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EARCOS Constitution
SUMMARY
EARCOS (East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools) was founded in 1968 as a result of growth in the 1960s of U.S. schools in East Asia and the needs of these schools to develop supportive relationships. In many cases, the schools were geographically isolated, both from one another and from mainstream U.S. education.
In the mid-1960s, a regional conference of schools in East Asia was sponsored and supported by International Schools Services. Following its inception in 1964, conferences were supported by the Office of Overseas Schools of the U.S. Department of State. Through these conferences, administrators were brought together to share ideas and concerns.
A regional workshop was held for overseas schools of the East Asia area in December 1968. Sponsored by the A/OS, it was hosted by the American School in Japan. At this conference, a Memorandum of Association was presented to the administrators present. Representatives of 19 schools in Laos, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore, signed the Memorandum, and EARCOS was born. The first EARCOS Conference was held the following year, November 24-28, 1969, at Hong Kong International School. The Constitution was officially adopted.
EARCOS is governed by a Board of Directors, elected annually. Annual conferences are planned by the officers and the Executive Director, who is appointed to administer programs. EARCOS is incorporated under the statutes of the State of Delaware, U.S.A.
EARCOS is essentially a service organization designed to assist administrators and teachers in improving programs through sharing, interaction, and mutual stimulation.
The objectives and purposes of EARCOS are:
(a) to promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of Member Schools;
(b) to broaden the dimensions of all schools involved in the Council in the interest of a total program of education;
(c) to advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of Member Schools;
(d) to facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools;
(e) to cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as the Council.
EARCOS serves as a medium for contact with other regional school councils and with institutions in the United States. Liaison is maintained with the Office of Overseas Schools of the U.S. State Department, with the College Entrance Examination Board, and with the Association for the Advancement of International Education.EARCOS ADDRESS
(For MAIL and COURIER service)EARCOS
Brentville Subdivision
Barangay Mamplasan
Biñan, Laguna 4024, Philippines
Phone: 63-49-5115993/5994
Fax: 63-49-5114EARCOS Board of Directors
Tim Carr, President
Sean O'Maonaigh , Vice President
Deidre Fischer, Secretary
Tom Hawkins, Treasurer
Anne Fowles, Director at Large
Brent Mutsch, Director at Large
Thomas Farrell, Director at Large
Ben Norton, Director at Large
Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Department of State
Connie Buford, Regional Education Officer for East Asia
EARCOS Staff
Executive Director
Dick Krajczar - dickk@earcos.orgAssistant Director
Robert Oldread, boldread@earcos.orgAdministrative Assistant / Administrators' Conference Coordinator
Vitz Baltero – vitz@earcos.org
Teachers' Conference Coordinator
Elaine Repatacodo – elainer@earcos.orgWeb Developer, Weekend Workshop, ET Newsletter, Advertising/Sponsorship
Edzel S. Drilo – edrilo@earcos.orgIT Coordinator, Membership
Ver Castro – vercastro@earcos.org
EARCOS Accounting
Robert Viray - srviray@earcos.org
Revised August 1, 1998
THE EAST ASIA REGIONAL COUNCIL OF OVERSEAS SCHOOLS CONSTITUTION
EARCOS BY-LAWS
EARCOS membership is intended for schools whose primary purpose is to provide an American/international style educational program for an international student body. It is not intended for schools whose students are predominantly host country nationals. The following standards of Membership describe the kind of school that EARCOS believes it can serve and that, in turn, can benefit from the EARCOS community.
Because of the diversity in the EARCOS membership and the corresponding variation in philosophy, program, procedures and style, these standards focus on elements that should be common to all good overseas schools. Among these tenets is the commitment to the highest possible quality in a school’s program, and both the learning and teaching integral to it. Of equivalent importance is the recognition of, and respect for, diversity and pluralism in international education. Finally, it is believed that the ultimate test of a school’s quality is the measure of how well the school does what it purports to do, represented by the degree of congruence between the school’s stated mission and actual program, as well as between its purposes and results.
A. The school shall be governed by its own school board or other competent authority.
B. The school shall provide a program of instruction across subject areas as is appropriate for the ages, needs, and abilities of the students enrolled in the school.
C. The governing body shall generate necessary resources for providing and maintaining staff, facilities, equipment, and materials to support the school’s stated mission.
D. The school shall maintain its facilities and equipment so as to meet applicable health, fire, safety and sanitary regulations.
E. There shall be full public disclosure of the school’s mission, policies, programs, and practices.
F. The school shall be accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the EARCOS Board of Directors.
G. The School shall be accredited/sanctions/authorized by a U.S. accrediting associations or other authority recognized by the EARCOS Board of Directors. These currently include but are not limited to: the six US accreditation authorities, Council for International Schools, International Baccalaureate, and the Ministries of Education from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
H. The ultimate authority for School Admission to EARCOS resides with a vote of acceptance from the EARCOS Board of Directors.
I. There shall be a high degree of congruence between the stated mission of the school and the actual programs and practices of the school.
EARCOS BOARD OF DIRECTORS' POLICY MANUAL
EARCOS
Investment Strategies
Approved - April 1998INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES:
1. to preserve, over time, the principal value of assets as measured in real, inflation-adjusted, terms.
2. to optimize, over the long run, the total rate of return on investment assets, assuming an acceptable risk level as determined by the EARCOS Board of Directors.
DEFINITION OF INVESTMENT ASSETS:
1. Funds held in trust on behalf of the US Department of State will not be included in the calculation of asset allocation, but will be invested consistent with conditions delineated in Article VI of the agreement between EARCOS and the Office of Overseas Schools of the US Department of State.
2. Budgeted funds received during the current fiscal year will be held in CMA accounts or short term CD s and not considered to be investment assets.
3. Other than funds held in trust for the US Department of State, all funds remaining at the conclusion of each fiscal year will be transferred from operating accounts and become investment assets.
EQUITY INVESTMENTS:
1. The purpose of equity investments is to provide appreciation of principal and growth of investment income. (Investing in equities assumes greater market variability and risk.)
2. As long-term guideline, equity investments should normally approximate 50% of the total investment fund assets.
FIXED-INCOME INVESTMENTS:
1. The purpose of fixed-income investments is to provide a predictable source of income, reduce the variability of the total portfolio market value and preserve the principal value of the investment fund.
2. As a long-term guideline, investments in fixed-income securities will normally constitute approximately 50% of the total investment funds.
3. At least $50,000 of available investment funds will be placed in short-term certificate of deposits to be available for unforeseen expenditures.
ASSET ALLOCATION:
1. Upon the recommendation of professional investment managers but without compromising the normal long-term mix of 50% equities and 50% fixed-income securities, the actual market exposure of stocks may vary from 20% to 60% and fixed-income securities from 40% to 80%.
MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATION:
1. The EARCOS Board of Directors will select investment managers and be responsible for authorizing any deviation from the normal allocation of assets.
2. At the April EARCOS Board meeting the Board Treasurer, in consultation with the Executive Director, will provide the Board with a review of investment results and recommendations for a change in the investment managers and/or asset allocation. If appropriate, the EARCOS Board may change investment managers and/or asset allocation at any Board meeting.
REINVESTMENT:
1. All income generated from dividends, interests, rents, yields, capital gains, etc., shall be reinvested within the investment fund assets unless needed on an exceptional basis to offset expenses incurred under the annual operating budget.