Adopted
11/06/2001
The name of this organization
shall be the Valley Heights Chapter of the National Honor Society at Valley
Heights High School.
The purpose of this
organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a
desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in
the students of Valley Heights High School.
Society business will be
conducted by chapter advisor, officers, and by meetings of the chapter
members. No Chapter business shall be
in conflict with the National Honor Society Constitution, school regulations,
local, state or federal law.
The principal shall reserve
the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
The Faculty Council shall
determine the selection process.
Selection criteria will be outlined at a mandatory meeting for all
applicants.
Membership in the National
Honor Society is a privilege, not a right.
To be eligible for membership consideration, students must have a
cumulative grade point average of 3.30. Additionally, potential members must
meet high standards of leadership, service, and character. Induction into the organization can occur
during the spring semester of a student’s sophomore, junior or senior
year.
Transfer NHS students who
bring some form of official membership documentation stating that they left
their former school as a member in good standing (i.e. letter from former
principal and/or NHS sponsor) will be accepted as a new member of the Valley
Heights Chapter.
New juniors and seniors that
meet the cumulative GPA requirement and that have not been inducted into the
National Honor Society must wait until the spring semester to become eligible
for selection as a member.
There shall be offices of
president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer. Officers shall be elected
in the spring of the year following the induction of new members. All offices are open to both juniors and
seniors. The NHS president cannot serve as the president of any other Valley
Heights High School student organization.
The candidates with the plurality of the vote will be considered elected
to office.
Elected officers will be
installed at the first meeting of the following school year. The terms for officers shall be for one
year. Impeachment shall be voted by a majority of the Faculty Council with the
approval of the advisor.
The President shall preside
over meetings and work with the executive board in making decisions and
delegating responsibilities.
The vice president shall fill
the role of the president in his or her absence.
It shall be the duty of the
chapter secretary/treasurer to record minutes of each meeting and provide the
chapter sponsor with a copy of the minutes. The secretary/treasurer shall also
report the assets and liabilities of the chapter at meetings. Record keeping of the NHS chapter funds
shall be the responsibility of the funds accounting personnel designated by the
principal.
Meetings shall be scheduled
as necessary. Procedures for meetings
will be conducted through Robert’s Rules of Order.
Members are required to
attend all meetings. If an emergency arises and a member cannot attend a
meeting, they are required to inform the sponsor and provide a written excuse.
Missing more than one meeting constitutes grounds for probation. Extenuating
circumstances need to be addressed to the sponsor. Members are responsible for
all information and policies presented at a meeting whether or not they attend.
All members shall be required
to perform community service hours. Members must complete at least 10 hours of
documented service each semester. Members cannot receive NHS points for those
hours of service that have already counted towards the service requirements for
another school organization. A maximum of 5 service hours earned in the summer
can be applied to the fall semester and a maximum of 5 service hours earned
during the winter break can be applied
to the spring semester. Service hours
must be with a group or organization and cannot be documented in increments of
less than 30 minutes. Service done for
an individual or family is considered a “Good Deed” and will not apply towards
NHS service hours.
Each year the NHS chapter
shall conduct a chapter service project.
Members are required to participate in the chapter service project.
Failure to complete required
service hours or participate in the chapter service project is grounds for
being placed on probation.
Senior members who fail to
maintain the cumulative GPA requirement of 3.30 or higher or who have not
completed all service points at the end of the first semester will be placed on
probation and will be given one 9 weeks period to meet that standard.
Junior members who fail to
maintain the cumulative GPA requirement of 3.30 or higher or who have not
completed all service points will be placed on probation and will be given one
semester to meet that standard.
Any member who falls below
the standards, which were the basis of selection (scholarship, leadership,
service, and character) shall be promptly placed on probation by the chapter
advisor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency. In the
case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not
necessarily have to be warned and may immediately be brought up for dismissal
from the society.
Once a member has been
dismissed from the NHS, they shall not be eligible for the NHS again.
A Faculty Council, appointed
by the principal, shall serve as a selection committee and preside over
dismissal hearings. All faculty members shall be eligible for the council
except the principal. The NHS sponsor(s) shall be a non-voting member of the
council.
The chapter bylaws will be
reviewed once annually to ensure that they are still suitable for chapter
business. Chapter bylaws may also be reviewed or amended at other times
as called for in chapter business. A motion may be made at any time to
review or amend the bylaws.
To review the bylaws, 2/3 of
the chapter must vote to send them to a committee. Once in committee, the
committee may vote (by a 2/3 affirmative vote) to amend the bylaws or, if they
are found to be completely out of date, to throw them out and redraft
them.
To amend the bylaws, two-thirds
of the chapter must vote in favor of the amendment.