NJHS By Laws
Bylaws of NJHS
BYLAWS FOR NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY CHAPTER
Hope Highlands Middle School
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Hope Highlands Chapter of the National Junior
Honor Society of Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 2. The purpose of this chapter shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to
stimulate desire to render service, to promote leadership, to develop character, and
to encourage citizenship in the students of Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 3. The NJHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National
Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive,
Reston, VA 22091.
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. (The term “adviser,” shall also mean “co-adviser” in years when two advisers are appointed.)
Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 4. The Principal shall be a part of the local school district appeal process for non-selection or dismissal cases.
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. The chapter adviser shall send the annual activity report to the national office.
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.
Section 5. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. The chapter adviser(s) shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the Principal, and may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE IV: THE FACULTY COUNCIL
Section 1. 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.
Section 2. The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council.
Section 4. The Faculty Council shall put on probation those students who fall below the membership standards determined by the Faculty Council. Students on probation cannot attend meetings, activities, etc. until their achievement meets the standards. They will receive counsel and support from the adviser.
Section 5. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to consider dismissal, non-selection, and warning cases.
Section 6. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with the national guidelines.
ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisers, or adults in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 3. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 4. A National Junior Honor Society member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter adviser to the new school 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. 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 seventh or eighth grade student at Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 2. A candidate must have a cumulative scholastic average of 85% to apply for membership and must maintain an 85% average once he /she is a member. ( 3.36 GPA of 4.3 possible) Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
Section 3. Prior to selection, the following shall occur:
a. Students’ academic and discipline records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.
b. Students who are eligible scholastically (candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the “Student Information Packet” for further consideration for selection.
c. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter advisor.
d. The Faculty Council shall review the “Student Information Packet” and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.
Section 4. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council, consisting of five faculty members appointed by the Principal. The chapter adviser (or co-advisers) shall be the sixth (or sixth and seventh) non-voting, ex-officio members of the Faculty Council.
Section 5. A description of the selection procedure shall be published on the school’s website which 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 Junior Honor Society.
Section 6. 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 of dismissal shall be determined by the Faculty Council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Junior 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 that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil 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 written notification of charges and a hearing before the Faculty Council.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the 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: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be 5 or 6 board members, depending on nominations and election results.
Section 2. Board members shall be elected at a regular meeting of the Hope Highlands NJHS Chapter. Time, methods, and procedures for the nomination will be determined at the beginning of each school year by the chapter adviser and Faculty Council.
ARTICLE IX: BOARD MEMBERS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1. The President of the board presides at meetings/provides direction.
Section 2. The Vice-President of the board serves in the absence of the President; other duties as directed.
Section 3. One board member serves as Secretary and records attendance and proceedings; attends to clerical duties.
Section 4. One board member keeps records of all financial matters as Treasurer.
ARTICLE X: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the board members 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 meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All action 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. (Note: This section
is viewed to include chapter activities except those with regards to the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members which are the sole domain of the chapter’s Faculty Council.)
ARTICLE XI: MEETINGS
Section 1. The Hope Highlands National Junior Honor Society Chapter shall meet monthly.
Section 2. Special meetings approved by the executive committee may be called by the
chapter adviser.
Section 3. Chapters shall conduct meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order in all points
not expressly provided for in these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII: ACTIVITIES
Section 1. The chapter shall be involved in at least one group service project during the
school year.
Section 2. Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an
individual service project(s) that reflects his or her particular talents and interests.
This should consist of 10 hours of service.
Section 3. All members shall regularly participate in these projects.
Section 4. 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 5. Each marking quarter, members shall record the service on a verification sheet.
Verification sheets must be turned in by the end of each marking quarter to the
chapter adviser.
ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS
These bylaws will be reviewed annually by the Chapter Members. NOTE: BYLAWS MUST BE
CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY CONSTITUTION AND
HANDBOOK. Any recommended change must be approved by the Faculty Council and the
Principal. Upon approval of the recommended change, it will be reviewed and put to a vote by
the membership. Two-thirds vote will establish a change. Sections dealing with revisions to the
procedures for selection, disciplining, and dismissal of members can be changed only by the
Faculty Council, though input from the chapter is allowed.
