The name of the Association is “Dunedin Christian Schools Association Incorporated”.

The object of the Association is to establish by way of purchase lease or otherwise, and maintain and staff, Christian Schools.

The final and fully authoritative standard for ruling the life of the Association shall be the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

In response to the Scriptures by which the Lord God reveals to His people principles intensely relevant to education, we confess:

1. Our Common Faith
1. We believe in one God, eternal in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the only living and true God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.


2. We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the only inspired and infallible written revelation of God to man, and are the supreme authority in all matters of life and faith.


3. We believe in the universal sovereignty of God over all that He has created and maintains.


4. We believe in the providence of God, whereby He sustains the universe, governs the world, supplies the needs of His people and brings His will to pass.


5. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, to have dominion over the earth and to do all things to the glory of God.


6. We believe in man’s universal fall into sin through Adam’s transgression and in his subsequent disobedience, guilt, condemnation and judgement before God.


7. We believe that God by His grace, and according to His good pleasure, restores to Himself and to His service, all who in true faith call on the Name of Jesus Christ.


8. We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father; that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, crucified as a ransom for many, died and was buried, was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven.


9. He is presently at the right hand of God the Father, and will personally return to earth in power and glory to judge the living and the dead, executing God’s just condemnation on the impenitent and receiving the redeemed to eternal glory.


10. We believe in the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to apply the benefits of Christ’s redemption to individual sinners, working in them regeneration, faith, repentance, sanctification and glorification.


11. We believe in one holy and universal church which Christ the Lord and Head gathers, preserves and defends for Himself by His Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race.



2. Confessing Christ in Education
1. MAN’S LIFE AND TASK

WE CONFESS that all things are created by God and as His creation remain under His rule, are upheld by His power and exist for His glory;

that mankind, as the creature uniquely made in God’s image, is given dominion over creation to rule it and develop it under God;

that human life in its entirety is religion, unfolding in service to the one true God or of a God-substitute;

that man can never be a meaning-maker in God’s creation, but is instead called to experience and confess creation’s God-given order and meaning;

that in fulfilment of his task, man is called to discern the many ways in which God calls each of His creatures to serve Him, so that man may cultivate creation in all its richness in obedience to God’s commands and in harmony with the laws by which God in His faithfulness maintains His creation;

that education is the process of nurturing and directing the child, as a creature made in God’s image, to the responsible and obedient exercise of this dominion, in fulfilment of His calling under God.


2. THE WORD OF GOD

WE CONFESS that the whole creation finds its coherence and meaning in the only begotten Son of the Father, the Word of God through Whom all things were made and are continually upheld;

that the supreme standard for all matters of education shall be the written word of God, known as the Old and New Testaments, as these open our eyes to the activity of God in originating and ordering His creation through His Word and Spirit, and leads us to confess Jesus Christ as the Word incarnate;

that while the study of the Scriptures is no substitute for the study of God’s creation, Scripture remains indispensable and determinative for our knowledge of God, of ourselves and of the rest of creation, and thus for the whole educational task.


3. SIN

WE CONFESS that in sin man has repudiated God in favour of God-substitutes, and has therefore cut himself off from all true knowledge of God, of himself, and of the meaning of creation, so that the light that he supposes he has is darkness and his wisdom is folly;

that no area of human knowledge is free from this sinful falsifying;

that apart from the one sinless man, Christ Jesus, all men alike grope in darkness;

that disobedience to God is inherently destructive of man and of the creation over which man is given dominion, but that the creation remains continually upheld in grace in subjection to God’s law;

that no human activity, including the educational task, can enable man of himself to fulfil his destiny or bring himself to salvation, but the redemption and renewal of human life lie in the power of the blood and Spirit of Christ alone;

God is re-established by God’s grace in the heart of man, as the indispensable foundation of all wisdom and knowledge.


