Constitution and Bylaws

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY CONSTITUTION 

BROOKFIELD HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER

(Updated March, 2024)

These bylaws were revised and accepted by Ava Wassmuth, Aashna Gaikwad, Bella Ortiz, Brooklynn Snyder, Sophia Chnowski, and Marcela Coombs. They are hereby presented to the BHS Faculty Council for approval on this 10th day of April, 2024. They will go into effect on April 22, 2024 and remain in effect until they are reviewed and received by the Spring of 2026.

All blue text was added/edited in 2024 by the officers and advisor of the Brookfield BHS Chapter.

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Brookfield High School Chapter of the National Honor Society.

Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to foster scholarship, to stimulate a desire to serve the community, encourage leadership, and develop character in the students of Brookfield High School.

Section 3. The Brookfield High School Chapter of the National Honor Society shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1536.

Article II: The Principal

Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve or deny all activities and decisions of the chapter.

Section 2. The principal shall annually appoint a faculty member as chapter advisor, who may serve consecutive terms.

Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five faculty members , who may serve consecutive terms.

Section 4. The principal may appoint alternate members to the Faculty Council in the absence of a current member.

Section 5. The principal shall receive appeals in all cases of the non-selection of candidates, and the dismissal or disciplining of members.

Article III: The Chapter Advisor

Section 1. 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 the community.

Section 2. 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, as required by the National Council of the National Honor Society.

Section 3. The chapter advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with the standards and obligations of the National Honor Society.

Section 4. The chapter advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.

Section 5. The chapter advisor shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council.

Section 6. The chapter advisor shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms.

Article IV: 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 on consecutive terms.

Section 3. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members and to consider non-selection, dismissal, or other disciplinary actions, and warning cases.

Section 4. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, disciplining, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with national guidelines. Any and all additions, deletions and modifications shall be reported to the principal.

Article V: Membership

Section 1. 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.

Section 2. Membership of this chapter shall be known as probationary and full. Candidates become full members when inducted at a special ceremony.  Members are considered probationary prior to this ceremony but are expected to participate in chapter activities in order to facilitate the continuance of chapter responsibilities and activities from one year to the next.  Probationary members are expected to live up to the responsibilities of full membership throughout the time prior to induction, including the requirement of 10 community service hours. Full members must pay dues of $15 to remain members after induction.

Section 3. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS advisors, adults, students with disabilities, or foreign exchange students in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice in chapter affairs.

Section 4. 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 of the new school’s chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.

Section 5. 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, candidates must be members of the junior or senior class and have been in attendance at Brookfield High School for one semester. Some candidates may be ineligible for induction because of the semester ruling.

Section 2. Candidates for selection to this chapter must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed.  The candidate’s eligibility shall then be considered based upon outstanding characteristics of service, leadership, and character.

Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council.

Section 4. 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 determined by the Faculty Council shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society.

Section 5. 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 for dismissal shall be determined by the Faculty Council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National 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 advisor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency. Except in the case of deliberate violation of the rules of Brookfield High School or civil laws, a member does not have to be warned.

Section 3. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings, however warnings from the chapter advisor should be taken just as seriously by members.

Section 4. Members who accumulate five unexcused absences, which consist of emergencies and unavoidable occurrences, shall have their membership reviewed by the Faculty Council.

Section 5. In all cases impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council.

Section 6. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required.

Section 7. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council under the same rules and regulations for disciplinary appeals in the Brookfield School District.

Section 8. The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.

Section 9.  Any probationary member who fails to fulfill his/her responsibilities and/or duties, which include community service requirements expected of all members throughout the year, may have his/her invitation to join the National Honor Society withdrawn by the Faculty Council and he/she will not be inducted.

Article VIII: Chapter Officers

Section 1.  The officers shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.  In addition to the specific duties and responsibilities listed below, the officers shall assume other duties and responsibilities as required by their respective offices.        

Section 2.  It shall be the duty of the officers to attend executive board meetings.

