corresponding Secretary 

The Corresponding Secretary shall attend to all correspondence of the Association including all official communications for the Association and Executive Board and shall send out notices of all meetings.

Section 5. Treasurer

•  The Treasurer will be custodian of all funds for the Association, deposit money in the bank designated by the Executive Board, shall attend to all bills, and will render an annual report which shall be audited by a committee appointed by the President. The Treasurer will sign any of the Association’s checks up to and including $250 dollars. Any checks in excess of $250 dollars shall be signed by the Treasurer and the President.

Section 6. All Officers 

• Each officer, completing a term of office at the Annual Dinner Meeting, shall make available to the successor all pertinent Association material and a detailed job description within one month after termination of office.

BY-LAW V The Executive Board 

• Section 1. The Executive Board shall be composed of all elected officers of the Association and chairpersons of all standing committees and past presidents. 

• Section 2. The Executive Board shall transact all business of the Association between regular meetings, and shall perform other duties as specified in the By-Laws or as assigned to it by the Association.

•  Section 3. An officer, absent without cause from three consecutive meetings shall constitute resignation.

•  Section 4. The Executive Board shall be responsible for paying the yearly NJSSNA dues for the President for her term of office.

BY-LAW VI 

Committees Section 1.

•  The Standing Committees shall be By-laws, Programs/Professional Development, Scholarship, Historian, Membership, Publicity/Technology, Sunshine, NJSSNA Representative,School Nurse of the Year (SNOTY) and such others as may be created as necessary by the Executive Board. Each committee shall consist of a chairperson and committee members as needed. 

Section 2.

 Standing Committees shall function as follows: 

a) Membership Committee: Shall be responsible for processing applications, compiling a membership list and keeping the list current. 

b) Programs/Professional development: The chairperson and committee shall be responsible for planning professional development programs for General meetings and workshops. The chairperson shall issue professional development certificates for programs conducted or co-sponsored by the Association. 

c) Publicity/Technology: The Publicity chairperson and committee shall be responsible for publishing news releases, pictures, and other notices as required by the Association. The chairperson shall be responsible for the BCSNA website.

 d) Sunshine: The Sunshine chairperson shall be responsible for expressing well wishes and support to members. The chairperson shall be responsible for the retirement plaques/gifts at the May dinner.

 e) Historian: The Historian shall maintain past records and memorabilia of the organization. 

f) NJSSNA Representative: State representatives shall represent the Association at State School Nurse meetings and shall report back to the Executive Board.

 g) By-Laws: The by-laws will be reviewed and updated every five years. Last updated May 7, 2024.

h) Scholarship: The chairperson and committee shall be responsible for preparing and evaluating the scholarship forms and determining the recipient. i)  SNOTY: The chairperson and committee shall be responsible for soliciting nominations,  preparing and evaluating the SNOTY forms and determining the recipient.

Section 3. Special Committees shall be: Nominating, Auditing, Mentoring, Newsletter and Hospitality 

a) A Nominating Committee of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) shall be appointed by the President at the November meeting. The committee shall present a slate of candidates at the first Executive Board meeting after the first of January and at the next General meeting. Election of officers shall take place after the second reading of the slate.

 b) An auditor shall be retained (as designated by the Executive Board) to audit the books of the Association every two years.

 c) A Mentoring Committee shall be responsible for preparing and evaluating mentor/mentee forms and pairing a mentor to a mentee.

 d) The Newsletter chairperson will prepare the annual newsletter

 e) The Hospitality Committee will arrange for food at General Meetings and Workshops. 

BY-LAW VII Meetings:

 There shall be no conflict between State School Nurses meetings and County general meetings and workshops. 

Section 1.  There will be four general meetings which will be conducted at locations or vitural  and on dates as specified by the Executive Board. 

Section 2. The annual dinner meeting (4th General Mtg) and installation of officers shall be held in May as arranged by the President-Elect. 

Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Board and Members will be given 7 days notice. 

Section 4. Two officers and twenty (20) regular members of the Association shall constitute a quorum at general meetings.

 Section 5. Executive Board meetings shall be held prior to each general meeting as needed. An organizational meeting shall be held following installation of new officers in June. 

Section 6. A majority of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Executive Board.

BY-LAW VIII Elections 

Section 1.The President-Elect and the Recording Secretary shall be elected in the even years, the Corresponding Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected in the odd years. 

Section 2. In the event of resignation of an officer or Committee chairperson, the Executive Board shall appoint a successor until the next election. 

Section 3. Officers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years and can serve consecutive terms; the  exception shall be the Treasurer, who may remain in office for no longer than two (2) consecutive terms.

BY-LAW IX Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the Parliamentary Authority of the Association. 

BY-LAW X 

Section 1. The fiscal year of this Association shall be June 1st until May 31st.

 Section 2. Dues shall be assessed annually. Dues are payable on or before October 31st.

 BY-LAW XI 

These By-Laws shall be amended at any regular meeting of the Association by two-thirds vote cast, provided the amendment has been submitted by the Executive Board at previous meeting of the Association. The By-Laws shall be updated every five years. Revised  May 7, 2024