4. REDEMPTION IN CHRIST

WE CONFESS that God in Christ by the Cross has restored the whole creation to harmony with Himself, making all things new in Christ;

that although the fulfilment of this restoration awaits the future revelation of Christ in glory, yet, in principle, by the present work of the Holy Spirit in the world, it is a present reality to be reckoned with in faith in every area of life;

that Christ in His redemption, by the Holy Spirit, is creating from among the old humanity in Adam a new humanity in Christ, united in the Church which is His body, the covenant community bound to Him as Head;

that the covenant community is God’s appointed means, through the power of the Holy Spirit within the community, for communicating the redemption of Christ to the world;

that although by the grace of God, men who reject the Word of God as the ordering principle of life provide many valuable insights into the structure of reality, yet, because the religious direction of their thought remains radically opposed to that of the covenant community in Christ, there can be no possibility of a synthesis of their systems of thought with the Scripturally-directed thought which Christ’s covenant community is called to pursue.


5. THE SPECIAL TASK OF PARENTS

WE CONFESS that God has given parents the responsibility for the nurture of their children by discipline and instruction according to the Word of the Lord;

that in accordance with this responsibility, God has given parents authority over their children to guide and direct them in the way of righteousness;

that God has given children on their part a corresponding responsibility to honour, respect and obey their parents in the Lord;

that faithful training of children means instructing them in the covenant revealed in Scripture by which God binds His people to Himself in wholehearted love, which covenant is the key to the fulfilment of all man’s life;

that while parents may invite others to share with them in the nurture of their children, the responsibility for this nurture remains the responsibility of the parents, whose task it always remains to determine the character and religious direction of the education of their children in every respect.


6. THE SPECIAL TASK OF THE SCHOOL

WE CONFESS that the covenant community redeemed in Jesus Christ expresses itself in many ways in this temporal world; a school where Christ is confessed as Lord of the educational task in harmony with the Scriptures is one valid expression of the life of this covenant community displaying in its own distinctive manner the rich fullness of Christ’s redemption;

that it is the special task of the school to open out to the child the meaning and structure of the creation under the guidance of the Word of God, as part of the equipping of the child for the fulfilment of his calling in life in subjection to Christ as King;

that the team of teachers, as the body of educators in the Christian community, has the task, in obedience to Christ, of articulating the content of the educational curriculum and seeking to implement it so as to lead each child as a responsible creature made in God’s image, who must be accepted for what he is and as he is;

that the School, under Christ and by His Holy Spirit, is to advance the reign of Christ on earth in accordance with its special task so that His kingdom may come to expression here and now, though with very much imperfection and weakness, and so that our Lord may find us busy in His service when He comes in glory.


7. THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL COMMUNITY

WE CONFESS that parents, with their children, united in Christ for the special task of the school, together with the team of teachers and those who as members of the Christian School Association share with them a common confession of faith, constitute a Christian school community that is not in subjection to state, institutional church, or any other human authority as regards its special task, but is subject to Christ who alone rules as King over all;

that while the school is entitled to expect freedom from interference in its special task, it is required to respect and uphold legitimate authority, in particular, the authority of family, institutional church and state, and to encourage this respect in the child, according to the Word of God;

that the responsibility of parents for the nurture of their children including especially their responsibility for those aspects of this nurture that form the special task of the school, is to be fully recognised and safeguarded by the school at all times;

that without diminishing the responsibility or authority of parents, the whole body of Christ, as one Body in the Lord, shares responsibility for the task of the school;

that the authority of the teacher, to which the student is subject within the school community, is to be upheld by the whole school community, is given for the effective nurture of the child within the limit of the special task of the school, and is to be used only for this purpose with the recognition that all authority is of God, to whom all who exercise authority must give account.


8. CONFESSING CHRIST

Confessing Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, the redeemer and renewer of all our life, we pursue the educational task together; with confidence, hope and humble reliance on God who, for Jesus’ sake, sent His Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth, which is Christ, and with glad submission to God’s Word as the guide of all our endeavour, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and dominion for ever and ever. AMEN.

1. Requirements

All persons of age 18 years and over and who are in full agreement with Articles II, III and IV of this Constitution and who comply with the requirements set forth in the Regulations are eligible for membership.


2. Admission

The responsibility of admitting such applicants to membership of the Association resides with the Council.


3. Gravamen

It shall be the duty of any member who considers Article IV or any part thereof not to be in conformity with Article III to notify the Council in writing in order that the matter be given due consideration by the Association. The Council shall determine the matter only after consultation with the member.