Section 3.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of this chapter, to represent the chapter at public occasions, to appoint necessary committees, and to serve as ex-officio member on all committees so as to delegate responsibilities to members.  The president shall also work with the executive board in making decisions which will best benefit the chapter members and delegate duties to the best of his/her ability.

Section 4.  It shall be the duty of the vice-president to fill the chair of the president in his/her absence.  The vice-president shall also work with the president in assigning delegation of duties and in seeing that these are carried out.  The vice-president shall determine meeting dates, fill out forms, coordinate committee work, and ensure that all members continue to meet membership standards. The vice-president is also responsible for chairing the bylaws revision bi-annually.  He/she may delegate people to assist in this effort during by-law revision.

Section 5.  It shall be the duty of the chapter secretary to publicize the calendar schedule of meetings, announcing the date, time, and place of all meetings in a timely fashion.  He/she shall maintain the written records of the chapter including attendance and community service hours of members, as well and notify the executive board and the advisor when any member’s unexcused absences from meetings have reached 3.

Section 6.  It shall be the duty of the treasurer to keep an accurate record of all National Honor Society financial activities and purchases throughout the course of the school year and to support the work of other officers of the chapter in any way necessary. Additionally, it shall be the responsibility of the treasurer to make available and process paperwork to reimburse all members for any purchases made on behalf of the Brookfield High School chapter of National Honors Society.

Section 7. The current NHS president shall vote in the election of new officers prior to the review of any ballots. His/her vote will be used to break a two way tie. All officers shall be elected by majority vote.  If there is no clear majority, then all but the two candidates with the most votes shall be removed from the election.  There will then be a re-vote between the two remaining candidates.

Section 8.  The new officers will be installed after the induction ceremony in May.  The new officers will work with the present officers to ensure a smooth transition for the following year.

Section 9.  If for any reason, an officer is removed from the National Honor Society, the appointment of a vacant office is determined by the remaining members of the executive committee.

Section 10.  If an officer fails to fulfill the duties as described in Article VIII, they shall receive a formal warning from the advisor and/or the Faculty Council and face possible removal from their position. 

Article IX: Executive Committee

Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers, team leaders of the Brookfield Chapter of the National Honor Society, and the chapter advisor.

Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the chapter affairs between meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and perform other duties as specified by the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of  chapter members. o

Section 3. The executive committee shall have the responsibility of  ensuring that the chapter activities and procedures follow the policies/regulations of Brookfield High School.

Article X: Meetings

Section 1.  The chapter shall have regular meetings twice a month during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and/or the chapter advisor in accordance with school policy and regulations.

Section 2.  Special meetings approved by the executive committee may be called by the president.  The chapter advisor may also call special meetings.

Section 3. All members are required to attend chapter meetings unless excused by the chapter advisor. Excused absences include but are not limited to a school absence, a note from a parent/guardian, or an athletic game. Unexcused absences are determined at the discretion of the secretary/advisor.

Section 4. Members who have three unexcused absences shall be provided with a verbal warning.

Section 5. Members who have four unexcused absences shall be provided with a written warning.

Section 6. Members who accumulate five unexcused absences shall have their membership reviewed by the Faculty Council.

Article XI: Activities

Section 1. The Brookfield High School Chapter of the NHS shall determine one or more service projects per year.

Section 2. All members shall regularly participate in these projects, and are required to help setup, plan, or volunteer at least one NHS event per quarter. 

Section 3. These projects shall fulfill a need within the school or community, have the support of the administration and faculty, be congruent within the mission statement of Brookfield High School, be   planned and organized.

Section 4. Each member shall have the responsibility of choosing and participating in Community Service projects according to his/her particular talents and interests. Community Service is defined as time volunteered which benefits a community or its non-profit institutions for no pay or credit. 

Members are required to accumulate a minimum of 60 community service hours with requirements as follows:

• Earn a minimum of 10 hours per quarter, 3 hours of which must be NHS related.

