NSW Primary Schools Sports Association – Handbook
Section 1 – Constitution
Amended 2017
Glossary
References to "The Department" refer to the NSW Department of Education.
Reference to the "DoE" refer to the NSW Department of Education.
1.1 Name
The Association shall be called the New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association (NSWPSSA).
1.2 Membership
1.2.1 Department of Education Primary Schools Sports Associations and invited Associations on payment of the prescribed affiliation fees shall be eligible for membership.
1.2.2 Life Members.
1.3 Objects
1.3.1 To promote and organise such sporting championships and competitions at the State level as have been approved by the Secretary, Department of Education.
1.3.2 To organise and conduct such Interstate and International competitions and tours as have been approved by the Secretary, Department of Education.
1.4 Responsibility
The Association shall be responsible to the Secretary, Department of Education through the New South Wales Public Schools Sports Unit.
All communications from the Association to the Secretary, Department of Education will be addressed in the first instance to the Executive Director responsible for School Sport.
1.5 Scope of service
Boys and girls from the age of 8 years to 13 years 5 months in the year of competition, with the exception of Rugby Union and Rugby League, (Primary eligibility) attending Public Primary Schools and other schools by invitation, after affiliation, within the State of New South Wales shall be eligible to participate in competitions promoted by the Association.
1.6 Executive
The Executive of the Association, which shall have powers to co-opt for specific purposes, shall consist of:
President.
Senior Vice-President.
Three Vice-Presidents.
Honorary Treasurer.
Senior Education Officer–Primary Sport (SEO)
These officers, with the exception of the Senior Education Officer, will be full time members of the teaching staffs of primary schools and their appointments are subject to ratification by the Secretary, Department of Education. The Senior Education Officer will be a teacher appointed by the Secretary.
1.7 Council of the NSWPSSA
The Management and control of the Association shall be vested in a Council which at all times must consist of a minimum of eighty percent (80%) personnel from Government schools. The council will be made up of:
1.7.1 Members of the Executive who shall have full voting rights.
1.7.2 Two representatives nominated from the New South Wales Primary Principals Council who shall have full voting rights.
1.7.3 Three delegates from each DoE Primary School Sport Association and invited Association, two of whom must be school based, who shall have full voting rights. Such delegates shall be teachers employed by the New South Wales Department of Education or teachers from affiliated schools.
Such delegates to be approved by the appropriate Director or Association.
1.7.4 Elected Conveners for each individual sport, who shall have the right to speak and move motions, but not to vote on any matter other than those pertaining to their particular sport.
Please Note:
Where a sport has not completed its current year's activities at the time of the Annual General Meeting the incumbent convener be empowered to complete that sport's activities.
1.7.5 Life Members of the NSWPSSA in their own right, who shall be non-voting members.
1.8 Meetings
1.8.1 Council meetings shall be held as required.
1.8.2 Council meetings shall be called by the SEO giving a minimum of at least one (1) calendar months' notice prior to such meetings in writing to the members of the Council. Despatch records showing record of notice of meeting having been sent shall be sufficient evidence of notice of meeting having been given.
1.8.3 A special meeting of the Council may be called at the written request of seven voting councillors or by the Executive. Usual notice of meeting will be given for any such special meeting.
1.8.4 The Annual General Meeting shall be held prior to the 1st December each year and shall be held separate from and immediately following the November General Council Meeting.
This Annual General Meeting shall:
Receive the President's Annual Report.
Receive the Executive Officer’s Report
Receive the Treasurer's Report.
Determine the membership fee and determine the amount of out-of-pocket expenses to be paid to the Executive Members and Conveners.
Elect Life Members (a list of life members will be presented in the meeting papers).
Install the elected Executive Officers and Conveners for the ensuing year.
Elect the NSWPSSA Team Coaches and Managers.
Receive and adopt the Returning Officer's Report on the election of Conveners.
Deal with other matters as determined by the meeting.
