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The Langley Retired Teachers’ Association

a Branch of the British Columbia Retired Teachers’ Association

Policies and Procedures

for May 2014 AGM Adoption

Download the PDF copy of the LRTA Handbook section ‘B’ on Policies and Procedures by clicking here

OUR BELIEF AND PURPOSES

We believe that every retired educator has a right and a responsibility to add his or her voice to discussing the issues that face us as we enter the retirement phase of our lives.  Our collective voice is the BCRTA.

• The primary value of the BCRTA is to ensure that retirees have an association which speaks with one voice about their economic interests and social concerns.
• A strong BCRTA membership is essential if the concerns or retirees are to be listened to and addressed.
• Membership in a branch offers the opportunity to engage in social activities and advocacy efforts that permit continuing contact with former colleagues.

The purposes of the Langley Branch of the British Columbia Retired Teachers’ Association mirror those of the BCRTA.  They are:

• To promote the interests and safe guard the welfare of its members,
• To provide information and advice to individual members and their beneficiaries regarding retirement programs and benefits,
• To communicate to members regarding the activities of the Association and issues of common interest,
• To promote excellence in education, and
• To support the recording of the history of education in our branch and the preservation of school properties of historical value.

The Langley Branch of the BCRTA operates in accordance with the constitution and/or bylaws of the BCRTA which operates under the Societies Act.  The annual membership fee for the LRTA is set at the LRTA  AGM.

AFFILIATIONS

All BCRTA members belong to the R.R. Smith Memorial Fund Foundation.  Members may work through this organization for the benefit of specific educational projects both in Canada and abroad.

Through our membership in the BCRTA we have external relations with ACER-CART*, our national retired teachers group; with the BC College of Teachers; with the BCTF; with COSCO; and with the NPSCF, a national group dealing with seniors' issues.

The Langley Retired Teachers’ Association supports all organizations that enhance the quality of life of its members and that of other seniors.  These include:

• Langley School District #35
• Langley Teachers’ Association
• The Langley Principals’ and Vice Principals’ Association
• Seniors’ Centres

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POLICIES

Charitable Donation Policy

• The LRTA supports the LRTA scholarship fund.
• The LRTA contributes to the LRTA Scholarship Account from membership fees annually, if a surplus allows for this contribution. 
• Without executive committee authorization, the LRTA will not permit solicitation for financial support by an outside organization at any of its meetings.
• The LRTA supports the R.R. Smith Memorial Fund Foundation.  R.R. Smith Memorial Fund donations are collected at each luncheon.
• The LRTA does not normally contribute to any charitable cause except the LRTA scholarship fund and the R.R. Smith Memorial Fund Foundation.  The executive may decide to support a cause on a discretionary basis.
• The LRTA allows members and or invited guests to circulate information about charitable causes at the discretion of the LRTA executive and/or President.

Communications Team

The Communications Team should be an effective means of communicating with the membership and attracting new members.  The team is normally made up of the members holding executive positions under the titles of Newsletter, Phoning, Sunshine, Webmaster, Membership, and Ombudsperson.

Email Communications:

Email messages are used to inform members about issues that arise between newsletters.  Only notices from the BCRTA or LRTA will be sent to members through email, unless approved by the Executive and/or President.  Approval may take the form of a fan out to the executive.  All LRTA sensitive emails should be archived.

Executive Committee:

• Executive positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, Webmaster, Newsletter, Phoning, Program, Scholarship, Sunshine, Past President and three or more Members-at-Large. 
• Any BCRTA director who is a member of the LRTA will automatically be an ex-officio member of the executive committee.
• In the event of the absence of the President the table officers in this order will assume the tasks of president: vice president, immediate past president, secretary, and treasurer.
• Members of the executive are encouraged to form committees to fulfill their function and attract members to the executive. 
• The executive committee, at any time, may form an ad-hoc committee.  The executive will appoint chairs of ad-hoc committees. There is an expectation that executive members, or committee designates, attend executive meetings.
• There will be up to four executive members with cheque signing authority: the treasurer, president, vice president and past president.
• The LRTA executive normally meets one week prior to the September breakfast and two weeks prior to each of the luncheons.  Other meetings may be called if necessary.  Co-chairs of committees and chairs of ad-hoc committees are invited to participate in executive meetings with voice but not vote.  Non-executive members are welcome to attend executive meetings without voice or vote. 
• A quorum constitutes of two-thirds of the executive committee.

