Bylaws and Criteria

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1: The name of this chapter shall be the Stewartsville Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.

Section 2: The purpose of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and citizenship, and to encourage the development of character in students of Stewartsville Middle School.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Membership in this chapter shall be known as active and honorary. Honorary members become graduate members at graduation. Graduate and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

Section 2: Membership in this chapter is an honor bestowed upon deserving students by the faculty, and shall be based on the criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, citizenship, and character.

Section 3: Eligibility Criteria:

• 1. Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be  rising 7th or 8th graders.

  2. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period of one semester at Stewartsville Middle School.

  3. Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter must have a minimum gpa of 3.67 for the first three marking periods, and an S+ or higher for encore subjects. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum level of scholastic achievement for admission to candidacy. All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for selection to membership.

  4. Upon meeting the grade level, attendance, and scholastic standard requirements, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, citizenship, and character.  Applicants will be required to write an essay.  

  5. A minimum of four hours community service is required of all eligible candidates.

Article III: Selection of Members

Section 1: The selection of members to this chapter shall be by majority vote of the Leadership Council consisting of six (five voting and one alternate) faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter advisers shall be the seventh and eighth nonvoting, ex officio member of the Faculty council.

Section 2: Prior to selection, the following shall occur:

• 1. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility

  2. Students who are eligible scholastically (“candidates”) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the Student Activity Information Form for further consideration for selection

  3. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determines to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter advisor.

  4. The faculty council shall review the  Student Activity Information Form and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership

Section 3: The selection of new active members shall be held once a year during the fourth marking period of the school year (Alternative or additional selection periods may be added)

Section 4: Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

Section 5: Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected and maintain all obligations of membership.

• 1. Members are expected to complete a minimum of six hours of community service during the course of the school year with the NJHS. Other hours may be completed with other service organizations.

  2. A minimum of three hours in-school tutoring is required (The requirement for tutoring may vary based on the request from faculty). Tutoring privately must be approved by the advisor.

Section 6: An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given a letter indicating the status of his or her membership and signed by the principal or chapter advisor.

Section 7: An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The Leadership Council shall grant to the transferring member one semester to attain the membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his or her membership.

Article IV: Discipline and Dismissal

Section 1: Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship or service may be considered for dismissal from the Stewartsville Middle School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. A member of the National Junior Honor Society is expected to maintain his or her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his or her school and community. All NJHS members are expected to follow school rules.  This includes being on time for school.  Any member who is tardy (unexcused) for three times will receive a demerit and be referred to the Faculty Council for further action which may include being placed on probation with the NJHS.  Excessive unexcused tardies may result in dismissal from NJHS. 

Section 2: If a member’s overall GPA falls below the standard of a minimum of 3.67 for any marking period, he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the cumulative scholastic achievement remains below standard at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Leadership Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3: If a member fails to perform any of the published obligations of membership, he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement, If the obligation remains unmet at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Leadership Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

Section 4: Violation of the law or school regulations can result in dismissal of a member. These violations include, but are not limited to, stealing; destruction of property; cheating; truancy; or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school related activities.

Section 5: If a member violates any of the behavior rules listed in the Parent/Student Handbook he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the obligation remains unmet at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Leadership Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

* Refer to the Parent/Student Handbook

Section 6: In all cases of pending dismissal:

• 1. Students who do not comply with the principles and rules of membership may be dismissed at the recommendation of the advisor, and after the subsequent vote of the Leadership Council. The advisor may recommend that dismissal proceeding begin for various reasons.

  2. Dismissal proceedings will be initiated by the advisor with a written notice to the member describing which violations have occurred

  3. The advisor will meet with the principal and describe the member’s violations

  4. The advisor will then convene the Leadership Council and describe the reasons for recommending dismissal

  5. A member who is facing dismissal may request a hearing from the Leadership Council. Requests for a hearing will be made through the advisor

  6. The advisor will convene the Leadership Council for the purposes of a hearing. At this meeting the member facing dismissal may present his/her case. The advisor will ask the Leadership Council to vote on dismissal

  7. The Leadership Council shall determine when the member has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings

  8. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the six member Leadership Council is required. The advisor serves as the seventh, non-voting member of the Council. In the event of a 3/3 vote the deciding vote will be made by building administration

  9. A vote dismissal against the member will lead to immediate dismissal from the Stewartsville Middle School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society

  10. For particularly flagrant violations, the advisor will meet with the Principal and exercise their prerogative to dismiss the member without convening the Leadership Council

Section 7: In lieu of dismissal, the Leadership Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

Article V: Officers

Section 1: The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, and historian.

Section 2: Student officers shall be elected at the last meeting of each school year. All returning active members are eligible to run for a position as an officer. All active members are eligible to vote.

Section 3: A majority vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. If the first vote does not yield a majority, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.

The following duties should reflect the responsibilities developed for officers in the local chapter:

• 1. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings for this chapter

  2. The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of members’ contributions to leadership and service

  3. The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings and be responsible for all official chapter correspondences.

  4. The historian will regularly update the NJHS bulletin board as well as the NJHS website.

Article VI: Executive Committee

Section 1: The executive committee shall consist of the faculty advisor and the chapter officers.

Section 2: The executive committee shall have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter, but any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members.

Article VII: Meetings

Section 1: Meetings of this chapter shall be twice monthly.

Section 2: This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 3: All chapter members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled chapter meetings.

Article VIII: Activities

Section 1: The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year.

Section 2: All members shall regularly participate in these projects.

Section 3: 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 4: Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interests and as approved by the chapter advisor. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.

Section 5: The chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive manner.

Article IX: Powers

Section 1: The chapter advisor is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

Article X: Amendments

Section 1: These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles III and IV, which are developed by the Leadership Council with the approval of the principal.

Section 2: Bylaws and amendments must be consistent with the constitution of the National Honor Society.

Stewartsville Middle School

NJHS is more than just an honor roll. The Honor Society chapter establishes rules for membership that are based upon a student’s outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. These criteria for selection form the foundation upon which the organization and its activities are built.

Scholarship: Students who have achieved high honor roll/honor roll status for three consecutive marking periods, with at least two of the three marking periods being at the high honor roll level, and earned an S+ or E in all related arts including Health, Physical Education, Art and Music, as established by the local school’s Leadership Council, meet the scholarship requirement for membership. These students are then eligible for consideration on the basis of service, leadership, character and citizenship.

Service /Citizenship: This quality is defined through the voluntary contributions made by a student to the school or community, done without compensation and with a positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit.  Additionally, a student who demonstrates citizenship understands the importance of civic involvement, has a high regard for freedom and justice, respects the US form of government and respects laws at the local, state, and federal level that protect that government. Citizenship demonstrates mature participation and responsibility through involvement with such activities as scouting, community organizations and school clubs.

Leadership: Student leaders are those who are resourceful, good problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, dependable and persons who exemplify positive attitudes about life. Leadership experiences can be drawn from school or community activities while working with or for others.

Character:  The student of good character upholds principles of morality and ethics, is cooperative, demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others, and generally maintains a good and clean lifestyle.