THE NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I Name and Purpose Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Northside High School 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 members of the National Council. Section 2. The object of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render services, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in the students of Northside High School. ARTICLE II Membership and Selection Section 1. Membership in this chapter shall be based upon Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. Section 2. The graduate members have no vote. Active members become the graduate members upon graduation. Section 3. Candidates shall be members of the junior or senior class. Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a cumulative scholastic average of a 3.63 GPA or higher. Cumulative scholastic average shall not be rounded for eligibility or retention of membership. They must be in school activities and have a minimum of 10 community service hours prior to selection. Section 4. Each member must accomplish 20 hours of community service hours. All hours must be completed by the May meeting on the required form or be placed on probation for one week. If the hours or service projects are not completed within that week, the member will be dismissed. Hours may not count from the previous school year or from the summer. Community service hours may not be completed during the school day, receive monetary compensation, or be for a family member. Section 5. Monthly meetings will be held after school. Members will be expected to attend all meetings and any meeting that may be called. A. Members will be informed of the time, date, and location of all meetings. B. Members will be allowed to miss 2 meetings. Members may be allowed to make up for 1 additional missed meeting by doing 3 hours of community service. This must be approved by the advisors. Failure to do so will result in immediate dismissal. Members must attend the entire meeting to be counted present. See Article III Section 7G. C. Members are expected to attend the Induction Ceremony unless excused by the advisers. Section 6. Students must be involved in school activities/clubs throughout their entire high school career. Failure to do this will result in immediate dismissal. Upcoming or future activities, like spring events or the musical, do not count for current activities when applying. The criteria must be met at the time that the application is due. (Evidence of membership is to have the name on the club roll and to have paid the club dues.) Section 7. All school fees must be paid before the induction ceremony.
ARTICLE III Election and Dismissal of Members Section 1. The election of members to this chapter of the National Honor Society, which will be based upon Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character, shall be by the Chapter Faculty Council, consisting of the members of the faculty; in no case should there be fewer than five teachers, who are appointed by the principal. Section 2. Any member of the faculty may propose to the council the names of students eligible for membership in the chapter. Section 3. Any member who falls below the standards of Scholarship, Service, Leadership or Character, which were the basis of his/her selection, shall be placed on probation. See each article & section for the probation period. Cumulative GPA will be checked each semester. A failing grade in any subject will result in probation. Participation in clubs, activities and service will be checked annually to determine if the leadership and service criteria are being met; failure to meet these requirements will eventually result in dismissal. Section 4. The member will receive a notification of the probation and will have one grading period to redeem a failing grade in a class or one semester to redeem the GPA average requirement. A senior placed on probation second semester for GPA will be expected to redeem oneself before the end of the year. If the problem is not rectified, they will be dismissed and not receive nor be allowed to neither wear honors at graduation nor be refunded any money. Section 5. The Faculty Council can vote at any time on leadership and character requirements. A majority vote will be necessary for membership retention. The Faculty Council may either warn or dismiss members based on school violations or other indications of poor character. Section 6. When a member is dismissed, he/she must be notified in writing and his/her emblem, pin, certificate and membership card returned to the adviser or principal. Notice of his/her dismissal must become a part of the chapter s records. Section 7. A member will be subject to immediate dismissal from membership unless otherwise stated for the following reasons: A. Any offense that is deemed major by the school policies. B. Any behavior that results in Out-of-School Suspension. C. Third ISS punishment or any 3 minor offenses beginning with induction and continuing for the remainder of the high school career. D. Any attempt to misrepresent work on any assessments or assignments, e.g. cheating, plagiarism. E. Any criminal act that results in conviction. F. Any behavior that the Faculty Council deems unfavorable to the proper functioning of the Honor Society group. G. If he/she is absent from more two regularly scheduled meetings during one year s time. The only exception is if a member is participating in an off-campus school activity during the time of the National Honor Society meeting. The student must bring a note to the chapter adviser. See Article II Section 5B. H. If the student does not complete the 3 service projects and/or 7 hours of community service. See Article II Section4. I. If the member s GPA falls below a 3.63. See Article III Section 3.
