By-Laws

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY 

REEDY HIGH SCHOOL 2026-2027 

CHAPTER BYLAWS

ARTICLE I NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Reedy Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, which appears on the charter granted by the National Council of the National Honor Society, duly signed by the national secretary.

Section 2. The object of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in all students of the Reedy High School.

ARTICLE II 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. New members shall be inducted at a special ceremony.

Section 3. The faculty council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to students who warrant special consideration—including those who receive accommodations for a disability, 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. The faculty council might also award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS advisors, or other adults. Honorary membership grants recognition without the obligations and full privileges associated with active member status.

Section 4. A National Honor Society member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member of the Reedy chapter. Transfer members must meet the Reedy chapter’s standards within one semester to retain membership.

Section 5. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.

ARTICLE III SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a sophomore (in second semester), junior or senior.

Section 2. A candidate must have at least a 3.5 unweighted grade point average. The candidate shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character.

Section 3. To be eligible for election to membership in this chapter, the candidate must meet the following criteria:

1. The candidate must have been in attendance for a period equivalent to one semester in this school.

2. The candidate must complete the application in its entirety by the deadline.

3. The candidate must not have acquired more than 2 Lion Lunches during any nine week grading period during the school year.

Section 4. The chapter advisors may disqualify a candidate based on the criterion set in section 3. 

Section 5. The selection of members to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council.

 Section 6. Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected

 and maintain all obligations of membership.

Section 7. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to another school will be given

a letter indicating the status of their membership and signed by the principal or chapter advisor(s).

ARTICLE IV DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS

 Section 1. Members will be placed on probation if they do not maintain the standards of scholarship, leadership, service, and character that were used as the basis of their selection.

1. Standards of scholarship are defined as: 

   1. Maintaining a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 3.5 each academic quarter

   2. Completing an academic quarter with 2 or less lion lunch assignments

   3. No official instances of academic dishonesty as defined by the student handbook

2. Standards of leadership are defined as 

   1. Demonstrating initiative in the chapter community

   2. Demonstrating initiative when communicating with chapter advisors or faculty council

   3. Fostering personal growth and development while nurturing a positive community environment

3. Standards of service are defined as:

   1. Attending all chapter meetings

   2. Completing 20 service hours (per year) by the due date, 10 of which are FISD Exclusive

   3. Properly Submitting and Verifying service as instructed by advisors

4. Standards of character are defined as:

   1. Exhibiting qualities like perseverance, respect, integrity, and honesty.

   2. Consistent commitment to ethical and compassionate decision-making that positively affects both oneself and others

5. Standards of scholarship, leadership, service, and character include, but are not limited to, the above standards.

6. Advisors and/or faculty council may use their discretion when determining if a student will be placed on probation and the terms of that probation

Section 2. Members placed on probation will be promptly notified, in writing, by the chapter advisors and given a reasonable amount of time to correct their deficiency. 

1. Members placed on probation will meet with the advisor and/or faculty council to discuss the nature of the violation and the time period given for improvement.

2. Members placed on probation may be assigned additional penalties as determined by the chapter advisors and/or faculty council

3. Members whose grade point average falls below 3.5 unweighted gpa will be placed on probation and have a semester to regain the necessary grade point average. 

Section 3. Members placed on probation may, at will, be subject to a faculty council hearing before dismissal from the chapter. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the faculty council is required. Exception to this rule would be in case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, which will result in automatic dismissal.

Section 4. Seniors who are on probation will be called to the faculty council for a vote of dismissal prior to graduation during the 4th academic quarter.

Section 5. Both in and out of school suspensions will be handled on a case by case basis in consultation with the faculty council. It is mandatory that members inform the advisor(s) of their suspensions.

Section 6. Members that are required to appear before the faculty council have the option to waive their appearance in lieu of completing a google form that includes a written statement for the faculty council to read and consider.

1. Members required to attend a Faculty Council will be sent a mandatory Google Form with an assigned time to meet during the school day.

2. Students that choose to attend an in-person Faculty Council meeting are required to attend during their assigned time.

3. Failure to attend the required Faculty Council meeting without providing notice will result in automatic dismissal from the chapter. (Notice must be to the rhsnhs@friscoisd.org email address within a reasonable amount of time)

Section 7. If a member is dismissed, notice of the decision will be sent to the member through their Frisco ISD email address. Once a member is dismissed, they are never again eligible for membership in the National Honor Society.

Section 8. Members not on probation are considered to be in good standing and can graduate as a member of the National Honor Society.

Section 9. Officers with two unexcused absences from chapter meetings and/or officer meetings will receive a letter, warning of their impending dismissal. Officers with three unexcused absences from chapter meetings and/or officer meetings will be asked to relinquish their officer position, but will not be dismissed from the honor society. 

ARTICLE V MEETINGS

Section 1. The regular meetings of this chapter shall be held quarterly, or as necessary, from September through May. Meetings will be held before and after school, usually on a Tuesday.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the advisors.

Section 3. An advisor must be present at all National Honor Society meetings.

Section 4. All chapter members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled chapter meetings. Missing chapter meetings is only excused by an excused absence in accordance with school rules.

1. Members seeking an excuse from a meeting must submit an absence request in writing to the chapter Advisor prior to the scheduled meeting. In the case of an unplanned illness or family emergency, members must provide a written notice when the student returns.

