A. Crawford Mosley High School Chapter National Honor Society 501 Mosley Drive - Lynn Haven, Florida 32444 Chapter Bylaws - updated 2019 Article I: Name and Purpose Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Mosley High School Chapter of the National Honor Society. The NHS National Constitution shall serve as the general guideline for all Chapter functions, and these bylaws shall amplify sections of the National Constitution and clarify the operating procedures of the Chapter. The National Honor Society Handbook shall be consulted when issues arise that are not covered by the National Constitution or the Mosley High School NHS Bylaws. Section 2. The purpose of this Chapter 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 Mosley High School. Article II: Role of the Chapter Advisor(s), Faculty Council, and Executive Committee Section 1. In addition to the responsibilities listed under Article V of the National Constitution, the Principal shall: 1) hear all appeals from students who are not selected and reconvene the Faculty Council if a procedural or technical error has been made; 2) confer with the Chapter Advisor prior to vetoing any activities and/or decisions of the Chapter; 3) provide a written justification for any veto of activities and or decisions of the Chapter within one week of such action(s); and 4) communicate to the Chapter Advisor any issues concerning National Honor Society brought to his/her attention by members of the community that would directly impact the selection or dismissal of a student. Under no circumstance is the Principal to serve as a member or even an observer of the Faculty Council s deliberations pertaining to the selection or dismissal of a student.
Section 2. In addition to the responsibilities listed under Article VI of the National Constitution, the Advisor(s) shall: 1) review each member for compliance with society standards and obligations following the end of each semester; 2) approve all Chapter activities and provide the Principal with a written record of Chapter activities; 3) read and develop a familiarity with the Constitution of the National Honor Society and the Mosley High School Bylaws; 4) attend all meetings and functions, including those of the Faculty Council 5) review Chapter members in the selection and dismissal procedures and Guidelines; 6) ensure that the Faculty Council follows national and local guidelines for procedure; 7) facilitate discussions of the Faculty Council in order to maintain objectivity and professionalism during the review of each case; 8) serve as an advocate for each student whose name or case is brought before the Faculty Council by assuring that the Council considers only relevant and valid information in a fair and consistent manner; and 10) provide written documentation to the Principal if the Faculty Council violates the National Constitution or the Mosley High School Bylaws in such manner as to jeopardize the fairness of a student s selection or dismissal. Section 3. In addition to the responsibilities listed under Article VII of the National Constitution, the Faculty Council shall: 1) read and develop a familiarity with the Constitution of the National Honor Society and the Mosley High School Bylaws prior to making any decisions pertaining to selection or dismissal of students; 2) follow all stated guidelines and procedures in all aspects of the Chapter s activity; 3) consult with the Chapter Advisor concerning questions of policy and/or procedure and refer all questions from parents concerning the National Honor Society to the Chapter Advisor; 4) maintain objectivity and professionalism during the review of each case; 5) examine each individual case as a group in such manner as to allow every member to evaluate and comment on every case; 6) provide written documentation to the Principal if the Faculty Advisor violates the National Constitution or the Mosley High School Bylaws in such manner as to jeopardize the fairness of a student s selection or dismissal. Section 4. In addition to the responsibilities listed under Article XII of the National Constitution, the Executive Committee (Chapter Advisor(s) and Officers) shall determine the dues structure and make recommendations concerning the bylaws, time and place of meetings, meeting agendas, special projects, member obligations, and nominating procedures for the National
Honor Society Scholarship Awards Program. The Executive Committee shall meet one time per month during the school term as directed by the Advisor(s). Article III: Membership Section 1. Membership in the Mosley High School Chapter of the National Honor Society is an honor bestowed upon a student. Membership is not a right or an elective position, but rather a privilege enjoyed by those students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship, character, leadership and service. Membership is not automatically conveyed simply because a student achieves the required GPA (as stated in Appendix A) or submits an NHS Candidate Selection Form. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate and document these qualities. Section 2. A student is in Good Standing when they meet all of the requirements stated in Appendix B. For the record, a student that is on Probation is not in Good Standing. Section 3. All members in Good Standing at the time of their graduation will be awarded the privilege of wearing an official NHS collar during their graduation. Section 4. Members should be aware of the appendices that follow the Mosley High School National Honor Society Bylaws. All rules and regulations stated in these appendices should be followed along with those stated in the bylaws. The organization of the appendices goes as follows: Appendix A: Admittance of Members Appendix B: Requirements and Expectations of current members Appendix C: Punishment, Probation, and Dismissal of Members Appendix D: The Officer Election Process Article IV: Selection/Dismissal of Members Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of the Junior or Senior Classes. A new member must have been a student of Mosley High School for one semester prior to induction or a member in good standing with his/her previous high school s NHS with a recommendation from the faculty advisor or principal. Section 2. To be eligible for membership candidates must meet the required GPA stated in Appendix A. GPA is determined by the guidance department and is based on an unweighted GPA. Section 3. The Faculty Council will evaluate candidates based on scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
Section 4. If a member does not adhere to any of these bylaws or fails to meet the requirements stated in Appendix B, procedures outlined in Appendix C must be followed. This could result in additional service hours being assigned, probation, or dismissal. Article V: Meetings Section 1. The Chapter shall have regularly called meetings during the school year on days designated by the Executive Committee and in accordance with school policy and regulations. The Chapter Advisor reserves the right to cancel meetings. An attempt should be made to hold one meeting each month. Section 2. A private ceremony shall be held for the installation of new officers. Section 3. The Executive Committee reserves the right to hold special meetings, events, and sessions in support of the Mosley High School NHS Chapter. Section 4. The Executive Committee also reserves the right to deem certain meetings, events, and sessions as mandatory for all members to attend. If a member is unable to attend a mandatory meeting, he/she must inform an Advisor of the absence before-hand using the prescribed form. The member must present a logical explanation for the absence or the Advisor may declare the absence unexcused. Section 5. If a member is not present at a mandatory meeting or event or fails to comply with the requirements of his/her committee officer and has not been excused in advance by an Advisor, he/she must perform an additional 2 service hours. These additional hours must be completed by the semester deadline along with the regular hours required to be fulfilled as a member of NHS. Should a member fail to complete these requirements, the Chapter Advisor and Faculty Committee will initiate dismissal procedures against the member. Section 6. Members are allowed to miss up to one meeting during the course of a semester. If they surpass this limit, they will perform an additional 2 service hours for each meeting missed after the second meeting (i.e.: if a member misses 3 meetings, they shall perform 2 additional hours. If they miss 4 meetings, they shall perform 4 additional hours, etc.). Section 7. To receive credit for attendance, members must be on time and able to stay for the entire meeting. Section 8. Robert s Rules defines a Quorum as being the number of members that must be present for the legal transaction of business. The Mosley High School Chapter of NHS defines their quorum as being 51% of the membership.
Article VI: Duties and Responsibilities of the Organization, Officers, Advisor and Members: Section 1. The Mosley High School Chapter of the National Honor Society shall create enthusiasm for scholarship, stimulate a desire to render service, promote leadership and develop character. As an organization, this chapter will seek to develop a culture of pride and respect within the school and establish a history of fairness and consistency. Section 2. The Officers (and their duties) of the Mosley High School Chapter of the National Honor Society are as follows: The President (Senior position) will: a) oversee, direct, organize, and represent the Chapter in a professional manner; b) call meetings; c) direct the induction ceremony; d) monitor the leadership email account at least two times per week; e) meet with the Advisor weekly and the chair the Executive Committee once per month; f) manage the activities and performance of all Chapter officers; g) ensure clear and correct information is conveyed to all members in a timely fashion The Vice President (Senior position) will: a) act in the president's absence; b) oversee service projects for the Chapter, including i. notifying members of service projects at each meeting, ii. posting projects available on the bulletin board/website, Iii. organizing and recruiting members for service projects c) present service projects to members at monthly meetings; d) publicize service projects; e) interact professionally with parties inside and outside of the school who request volunteers of the Chapter; e) oversee the election of officers in the spring; f) direct ordering and selling Chapter T-shirts; g) implement and maintain the means to determine and report the participation of all members to the Executive Committee; h) maintain attendance records and submit to the Executive Committee monthly; i) monitor the leadership email account at least two times per week; j) manage the activities and performance of their assigned committee members The Secretary (Senior position) will: a) take minutes of the Executive Committee and business meetings of the Membership; b) conduct any correspondence necessary within and outside the Chapter to