4. Resignation

Any member shall have the freedom to resign from the Association at any time and shall cease to be a member. Any member who ceases to subscribe to Articles II, III and IV shall tender their resignation.


5. Expulsion of Members
The Association may at any time by letter invite any member within a specified time to retire for breach by him of the Constitution and in default of withdrawal to submit the question of his expulsion to a general meeting to be held within three calendar months from the date of such letter and at such meeting the member whose expulsion is under consideration shall be allowed to offer an explanation verbally or in writing and if thereupon two-thirds of the members present vote for his expulsion he shall forthwith without releasing him from any antecedent liability to the Association cease to be a member provided that voting at any such meeting shall be by ballot if so demanded by not less than five members.


6. Lapsing of Membership

Membership shall lapse after non-payment of the annual membership fee for three consecutive years. Persons whose membership has lapsed are entitled to reinstatement upon payment of unpaid membership fees.

The Council shall be elected from among the membership of the Association and shall ensure that the Constitution is upheld and shall be the sole governing body of the Association. They shall be required to present an annual report of the Association’s affairs to the membership.

Members of the Association shall meet annually or more often if necessary upon call of the Council as set down in the regulations, to approve the reports of the Council, to consider an approved budget, to elect members of the Council, and to transact all business included in the agenda.

1. Accounts

The Council shall cause to be kept proper books of account in which shall be entered particulars of all moneys received and distributed on the Association’s behalf. All moneys received by or on behalf of the Association shall be deposited with an approved bank or banks in the name of the Association. All cheques and withdrawals against an Association account must be signed by any two of the authorised signatories who will be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Council and one other member of the Association who may be acting as an assistant to the Treasurer. The financial year shall end on the thirty-first day of December.


2. Investment of Funds

The Association may from time to time invest and reinvest in such securities and upon such terms as it shall think fit the whole or any part of its funds which shall not be required for the immediate business of the Association and to purchase and take a lease, freehold or leasehold properties of all kinds suited to the objects of the Association.


3. Dues

The Annual Dues for membership of the Association shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. On the recommendation of the Council and the approval of the Annual General Meeting, employees of the Association may be exempt from the payment of dues.


4. Borrowing Powers

The Association shall in addition to the other powers vested in it have a power to borrow or raise money from time to time by the issue of debentures, bonds, mortgages or any other security founded or based on all or any of the property and/or rights of the Association or without any such security and upon such terms as to priority and otherwise as the Association shall think fit but the powers of so borrowing or raising money shall not be exercised except pursuant to a resolution of the Association passed in general meeting.


5. Financial Report

The Council shall be required to present to the membership at the Annual General Meeting, a Financial Report including an audited financial statement and estimates of expenditure for the coming year.


6. Charitable Provision

Any income, benefit or advantage must be used to advance the charitable purposes of the Association. No member of the Association, or anyone associated with a member, is allowed to take part in, or influence any decision made by the Association in respect of payments to, or on behalf of, the member or associated person of any income, benefit or advantage. Any payments made to a member of the Association, or person associated with a member, must be for goods or services that advance the charitable purpose and must be reasonable and relative to payments that would be made between unrelated parties.

The Common Seal of the Association shall be that appointed by the Council who shall be responsible for the safe custody and control thereof.

Use of Common Seal
Whenever the Common Seal of the Association is required to any deed document writing or other instrument, the seal shall be affixed pursuant to a resolution of the Council or of the Association by the Chairman and any one other member of the Council, thereby authorised to affix the seal; the persons so affixing the seal shall at the same time sign the document to which the seal is so affixed.

The Registered Office of the Association shall be situated at Dunedin or at such other place for the time being as shall be decided by the Council.

These Articles may be altered, added to, rescinded or otherwise amended at any Annual or Special General Meeting called for the purpose; such an amendment shall be required to have a two-thirds majority of those voting at two consecutive meetings, providing that those meetings are separated by at least nine calendar months.

The Association shall be wound up on the resolution of a majority of the Members voting at a Special Meeting of the Association called for that purpose.