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Terms of Office:

• Table officers shall be elected at the branch AGM for a two year term. 
• The President and the Vice President may be re-elected for a second term. (only these two positions have a maximum of two terms)
• Committees chairs are elected for a two year term.
• The executive may remove an executive member by a two-thirds majority vote of a quorum of the 
• executive. 
• If an executive member resigns or is removed, the vacant position may be filled by an interim 
• appointment.  Or, the executive may decide to complete the term without filling the position.

Meetings:

• The LRTA hosts a “No Bell” breakfast (brunch) the day after Labour Day. 
• The LRTA holds four luncheons:  November, January, March and May. 
• The LRTA honours new lifetime members at a luncheon. Please note, we find this to be in conflict with  BCRTA Policy. The BCRTA now honours BCRTA members with “Lifetime Membership” on reaching their 90th birthday. This is a change from the past where Lifetime Membership was granted to those reaching 85 years of age.

LRTA AGM 

The Annual General Meeting is held at the May luncheon.  Elections for LRTA executive members are held every second year at the LRTA AGM.  The LRTA fee for the following year is passed at the LRTA AGM.  Elections for BCRTA AGM delegates are held at the LRTA AGM.  The LRTA president will automatically be one of the delegates.

The LRTA Treasurer includes a full financial report to the membership in the fall newsletter.

The President’s Report to the membership will be provided in the June Newsletter.

Scholarships:

• The LRTA has established a trust fund through the Langley (School District 35) Foundation/Scholarship Committee. 
• Tax receipts will be available from the Langley Foundation/Scholarship Committee for any donations over $20.

Criteria for the scholarships are as follows:

• Given to a graduate of a Langley School.
• Student must be attending a post secondary institution.
• Preference is given to students planning to become teachers.
  • The money in the trust fund is invested by School District #35 on behalf of the Langley Foundation/Scholarship Committee.  
  • The LRTA objective is to provide one scholarship to each Langley Secondary School.
  • The money for the awards comes from several sources:
    • • Up to $2.00 of each luncheon cost
      • 50/50 draw at each luncheon
      • Donations at each luncheon 
      • Proceeds from the sale of our History book
      • Silent auction at the November luncheon
      • Donations in the “direct ask campaign”
      • Bursary Foundation earned interest.

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DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE

PRESIDENT

• Prepare agendas, call and conduct all executive and general meetings.
• Prepare an annual report to be sent to the BCRTA to arrive no later than June 30th.  The AGM minutes and names and addresses of the new executive may be forwarded at that time.
• Keep members informed of Branch and BCRTA affairs.
• Act as an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
• Deal with any business that affects branch members.
• Be the communication link with the BCRTA, LTA , LPVPA and School District.
• Represents the LRTA at the BCRTA  AGM and coordinate delegates for the BCRTA AGM who need to have their forms into the BCRTA by August 15th.
• Work on recruitment of new retirees as members.
• Represent the LRTA at events such as induction and retirement dinners.

VICE PRESIDENT

• Assume all duties of the president during his/her absence.
• Coordinate the venue for each event
• Assist the president in branch activities as requested.
• Become familiar with the role of the president.

PAST PRESIDENT

• Support the president and executive.
• Offer advice and experience when requested. 
• Chair the nomination committee to recruit members to run for executive positions.
• Chair the nominations meeting at the AGM.

TREASURER

• Keep records of all monies received and spent, writing receipts and issuing cheques as necessary. 
• Cheques must be signed by two members authorized to sign cheques, at least one of which must be the treasurer or president.
• Provide financial reports as needed, particularly at executive meetings and at the AGM.
• Oversee the preparation of a budget for the coming year for approval at the executive meeting.
• Submit the branch financial statement to the BCRTA office by July 15th.

SECRETARY

• Take notes and write up minutes of executive meetings.
• Take notes and write up minutes of general meetings when necessary, and the AGM.
• Send minutes to the president prior to the next meeting.
• Present minutes at meetings and make any necessary corrections.
• Write letters as requested that pertain to Branch matters.
• Maintain a minutes file.

MEMBERSHIP 

Be the communication link with the BCRTA Membership committee 

• Coordinate Membership Recruitment Functions - retirement dinners, retirement seminars offered by the Pension Corporation.
• Keep a list of each year’s new retirees and new “life” members members reaching the age of 85 are recognized as “Distinguished Members” at a meeting during the year.  In conjunction with the BCRTA membership lists, keep the name tags current by adding newly joined members and removing tags no longer needed (deceased, moved, etc.).
• Send invitations each year to the new “life” members that are to be honoured at a luncheon.
• Work with the president each June to prepare a package of information for the recruitment of new retirees as members.
• Send to the BCRTA by June 30 of each year a list of names and addresses of the Officers of the Branch for the coming year.

Note: Due to changes in BCRTA regulations the above changes in red are to be ratified at our 2015 AGM. The term “LIFE MEMBER” refers to members who turn 90.

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NEWSLETTER 

• Prepare newsletters.
• Encourage members to send in articles and items of interest for inclusion in the newsletter. 
• Ensure meetings and luncheons are reported in the newsletter.
• Ensure the file of newsletters is kept up-to-date on our website.
• Provide backup email communication.
• Items submitted to the newsletter should not be changed or left out of the newsletter without 
• consultation with the person submitting the article or the executive committee .
• Maintain up-to-date list of members who have email.
• Ensure the email list is secure and bulk email procedures followed (send through Bcc.).
• Email notices on topics approved by executive to LRTA members.
• Email newsletters.

WEBMASTER

• Prepare website to support the mission, aims and goals of the LRTA and the BCRTA.
• The website must guard against copyright violation and be politically neutral avoiding abuses. 
• Content of the website is under the supervision and control of the LRTA Executive.
• Provide Archival Facilities deemed appropriate by the executive.  Examples include  newsletters, emails, BCRTA notices, announcements and bulletins , COSCO bulletins, etc. 
• Encourage members to send in articles and items of interest for inclusion on the web. 
• Ensure meetings and luncheons are reported on the web.
• Provide feedback facility.  Members may contact the webmaster through a page on the website.
• Provide a home page of News Items: “Langley RTA News and Activities”.
• Be a personal link between the LRTA to the BCRTA.  Provide links to the BCRTA web site, Pensions website, etc. 
• Items submitted to the web master by the executive committee, or a member of the executive committee of the LRTA, should not be edited or changed, or not put on the web, without consultation with the executive committee.
• Chair communication team.

PHONING

• Prepare the message statement for the phoners.
• Coordinate a group of phoners to contact each member prior to an event.
• Report the confirmation numbers to the president at least one week in advance of the event. 

PROGRAM

• Bring program ideas to the executive for their consideration.
• Coordinate the arrangements with any speakers or groups, including remuneration on approval of the executive, or a thank you gift costing up to $20.
• Send thank you cards to speakers.

SCHOLARSHIP

• Be the communication link with the School District 35 scholarship committee.
• Arrange for presenters at the various secondary school ceremonies.
• Promote donations and contributions through direct ask.

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SUNSHINE

• Send cards to members or their families on the occasion of bereavement, illness, or accident.
• Send a card to members recognizing significant events.
• Send Christmas cards to LRTA lifetime members. 
• Keep executive members (especially Membership, Webmaster and Newsletter) informed.
• Encourage members to phone or email news about any of the above Sunshine related items as the coordinator relies on members' input.
• Keep a supply of suitable cards available.
• Keep a record of sent messages. 
• Submit bills for supplies to the treasurer.
• Be a member of the communications team.

THE OMBUDSPERSON (Advocating for Members' Concerns)

A member of the branch executive to act as an 'ombudsperson' so that members have a first contact for questions about pensions and benefits, seniors services, BCRTA insurance programs and Affinity Programs.

MEMBERS AT LARGE

Share the responsibility for activities such as archives & heritage, health & housing, COSCO  and current issues for the  LRTA and/or the BCRTA.

Be the communication link with the BCRTA Social Concerns committee.

Suggest program ideas to the executive

Archives & Heritage

Be the communication link with the BCRTA Heritage committee. 

Ensure that branch events are photographed, and maintain the branch photo album and history on our website.

Maintain and display the branch archival material.  Form a committee to develop the “History of Langley Schools.”

Health & Housing

Be the communication link with the BCRTA Health & Housing committee

Suggest program ideas to the executive

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Download the LRTA Handbook section ‘B’ on Policies and Procedures by clicking here