The mission of the Iowa Science Teachers Section of the Iowa Academy of Science is to advocate for excellence in science education by promoting professionalism, influencing policy, and enhancing learning.

The mission of the Iowa Academy of Science is to further scientific research and its dissemination, education in the sciences, public understanding of science, and recognition of excellence in these endeavors.

The Iowa Science Teachers Section is the largest membership component of the Iowa Academy of Science.

ISTS Advocates for Excellence in Science Education by promoting professionalism, influencing policy, and enhancing learning.

Influence policy as it relates to science education.

Promote professionalism in science education through standards, collegial relationships, continuous education and an involved membership.

Enhance student learning through the explorations of productive avenues for student learning, the promotion of elementary science, and provide an information clearing house for science education.

This organization shall be know as the Iowa Science Teachers Section of the Iowa Academy of Science.

Section 1. Any teacher of science in the state of Iowa, any supervising or administrative officer of any school in the state of Iowa, and any person interested in or concerned with the teaching of science in Iowa may become an active member of the section by paying the required annual dues and applying for membership through the section secretary, membership chairperson or Executive Director of the Iowa Academy of Science (IAS).

Section 2. The membership year shall coincide with the calendar year as with all other sections of the IAS. However, the yearly activities will be organized and the officers elected for the academic year (from spring meeting to spring meeting). Members joining between January 1 and the time of the spring meeting will be considered members for the calendar year in which they join. They will be listed as members for the calendar year. The action will be retroactive.

Section 1. Meetings of the Section may be held in conjunction with the Fall Conference and the annual spring meeting of the IAS.

Section 2. This section is an affiliate of the National Science Teachers Association. It is also officially affiliated with the National Association of Biology Teachers. The President of the Iowa Science Teachers Section (ISTS) shall serve as a liaison to these and other national science teachers associations.

Section 3. The meeting of the Executive Board shall be held at the annual spring meeting of the IAS for purposes of organizing committees and other activities for the new year. Newly elected officers who will be installed during the spring meeting shall be invited to attend the session of the Executive Board. A meeting of the Executive Board shall be held to review the Fall Conference, develop a budget, develop a slate of candidates for office, plan the spring meeting and hear reports. Additional Executive Board meetings may be called by the President or by petition of a majority of the Executive Board.

Additional Executive Board meetings may be called by the President or by petition of a majority of the Executive Board.

Section 4. A majority of the voting members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. At a meeting of the Executive Board or of the Executive Board plus Regional Directors of the ISTS, business may be transacted by majority vote of those present. The reports of committees shall be considered. The Executive Board approves the ISTS budget at the first meeting of the calendar year.

Section 5. The Executive Board may authorize renumeration for expenses incurred to its members in transacting association business. A majority vote of the Board is required.

Section 1. The elected officers of this section shall consist of President, a President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. All members of the Executive Board must be Iowa Academy of Science Members.

Section 2. The Executive Board of the section shall consist of the President, Past-President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, section chairs of the Elementary Science Teaching Section, Earth Science Teaching Section, Chemical Education Section, Executive Director of the IAS and the Department of Education State Science Consultant.

The Executive Director of the IAS and the Department of Education State Science Consultant are non-voting members entitled to make motions and second motions.

Section 3. Regional Directors shall be appointed from current AEA regions by the President of the ISTS with the concurrence of the elected officers. Regional directors shall serve a 3-year term with 1/3 appointed each year at the annual spring meeting of the IAS. Vacancies shall be filled each spring.

Section 4. The ISTS Publicity Manager/ISTS Newsletter Editor shall be appointed by the President . S/he servers three year term. This appointment will be made on alternating years to allow for training. The Publicity Director/Newsletter Editor will serve a three year term. The first year will be spent working with the acting editor as editor-in-training. The second year s/he will be the acting Editor, responsible for the entire production of the newsletter. The third year the responsibilities of the Publicity Director/Newsletter Editor will be to instruct the editor-in-training while serving as the acting editor of the newsletter.

Section 5. The Publicity Director/Newsletter Editor will oversee all publicity for the section, but will be mainly responsible for the ISTS Newsletter.

Section 6. The election of officers shall be held before the spring meeting of the section, with a vote by mail. A majority of affirmative votes of those members returning marked ballots shall be necessary for election to any office.

Section 7. The term of President shall be one year. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for three years. The Secretary and Treasurer, shall be elected in a manner as to cause their terms of office to be staggered and the term of office be identified by the year in which their term ends. A duly elected officer shall serve until a successor is elected and shall assume the office unless the officer resigns or is voted out of office because of malfeasance by two-third of all members of the Executive Board.

Section 8. All vacancies in the offices of this section, when not specifically provided for in these Guidelines, shall be filled temporarily by appointment by the President with the concurrence of the elected officers. Such duly appointed officers shall hold office until the next election when new officers are ordinarily elected or appointed.

Section 1. The President

• The President shall serve as Section Chair.
• The President shall preside at all meetings of the Section and all meetings of the Executive Board.
• The President shall notify each member of the time and place of all such meetings.
• The President shall represent the association (when possible) at other state, regional, and national meetings.
• The President shall appoint the chair and members of all committees with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.
• The President shall convene the Strategic Planning Retreat.
• The President shall be the chair of the Policy and Resolution Committee.
• The President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President at the end of the Executive Board meeting held in conjunction with the IAS Spring Meeting.
• The President shall appoint the Publicity Director/Editor.
• The President shall appoint Regional Directors where vacancies occur.

