Delano High School National Honor Society Delta Chapter Constitution & By-Laws Written January 15, 2004 Ratified January 22, 2004 Amended January 12, 2005 Amended November 3, 2005 Amended February 22, 2007 (GPA changed to 3.50) Preamble We, the scholars and leaders of Delano High School, as members of the National Honor Society, Delta Chapter, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution as the set law and standard code of conduct and procedure for all National Honor Society related events and current members. Acceptance into the National Honor Society is the highest honor that can be awarded to a high school student. The tradition, honor, and integrity of this organization can be found in all of its members and advisors through their character, service, leadership, and scholarship abilities. To firmly uphold and sponsor these ideals, rules and codes must be developed. The intent of this Constitution is to create the necessary guideline for all members, so that the highest level of conduct and respectability is instilled in Delano High School. Article I Name and Purpose The name of this organization shall be the Delano High School National Honor Society, Delta Chapter. 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 Delano High School. Article II Administration The National Honor Society (NHS) shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National Association of Secondary School Principals Division of Student Activities (NASSP), and the Minnesota Association of Honor Societies (MAHS). The NHS agrees to abide by the constitution of the National and Minnesota Honor Societies. Article III Officers The officers of the chapter, their duties, and the method of their election shall be determined by the members of the chapter and be described in the chapter bylaws. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 1 -
Article IV Faculty Council The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal. No principal or assistant principal may be included on the Faculty Council. The term of the Faculty Council shall be one school year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms. The Chapter Advisor shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to consider non-selection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases. ARTICLE V Executive Board The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the Chapter Advisor. The Executive Board 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. All actions and recommendations of the Executive Board shall be subject to review by the chapter membership. The Executive Board shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations. Article VI The Chapter Advisor The Chapter Advisor shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students and community. The Chapter Advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions. The chapter advisor shall send the annual report to the national office. The Chapter Advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations. The Chapter Advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties. The Chapter Advisor shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Board. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 2 -
Article VII Membership 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. Membership categories, as defined in the chapter by-law, shall be known as active, inactive, graduate and honorary. A) Candidates become active members when inducted at a special ceremony. B) The Faculty Council may place active members into inactive status. C) 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 rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society. D) Active members shall become graduate members upon graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice in chapter affairs. Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program. Nomination for the scholarship will be determined by the Chapter Advisor. 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 requirements and standard s within one semester in order to retain membership. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits. Article VIII Selection of Membership To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a second semester sophomore or junior and must have been in attendance at Delano High School the equivalent of one semester. Candidates must have a cumulative scholastic average of 3.50 or above on a 4.0 grading scale. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council.. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication that is widely available in a timely fashion to all students and parents of the school. The selection procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 3 -
Article IX Dismissal The Faculty Council, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society, shall determine the procedure for dismissal. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available to interested parties. Members who fall below the standards which were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the Chapter Advisor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not have to be warned. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings. In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council through the school district Due Process Procedure Committee. Section 6 The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases. All dismissal appeals must be brought to the attention of, and confined to, the Chapter Advisor and Faculty Council. Article X Meetings Each chapter shall have regular meetings during the school year on days designated by the Executive Board and the Chapter Advisor and in accordance with school policy and regulations. The regularity of the meetings (i.e., weekly, monthly, bi-monthly) shall be designated in the chapter by-laws. The president may call special meetings approved by the Executive Board. The Chapter Advisor may call special meetings in cases of emergency where time does not permit notifying the Executive Board. Chapters shall conduct meetings according to Robert s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, in all points not expressly provided for in this Constitution or the chapter by-laws. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 4 -