include notification of all general meetings, required activities and Executive Committee meetings; c) update the membership roster as needed; d) manage the activities and performance of their assigned committee members; e) report to the membership monthly; f) assist in the notification of new applicants; g) monitor the leadership email account at least two times per week The Treasurer (Senior position) will: a) collect, record, and deposit money; b) assist in maintaining attendance records; c) submit member dues and fundraiser monies paid biweekly; d) report the status of the treasury monthly; e) prepare financial accountability forms such as expense requests for the Advisor s signature as directed by the school bookkeeper; f) assist in the notification of new applicants; g) post member payment records to the Chapter website monthly; h) monitor the leadership email account at least two times per week; i) manage the activities and performance of their assigned committee members The Historian (Junior position) will: a) record Chapter activities; b) organize a Chapter electronic scrapbook and take pictures; c) organize and present slide show or video at the end of the year; d) maintain the NHS website; e) monitor the leadership email account at least two times per week; g) organize and maintain files for each active member of the Chapter Section 3. In addition to the duties outlined in Article II, Section 2 of these bylaws, the duties and responsibilities of the Advisor(s) are as follows: 1. Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character and service for others to follow 2. Approve all Chapter activities and inform the Principal of such activities 3. Maintain all Chapter records and send the annual report to the national office 4. Attend all meetings and assure that proper procedure is followed by the officers 5. Provide direction to Chapter members concerning opportunities for service 6. Work with the Faculty Council in selecting, disciplining, or dismissing members 7. Promote Chapter activities 8. Stimulate positive action by members Section 4. Members of the Mosley High School Chapter of the National Honor Society shall fulfill the following duties and responsibilities:
1. Maintain the standard by which they were selected (as stated in Appendix A) 2. Attend meetings - missing no more than two meetings per school year 3. Participate in planned Chapter service projects (as stated in Appendix B) 4. Maintain good character - Members committing an infraction of Mosley High School Disciplinary Policies will be required to attend a conference with the school principal and the advisor(s) to determine their standing in NHS 5. Develop good leadership skills - Members must meet the leadership requirements as stated in Appendix B 6. Members must pay dues. Senior members are required to pay dues according to the date established in the current NHS timeline; however, members who do not pay dues on time will receive a warning and if they have not paid by November 1st will be considered for dismissal from NHS. Senior members who fail to comply with the date established in the current NHS timeline will be required to perform 1 additional hour of community service for each 10 day period they are late in paying in order to maintain acceptable membership status. Senior members who do not pay dues prior to the date established in the current NHS timeline will not be permitted to be nominated or vote in Homecoming activities. Junior members who fail to pay dues within 30 days after induction will receive a warning and if they do not pay may be considered for dismissal from NHS. 7. Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character and service for others to follow 8. Participate in all mandatory events and serve as either an officer or a committee member under one of those officers 9. Members cannot be truant or deemed excessively absent by Mosley Administration 10. Junior members in good standing with 100 or more community service hours, who attend Gulf Coast State College full-time during their senior year are not eligible to hold office or represent as a homecoming candidate; however, the members will be recognized with a seal on their diploma and permitted to purchase an NHS collar to wear during graduation exercises. Section 5. Homecoming 1. Only Senior members are eligible for nomination to the Homecoming Court 2. Nominees must be an active paid member in good standing 3. Nominees must be returning members to NHS 4. Voting members must be active paid members 5. Nominees/Candidates agree to adhere to all of Mosley s Homecoming rules and participate in all activities 6. Any candidate who does not fulfill all of these responsibilities will not participate in the Homecoming ceremony during halftime Article VII: Election/Replacement of Officers Section 1. Election In the spring, current junior members shall be permitted to run for office. The positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, are reserved for juniors becoming seniors.