If upon the winding up of the Association, there remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any assets whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other New Zealand charitable institution or institutions having an object, basis and confession similar to that of this Association, prohibiting the distribution of its assets among its or their members; such gift or transfer to be determined by a majority of the members of the Association.

1. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of one quarter of the membership residing in Dunedin.


2. Voting Procedures

For elections to the Council where the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, or voting on proposed amendments to the Constitution, a postal ballot of all members of the Association is required.


1. Elections to the Council:
Nominations for any elections shall be called for in writing not less than six weeks before the meeting at which the election is to take place. Nominations will close with the Secretary three weeks before that meeting.


2. Voting on proposed amendment(s) to the Constitution shall be as laid down in Article XI and/or Regulation 6.


3. All other business shall be transacted by a simple majority of a quorum.


4. Proxy:
A member may appoint another member as a proxy to vote on his behalf at any meeting of members of the Association provided that no one member shall exercise a proxy on behalf of more than three members. All proxy authorisations, which shall be in writing signed by the members authorising the proxy in the presence of a witness other than the proxy, shall be delivered to the Secretary of the meeting before the time set for the commencement of business.


5. Postal Voting:
Voting papers shall be sent to every member not less than two weeks before that meeting. Members may vote by returning the voting paper to the Secretary, before the commencement of that meeting or by voting in person at that meeting. Where it is required by this Constitution that notice be given in writing, such notice shall be given by mail addressed to the member at his last known address.


6. An Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting has the power to amend the motion on the basis of a simple majority. Provision for postal voting must be made for the amended motion.


3. Scrutineers

For items of business upon which a postal ballot is to be held, the Council shall appoint two persons from the membership of the Association to act as scrutineers.
Any person so appointed must not be:


1. A member of the Council.


2. The proposer or seconder of any proposed amendment being voted upon.


3. A nominee, nominator, or seconder in any election being held.


The names of the scrutineers so appointed shall be stated upon the voting paper circulated to members.

For items of business not requiring a postal ballot, scrutineers shall be appointed by the meeting at which that item is being transacted, as the meeting deems necessary.


4. General Meetings

The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting within three months of the end of the financial year of the Association.


1. To confirm the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and of any Special General Meeting held since the last Annual General Meeting.


2. To adopt a report, balance sheet, and statement of accounts for the previous financial year.


3. To appoint an auditor or auditors.


4. To elect members of the Council, when vacancies exist.


5. To transact such other business as is appropriate to such a meeting.


6. An agenda shall be circulated to all members six weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.

The Council may from time to time for any purpose call a Special General Meeting. The Council shall be required to call a Special General Meeting upon receiving a written request signed by at least one-third of the members of the Association. The purpose for which the meeting is to be called shall be given at the time the meeting is called. Only such business as is specified in the call may be transacted at a Special General Meeting. Six weeks’ notice shall be given to all members of such a meeting.

The Council shall consist of five to ten members of the Association elected at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. The term of the office shall be two years. Members of the Council shall reaffirm in writing their full agreement with Articles II, III and IV of the Constitution at the beginning of each Council year.

1. Eligibility

Any two members of the Association shall be at liberty to nominate any other member to serve on the Council. All nominees are to have been members of the Association for two years. Any member who has a contract of employment with the Council is not eligible for nomination.


2. Nomination Procedures

The name of each member so nominated, together with the names of the proposer and seconder, together with the written acceptance by the member of his nomination, shall be sent to the Secretary of the Council not less than three weeks before the meeting at which the election is to take place.


3. Vacancies

A member of the Council shall vacate his seat if he:


1. Resigns; or


2. Ceases to be a member of the Association; or


3. Absents himself from three or more consecutive meetings of the Council without the permission of the Council; or


4. Declares that he can no longer subscribe to Articles II, III and IV of this Constitution.

Vacancies occurring between two Annual General Meetings shall be filled at the next Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. Any member who is elected to the Council at a Special General Meeting shall resign before the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-nomination in the subsequent election to the Council.

1. Office-bearers

There shall be a Chairman, Deputy-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, elected from time to time as necessary by the Council from its own members.


