MARANATHA MENNONITE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS (Adopted June 26, 1972) (Amended March 4, 2008) Being mindful of God’s will that children be taught the content and practical applications of His Word in every respect of learning and every activity of life (Deut. 6:4-9), and firmly believing that a Christian school will help us carry out our child-training responsibilities in a God-pleasing manner, we the undersigned herewith form the MARANATHA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, adopt the following Constitution to govern the said corporation. Article I – Statement of Faith The basis of the corporation shall be the Work of God as interpreted by the following statement of faith: A.We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible authoritative Word of God. (II Timothy 3:16) B.We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (I John 4-6) C.We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory. (I Corinthians 15:3; I Peter 2:21-24; John 3:16) D.We believe that for salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration is absolutely essential. (Romans 3:21-23; Galatians 4:4-7) E.We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Galatians 5:22-25) F.We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life; and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:24, 28, 29) G.We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. ( John 17:21-23) Article II – Name The name by which this corporation shall be known is: Maranatha Mennonite Christian School, “Our Lord Cometh.” (I Corinthians 16:22) Article III – Purpose The exclusive purpose or purposes of the non-profit corporation which shall be organized under this Act are as follows: To maintain a school for daily instruction, under Christian influence and environment, of all children who desire to attend regardless of race, color, or creed; and to educate children generally and prepare them for more advanced study by insuring that each child shall receive instruction in all subjects normally required to be taught in public schools in accordance with at least the scholastic standards thereof, and such secular subjects shall be accompanied by instruction in the faith and principles laid down in the Word of God in order that the pupils may be prepared to take their places in the home, in the church, and in the broader community; and to possess the unlimited power to engage in and to do any lawful act concerning any or all lawful activities relating to educational institutions for which a non-profit corporation may be incorporated under the Non-Profit Corporation Law without any attempts as a substantial part of its activities, or participation to any extent in a political campaign for or against any candidate for public office and without contemplation of pecuniary gain of profit, incidental or otherwise, to its members. Article IV – Membership Membership in the Corporation shall be open to all those who are Patrons, Faculty, or board members of the school and whose character and testimony support the statement of faith and purpose of this Constitution and By Laws. Article V – Board of Directors A.The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five and not more than ten men, who are members in good standing in the Mennonite Church or a church of similar faith and doctrine. B.Board members shall be men who have exemplified a life of faith and loyalty to the Word of God, who have strong interest in Christian education, who are in harmony with the Statement of Christian Doctrine of the Mennonite Church. C.Board members shall be elected by the membership to a three-year rotating term at an annual meeting from nominations submitted by the Board. Board members are eligible to succeed themselves. D.No teacher employed by the Corporation or spouse of employee shall be eligible to serve on the Board. The Principle shall be an advisory member of the Board, with no voting privilege. E.The Membership at its first annual meeting shall make provision for overlapping terms of Directors so that approximately one-third of the Board is elected in each subsequent year. However, the Membership may desire to reduce the size of the Board (see Article V, paragraph A) either by means of eliminating a seat thereon or by not filling a vacancy; in such case the provisions for overlapping terms need not be followed. Article VI – Organization of the Board A.At its first meeting, after the annual election, the Board shall elect by ballot from among its members a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The terms of office shall be one year with the eligibility to succeed themselves. These officers comprise the Executive Committee. The President by his position and office shall be Chairman of the Board. B.The officers of the Board shall be the officers of the Corporation respectively. C.The nominating committee shall consist of those Board members whose terms do not expire in the current year. Recommendations by members of the Corporation are welcomed and must by received prior to the last regular Board meeting before the annual meeting. Article VII – Duties of Officers A.The President shall preside at all meeting of the Board and of the Corporation and perform the other duties generally incumbent upon his office. He shall be responsible for the development and presentation of the annual budget. He shall be directly responsible for supervision and counseling the principal of the school, setting up the agenda for the meetings, etc. B.The Vice President shall perform the duties of President in the latter’s absence or disability. C.The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the Board and Corporation Membership, conduct the correspondence, and perform other duties associated with his office. He shall be responsible for notifications of meetings and the preparation of the Annual secretary’s report containing a roster of all employees, enrollment by grades, policies adopted during the year, and any significant events in the life of the school. He shall maintain a Membership roll book in which is listed the name, address, and date of membership of each member. D.The Treasurer, shall receive all funds from the members or from any other sources contributing to the maintenance of the school; he shall deposit all such funds to the credit of the Corporation in a bank designated by the Board; he shall disburse such funds as designated in the annual budget, or on written order by the President of the Board (or in his absence the Vice President) and countersigned by one of the Board members; and he shall submit a complete report of receipts and expenditures at each regular meeting of the Board and at the annual Corporate meeting. The records of the treasurer shall be audited annually. He shall prepare an Annual Financial Report showing the schedule of charges, all income and expense, and significant additions of capital assets. E.The Board, for the Corporation, shall have the responsibility to engage teachers, to acquire, to hold, and to maintain the real property and school equipment in the corporation name and to engage in such other activity as may be necessary to conduct its work. Exceptions: any action to relocate or dispose of the school must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Corporation members present at the meeting called for this purpose. F.The Board shall designate one member of the paid staff as the principal of the school (by whatever title is appropriate). The principal of the school shall be responsible for the operation of the school according to the policies established by the Board. Questions regarding the administration of the school shall be referred to the principal. If policies are to be reviewed or changed, this shall be done in Board meetings with the principal present and participating. Articles VIII – Meetings A.The Corporation Membership shall meet at least once a year prior to July 1, for election of Board. The program for this meeting shall include a review of the previous year’s activities, a report on the status of the school, and identification