Article XI Activities This chapter shall organize one (1) group service project for each semester. All members must participate in group service projects. Participation requirements for each group service project will be determined and/or revised as necessary by the Advisor and the Executive Board. These group service 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. Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing, participating in, and completing, an individual service project (ISP), which reflects his or her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute. Each member shall complete and record a set amount of community and school volunteer service hours. This amount is to be determined by the Executive Board and Chapter Advisor prior to the beginning of the school year. Section 6 Each chapter shall publicize its projects and activities in a positive manner. Article XII Official Insignia Section. This organization shall have an official emblem selected by the National Council. The emblem shall be uniform. The distribution of the emblem and the rules of its use shall be under the exclusive control of the National Council Each active, graduate, or honorary member shall be entitled to wear this emblem. Any member who resign or is dismissed shall return all insignia, emblems and other materials to the Chapter Advisor. All insignia must be procured from the National Secretary of the National Honor Society. The motto of the National Honor Society shall be Noblesse Oblige. Section 6 The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue and gold. Section 7 A graduate member may replace a lost emblem by verifying membership to the National Office. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 5 -
Article X111 Amendments Amendments must be brought to the Executive Board for review and determination of validity. Amendments must be presented to the membership for consideration and may be voted upon after two readings at consecutive regular meetings. This Constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote at a designated meeting in which a quorum or majority of all current active members of the Delano High School National Honor Society are present. The Chapter President, Vice-President, and Parliamentarian will abstain from voting except in cases of ties. In all situations regarding a tie, the Chapter President, Vice-President, and Parliamentarian shall cast the decisive votes. Article XIV By-Laws Each chapter shall have by-laws to amplify sections of this constitution and to clarify operating procedures of the chapter. By-laws do not need the approval of the National Council but must be consistent with the National, State and this Constitution. The chapter by-laws shall contain information concerning the election and duties of officers, the schedule of meetings, membership, member obligations, member status, selection and dismissal procedures, and other applicable procedures and regulations not otherwise defined within the contents of this Constitution. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 6 -
Delta Chapter By-Laws Officers The officers of the Delano High School National Honor Society shall include the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Parliamentarian. Officer positions must be filled by two-year members only. Duties: The duties of the President shall include: a) Preside at all regular NHS and executive board meetings. b) Represent the National Honor Society at all public occasions. c) Assist in the establishment and coordination of committees and their designated duties and activities. d) Serve as ex-officio member on committees. e) Appoint officers to abruptly vacated positions that order of succession cannot fill. The appointees will serve until the next elections. f) Run and direct all meetings and NHS gatherings in accordance with set standards. The duties of the Vice-President shall include: a) Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President. b) Assist in the establishment and coordination of committees and their designated duties and activities. c) Perform any duties delegated by the President or the Chapter Advisor. d) Record attendance. The duties of the Secretary shall include: a) Keep minutes of all meetings. b) Assist in record-keeping. c) Conduct Correspondence. The duties of the Treasurer shall include: a) Coordinate and record all financial transactions. b) Maintain a publicly accessible report of financial status. c) Prepare a financial report for all regular meetings. The duties of the Historian shall include: a) Prepare a scrapbook of all chapter activities. b) Organize and submit public relations material. c) Catalogue and record all chapter functions and events. The duties of the Parliamentarian include: a) Provide advice on matters involving parliamentary procedure. b) Prepare by-laws, by-law revisions, and be involved with amendment procedures. c) Ensure that meetings are conducted in proper manner, according to chapter meeting guidelines. d) Assist in interpreting rules and procedural requirements during meetings. e) Call attention to (inconspicuously) errors or rule violations which might affect the basic rights of its members. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 7 -
The Executive Board shall be composed of chapter officers and the Chapter Advisor. The chapter officers shall be determined each school year according to the chapter constitution and by-laws. The duties of the Executive Board shall include: a) Prepare an agenda and foster controlled and orderly meetings. b) Recommend activities and policies that will further the goals of the organization. c) Determine the validity of proposed amendments and present valid proposals to the membership. Officers will be elected at a specially appointed meeting to be held before the end of the school year. Candidates for office shall give a mandatory campaign speech with a minimum length of one minute. Section 6 A ballot will be prepared for the offices of President, Treasurer, Secretary, Historian, and Parliamentarian by the current Parliamentarian. The office of Vice-President shall be filled by the Presidential candidate with the second most votes. Each candidate may only run for one (1) position in an election. Section 7 Officers will be elected by a majority vote of current, active chapter members using the secret ballot method. Members of the Faculty Council will count the ballots. Section 8 If a position of office becomes vacant due to resignation, an academic warning, or a nonacademic penalty, the vacant position will be filled in an order of succession as follows: Succession: President Vice-President Parliamentarian Secretary Historian Treasurer Section 9 If a vacated position cannot be filled by succession, the chapter President will appoint a member to fill the position until the next elections. 0 All officer positions shall be filled by current, active, second year seniors. 1 No dual offices may be held between different school organizations. (NHS, student council, etc.) DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 8 -