2. Number of Meetings

The Council shall meet at such times as may be necessary, but at least once every three months.


3. Special Council Meetings

The Secretary, on receipt of a request signed by not less than three members of the Council, shall call a special meeting of the Council, to be held not more than fourteen days after receipt of such requisition.


4. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of four members of the Council for all Council meetings.


5. Duties

The Council shall perform the following duties:


1. Oversee the Association to see that provisions of the Constitution are carried out.


2. General oversight of the life of its schools to see that they are in harmony with this Constitution and in accordance with Association decisions.


3. Select, appoint and dismiss teaching and other staff at its independent schools. Appoint representatives to the Boards of Trustees at its integrated schools as provided by the respective Integration Agreements.


4. Devise ways and means for attaining the necessary funds for operating its schools and determine how these funds shall be distributed.


5. Recommend annual membership fee subject to review by an Annual General Meeting.


6. Appoint from the members of the Association such Committees as it may deem necessary for the performance of its duties, provided always that the recommendations of such committees shall not be binding upon the Council.


7. Cause to be kept a record of all meetings of the Association and of the Council which shall be entered into a Minute Book.

To assist the Council and the Association in respect to the interpretation and development of the constitution, the Constitutional Advisory Committee shall be appointed and function in the following way:

1. The Constitutional Advisory Committee shall advise the Council regarding the development and interpretation of the Constitution.


2. The Constitutional Advisory Committee may present a report to the Annual General Meeting or to any Special General Meeting of the Association.


3. Membership
1. The Committee shall have three members.


2. Membership shall be by Council appointment, subject to the approval by a simple majority of the voting membership, at the Annual General Meeting.


3. Membership shall be for three years.

1. Staff Employed at Independent Schools

Terms of employment, salaries, leave and other conditions of service for all staff shall be determined by the Council.


1. Each member of the team of teachers must declare in writing his or her full agreement with Articles II, III and IV of this Constitution at the beginning of each academic year.


2. The Principal shall be appointed by the Council for as long a period as the Council shall determine. His employment may be terminated on the initiative of the Principal or the Council only upon due notice being given; such notice shall be agreed at the time of appointment but in no case shall be less than four months.


3. The Principal may recommend to the Council such supplementary staff as shall from time to time be required. He shall have the prerogative to recommend to the Council the dismissal of any member of the staff.


4. Supplementary Teaching staff may be appointed by the Council for as long a period as the Council may determine. The employment of such staff may be terminated on the initiative of the same or the Council only upon due notice being given, such notice shall be agreed at the time of appointment but shall in no case be less than two months.


5. The Principal in consultation with a team of teachers shall be responsible for the daily life of the school.


6. Subject to the approval of the Council, the Principal shall have responsibility to select and admit pupils to the school.


7. The Principal in consultation with the team of teachers shall have authority to make rules governing the conduct of pupils and shall be responsible for the administration of appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with policies that the Council shall from time to time lay down.


2. Staff Employed at Integrated Schools

Terms of employment, salaries, leave and other conditions of service for all staff shall be the responsibility of the respective Board of Trustees.


1. Each member of the team of teachers on acceptance of employment must declare in writing his or her full agreement with Articles II, III and IV of this Constitution.


2. The appointment and dismissal of the Principal and supplementary staff shall be the responsibility of the respective Board of Trustees in consultation with the Council as provided by the respective Integration Agreement.


3. The Principal in consultation with a team of teachers shall be responsible for the daily life of the school.


4. Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees in consultation with the Council as provided by the respective Integration Agreement, the Principal shall have responsibility to select and admit pupils to the school.


5. The Principal in consultation with the team of teachers shall have authority to make rules governing the conduct of pupils and shall be responsible for the administration of appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with policies that the respective Board of Trustees shall from time to time lay down.


3. Status of Principals

Principals shall attend those meetings of the Council they are requested to attend for reasons advised to them by the Chairman. They shall have no vote at such meetings.

These regulations may be altered, added to, rescinded or otherwise amended by a two-thirds majority of those who cast a vote, at any Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for that purpose. Postal voting forms shall be distributed to all members at least two weeks before the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered.