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National Honor Society

By-Laws

 

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose

 

Section 1.  The name of this chapter shall be the Paragon Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools.

 

Section 2.  The object of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote positive leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Secondary Schools.

 

 

ARTICLE II

Membership

 

Section 1.  Membership in local chapters is an honor bestowed upon a student.  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 be come 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, NHS advisors, or adults in recognition of outstanding service to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society. 

 

Section 4.  Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

 

Section 5.  Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by their chapters to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program.

 

Section 6.  A National Honor Society member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor to the new school advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school’s chapter.  Transfer members must meet the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.

 

Section 7.  To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period of one semester at Richland Senior High School.

 

Section 8.  Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

Selection of Members

 

Section 1.  The final selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council consisting of five faculty members appointed by the principal.  The chapter advisor shall be the sixth, non-voting, ex-officio member of the Faculty Council.

 

Section 2.  Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be members of the junior or senior class.  Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative average of 95%.  This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum scholastic level of achievement for admission to candidacy.  All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for selection to membership.  Their eligibility shall then be considered on their service, leadership and character.

 

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

 

  1. Student’s academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.

 

  1. Students who are eligible scholastically shall be notified and asked to complete the Student Leadership, Character, and Service Qualification Survey for further consideration for selection.

 

  1. The Qualification Survey and references shall be reviewed by the Faculty Council.

 

Section 4.  The selection of active members shall be held once a year during the first or second semester of the school year.

 

ARTICLE IV

Dismissal

 

Section 1.  Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character or service may be dismissed from the Paragon Chapter of the National Honor Society.  A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.

 

Section 2.  During any given marking period if a member’s average falls below a 95%, the student will immediately be notified in writing of a probationary period determined by the faculty council to commence upon notification.  Failure to raise the level of scholarship to a 95% average by the end of the probationary period may result in dismissal.

 

Section 3.  At the end of an academic year, if a member’s cumulative average falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected (95%), he/she will be dismissed from the chapter.

 

Section 4.  Members who violate civil law and incur suspendable disciplinary infractions as listed in, but not limited to, the Student Handbook and any other infraction serious enough to warrant dismissal, will be brought before the Faculty Council.

 

Section 5.  In the case of pending dismissal:

 

  1. The member will receive written notification of the reason for possible dismissal from the advisor/Faculty Council.

 

  1. The member will be offered a hearing with the Faculty Council prior to dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense.  The Faculty Council will then vote on whether to dismiss.

 

  1. A letter of dismissal will be sent to the principal, student and parents if the student is dismissed. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the advisor.

 

  1. The member may appeal the Faculty Council’s decision to the Principal.

 

  1. When a student is dismissed, he/she is no longer a member and may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society.

 

 

ARTICLE V

Officers

 

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

 

Section 2.  A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer.

 

Section 3.  A majority vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter.  If the first vote does not yield a majority, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the highest numbers of votes.

 

Section 4.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings for his chapter.

 

Section 5.  The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of members’ contributions to leadership and service.

 

Section 6.  The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings and be responsible for correspondence.

 

Section 7.  The treasurer shall keep the record of business expenses, dues, etc.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

Executive Committee

 

Section 1.  The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter advisor.

 

Section 2.  The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its business meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter by-laws.

 

Section 3.  The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations.

 

 

ARTICLE VII

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 responsibility for choosing and participating in a service project which reflects his or her particular talents and interests.  This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members must contribute.

 

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

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

Meetings

 

Section 1.  Each chapter shall have regular meetings during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and in accordance with school policy and regulations.

 

Section 2.  Special meetings approved by the executive committee may be called by the president.

 

Section 3.  Chapters shall conduct meetings according to ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER, NEWLY REVISED in all points not expressly provided for in this Constitution or the chapter by-laws.

 

ARTICLE IX

Official Insignia

 

Section 1.  This organization shall have an emblem selected by the National Council.  The emblem shall be uniform.

 

Section 2.  The distribution of the emblem and the rules for its use shall be under the exclusive control of the National Council.

 

Section 3.  Each active, graduate, or honorary member shall be entitled to wear this emblem.

 

Section 4.  Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall return the emblem to the chapter advisor.

 

Section 5.  All insignia must be procured from the national secretary of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091.  All insignia are registered in the United States Patent Office and may not be copied by anyone.

 

Section 6.  The motto of the National Honor Society shall be NOBLESSE OBLIGE, the French phrase meaning “nobility obligates”.

 

Section 7.  The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue and gold.

 

Section 8.  A graduate member may replace a lost emblem by verifying membership to the national office.

 

 

ARTICLE XI

Amendments

 

Section 1.  These by-laws 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 III and IV which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal.

 

Section 2.  By-laws and amendments must be consistent with the Constitution of the National Honor Society.