of major problems and issues, and a projection of the coming year. Written notice of said annual Membership meeting shall be given at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. B.The President of the Board shall call a special meeting if at least ten (10) percent of the voting members of the Corporation request it, or at the signed request of a majority of the members of the Board. At least ten days notice shall be given in writing to all members of the Corporation in advance of the meeting. Fifty (50) percent of total membership shall constitute a quorum in order to call the meeting to order and a majority of those present is needed to pass on any motion. C.At the annual meeting of the Corporation, the President shall give a report of the actions taken by the Board and the activities and progress of the school. The Treasurer shall make a report of financial matters. Reports referred to in the Section shall be filed with the Secretary. D.The Board shall meet monthly during the academic year. Said regularly meetings are to be at the place, date, and time established by the Board, as it deems proper. At least sixty (60) percent, shall constitute a quorum, and two-thirds vote of those present is required to pass on any motion. Special meetings shall be called by the President, or at request of three(3) members of the Board, and written or personal notice of the same must be given at least five (5) days prior to said meeting. A Director’s presence at any such Special Meeting is a waiver of his right to said notice. Article IX – Committees A.The Board shall appoint, from the Board membership, or Corporation Members to serve on committees such as, Policies, Finance, Promotion, and Facilities. Additional committees as determined by the Board may be established. All such committees are responsible to report to the Board, which will make the final determination in all matters. B.Committee Chairmans shall be elected by the committees. C.Committee shall have liberty to appoint their own sub-committees subject to approval of the Board. D.The principal of the school shall be a nonvoting member of all committees. He will supply information regarding school operations as requested and will evaluate the operating implications of all proposed policies. Article X – Duties of Committees A.The Policies committee shall consist of at least three members and shall have the responsibility for investigating and proposing to the full Board all policies that directly relate to the academic effectiveness of the school. B.The Finance Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and recommending action on all matters that directly relate to financial and legal activity. C.The Promotional Committee shall communicate the principles and philosophy of education that is Christian to the various publics that are affected by the school operation, and publicize the purpose and program of the school as widely as possible. D.The Facilities Committee shall be responsible for the maintenance of the buildings and grounds of the school. Article XI – Personnel A.All employed personnel will be appointed annually by the Board. All faculty members shall be approved by the Policies Committee and two-thirds vote of the Full Board. All employed shall be appointed under such conditions, and upon such salary as the Board may determine from time to time. B.All the staff members shall be members in good standing in one of the Mennonite or a church of similar faith and doctrine. Each shall give evidence of having experienced the new birth and of being in satisfactory relationship with God. C.Teaching and administrative staff should not only be able to defend Christian education but also be able to champion it. Their educational background and training must be of such a nature that they can be used effectively in the program of the school. D.All new teachers must be appointed for a term of one year and shall receive their salary semi-monthly for the second year. E.A written contract shall be submitted annually to each staff person. This shall indicate the salary determined by the current salary schedule recommended by the Finance Committee and approved by the Board. Article XII – Patron Involvements A.The objectives of Christian Education can best be realized when parents are happy in the service of the Lord and are members of an Evangelical church. B.Patrons are expected to (1) pray for the work of the school, (2) be prompt in paying the cast of tuition, (3) cooperate with the faculty in the exercise of just discipline, (4) attend faithfully Parent-Teachers’ Fellowship, (5) assist in school maintenance and improvement projects, and (6) share in promoting the aims and objectives of the school. C.Parent-Teachers’ Fellowship – It shall be the purpose of this Fellowship to provide times of interchange between parents and teachers at least two times each year. The teaching of the school curriculum should be made easier through a proper understanding of the pupils on the part of both parent and teacher. Through fellowship meetings, parents and teachers can share in discussing the physical, spiritual, social, and scholastic programs of the pupils. A more complete presentation of the organizational pattern is to be found in the schools’ handbook. Article XIII – Course of Study A.The minimum educational standard of the school shall be that of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Educational Policies Committeee shall develop further standards, and a “curriculum standard” shall be prepared. All teachers shall be responsible to the principal for adherence to these standards. Article XIV – Textbooks A.Besides the Holy Scriptures, only such books shall be used for the instruction in Christian doctrine as approved by the Board. In other subjects the teachers are responsible for guiding the children in a Christian interpretation of standard textbooks and reference material, with the Bible as the final authority. Article XV – Discipline A.Principles of disciplines shall be determined by the Policies Committee subject to the approval of the Board. B.Administration of the discipline, including dismissal, shall be the responsibility of the administrative head appointed by the board. Upon request, the Policies Committee will review any general principle or specific disciplinary action. Article XVI – Regulations A.The school shall adopt such standards of the Commonwealth so far as such requirements do not conflict with the teachings of the Word of God. B.All instruction shall be in harmony with the Word of God and the Statement of Christian Doctrine of the Mennonite Church. C.There shall be a concerted effort in all phases of schoolwork to foster a missionary spirit and a sense of world needs among students. D.All students are to be neat and modest in appearance, well groomed, clean clothes, faces and hands washed in accordance with I Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” E.All students are expected to maintain scriptural practices in dress in accordance with I Corinthians 11:14, 15 “If a man have long hair it is a shame unto him. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her.” Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” F.Girls who are members of the Mennonite Church and wear the devotional covering in church are to wear it at school and school activities. Article XVII – Dissolution In the event that circumstances would require dissolution of Maranatha Mennonite Christian School, all of this organization’s assets shall be transferred to a Non-Profit Organization or Charity at the designation of the Board of Directors and not to any member or private individual. Article XVIII – Amendments Amendments to these Constitution By-Laws may be proposed to the Corporation by a vote of a two-thirds majority of full Board in any of its regular meetings, provided the amendment shall have been proposed and discussed in a previous meeting of the Board. Such amendments may be considered and voted on at any subsequent meeting of the Corporation, and will be ratified with a two-thirds vote in a meeting of membership.