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Class of 2024 and beyond
Criteria for Selection
Selection for membership in the National Honor Society (NHS) is open to juniors and seniors who are designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws.
Selection for the National Honor Society will be based on the following criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Selection Procedure
The selection process for the Nauset Chapter of the National Honor Society begins upon receipt of official end of sophomore year grades. The process is as follows:
All juniors who have attained a cumulative 3.8 GPA, with no sophomore end-of-course failing grades and a clean disciplinary record at the end of their sophomore year are identified as meeting the Chapter’s initial scholarship criteria and placed on a master list.
All students on the master list are notified via email that they are eligible to apply for membership. They are also provided with a code to join the applicants’ Google Classroom. The students are invited to attend an informational meeting outlining the NHS selection process.
During the initial informational meeting it is thoroughly explained that the National Honor Society is not a school honor roll, but a society, which recognizes and celebrates those select students who consistently demonstrate leadership, exemplary character, and devotion to volunteer community service. All deadlines are clarified.
Students can then download the application from the Google Classroom to complete and submit. Students submit their application on Google Classroom. The applications must be thoroughly completed and mirror a professional resume in appearance and tone. No section of the application may be left blank. Student applicants are required to demonstrate an ongoing pattern of commitment to leadership, character, and community service with specific and detailed evidence. Students and parents/guardians must review and verify that all information that is provided is accurate. All applications must be submitted by the submission deadline posted on the application form. Any application received after the deadline will not be reviewed.
Following the submission deadline, the master list of applicants is submitted to the entire Nauset faculty for its review. The faculty is asked to forward input regarding both positive and negative character and leadership qualities including any disciplinary issues. The NHS Faculty Council made up of representatives from departments across the Nauset campus then reviews all applications. The deliberations of the Faculty Council are conducted in Executive Session and not open to the public. This strict rule of confidentiality is to protect the students, as well as the open and frank discussion vital to the process. National Honor Society Advisers facilitate the Faculty Council in its deliberations, but cannot vote on any pending applications.
Once the Faculty Council has completed its review of the applications and any additional information submitted by the Nauset community, it recommends to accept or to withhold NHS membership to each student applicant.
All students are notified by email of the Faculty Council’s decision. Those students accepted into the National Honor Society are invited to take part in a public induction ceremony in November.
Any student may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council. In order to be reviewed, the appeal must be in writing and submitted to the National Honor Society Advisers, within two weeks of the Faculty Council’s decision. The Advisers will review the appeal and render their own joint decision within one week of receipt. If the applicant is still not satisfied with the decision, they may then appeal directly to the building principal. The principal will meet with the student applicant and render a decision within one week of that meeting.
The selection of members to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. At least five voting members of the Council must be present for the selection process. In the event a member of the Faculty Council is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of his or her position, the principal will designate a substitute.
Any junior not selected for admission in the fall may reapply in the spring of their junior year provided they attain a 3.8 weighted GPA after the third marking period of their junior year. Spring applicants will be notified of the Faculty Council’s decision at the end of their junior year and if accepted are welcome to participate in the induction ceremony in the late fall.
Grounds for Member Dismissal
Members who fall below the National Honor Society standards which were the basis for their selection may be dismissed from the society. Two examples include a student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.8 for two or more consecutive marking terms, or a student who flagrantly and/or repeatedly violates school rules and/or civic law, such as the Nauset Regional High School substance abuse policy. Any student who violates the Nauset attendance policy (including unexcused tardies and/or dismissals) is subject to dismissal.
Dismissal Procedures
Members who fall below the standards that were the basis of their selection shall be promptly warned by email from the chapter advisers and be given reasonable time to correct the deficiency; no warning shall be given in the case of a flagrant violation of school rules and/or civic law.
This warning procedure is ordinarily initiated by the NHS advisers, although violations of standards can be pointed out to the advisers by members of the faculty and administration. Failure to remedy the deficiency after a written warning shall result in a hearing by the Faculty Council concerning impending dismissal. In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have the right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. Requests for a hearing before the Faculty Council must be made in writing. The student will be informed of the action taken as a result of any hearing within five school days after the hearing.
A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council. One final letter of explanation can be drafted and submitted. The Faculty Council and the Principal will then make the final decision.
Students who resign or are dismissed from the National Honor Society will remain ineligible for future membership or its benefits.
Chapter Officers
All members of the National Honor Society will be eligible for selection as officers. Members of the Chapter Executive Board will include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
The election of the officers will take place after Induction of newly selected members. In the event an elected officer is unable to fulfill the requirements of office, the position will be filled at the next general meeting of the National Honor Society. Students who are considering early graduation may not run for office.
Membership, Meetings, Community Service Hours
Membership in the National Honor Society is both an honor and a responsibility. Students selected for membership are expected to continue to demonstrate the qualities of scholarship, service, leadership, and character by which they are selected.
Chapter meetings will be scheduled bi-monthly by the adviser(s) and attendance is required. A member must notify the Chapter adviser(s) or the board in advance when an absence is necessary. If there are two unexcused absences, a warning will be given. If more than two unexcused absences occur, dismissal from the Chapter is possible. Special meetings and/or subcommittee meetings approved by the Executive Board may be called by the President.
As a service organization NHS requires its members to perform a minimum of twenty (20) hours their first year and twenty (20) hours their second year in order to retain membership in National Honor Society. Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year. All members shall regularly participate in these projects. These projects shall fulfill a need within the school or community and have the support of the administration and faculty. Students are expected to keep a list of all fulfilled hours.
Each member shall also have the responsibility for choosing and participating in a service project, of a length to be determined by the adviser and the Executive Board, which reflects his or her particular talents and interest. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.
Adopted: June 2023 by NRHS National Honor Society Faculty Council
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