• Earn 20 additional hours throughout the school year or summer preceding senior year

• NHS tutoring does count toward NHS related community service requirements (2 hours max per quarter, but remainder may be put toward 'additional hours')

• Working as a TA can earn a maximum of 3 hours per quarter towards non-NHS hours.

Examples of in-school activities which constitute community service:

• Tutoring 

• Assisting office staff

• Helping with special school project (organizing book closet, cleaning the Senior Courtyard)

Examples of out-of-school activities that constitute community service:

• Planning, running or participating in an event that is not sponsored by NHS

• Participating in a one-on-one activity like Big Brother/Big Sister or tutoring at Sunday School

Examples of activities that do NOT constitute community service:

• Play rehearsal or performance

• Club meetings

• Extra-curricular sports or clubs

Section 5. All members shall be available to participate in the NHS Peer Tutoring program at Brookfield High School.

Section 6 Each chapter shall publicize all projects in a positive manner.

Article XII: Official Insignia

Section 1. This organization shall have a uniform emblem selected by the National Council.

Article XIII: Amendments

Section 1.  This constitution and its bylaws may be amended by the Faculty Council.  

Section 2.  This constitution and its bylaws should be reviewed on a regular basis (at least every other year); any changes made must be approved by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. The changes are then published to all current members of the chapter and to the Faculty Council.

Section 3. This constitution and its bylaws must be made available to all prospective members.

AMENDMENT I:  Selection Process

Pursuant to Article VI, section 4 of the NHS Constitution, the process by which new members are selected is hereby made available to all students and parents of Brookfield High School: 

The Brookfield High School National Honor Society is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of the prestigious national organization. Membership is open to those students who meet the required standards in four areas of evaluation: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Standards for selection are established by the national office of NHS and have been revised to meet local chapter needs. Students are selected by a five-member Faculty Council, appointed by the principal, which bestows this honor upon qualified students on behalf of the faculty of this school. Students in grades eleven and twelve are eligible for membership.

For the scholarship criterion, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0 Those students who meet this criterion are invited to an assembly where the advisor explains what membership in NHS means and requires. Then he/she invites students who are interested in being considered for selection to complete a Student Activity Information Form that provides the Faculty Council with specifics regarding the candidate’s leadership experiences and community service.

To aid the Faculty Council in evaluating a candidate’s character, the Council reviews the school disciplinary records through consultation with the principal, assistant principal(s), and asks all faculty members to fill out a form regarding their professional reflections on an individual’s character and leadership. The faculty makes a recommendation to the Council regarding the selection of each candidate. These forms are carefully reviewed by the Faculty Council to determine membership. A majority vote of the Council is necessary for selection. The advisor is a non-voting participant in the process. Candidates are then notified by letter regarding selection or non-selection.

Following a notification, a meeting of the probationary members is held with the advisor who explains the requirements for earning full membership. A probationary member must serve 10 hours of community service, attend all meetings, and participate in NHS activities in the weeks prior to induction. If a probationary member meets these prerequisites, they will be invited to the induction ceremony in May of that year. Once inducted, a new member is required to maintain the same level of performance (or better) in all four criteria that have led to their selection.  

Students or parents who have questions regarding the selection process or membership obligations should contact the chapter advisor by email or phone.

In Cases of Non-selection

Chapters are not obligated by the law or national constitution to share with students and parents and students information concerning specific reasons for non-selection for membership in the Honor Society.  However, the BHS chapter of the National Honor Society has developed the following guidelines for students or parents in the event that they disagree with the decision of the Faculty Council.

1. Any request for information must be made with the chapter advisor or the principal within 10 days of receiving the non-selection letter.

2. The chapter advisor will provide a verbal explanation of why someone has not been chosen to the student, parent(s), and/or principal. This verbal explanation should be generalized, but should explain the specific area (character, leadership, service) in which a particular student did not reach the outstanding level required for membership. Any specific comments provided to the Faculty Council, who act as agents of National Honor Society, are not shared outside of the Faculty Council. The chapter advisor will not provide the student, parent(s), and/or the principal with specific names of staff members or anyone else regarding their professional reflections on an individual’s character and leadership. 