Section 6. The penalties for unexcused absences from meetings are as follows:

• One (1) meeting: the member shall be placed on probation

• Two (2) meetings: the member will be under review by the faculty council for potential dismissal.

Section 7. Members who miss a meeting, excused or unexcused, will be required to complete an additional 5 service hours per meeting missed.

Section 8. Members need to attend only the morning or afternoon meeting while officers are required to attend both the morning and afternoon meetings.

Section 9. Members are responsible for knowing the date, time, and location of all meetings.

ARTICLE VI DUES AND FEES

Section 1. The annual due for each member shall be $10.00 per school year ($20.00 for members inducted during their junior year and $30.00 for members inducted during their sophomore year).

Section 2. Dues shall be paid in full before the induction ceremony.

Section 3. Seniors will be responsible for paying for their own stole and cords (officers only).

Section 4. Students who are unable to pay dues will not be denied membership.

ARTICLE VII ACTIVITIES

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

1. All members are required to participate in these projects.

Section 2.  Students must complete twenty hours of community service per school year. These hours shall include at least ten hours serving FISD or chapter NHS service 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 also 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(s). These service hours must be earned through approved community organizations.

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

Section 6. Students must submit proof, as laid out by chapter advisors, of all twenty hours of community service by a date in April chosen by the NHS advisors and approved by the faculty council, 

1. The advisor(s) may ask for checks throughout the school year.

2. Students who fail these checks or fail to complete 20 required service hours and all penalty hours assigned before the deadline will be placed on probation.

Section 7. Service hours obtained outside of NHS service projects require proof of service signed by an adult community member in a leadership position.

ARTICLE VIII DEFINITION OF HOURS

Section 1. FISD hours are for activities that directly benefit the FISD school system. At least ten of the required number of hours must be FISD hours.

• Hours received through donations of any kind are not considered FISD exclusive hours.

Section 2. Individual hours should be community sponsored and should be used for the benefit of the public. At least ten of the required number of hours must be FISD hours.

Section 3. Projects for other school clubs may count for the FISD hours except in the case of special, announced activities.

Section 4. Members who receive penalty hours must complete them in the school year they are received.

ARTICLE IX OFFICERS

 Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be president, vice-president, secretary, historian, and communications officer. Students shall run for one elected office. Students may campaign and shall briefly address the membership and explain why they want the position and what they can contribute to the organization.

Section 2. Student officers shall be elected yearly. Active members may run for an office at the end of their junior year or beginning of their senior year if an election is necessary during the fall semester. All active members are eligible to vote.

Section 3. A plurality vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. 

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the meetings of the chapter, organize NHS projects, and fulfill all tasks designated by the advisor.

Section 5. The Vice President shall preside over the meetings in the absence of the President, assist the President in NHS tasks, and fulfill all tasks designated by the advisor.

Section 6. The Secretary shall take the minutes of the meetings of the chapter, keep a record of all business, hold all records on file, type up notices for meetings and projects, and fulfill all tasks designated  by the advisor. The historian shall preside in the absence of the secretary.

 Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Historian to keep record of all NHS activities and events through the year in a scrapbook.The president shall preside in the absence of the historian.

Section 8. It shall be the duty of the Communications Officer to inform members about chapter activities, inform the public about the chapter’s events via newspaper, school paper, announcements, and fulfill all tasks designated by the advisors. 

Section 9. If an officer’s position becomes vacant due to resignation, relocation, or dismissal, the open position can be filled by an emergency election. An open position may only be filled by students meeting the criteria aforementioned.

Section 10. If an officer fails to perform any of the published obligations of membership, they will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement (each circumstance will be decided on an individual basis). A conference will be scheduled with the student and the advisor(s) and/or the Faculty Council. If the officer fails to improve in the time period given, the officer may be considered for dismissal from office by the Faculty Council. This action does not dismiss the student from NHS membership.

ARTICLE X EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the faculty advisor(s) and the chapter officers.

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 actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership.

ARTICLE XI CHAPTER ADVISORS

Section 1. The chapter advisor shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms.

Section 2. 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.

Section 3. The chapter advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial trans- actions. The chapter advisor shall complete the annual survey and submit it to the national office.

Section 4. The chapter advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with Honor Society standards and obligations.

Section 5. The chapter advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.

ARTICLE XII FACULTY COUNCIL

Section 1. The Faculty Council shall consist of five or more voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal or faculty advisors. The chapter advisor/s shall be an ex officio, non-voting, member of the Faculty Council. No principal or assistant principal may be included on the Faculty Council. (See commentary in Article 2 Section 3 regarding the functions of the Faculty Council.)

Section 2. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members, and to consider nonselection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases.

Section 3. 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 this Constitution and NHS policies.

ARTICLE XIII EMBLEM

Section 1. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to membership standards and member obligations shall have the privilege of wearing the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society.

Section 2. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter.

Section 3. Chapter members who are seniors in good standing shall be granted the privilege of wearing the NHS honor stole or other insignia adopted at the local level for graduation. 

Section 4. Good standing is defined as not being placed on probation.

ARTICLE XIV AMENDMENT PROCESS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given in writing to members at least one month in advance. The exceptions are Articles III and IV (selection and discipline), which must be approved by the Faculty Council and the principal.

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

Principal: Jon-Eric Ziaer NHS

Advisors: Staci Rogers, Christopher Oh, Faculty Council