NHS By Laws
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY - FONTBONNE ACADEMY
FONTBONNE CHAPTER BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I Name and PurposeSection 1: The name of this chapter shall be the Fontbonne Chapter of the National Honor Society, which appears on the charter granted by the National Council of the National Honor Society, duly signed by the members of the National Council.
Section 2: The purpose of this chapter shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students at Fontbonne Academy.
ARTICLE II MembershipSection 1: Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2: Membership shall be known as active and graduate. Active members shall become graduate members at graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 3: The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, chapter advisors or adults in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society.
Section 4: Juniors and seniors are eligible for membership. Qualifying members will be inducted at a formal ceremony held annually in the fall.
Section 5: New members will be given copies of these by-laws and have them reviewed by the advisor(s) as part of the orientation into the society.
Section 6: A National Honor Society member who transfers to Fontbonne Academy from another high school must bring a letter from the former school’s principal and chapter advisor. Transfer students must meet Fontbonne Academy standards in order to maintain membership in the National Honor Society.
Section 7: Members who resign or who are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Section 8: Annual dues may be collected from members.
ARTICLE III Selection of MembersSection 1: Membership in the National Honor Society is a privilege, not a right, based on the four criteria of scholarship, service, leadership and character.
Section 2: Juniors and seniors shall be eligible for membership. To be eligible for membership to the chapter as a junior, the candidate must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 at the end of sophomore year.
To be eligible for membership to the chapter as a senior, the candidate must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 by the end of the junior year.
A student transferring into Fontbonne Academy junior year will not be eligible for membership until she has achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 for two semesters at Fontbonne Academy.
In addition to academic standing, candidates will be evaluated on leadership, service and character. See Appendix A for more specific definitions of these criteria.
Eligible candidates will be notified in writing by the chapter advisor(s) during the summer and will be invited to complete a student information packet.
Section 3: Candidates must complete and return an information packet to the chapter advisor(s) by the designated deadline. See Appendix B for contents of the packet.
Section 4: The candidates’ credentials will be evaluated by the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will consider all factors of eligibility, including information furnished by staff members, and then vote for each candidate. The selection of members to the Fontbonne Chapter of the National Honor Society shall be by majority vote of the Faculty Council.
Section 5: Any candidate who is academically eligible but does not want to pursue membership shall sign a statement of her refusal, thereby eliminating herself from any further consideration for membership.
Section 6: The timeline for the selection process is delineated in Appendix C.
ARTICLE IV The PrincipalSection 1: The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2: The principal shall annually appoint a member(s) of the faculty to serve as chapter advisor(s) who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 3: The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty, who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 4: The principal shall receive final appeals in cases of non-selection of candidates and the disciplining or dismissal of members.
ARTICLE V The Chapter Advisor(s)Section 1: The chapter advisor(s) shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students and community.
Section 2: The chapter advisor(s) shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities and financial transactions. The chapter advisor(s) shall send the annual activity report to the national office.
Section 3: The chapter advisor(s) shall regularly review each member for compliance with society standards and obligations.
Section 4: The chapter advisor(s) shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section 5: The chapter advisor(s) shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member(s) of the Faculty Council.
Section 6: The chapter advisor(s) shall be a member(s) of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE VI Faculty CouncilSection 1: The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed annually by the Principal. The chapter advisor(s) shall be ex-officio, non-voting member(s) of the Faculty Council.
Section 2: The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms.
Section 3: The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to review chapter procedures. The Faculty Council may also meet for disciplinary actions, warning cases and dismissal of members brought forward by the chapter advisor(s).
Section 4: The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, disciplining and dismissal of members.
ARTICLE VII MembersSection 1: Members are expected to continue to demonstrate outstanding scholarship, character, leadership and service according to the standards of the Fontbonne Chapter of the National Honor Society. Members must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33.
Section 2: All members are expected to sign a contract outlining the expectations for attendance at meetings and involvement in service activities sponsored by the Fontbonne Chapter throughout the year. A parent or guardian is also expected to sign this contract.
Section 3: Service performed through chapter activities may not be applied toward the twenty-five hours of service required annually for graduation.
ARTICLE VIII OfficersSection 1: Before the annual induction, current members of the chapter will submit to the chapter advisor(s) the names of current members for consideration as president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer.
Section 2: The final selection of officers will be decided by the chapter advisor(s).
Section 3: New officers are installed as part of the induction ceremony.
Section 4: The duties of the officers are as follows: The president sets the agenda with the chapter advisor(s) and conducts meetings. The vice-president assumes the president’s responsibilities in her absence and assists in organizing chapter activities. The secretary assumes responsibility for all correspondence for the chapter and the recording of the minutes of the chapter’s weekly meetings. The treasurer reports on the financial activities of the chapter.
ARTICLE IX Disciplining and Dismissal of MembersSection 1: The procedure for dismissal shall be determined by the Faculty Council.
Section 2: A member who falls below the standards which were the basis for her selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter advisor(s), put on probation, and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned.
