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HFHE BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I - Name

The name of this organization shall be Holy Family Home Educators Association (hereafter referred to as HFHE), incorporated on October 31, 1999.

ARTICLE II - Purpose

HFHE’s primary purpose is to share information and offer encouragement, both spiritually and academically, to families committed to Roman Catholic home education.  The guiding principle of all our functions and activities lies in our faithfulness to the teachings, Traditions and Doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church and Her Magisterium, including the Holy Father in Rome, who, as successor to St. Peter, is the universal teacher in matters of faith and morals.

ARTICLE III - Goals

  1. To provide a support group that promotes and encourages Catholic family life for families who educate their child(ren) at home.

  2. To conduct meetings at which educational material, curriculum, books, ideas and concerns can be discussed.

  3. To provide information about field trips, cultural events, community service activities and legislative news which may be of interest to Catholic home educators.

  4. To network information through a monthly newsletter, meetings, gatherings and email (amended August 2008).

  5. To provide controlled social opportunities for our children.

ARTICLE IV - Definitions

  1. Membership – A member is an individual or couple who have paid dues for the current year and who are actively home schooling at least one child of any age.  Members are responsible for decisions not specifically enumerated under Article V on Board responsibilities.  We have an open membership policy to all home schooling families.

  2. Board of Directors - Referred to as the “Board,” it is the leadership body of HFHE with specific duties, responsibilities, and limits as outlined in Article V.

  3. Fundraising – An activity, not the paying of dues, designed to raise money at large.

ARTICLE V - Board of Directors

  1. The Board of Directors is to be comprised of Roman Catholic members who will honor and uphold the Purpose/ Mission Statement.

  2. No less than 3 or more than 5 families to serve for any one term.  Either an individual or the couple may represent families on the board.

  3. Members are acquired on a volunteer, first come, first to serve basis.

  4. Board members’ term will be a minimum of 2 years.  Members will be replaced subsequently as new members are acquired.

  5. Duties

a.  To actively recruit new members to the board.

b.  To provide leadership.

c.  To provide and manage the budget for all group activities

d.  To perform duties as outlined under hierarchy

e.  To host two couples meetings per year

f.   To handle the day to day decisions of the organization that would not require the approval of the entire membership

g.  To have the authority, if a question is raised, to decide whether or not an event and its contents adhere to our Purpose / Mission Statement.

  1. Hierarchy

a.  President – plans agendas and facilitates all meetings, breaks ties should there be one at a board meeting

b.  Vice-President – support for President, takes over president’s responsibilities should there be a need, handles member evaluations

c.  Secretary – records minutes of all meetings, maintains the official records of the organization, contacts members who have a bearing on scheduled meetings, submits Board news to the newsletter editors

d.  Treasurer – manages money and financial records,  provides semi-annual report

e.  Events Coordinator – Oversees volunteers of events and activities

  1. Meetings - There will be a minimum of 2 per year, additional meetings scheduled as necessary.  A board member can be removed for repeated absences from board meetings to be decided on an individual basis by the Board.

  2. Limit of power – The Board's power will be limited to decisions that do not affect the structure of the group, changes to by-laws or articles of incorporation, changes in financial structure or unplanned major financial outlays.  Should these issues need addressing, the Board will present proposals to the membership for discussion and voting.

ARTICLE VI - Voting

  1. For the purposes of deciding issues within the group, each member/family (whether individual or couple) will have one vote to cast.

  2. At Board meetings, each board position will have one vote to cast.

  3. At both meetings, decisions will be made by a simple majority of votes cast at the meeting at which the vote is held.  No Proxy votes are allowed.

ARTICLE VII - Fundraising

Any fundraising activity shall be presented to and approved by the group.  Once approved the activity must be conducted as dictated by the membership.  All funds raised along with a complete accounting of all income and expenses of the activity must be delivered to the Treasurer within one week of the conclusion of the fundraising activity.

ARTICLE VIII - Evaluations

The Vice-President will send out evaluations to the membership after the spring Couples' Meeting every even numbered year.  The VP will summarize and report on the results at the fall Couples’ Meeting.

ARTICLE IX - Dues

Membership dues will be collected by August 1st or the fall Couples’ Meeting, to be determined by the Board that year.  The Board based on needs, costs of previous year, etc., will determine amount of dues.  Dues (and newsletter subscriptions) will be “one half off” after March 1st of the school year.

ARTICLE X - Attendance

Attendance at Couples’ Meetings and Mothers’ Meetings is open to members and non-members alike.   Attendance at the optional social events decided on and planned by the group is limited to members and their one invited guest family.   A fee (amount decided on by the Board) is required of the invited non-member family.   This does not apply to the extended family members of HFHE members.