1.8.5 A meeting of the Executive of the Association shall be held as required.
1.8.6 The location of Council and/or Executive meetings shall be determined by the Council or Executive.
1.9 Voting
1.9.1 Each Councillor present and voting shall be entitled to one vote. In the case of equality of vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
1.9.2 All voting members of the Council, except as outlined in Section 1.11.1(e), present and voting, shall constitute the electorate for any election conducted at Council meetings.
1.10 Association correspondence
All correspondence sent in the name of the New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association by the Secretariat, any of the Association's Sub-Committees, Executive Officers and Conveners must be sent over the signature of the SEO or President of the New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association.
1.11 Elections
1.11.1 Election of executive:
(a) An application form listing all positions and dates by which applications must be submitted, shall be posted on the School Sport website by the commencement of Term 3 of each year.
(b) Nominations carrying the nominee's consent, Principal's approval and DoE Sports Association's or invited Association's recommendation, for election to an Executive position, shall be lodged with the SEO in writing, by 4.00 p.m. on the last day of Term 3 each year.
(c) List of applicants and positions for which no applicants have been received shall be circulated to each DoE Primary Schools Sports Association, invited Association and members of the Council of the NSWPSSA within 14 working days of the closing date for their consideration.
(d) Where there are insufficient nominations for any position on the day of the election, positions will be re-advertised.
(e) Members of the Executive shall be elected by the DoE Sport's Association's and invited Association delegates. Each DoE Sports Association and invited Association shall be entitled to three votes in the election for members of the executive, irrespective of the number of delegates present at that time of the election. In a case of emergency, telephone votes will be accepted, provided they are received by the Returning Officer prior to the conduct of the ballot.
(f) Election for single positions shall be by preferential voting for members of the Executive and shall take place at the Annual General Meeting each year. Persons so elected will assume office immediately following the Annual General Meeting and hold their position until the Annual General Meeting in the following year.
(g) Elections for multiple people in multiple positions in Executive elections shall be by first past the post on primary votes and shall take place at the Annual General Meeting each year. Persons so elected will assume office immediately and hold their position until the Annual General Meeting in the following year.
(h) When a tie occurs in an executive selection a draw from the hat will be made to decide the election.
1.11.2 Election of conveners
(a) An application form listing all positions of Convener and dates by which applications must be submitted, shall be sent to all schools at the commencement of Term 3 each year.
(b) Nominations carrying the nominee's consent, Principal or Education Director’s approval and DoE Sports Association's or invited Association's recommendation, for election to a Coach or Manager position, shall be lodged with the SEO in writing, by 4.00 p.m. on the last day of Term 3.
(c) List of applicants and positions for which no applicants have been received shall be circulated to each DoE Sports Association, invited Association and members of the Council of the NSWPSSA within 14 working days of the closing date for their consideration.
(d) Where there are insufficient nominations for any position on the day of the election, positions will be re-advertised.
(e) The election of conveners shall be by preferential ballot at the Annual General Meeting each year. The conveners shall be elected by the Executive and the DoE Sports Association and invited Association delegates. Each DoE Sports Association and invited Association shall be entitled to three votes in the election for Conveners, irrespective of the number of delegates present at the time of the election. The new Conveners will assume office at the Council meeting that follows the Annual General Meeting.
(f) Positions for which no applications were received by the due date may be filled by the Council conducting an election based on nominations received at the first programmed meeting of 1st Term each year, at a subsequent meeting or as determined by the Council.
1.11.3 Election for managers and coaches
(a) An application form listing all positions and dates by which applications must be submitted, shall be posted on the School Sport website at the commencement of Term 3 each year.
(b) Nominations carrying the nominee's consent, Principal or Education Director’s approval and DoE Sports Association's or invited Association's recommendation, for election to a Coach or Manager position, shall be lodged with the SEO in writing, by 4.00 p.m. on the last day of Term 3.
(c) List of applicants and positions for which no applicants have been received shall be circulated to each Primary Schools Sports Association, invited Association and members of the Council of the NSWPSSA within 14 working days of the closing date for their consideration.
(d) Where there are insufficient nominations for any position on the day of the election, positions will be re-advertised.
(e) The appropriate sport sub-committees may make their comment on applications through the SEO to the Executive.
(f) Election of Managers and Coaches shall be carried out by the Executive. Such election shall be submitted, sport by sport, for ratification at the Annual General Meeting. An election of a trainer for the high contact sports of Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL shall also be carried out by the Executive.
(g) In the event of the council not ratifying the executive recommendation an election for the position(s) shall be conducted. Elections shall be by preferential primary vote.
(h) Elections for multiple positions with multiple candidates shall be by first past the post on primary votes.
(i) These elections shall take place at the first Annual General Meeting each year.
(j) A Coach of a New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association team may not hold an official position with a 'like' assosiation team in the same year.
1.11.4 Election of delegates
The Council may elect delegates to those bodies approved by the Secretary, Department of Education as having a bearing on the Primary Curriculum.
1.12 Finance
1.12.1 The Financial year of the Association shall be the calendar year.
1.12.2 All monies derived from the activities of the Association or from sources outside the Association shall be banked in the name of the Association by the Administrative Assistant without delay.
1.12.3 The Executive Officer shall approve all claims against the Association and have these ratified by the Council.
1.12.4 The Finance Officer shall keep account of all monies received and disbursed and shall prepare financial statements for submission by the Treasurer at meetings of the Council and at such other times as the Executive may direct.
1.12.5 The two (2) banking signatories shall be the Executive Officer of the Association along with at least one of the following: Leader, School Sport Unit;Executive Officer NSWCHSSA;Treasurer and/or other Officers as appointed by the Association.
1.12.6 All major expenditure for activities must receive prior approval by the Executive.
The General council may also ratify major expenditures.
1.12.7 At the conclusion of each financial year, appropriate steps to audit accounts according to the Department of Education requirements for the auditing of financial records should be undertaken prior to the Treasurer's presentation of the financial statement to the first Council meeting of the following year.
1.13 Placement of records
Upon receipt and adoption by the Annual General Meeting, copies of the Annual Report and audited Financial Statement shall be lodged with the Department of Education through the New South Wales School Sport Unit.
1.14 Sub-committees
The Council may appoint sub-committees as and when required. The Executive shall be represented on all such sub-committees.
1.15 Competition rules
The Association shall determine rules, regulations and conditions for the organisation and control of competitions under its authorities.
1.16 Life membership
1.16.1 Life Membership of the Association may be conferred by the Council for distinguished service to sport within New South Wales Public, Catholic and Independent School systems.
1.16.2 Candidates for Life Membership will have made outstanding contributions to school sport over a lengthy period at various levels including as an elected NSW PSSA Executive, Convener, Coach or Manager for a period of at least 10 years.
1.16.3 Nominations must be submitted through their relevant Association or the State Executive accompanied by a written citation of achievements and contributions of the nominee. Nominations should reach the Executive Officer at least one month prior to the AGM. The State Executive shall consider nominations for Life Membership and make recommendations, based on the stated criteria, to the State Council. Candidates nominated may not necessarily be recommended for Life Membership.
1.16.4 Life Members of the Association may attend meetings of Council, move or second motions, speak for or against any motion, but may not vote.
1.17 Criteria for service awards
Candidates for Service Awards will have made outstanding contributions to a particular sport over a lengthy period at various levels.
1.17.1 Nominations must be submitted by the convener of the particular sport accompanied by a statement of the qualifications of the nominee. Nominations should reach the Executive Officer in sufficient time that they can be dealt with by the Executive prior to the relevant State Championship.
1.17.2 The Executive shall consider candidates for Service Awards and make recommendations to Council. Not necessarily shall any or all candidates recommended be granted the Service Award.
1.18 Amendments to constitution
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority at any Council meeting, provided Notice of Motion has been given to all councillors at least one (1) calendar month prior to such meetings. Any amendments or additions so made will not become effective until approved by the Secretary, Department of Education.