NHS Bylaws

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Chapter Bylaws of the Oak Ridge High School Chapter of the National Honor Society

Adopted: 2/4/2020

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this chapter shall be the Chapter of the National Honor Society of Oak Ridge High School[Formatting note: When there is only a single section within an article, it is not necessary to enumerate sections. Only when multiple sections exist (see Article III below) is it necessary to number the individual sections.]

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purpose of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Oak Ridge High School.

ARTICLE III: POWERS

Section 1: This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the National Constitution of NHS. See www.nhs.us/constitutions. In addition, this chapter will maintain active affiliation with the national organization on an annual basis.

Section 2: This chapter will remain an active member of the state association, Florida by paying annual dues and participating in state functions when possible.

Section 3. The chapter adviser is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

Section 4: Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal.

Section 5: Nondiscrimination. Our chapter of NHS maintains policies and practices that are designed to prevent discrimination against any qualified candidate or member on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in this chapter is an honor bestowed upon deserving students by the committee and advisor and shall be based on the criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

Section 2. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and alumni. Active members become alumni members at graduation. Alumni and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

Section 3. Eligibility:

Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be members of the sophomore, junior, or senior class.

To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been enrolled for a period equivalent to one semester at Oak Ridge High School.

Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 unweighted and 4.0 weighted.

Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, and character.

ARTICLE V: SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the council which consists of six committee members appointed by the adviser. The chapter adviser shall be the seventh, nonvoting, ex officio member of the council.

Section 2. The selection of active members shall be held twice a year once per semester of the school year, excluding seniors in the second semester. [Note: Alternative or additional selection periods may be added.]

Section 3. Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:

a. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.

b. All students who are eligible scholastically (i.e., candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit an application.

c. The council shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official recommendations form

d. The council shall review the candidate information forms, faculty input, and other relevant information [community service, leadership positions, and extracurricular activities] to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership.

Section 4. Candidates become members when they receive an official acceptance letter and are later inducted at a special ceremony, held in the fall.

Section 5. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership.

Section 6. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The council shall grant to the transferring member one semester to attain the membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership.

ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be $20 per member with an optional stole for graduates. Dues will be payable to the chapter within 30 days of acceptance.

Section 2. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be entitled to claim membership to the Oak Ridge High School Chapter.

Section 3. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall revoke the right to claim any membership to the Oak Ridge High School chapter.

Section 4. Chapter members who are seniors in good standing shall be granted the privilege of wearing the honor stole at graduation.

Section 5. Members must maintain the following requirements to be considered in good standing.

Scholarship: Members shall maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 unweighted or 4.0 weighted. Members shall be evaluated once per semester and will receive a warning letter notifying members of the one quarter to raise their GPA to meet the standard requirement.

Service: Members shall complete a minimum of 2 community service per semester one big event which consists of 4 or more hours; and one small event which is one to three hours with NHS. Outside service hours for other clubs and organizations will not be accepted. Members shall volunteer once per quarter. Members will receive a warning letter notifying members of their noncompliance and will receive one quarter to meet the requirement.

Character: Members must attend monthly meetings with an allowable two absences [acceptable excuses will be determined by the council]. Members who arrive late (after 1:20 pm) or leave early (prior to the end of the meeting and sign-in) to meetings will count as an absence.

Character: Members shall not receive major disciplinary infractions and will be immediately dismissed.

Leadership: Members shall display characteristics of leadership when representing NHS.

Members shall pay dues as required by each chapter to maintain membership.

ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer., parliamentary, and historian.

Section 2. Student officers shall be elected during the second semester of the school year by the council. All members in good standing with the chapter are eligible to run for a position as an officer. Any active member can nominate an eligible member as a candidate for office. One junior class member shall sit on the council every year (elected in their sophomore year).

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over meetings, set agendas (powerpoint) for the meetings, coordinate work, function as an intermediary (liaison to administration and organizations such as Jostens, etc.), coordinate and supervise the induction ceremony and senior suare, .represent chapters at other meetings as required, take ultimate student responsibility for all chapter functioning, and lead the club in the revision of the National Constitution.

Section 4. The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president oversee the number of community service hours rendered, shall record and coordinate membership,

check mandatory attendance, and monitoring the maintenance of member requirements (warning letters and dismissal letters), while evaluating the need for developing new committees to help with the smooth functioning of the chapter. The Vice President also assists in Public Relations for NHS (Remind group).

Section 5. The secretary shall keep the minutes, accurate electronic records and attendance records for meetings and be responsible for all official correspondence.

Section 6. The treasurer shall keep the record of business expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter such as communicate with the ORHS registrar to manage the NHS account and purchase orders and oversee all chapter fundraising activities.

Section 7. The historian shall act as the Public Relations Director and maintain the clubs website and social media, update the calendar and manage the submission of photos by members as part of their service requirement. At the induction ceremony, the historian will prepare a slideshow highlighting community service events over the past year. They shall coordinate all volunteer signups electronically. They will be responsible for all advertising of applications, charity events and other posters necessary to inform the public.

Section 8. The parliamentarian shall coordinate community service events and keep accurate electronic records of community service hours. This job requires weekly filing of service hours and sending out notices of hours not served.

Section 9. Officers and the faculty adviser(s) shall collectively be known as the chapter’s executive committee. The executive committee shall establish annual goals for the chapter and have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter.

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings of this chapter shall be monthly. Special meetings can be called by the president [with 24-hour notice] with the approval of the adviser.

Section 2. This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 3. Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings.

ARTICLE IX: ACTIVITIES

Section 1. The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year.

Section 2. All members shall regularly participate in these projects.

Section 3. These projects shall have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and the faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; and be well planned, organized, and executed.

Section 4. Each member shall have the opportunity to choose and participate in an individual service project which reflects his or her particular talents and interests and as approved by the chapter adviser. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.

Section 5. The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner.

ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL of MEMBERS

Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, or character may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Oak Ridge High School chapter of the National Honor Society. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.

Section 2. If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected (3.5 weighted or 4.0 unweighted), he /she will be given a written warning and a reasonable time period for improvement. If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the warning period the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the faculty council that includes consideration of dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3. Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 5 below). These violations include, but are not limited to DWI, stealing, destruction of property, cheating, truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community.

Section 4. Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absences, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive written warning notification. A conference may be requested by either party (faculty council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be considered for dismissal.

Section 5. Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the faculty council.

Section 6. In all cases of pending dismissal:

a. The member will receive written notification from the adviser/council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.

b. The member has the right to respond to the charge(s) against him/her at a hearing before the faculty council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process

identified in Article X of the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or via a written statement presented in lieu of the face-to-face hearing. Following the hearing, the faculty council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the faculty council is needed to dismiss any member. Failure to respond either in-person or via written statement will automatically be dismissed.

c. The results of the faculty council vote will be stated in a letter sent to the student and parents. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser.

d. The faculty council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policies.

e. A member who is dismissed or resigns may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society.

Section 7. In lieu of dismissal, the faculty council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.Members shall receive a warning letter and possibly dismissed they are in violation of any standards as required to remain in good standing.

ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL, and REVIEW.

Section 1: These bylaws will be approved upon receiving a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members of the chapter, a majority affirmative vote of the faculty council, and approval by the administration.

Section 2: These bylaws shall be reviewed and if necessary, revised within five years from the date of approval noted on this document.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles IV, V, and X, which are developed by the faculty council with the approval of the principal.

Approved on [Insert date]: (Indicate date of last approved revisions)

Signatures/Names of the Chapter President, Secretary, Adviser, and Principal.