NWACHEA

BYLAWS of the Northwest Arkansas Christian Home Educators Association

Section 1. Qualification for Administrative or Branch Steering Committee Members
Persons nominated to serve in these key leadership positions must:
A. Be a current member of NWACHEA, who is actively home schooling and has participated as a  member for at least one year prior to their nomination.
B. Accept and subscribe to the Articles of Faith in writing.
C. Have a servant’s heart and a willingness to work as a team member (not a dictator).
D. Strive to reveal the love of Christ and the Fruit of the Spirit in all interactions with others.

Section 2. Branch Groups of NWACHEA
A. An authorized branch of NWACHEA will be named NWACHEA of ___________(the city where most of their meetings are held).
B. A new branch may be started when a new location has been obtained, and when there are at least two qualified Branch Steering Committee members who are willing to lead it. These leaders must accept the conditions set forth in these By-Laws.
C. Individual branches may not alter the NWACHEA Constitution, By-Laws, Philosophy and Purpose Statements, or Articles of Faith in any way.
D. Each NWACHEA branch must have its own Branch Steering Committee that plans, promotes, and conducts the activities for their area.
E. Each NWACHEA branch must have a treasurer who collects and disperses the funds, and who prepares a financial report each semester. Said report will be submitted to its own Branch Steering Committee and the Administrative Committee. This report will be available to NWACHEA members upon request. In addition to the treasurer, there will be at least one other Branch Steering Committee member who is authorized to sign checks.
F. Each branch of NWACHEA must have an in-house “auditor” who is NOT a signer of the checks. The monthly bank statement will be reviewed by both the auditor and the treasurer. If the auditor notices any questionable expenses, the treasurer is responsible for providing an explanation. Any charges that cannot be adequately explained shall be reported immediately to the Branch Steering Committee and the Administrative Committee. This policy safeguards the funds and every person with access to the bank account. After both the auditor and the treasurer have approved all charges on the statements, the treasurer will reconcile the checkbook and prepare the semester financial reports for review.
G. Branch Steering Committee members for each branch group will collect the official NWACHEA membership forms for their area, and the dues. They prepare the information for the directory in an electronic format that can be modified as necessary. One directory will serve all of NWACHEA, but it will have separate sections with an alphabetical listing for each branch of NWACHEA. The General Fund monies and the directory information should to be sent to the Administrative Committee by September 30 for the fall semester, and by February 15 for the spring semester.
H. Membership dues for all branches will be the same. Each year, a portion of the membership dues from each branch will be passed on to the Administrative Committee. This money represents the General Fund, and will be  used to pay for operational expenses approved by the Administrative Committee. Each branch’s portion will be calculated after the Administrative Committee’s annual budget has been finalized.
I. The balance of membership dues represents the Operating Fund of each branch. These funds will be placed in a NWACHEA of _______ bank account and used to provide for expenses approved by each group’s Branch Steering Committee.
J. We encourage every branch group to make a yearly donation to the facility they use, to express appreciation for permission to use that facility. This could be a gift of time such as having a workday to help with landscaping, a gift of equipment, or a monetary gift.
K. Any branch that is found to have leaders who are not working in harmony with the Administrative Committee or NWACHEA’s Foundation (Constitution, By-Laws, Purpose, Philosophy, and Articles of Faith) may be denied permission to use the name NWACHEA or participate in the NWACHEA activities. Said group may be dismissed and all privileges of membership revoked.

Section 3. Administrative Committee
A. The Administrative Committee may plan, promote, and conduct activities in which members of all branches (as well as non-members, when appropriate) may participate. These may include, but are not limited to, events such as spelling and geography bees, science fair, used book sale, and all other activities approved by the Administrative Committee.
B. The Administrative Committee will be responsible for obtaining an insurance policy that provides necessary coverage for the leaders and members of all local branches.
C. The Administrative Committee will appoint a treasurer who collects and disperses General Fund monies, and who prepares a financial report each semester. Said report will be submitted to the entire Administrative Committee, and will be available to NWACHEA members upon request. In addition to the treasurer, there will be at least one other Administrative Committee member who is authorized to sign checks.
D. The Administrative Committee must have an in-house “auditor” who is NOT a signer of the checks. The monthly bank statement will be reviewed by both the auditor and the treasurer. If the auditor notices any questionable expenses, the treasurer is responsible for providing an explanation. Any charges that cannot be adequately explained shall be reported immediately to the full Administrative Committee. This policy safeguards the funds and every person with access to the bank account. After both the auditor and the treasurer have approved all charges on the statements, the treasurer will reconcile the checkbook and prepare the semester financial reports for review.

Section 4. Co-op Classes
A. All classes that are conducted by NWACHEA members must have a teacher and at least one assistant. All volunteer teachers and assistants, including substitutes, must sign the Articles of Faith.
B. Class Fees are to cover expenses only. NWACHEA works to keep costs at a minimum. ALL parents are expected to volunteer in some way and may not charge for their time.
C. Teachers should respect the time restraints of their class. If extra time is needed, it must be scheduled at a time that does not conflict with other NWACHEA classes.
D. Special speakers, or guest teachers who have no children in NWACHEA who are coming at the request of the Branch Steering Committee, may be compensated appropriately for their time. This cost shall be calculated as part of the Class Fee.
E. If a teacher of a NWACHEA class must be absent, classes should not be cancelled. The teacher should provide the materials for the class assistant(s) to teach. If an assistant is not available to serve as the substitute, the teacher is responsible for contacting other parents to lead an activity or serve as the substitute teacher. If the teacher has contacted several other parents and has been unable to find a substitute, (s)he may inform the Branch Steering Committee members so they may make other arrangements for the class. At no time should children be left unattended to roam through the buildings that have been made available to us.
F. Each branch of NWACHEA may adopt guidelines and policies for the classes they hold. These may be tailored to reflect the individual needs and preferences of the group. If the guidelines conflict with any of the rules stated in Section 4,  A – E, the branch must obtain approval from the Administrative Committee before making such changes.