Official Business Regular meetings will be held a minimum of once per month. Members shall be given a calendar with all regular meeting dates shown at the first meeting of each school year. This calendar shall also include other important dates such as induction. A quorum must be present at a meeting to conduct official business. a) A quorum of the general membership shall be 2/3 of the membership. b) A quorum of the Executive Board shall be a simple majority of the Executive Board. Robert s Rules of Order apply to the procedure of all meetings. When acting in any capacity of NHS, members are required to act within the parameters of their assigned duties with respectable conduct. Member Obligations Attendance Requirements: a) All members are required to attend regularly scheduled meetings. b) Members are subject to dismissal upon attaining three (3) un-excused absences in one semester. Excused absences: Family Emergency written documentation and as deemed acceptable by Chapter Advisor and/or Executive Board. Car Trouble - one (1) allowed per semester. Doctor Appointment - validated by doctor. Illness - validated by absence from school the entire day of meeting. Situational Circumstances - as approved by Chapter Advisor and/or Executive Board. Unexcused absences: Tardiness - arrival more than 5 minutes after meeting officially begins. Active Status: a) Members will be considered ACTIVE at the discretion of the Faculty Council if the following guidelines are maintained: 1. Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or above on a scale of 4.0. 2. Fulfill all service hours and projects required of active members as outlined in this constitution and by-laws. 3. Participate in all group service projects and activities. 4. Avoid attendance infractions that will otherwise result in dismissal. 5. Maintain a superior record of school, community, and academic behavior. 6. Uphold the standards of the National Honor Society at all times. b) A member may receive one (1) warning-either academic or non-academic, from the Faculty Council or the Chapter Advisor, and retain their active status in the society. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 9 -
Inactive Status: a) Members will be considered INACTIVE at the discretion of the Faculty Council if the following infraction occurs: 1. After a first quarter of falling below a cumulative GPA of 3.50, a member shall receive a verbal and/or written warning notification but shall remain active. 2. After a second quarter of falling below a cumulative GPA of 3.50, a member is placed into INACTIVE status. 3. After a third quarter of falling below a cumulative GPA of 3.50, a member is dismissed. b) INACTIVE status designates a student as unable to attend meetings or participate in any activities. c) The Faculty Council can dismiss, warn, or place a member on INACTIVE status at any given time for infractions, negative behaviors, or other rule violations. d) A student placed on INACTIVE status can appeal the ruling through the due process procedure. Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) Students: a) Students enrolled in classes through PSEO and alternative education may be members of the National Honor Society if the following conditions are met: 1. Members must fulfill and obey all attendance requirements, service hour obligations, and any and all conditions or rules set forth by this Constitution and By-Laws. 2. Maintain a superior record of school, community, and academic behavior. 3. Uphold the standards of the National Honor Society at all times. 4. Members are required to provide an official copy of their transcripts to the Chapter Advisor within five (5) school days upon receiving said grades. 5. Cumulative GPA s will be monitored by semester or quarter, depending on the grading policy of college being attended. Foreign Exchange Students: a) If a member of the National Honor Society cannot fulfill the basic requirements for membership due to a foreign exchange situation: 1. Member will be put on a hold status based on these requirements: a. Membership will not be terminated. b. The individual will not be recognized as an active member. c. Before the member leaves on the exchange program, a letter must be submitted to the Executive Council requesting to be placed on hold status and stating the situation. d. Executive Council will determine if the member is eligible for hold status. 2. If the member is an Executive Council member, a written letter must be submitted to the Executive Council and/or Adviser prior to their departure. The letter must include their position and request that the current Chapter President and/or Adviser appoint an active second year member to fulfill their office until they return. b) If a member on hold status due to a foreign exchange situation returns and wishes to become an active member: 1. There must be a minimum of one semester remaining for participation. 2. A written request for readmission must be submitted to the Executive Council who will make the final decision. a. If the Executive Council decides to allow readmission: i. Member will be recognized as active. ii. Member must fulfill all requirements for active membership. b. If the Executive Council decides to prohibit readmission: DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 10 -
i. Member will be dismissed from National Honor Society. DHS NHS Delta Chapter Constitution - 11 -