Regular Activities

§  Couples’ Meetings – The Board will host 1 Couples’ Meeting per year to be held in the fall   More meetings may be scheduled as needed.  The purpose of these meetings is to encourage one another, share ideas, pray with and for one another, discuss issues important to the group, disseminate information pertinent to home education, make decisions and vote on items.

§  Newsletter – Sent out monthly to announce upcoming events, to inform the organization about newsworthy items (field trips, prayer requests, legislative news, etc.)  The editor will determine the deadline for submissions to the newsletter for that year.  For the Newsletter Guidelines see Appendix B.

§  Email – The method the organization uses to inform members of important information that did not make it into the newsletter or has changed since the publishing of the newsletter. The coordinators will decide what information will be put on the email.

§  Mothers’ Meetings – The Mothers of the group (Dad’s welcome) along with their nursing babies, meet on a Saturday each month to support and encourage one another, share resources, hear speakers, etc.

 

APPENDIX A - Optional Activities

Social Events - Individual members volunteer to chair these events yearly.  The chairperson of the event decides upon dates, times, locations, etc.  Coordinators are encouraged  to create a set of guidelines to pass on to future coordinators.  Some of the events that may be held are:

  1. Mother-Daughter Event – Usually held in December in lieu of a December Mothers’ meeting.  Grandmothers, Mothers and Daughters are all invited to attend.

  2. Performance Night – Usually held in the fall.  Children and/or families participate in a talent show (singing, acting, reading of poetry, playing musical instruments, etc.) or bring artwork to display.

  3. All Saints’ Party – Held on or around Halloween night to give our children an alternative to the traditional trick-or-treating.  Games, dress like a Saint, candy etc.  Refreshments and bagged candy are brought by all  to share.

  4. Epiphany Party – Held on or around the Feast of the Epiphany.  Refreshments are brought by all to share.

  5. Honors Night – Held at the end of the “formal” school year to honor our children and their efforts during the past school year.  Each family is responsible for their own child(ren)’s awards or certificates.  Refreshments are brought by all to share.

  6. Father-Son Campout and Family Campout – Held in the fall and/or spring at a nearby campground.

  7. Charity Support – Decide on a local charity to help out.

APPENDIX B - Holy Family Home Educators Newsletter Advertising Policy (Revised 4/12/2002)

A.  Definitions

  1. Advertisement shall be defined as a notice or announcement, as of things for sale, needs, etc.  The end goad of an advertisement is to generate funds through the sale of materials or services for the advertiser or a third party.  Examples:  book fairs, Automobiles for sale, Pay for service education classes.

  2. Notices or announcements for information only (no charge for attendance) shall not be considered advertisements.  Examples:  Church schedules, Prayer requests, Meeting notices

  3. Holy Family Home Educator (HFHE) members shall be those families who have paid full membership dues.

  4. Homeschooling is defined as Home Education.  The instruction of a child at home in matters of faith and curriculum. (Editors have the authority to discern questionable areas.)

B.  Advertising Space in Newsletter

  1. Space for each advertisement in the monthly newsletter shall be limited to 3-1/2”x 2-1/2” spaces unless extra space is available.

  2. The advertisement space shall be a maximum of the space taken by (1) one 8-1/2”x 11” page unless extra space is available.

C.  Criteria for Rejection of Advertisements

  1. Anti-Christian materials.  Secular materials are acceptable unless the material is directly anti-Christian in nature.

  2. Materials or classes shall not oppose directly or indirectly any Catholic doctrine or moral teaching.

  3. If there is any question with regard to whether advertisements should be accepted, the advertisement must be submitted to the board of directors for approval.  The material must be approved by a majority of the board.

D.  Types of Advertising open to HFHE members

  1. Materials or classes that promote or aid homeschooling.

  2. Sales of non-homeschooling materials; examples: vehicles

  3. Ads of non-homeschooling services.

E.  Types of Advertising open to non-HFHE members

  1. Materials or classes that promote or aid homeschooling.

F.  Advertising Priorities

  1. Priority 1: HFHE promoting homeschool products, classes, services, etc.

  2. Priority 2: Non-HFHE promoting homeschool products, classes, services, etc.

  3. Priority 3: HFHE selling or promoting non-homeschool products or services.

  4. Priority 4: HFHE promoting their personal businesses.

G.  Override – By decision of the newsletter editors and determination of the Board of Directors, any variations from these rules must be approved.

H.  Special cases – Situations not covered are left to the newsletter editor’s discretion.