Section 8. A member may request re-consideration of dismissal from the National Honor Society by responding to the dismissal letter in writing no later than fourteen (14) days from the date the dismissal letter was received. The written response should explain any extenuating circumstances that the member feels pertinent. The response should be given to the chapter adviser who will meet with the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will consider the merits listed in the response and will decide if the member is to be reinstated. If additional information is needed, a date and time will be established for submission. ARTICLE IV Officers (Election, Probation, & Expulsion) Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Parliamentarian, the nominees for which shall not have been on probation prior to the election. Section 2. A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. Section 3. All officers must attend all meeting, organize and attend various service projects. Section 4. The duties of the President are to write announcements to adviser for approval, preside over meetings, plan socials: Beginning and End, review yearly activities, and any other duty assigned by the adviser. Section 5. The duties of the Vice President are to make a spreadsheet for members phone and cell numbers, addresses and schedule (homeroom), preside over & organize officer election, lead in absence of the president, and any other duty assigned by the adviser. Section 6. The duties of the Secretary are to take attendance at officer & membership meetings, prepare newsletters, type agendas for monthly meetings, take minutes of meetings & submit to adviser within the week. Section 7. The duties of the Treasurer are to keep track of dues, organize and set up refreshments for induction ceremony, and any other duty assigned by the adviser. Section 8. The duties of the Parliamentarian are to keep order of meetings and any other duty assigned by the adviser. Section 9. The duties of the Historian are to take pictures of events, maintain scrapbook, news, media and any other duty assigned by the adviser. Section 10. In the case of vacancy of the president, the vice-president will assume the office of President and the National Honor Society will elect a new vice-president. Section 11. If an officer misses 2 executive meetings or does not accomplish the duties, he/she will be placed on probation. If the problem is not rectified by the next month, the officer will be impeached and a replacement will be elected. Section 12. In the event of any other office(s) vacancy, a new officer will be elected to fill that position. ARTICLE V Chapter Executive Committee Section 1. The chapter executive committee shall consist of five members of the faculty council and the officers of the chapter. Section 2. The chapter executive committee shall have general charge of the meetings and business of the
chapter, but any action on the part of the chapter committee may be subject to the review of the chapter. Section 3. An auditing committee appointed by the chapter executive committee must audit all accounts of the treasurer annually. ARTICLE VI Meetings Section 1. Regular meetings of this chapter shall be held at least two times each semester and additional meetings whenever designated by the executive committee and approved by the principal. Section 2. The officers of the chapter for the following year shall be installed at the last regular meeting of the school year. Section 3. The president may call special meetings approved by the executive committee. Section 4. All meetings shall be open meetings and shall be held under the sponsorship of the principal or some member of the faculty selected by him/her. Section 5. This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Roberts Rules of Order in all points not expressly provided for in the constitution of this chapter. ARTICLE VII Emblem Section 1. Each member of this chapter shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools. Section 2. Any member who withdraws or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem. (See Article III, Section 4.) Section 3. Each member agrees that, whether the emblem comes to him/her as a personal purchase, an award, or from whatever source, the title to the emblem shall rest with the chapter of which he/she is a member; and, therefore, the emblem can, on notice of the council, be commandeered. Furthermore, each member agrees that this acceptance of the emblem shall be considered affirmation of this stipulation in regard to the title of the emblem. Section 4. All insignia will be procured from the National Secretary of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091. Insignias are registered and cannot be duplicated. ARTICLE VIII Dues Section 1. Annual dues for each member of this chapter shall be adjusted to the yearly needs of the society by the principal, faculty council, and executive committee and shall not exceed the amount set by the national office. ARTICLE IX Amendments Section 1. This constitution may be amended at any meeting of the Faculty Council or by mail/email by an affirmative vote of three members of the Faculty Council.
National Honor Society Constitution I,, have read this constitution and understand the requirements to maintain my status and the dismissal procedure. Student Signature Date Parent Signature Date