The position of Historian is reserved for sophomores becoming juniors and will be elected in the fall. During the election itself, the processes stated in Appendix D shall be followed. These processes shall also be followed in the event that an officer must vacate his/her office at any time after being elected. Section 2. Replacement In the event the President should vacate his/her position at any time after he/she has been elected, the Vice President shall be promoted to that position. Once the Vice President has become the new President, an election will be held to determine the new Vice President. In the event that any officer other than the President should vacate his/her position at any time after being elected, the process stated in Section 1 above should be followed. Article VIII: Ratification of Bylaws Section 1. Chapter bylaws shall be voted on by the current membership and approved by the Advisor and Principal or Administrative designee. Section 2. Bylaws and Amendments shall adhere to the NHS National Constitution. Article IX: Amending the Bylaws Section 1. If changes to the bylaws become necessary, those changes shall be proposed in writing, distributed to the membership for review and discussion, and brought to a vote. A 2/3 vote of the quorum is required to amend the bylaws. Changes to the selection procedures, discipline procedures, and dismissal procedures may only be made by the Faculty Council; however, membership input is encouraged.
APPENDIX A - Admittance of Members Article 1. Membership in NHS is an honor and a privilege extended by the faculty to deserving students of Mosley High School. Membership decisions are made by the NHS Faculty Council, a group of five teachers who are approved by the principal. In the fall, academically eligible students will receive an invitation letter from the Mosley Faculty Advisor. Potential inductees must complete the application process and adhere to all timelines and deadlines. It is the responsibility of the student to pick up the NHS Candidate Selection Form, complete all parts of the selection form and submit it to the Faculty Advisor by the announced due date. Timelines will be available on the school website and reminders will be announced on DTV. While any student who is academically eligible for induction will receive a letter, a complete selection form must be submitted for review by the Faculty Council who will make the final selection. Article 2. After a student is determined academically eligible, the Faculty Council uses three categories in their decision making. The categories include service, leadership and character. Students must meet the requirements for each category to be considered for membership. Service is defined as work done to benefit others and can not include any work for which students receive compensation. Students must have a minimum of 50 hours of documented community service. Leadership and Character are evaluated based on recommendations given by teachers. Teachers should consider attitude, integrity, behavior, and leadership. Article 3. Letters announcing membership will be given to students within 10 days after the vetting process is completed by the Faculty Council. New members are expected to attend the new member informational meeting and the fall induction ceremony. The induction ceremony will be a daytime event and parents will be invited to attend. Inductees must follow dress code and behavior standards set by Mosley administration in order to participate in the event. Article 4. NHS dues must be paid within 30 days of the induction ceremony. Failure to pay dues as a new members will receive a warning and be placed on probation, failure to comply after the warning will result in the member being considered for dismissal.
APPENDIX B - Requirements and Expectations of Current Members Article 1. Members must continue to maintain at least a 3.5 unweighted cumulative GPA. Grade averages are monitored every semester to determine this requirement is met. Article 2. Members must continue to demonstrate excellence in character. Article 3. Members who resign or are dismissed are not eligible for future membership. Article 4. Members are expected to participate in the Chapter s service projects and are encouraged to create their own service projects. If a student wishes to organize an event, he/she must obtain prior approval from the Vice President. The student who organized and managed the event will receive leadership recognition, in addition to service hours for any hours worked during the event. Each member should complete a minimum of 25 hours per year of membership. Article 5. NHS service projects must meet the following parameters: a) fulfill a need within the school or community; b) have the support of the administration and faculty; c) be appropriate to the situation; d) be well planned, organized, and executed If the above mentioned parameters are not met, the project will not fulfill the requirements for service. Article 6. Members must obtain a total of 125 service hours during their high school career, of which, at least twenty five service hours must be through the Mosley Chapter in their senior and junior years respectively. Service hours must be completed by the deadlines provided by the Executive Council. Specific deadlines will be set at the beginning of the school year based on the academic calendar and graduation deadlines. Members are encouraged to collect at least half of their service hours in the first semester. If a member collects more than half of their service hours during the first semester, the additional hours will carry over into the second semester. NHS collars will not be ordered and scholarship applications will not be accepted if this requirement is not met. Article 7.
