NHS Constitution

National Honor Society Constitution

Of

Salina High School Central

 

Article I

Name and Purpose

 

Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Salina High School Central Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, which appears on the charter granted by the National Council of the National Honor Society duly signed by the National Secretary.

Section 2. The object 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 all students of Salina Central High School.

 

Article II

The Principal

 

Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.

Section 2. The principal shall annually appoint a chapter adviser, who may serve consecutive terms.

 

Article III

The Chapter Adviser

 

Section 1. The chapter adviser 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 adviser shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions.

Section 3. The chapter adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations.

Section 4. The chapter adviser shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.

 

 

Article IV

Faculty Council

 

Section 1. The faculty council shall consist of five faculty members appointed annually by the principal or adviser.

Section 2. The term of the faculty council shall be one year. Members may be appointed for consecutive years.

Section 3. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio member of the faculty council.

Section 4. The faculty council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to consider dismissal, nonselection, and warning cases.

Article V

Membership

 

Section 1. Membership in this chapter 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 the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service and character.

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, NHS advisers, or citizens in recognition of outstanding service rendered the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society.

Section 4. To be eligible for election for membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period equivalent to one semester in this school.

Section 5. Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be members of the junior or senior class. Candidates shall have a minimum, weighted grade point average of 3.7. All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for election to membership. Their eligibility shall then be considered on their service, leadership, and character.

Section 6. New members shall be inducted at a special ceremony in the spring semester of the year.

Section 7. Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by their chapters to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program. Those members who choose to compete in this program are also automatically considered for the Evelyn R. King Scholarship in the amount of $500.

Section 8. A National Honor Society Member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from their former principal or chapter adviser 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 9. Members who do not maintain the minimum 3.7 grade point average will be considered members “not in good standing” and therefore will not be allowed to participate in the spring induction. Only members in good standing at the beginning of the second semester will be indicated as members of the National Honor Society in the official commencement program. If, at the conclusion of the semester, the grade point average has improved to a 3.7 minimum, the member will have the privilege of graduating with the NHS honor stole. Any additional problems regarding standards by which the member was selected could bring on the consideration of dismissal.

Section 10. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.

 

Article VI

Selection of Members

 

Section 1. To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a member of those classes (junior and senior) designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws. Candidates must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester.

Section 2. Candidates must have a cumulative scholastic average of a 3.7 weighted, grade point average. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character.

Section 3. The selection of members to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the five member faculty council.

Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication which is widely available to all students and parents in the school. The selection procedures shall be determined by the faculty council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society.

Section 5. The National Council and the NASSP shall not review the judgment of the faculty council regarding selection of individual members to local chapters.

 

Article VII

Dismissal

 

Section 1. The procedure for dismissal shall be determined by the faculty council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available to interested parties.

Section 2. Members who fall below the standards which were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civic laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned.

Section 3. The faculty council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.

Section 4. In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the faculty council.

Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal to a decision of the faculty council under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district.

Section 6. The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.

 

Article VIII

Chapter Officers

 

Section 1. Officers of the chapter will be elected by members of the chapter. Prospective candidates will register their name on a slate for the desired office. Official ballots will be made as a result of the slate nominations. Current members in good standing will be responsible for voting.

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

 

Article IX

Executive Committee

 

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

Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its business meeting, making recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership.

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

 

Article X

Meetings

 

Section 1. The Salina Central Chapter shall have meetings during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and in accordance with school regulations.

Section 2. The regularity of the meetings shall be determined by the executive committee.

 

Article XI

Activities

 

Section 1. The Salina Central 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 of the Salina Central Chapter shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in a service project which reflects his/her particular talents and interests. Time served in this commitment will accumulate to the twenty minimum hours, fulfilling the community service component.