3. Should students or parents still not be satisfied, the next level of discussion should take place with the principal. If the principal believes that some kind of technical or procedural mistake has been made, following such discussion, the principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the situation.  In the absence of specific evidence to the contrary, however, the principal must assume that the members of the Council are exercising their judgment in a legitimate and professional manner and with the good faith expected of them. The principal must trust their decisions have been made with the best interests of the student in mind.

Parents and students must understand that no student has a right to be selected for membership in a chapter of the National Honor Society. If non-selected students or their parents wish to challenge or appeal the principal’s decision, they should follow the local school system’s procedures. The National Council and NASSP have no authority to review or overturn the judgment of the Faculty Council regarding selection of individual members to local chapters.

ADDENDUM 1: Dismissal Hearing

The following is a sample Dismissal Hearing Agenda:                                                                               

• Introduction of attendees, facilitated by the chapter advisor.

• Explanation of the proceedings by the advisor(s). The handbook indicates that "the primary focus of the hearing is to allow the member to present his or her case," which may be quoted for reference. Following the statement of purpose, a review of the "charges" being brought against the member is made. Excerpts from the hearing notification letter that outlined the charges and was sent to the member can be read at this time.

• Statement of case. The member is given the opportunity to respond to the charges.

• Question-and-answer period. This is the opportunity for the Faculty Council members to seek clarification from the member regarding his or her position or actions.

• Statement by parent (optional). No right to be present exists for any parent or other party representing the accused member; however, nothing specifically prohibits their sitting in on the sessions. Whether or not such individuals are allowed to speak is left to precedent per the standard operation procedures of the chapter and to the discretion of the presiding advisor(s).

• Final statement by the member before conclusion of this portion of the meeting.

• Excusing of the member (and parents and others). This indicates that a decision regarding the case in question is forthcoming, and if possible gives an indication of the timing and method of notification that will be used.

• Following this portion of the hearing, the Faculty Council, still facilitated by the chapter advisor, engages in discussion, and if all the pertinent information has been provided, they can make a decision by voting. (A majority vote is all that is needed for dismissal.)

ADDENDUM II:  Dismissal Notification Letter

The following is a sample Dismissal Notification Letter:

Dear [name]:

After careful review of the facts involved in your case and taking into consideration the content of the information provided by you at the recent hearing, the Faculty Council of the Brookfield High School Chapter of NHS regrets to inform you that you are being dismissed from the chapter at this time.

We must inform you that members who are dismissed are never allowed to either become members of the National Honor Society or make claims to membership in the future.

Should you wish to appeal this decision of the Faculty Council, you can do so by contacting the school principal, Marc Balanda, within the next two weeks to set up an appointment to discuss your position.

ADDENDUM III:  Attendance Warning Letter

The following is a sample Attendance Warning Letter:

Dear [name],

According to our chapter bylaws, you must be notified in writing if you have not maintained the standards of our chapter that were in place at the time of your induction. Article X, Section 3 of our bylaws state, “All members are required to attend all chapter meetings unless excused by the chapter advisor. Excused absences include but are not limited to a school absence, a note from a parent/guardian, or an athletic game. Unexcused absences are determined at the discretion of the advisor.” At this time, NHS attendance records show that you have had ______ absences, _____of which have been unexcused.

This letter will serve as a written warning that your membership in NHS is in jeopardy.  Members who accumulate five unexcused absences shall have their membership reviewed by the Faculty Council. I hope that you continue as a member in good standing in NHS and attend all future chapter meetings. 

A copy of this letter will be e-mailed to your parent so that you have the opportunity to discuss this with them.

Timeline for 2026 revisions 

VP Selects committee & drafts revisions: Any time Sept-March

VP presents revised bylaws to advisor: Mid March

VP presents to chapter members to vote - need 2/3 majority to move forward: Late March

Advisor seeks approval from Faculty Council: Early April

Faculty Council presents to Administration: Mid April

If approved by all of the above, new bylaws go into effect: Early May