Section 2. The Past-President

• The Past President shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Election Committee.
• The Past-President shall serve as chair of the Fall Conference Committee during said term of office.

Section 3. The President-Elect

• The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President whenever the President is absent or unable to function and shall serve as section Vice-chair.
• The President-Elect shall assume the office of President should that office become vacant during the period between annual spring meetings.
• The President-Elect shall serve as chair for the Spring Meeting Committee.
• The President-Elect shall be a member of the Policy and Resolution Committee.

Section 4. The Secretary

• The Secretary shall maintain an accurate and correct record of all business meetings of the section.
• The Secretary shall submit official minutes of these meetings to the Executive Director of the IAS.
• The Secretary shall maintain a correct membership list with the aid of the membership chair and the Executive Director of the IAS.
• The Secretary shall serve as secretary of the Executive Board.
• The Secretary shall be a member of the Membership Committee.

Section 5. The Treasurer

• The Treasurer shall work with the membership chair and the Executive Director of the IAS to expand the membership.
• The Treasurer shall keep record of all financial transactions of the section and make a report at all meetings.
• The Treasurer shall prepare an annual fiscal report to be presented to the membership and the Executive Director of the IAS at the spring business meeting.
• The Treasurer shall prepare a proposed budget for the first meeting of the calendar year Executive Board Meeting.
• The Treasurer shall, in cooperation with the Executive Director of the IAS, prudently invest any funds (above those needed for operation of the organization) in a savings account, savings certificate and/or other interest bearing notes.
• The Treasurer shall serve as the financial officer, in overseeing all financial transactions of the section.

Section 6. The Regional Directors

• Regional Directors shall organize annual meetings for their regions or with adjoining regions.
• Regional Directors shall exercise leadership in promoting professional exchanges between teachers employed in the schools of their region as well as between students enrolled in these schools.
• Regional Directors shall be responsible for communicating with current members and shall be instrumental in making contacts with potential members in their respective regions.
• Regional directors shall be responsible for encouraging the membership to contribute articles and news from their region to the ISTS Newsletter.
• Regional Directors shall be responsible for assisting in the nomination process for the "Excellence in Science Teaching Awards" program of the IAS.
• Regional Directors are expected to meet with the Executive Board as voting members at all Executive Board Meetings.

Section 7. The Section Chairs

The section chairs on the Executive Board are to act as liaisons with members of their sections and the Executive Board.

Section 1. Election Committee

The Election Committee shall be appointed each spring following the installation of the new officers. It shall be composed of at least three members, the chair to be appointed from the Regional directors. The chair shall serve one year and is thereby ineligible to serve further on the committee for a period of five years. The Past-President shall be an ex-officio member of the committee.

The Committee shall elect a slate of officers in which at least two members are nominated for each office. The candidates must be ISTS members in good standing. The slate should be prepared by January 5. Pertinent biographical information concerning each person nominated must be submitted to the Election Committee by February 1. The committee, in cooperation with the Executive Director of the IAS, shall prepare ballots for mailing to the membership. Marked ballots shall be returned to the Committee Chair as directed at least three weeks prior to the spring meeting. The Committee Chair shall tabulate the votes (with the assistance of at least one other member of the section) and prepare a report of the election results. The election report shall be presented to the membership at the spring meeting. The nominees will be notified of the election results prior to the meeting. Successful candidates will be invited to the meeting of the Executive Board by the President.

Section 2. Fall Program Committee

The Fall Program Committee shall consist of a representative group of Regional Directors and other members in good standing. The committee members shall be appointed after the fall conference by the President with the assistance of the Executive Board. During the year of the conference, the Past- President shall be the chair of this committee. The Treasurer shall serve as the financial officer for the Fall Conference and shall be an ex-officio member of the Fall Program Committee.

The new fall program committee shall meet after the fall conference and develop a tentative program for the next fall conference. The Chair shall present this program to the Executive Board prior to the end of the school year. The program for the fall, when finalized shall be transmitted to the Executive Director of the IAS.

Section 3. Spring Program Committee

The Spring Program Committee shall consist of the President Elect as Chair, the current President and others as appointed by the Chair.

The committee shall organize the section sessions for the spring meeting. This must be done according to deadlines set by the Annual Meeting Committee of the IAS. The membership will be canvassed for titles of papers for the program. Non-members will be contacted as well (especially college and industrial personnel). The copy for the spring program will be submitted to the IAS Executive Director for inclusion in the general program of the IAS. The members of the committee shall chair the section sessions at the spring meeting.

Section 4. Awards and Recognition Committee

The Awards and Recognition Committee shall consist of three members appointed annually. The immediate Past-President shall be committee chair. The President shall be an ex-officio member.

The committee shall review the accomplishments of the membership and shall recognize those members deserving of mention at the Fall Conference. This committee shall select a member to recognized at the Fall Conference for outstanding service to science teaching in Iowa.

Section 5. Ad hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board for special assignments as required.