Section 3: The academic standard of each member is reviewed at the end of each marking period. A member whose cumulative GPA average falls below 3.33 shall be placed on probation for the following marking period. If at the end of this probation, said member still does not meet the academic standard as defined above, the Faculty Council will convene to discuss said member’s dismissal.
Section 4: If a flagrant violation of school rules or civic laws occurs, a member does not necessarily have to be warned. In this case, the advisor(s) would bring the matter to the immediate attention of the Faculty Council, which will notify the member that dismissal is imminent and a hearing will be held.
Section 5: Members suspended from school shall automatically be suspended from the National Honor Society activities until a decision is made at a hearing before the Faculty Council.
Section 6: The chapter advisor(s) shall bring to the attention of the Faculty Council all members who were placed on probation for falling below the standards and did not improve within the allotted time, as well as those who flagrantly violate school rules and/or civil laws. Acts on or off school grounds that reflect detrimentally upon the school or upon the student’s character may warrant dismissal.
Section 7: The dismissal procedure for falling below the standard of scholarship is as follows:
1. Written notice of the violation is given to the member. 2. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is necessary for dismissal.Section 8: The dismissal hearing procedure for falling below the standards of leadership, service and character is as follows:
1. Written notice of the violation is given to the member. 2. Time is provided for the member to prepare an explanation. 3. The member will present her explanation to the Faculty Council. 4. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is necessary for dismissal.Section 9: Decisions of the Faculty Council may be appealed to the principal.
ARTICLE X MeetingsSection 1: This chapter shall meet weekly, generally on Thursdays. Special meetings will be called when necessary.
Section 2: All meetings shall be open and under the supervision of the advisor(s).
Section 3: All members are expected to attend all meetings. Excuses for absences must meet with the approval of the advisor(s). Prior notification is expected unless the conflict occurred at the last minute. Written documentation of absence must be presented to the advisor(s) within three school days after the absence. This documentation will be included in the member’s folder.
Section 4: Members are expected to be on time for all meetings.
Section 5: Failure to attend meetings may result in dismissal.
Section 6: Minutes of all meetings will be taken by the Secretary and read at the next meeting.
ARTICLE XI AmendmentsSection 1: These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of chapter members present at a meeting called for that purpose, provided that the proposed amendment has been presented to the membership at least one meeting prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted upon.
Section 2: These by-laws may not be amended without approval of the principal.
October, 2006APPENDIX A
Selection Criteria Definitions (as cited from the National Honor Society Handbook, copyright 2005, pp. 29-32) Students may exhibit some or all of the criteria specified under each standard. Leadership The student who exercises leadership: · Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions · Demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities · Exercises positive influence on peers in upholding school ideals · Contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school · Is able to delegate responsibilities · Exemplifies positive attitudes · Inspires positive behavior in others · Demonstrates academic initiative · Successfully holds school offices or positions of responsibility; conducts business effectively and efficiently; demonstrates reliability and dependability · Is a leader in the classroom, at work, and in other school or community activities · Is thoroughly dependable in any responsibility accepted · Is willing to uphold scholarship and maintain a loyal school attitude Service The student who serves: · Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, is gladly available, and is willing to sacrifice to offer assistance · Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities · Cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school · Is willing to represent the class or school in inter-class and inter-scholastic competition · Does committee and staff work without complaint · Participates in some activity outside of school, for example, Girl Scouts, church groups, volunteer services for the elderly, poor, or disadvantaged · Mentors persons in the community or students at other schools · Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students Character A person of character demonstrates the following qualities: respect, responsibility, reconciliation, and reverence, along with trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship. In addition, it can also be said that the student of character: · Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously · Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, stability) · Upholds principles of morality and ethics · Cooperates by complying with school regulations concerning property, programs, office, halls, etc. · Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability · Regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others · Observes instructions and rules, is punctual, and faithful both inside and outside the classroom · Has powers of concentration, self-discipline, and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies · Manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating in written work, and showing unwillingness to profit by the mistakes of others · Actively helps rid the school of bad influences or environmentAPPENDIX B
Sample Student Information Packet Contents Student Activity Form with student and parent signatures, as well as signatures of moderators and/or supervisors Student Essay reflecting her own leadership, service, and characterAPPENDIX C
Selection Process Timeline Students’ academic records are reviewed in June upon completion of the sophomore year and the junior year to determine eligibility. Students who are eligible scholastically are notified by the chapter advisor(s) in writing in the summer and are invited to submit a student information packet. Completed packets must be submitted to the chapter advisor(s) by the indicated deadline. Eligible students who do not wish to be considered for membership must put their decision in writing. Input on eligible students will be solicited from faculty and other adults in the Learning Community before the Faculty Council reviews the student information packets. The student information packets, along with other verifiable information about each candidate, are reviewed by the Faculty Council during their annual meeting(s). Candidates receiving a majority vote of the Faculty Council are selected for induction into the Fontbonne Chapter. All candidates are notified of the Faculty Council decisions in person by the chapter advisor(s) and subsequently in writing and are given information regarding the induction ceremony and the obligations of membership in the chapter. Selected candidates who do not wish to accept membership in the chapter must inform the chapter advisor(s) in writing. The induction ceremony is held once a year in the fall.