Adopted: August 2017
Hope Highlands Middle School
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Hope Highlands Chapter of the National Junior
Honor Society of Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 2. The purpose of this chapter shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to
stimulate desire to render service, to promote leadership, to develop character, and
to encourage citizenship in the students of Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 3. The NJHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National
Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive,
Reston, VA 22091.
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. (The term “adviser,” shall also mean “co-adviser” in years when two advisers are appointed.)
Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 4. The Principal shall be a part of the local school district appeal process for non-selection or dismissal cases.
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. The chapter adviser shall send the annual activity report to the national office.
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.
Section 5. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. The chapter adviser(s) shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the Principal, and may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE IV: THE FACULTY COUNCIL
Section 1. 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.
Section 2. The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council.
Section 4. The Faculty Council shall put on probation those students who fall below the membership standards determined by the Faculty Council. Students on probation cannot attend meetings, activities, etc. until their achievement meets the standards. They will receive counsel and support from the adviser.
Section 5. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to consider dismissal, non-selection, and warning cases.
Section 6. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with the national guidelines.
ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisers, or adults in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 3. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 4. A National Junior Honor Society member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter adviser to the new school 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. 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 seventh or eighth grade student at Hope Highlands Middle School.
Section 2. A candidate must have a cumulative scholastic average of 85% to apply for membership and must maintain an 85% average once he /she is a member. ( 3.36 GPA of 4.3 possible) Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
Section 3. Prior to selection, the following shall occur:
a. Students’ academic and discipline records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.
b. Students who are eligible scholastically (candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the “Student Information Packet” for further consideration for selection.
c. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter advisor.
d. The Faculty Council shall review the “Student Information Packet” and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.
Section 4. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council, consisting of five faculty members appointed by the Principal. The chapter adviser (or co-advisers) shall be the sixth (or sixth and seventh) non-voting, ex-officio members of the Faculty Council.
Section 5. A description of the selection procedure shall be published on the school’s website which 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 Junior Honor Society.
Section 6. 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 of dismissal shall be determined by the Faculty Council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Junior 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 that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil 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 written notification of charges and a hearing before the Faculty Council.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the 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: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be 5 or 6 board members, depending on nominations and election results.
Section 2. Board members shall be elected at a regular meeting of the Hope Highlands NJHS Chapter. Time, methods, and procedures for the nomination will be determined at the beginning of each school year by the chapter adviser and Faculty Council.
ARTICLE IX: BOARD MEMBERS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1. The President of the board presides at meetings/provides direction.
Section 2. The Vice-President of the board serves in the absence of the President; other duties as directed.
Section 3. One board member serves as Secretary and records attendance and proceedings; attends to clerical duties.
Section 4. One board member keeps records of all financial matters as Treasurer.
ARTICLE X: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the board members 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 meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All action 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. (Note: This section
is viewed to include chapter activities except those with regards to the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members which are the sole domain of the chapter’s Faculty Council.)
ARTICLE XI: MEETINGS
Section 1. The Hope Highlands National Junior Honor Society Chapter shall meet monthly.
Section 2. Special meetings approved by the executive committee may be called by the
chapter adviser.
Section 3. Chapters shall conduct meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order in all points
not expressly provided for in these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII: ACTIVITIES
Section 1. The chapter shall be involved in at least one group service project during the
school year.
Section 2. Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an
individual service project(s) that reflects his or her particular talents and interests.
This should consist of 10 hours of service.
Section 3. All members shall regularly participate in these projects.
Section 4. 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 5. Each marking quarter, members shall record the service on a verification sheet.
Verification sheets must be turned in by the end of each marking quarter to the
chapter adviser.
ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS
These bylaws will be reviewed annually by the Chapter Members. NOTE: BYLAWS MUST BE
CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY CONSTITUTION AND
HANDBOOK. Any recommended change must be approved by the Faculty Council and the
Principal. Upon approval of the recommended change, it will be reviewed and put to a vote by
the membership. Two-thirds vote will establish a change. Sections dealing with revisions to the
procedures for selection, disciplining, and dismissal of members can be changed only by the
Faculty Council, though input from the chapter is allowed.
Adopted: August 2017