All members must pay dues. Dues will be set by the Executive Council each year. Senior members who do not pay dues on time will be notified by a warning letter and placed on probation. Any Senior member who has not paid dues or responded to the warning and probation letter by November 1st will be considered for dismissal from NHS. APPENDIX C - Penalties, Probation, and Dismissal of / for Members Article 1. Failure to meet any of the standards outlined in Appendix B will result in the punishment of a member. Penalties are outlined below. Article 2. If a student's cumulative unweighted GPA falls below the required 3.5, the member will be placed on probation and given a period of one semester to restore the cumulative GPA to a 3.5. Any member who fails to maintain this requirement will be considered for dismissal. Article 3. Should a member commit a disciplinary infraction, a meeting will be held by the Chapter advisor(s) and Faculty Council to determine the member s standing in NHS. Depending on the infraction, the member could be put on probation or considered for dismissal. If the member is put on probation, the length of time should be decided upon at this meeting. The member will be informed of the decision in writing and a meeting with the Chapter advisor. Article 4. A student who has not maintained the described membership requirements or who has failed to maintain the standards of excellence for which they were selected will be placed on probation. Probation is a warning given by the Advisor that the student's membership is in jeopardy. The warning is written and must be signed by the student and a parent or guardian to insure that all parties are aware of the possibility of dismissal. The intention of the probation notice is to enable the student to make up the deficiency for which he/she was placed on probation. The student must remedy the infraction by the semester deadline in order to be considered in good standing. If the deficiency is not corrected, the member will be considered for dismissal. Article 5. In the case of referrals to the office for lunch detention or dress code, the member will have a conference with the Chapter advisor(s) and the principal or administrative designee to determine a plan for correcting the problem and establishing a probationary period. Upon receipt of a second referral, for any reason, the student faces the possibility of dismissal. Article 6.
An exception to probation may occur in the case of flagrant violation of school or civil law. The National Constitution of National Honor Society states that in such cases the student does not necessarily have to be warned before dismissal occurs. This would be decided by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. Article 7. In all cases of impending dismissal, the student has the right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. The parent of a student recommended for dismissal will be notified when the recommendation for dismissal is made by the Advisor to the Faculty Council. Article 9. Per the National Constitution, a member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council to the principal and then as indicated under the local school district s policies governing disciplinary appeals. Members who are dismissed are not eligible for future membership. The membership card, certificate and pin must be returned to the advisor upon dismissal. Article 10. Senior members are required to pay dues according to the date established in the current NHS timeline; however, members who do not pay dues on time will be notified by the Chapter Advisor that they have been placed on probation. Any Senior member who has not paid dues by November 1st will be considered for dismissal from NHS. Senior members who fail to comply with the date established in the current NHS timeline will be required to perform 1 additional hour of community service for each 10 day period they are late in paying in order to maintain acceptable membership status. Senior members who do not pay dues prior to the date established in the current NHS timeline will not be permitted to be nominated or vote in Homecoming activities. APPENDIX D - Election of Officers Article 1. Section 1. Election timelines will be posted 30 days prior to the vote. Section 2. Selection to an officer position will be open to all members in good standing with the Chapter and determined based upon the following criteria: *Members must be in good standing with the Chapter and submit two teacher references and one community reference by the election deadline. *Completed Officer Application with documentation by election deadline. Attendance/Tardy/Discipline Report: As an NHS officer, candidates are asked to model the positive behaviors of a Mosley High School student. Each candidate will be evaluated
based on good attendance and a negligible tardy/disciplinary record. This requirement must be met in order to be on the ballot presented to current members for voting. Article 2. Section 1. Senior Officer and Advisor Interview: This interview will include current senior NHS officers, the Advisors and the candidate. The interview is an objective interview and each Senior officer will be permitted to vote based on these interviews. Senior officers will have one vote per office: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Section 2. Membership Election: The current membership will vote on the candidate of their choice. In the case of a numerical tie, a runoff membership election will be held in order to break the tie.