Santa Rita Middle School
NJHS Bylaws
In order to be considered for membership, the student must be a second-semester sixth or seventh-grader and must have completed one full semester at Santa Rita Middle School. A faculty committee appointed by the principal will select from all the qualifying applicants, those who excel in scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. The basis for the selection is the student application and information provided by the faculty and administration. The principal will review and approve the list of inductees.
SCHOLARSHIP
The student must possess an overall cumulative grade point average of 92 at the end of the 4th six weeks of the current year. Core classes only (Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies) are used to determine this average.
LEADERSHIP
The student who exercises leadership:
Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions
Demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities
Exercises positive influence on peers in upholding school ideals
Contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school
Delegates responsibilities
Exhibits a positive attitude
Inspires positive behavior in others
Demonstrates academic initiative
Successfully holds school offices or positions of responsibility, conducts business effectively and efficiently, and demonstrates reliability and dependability
Is a leader in the classroom, at work, and in other school or community activities
Is thoroughly dependable in any responsibility accepted
Is willing to uphold scholarship and maintain a loyal school attitude
SERVICE
The student who serves does the following:
Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, is gladly available, and is willing to sacrifice to offer assistance
Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities
Cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school
Willingly represents the class or school in inter-class and interscholastic competition
Committee and staff work without complaint
Participates in some activity outside of school; for example, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, religious groups, volunteer services for the elderly, poor, or disadvantaged
Mentors persons in the community or students at other schools
Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students
CITIZENSHIP
The student who demonstrates citizenship:
Understands the importance of civic involvement
Has high regard for freedom, justice, and respect for the American form of government (representative government)
Demonstrates mature participation and responsibility through involvement with such activities as Scouting, community organizations, and school clubs
CHARACTER
The student of character:
Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously
Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, stability)
Upholds principles of morality and ethics
Cooperates by complying with school regulations concerning property, programs, the office, halls, etc
Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability
Regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others
Observes instructions and rules, is punctual, and faithful both inside and outside the classroom
Has powers of concentration, self-discipline, and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies
Manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating in written work, and showing unwillingness to profit from the mistakes of others
Actively helps rid the school of bad influences on the environment
ADDITIONAL POINTS TO REMEMBER:
Character is probably the most difficult criterion to define. The faculty council should consider the positive as well as the negative aspects of character. All judgments should be free of hearsay and rumor.
Students who have been arrested and found guilty of civil offenses or who have a chronic record of breaking school rules are poor membership risks, but should not be automatically excluded from consideration for membership. Proper regard for adolescent growth and behavior is essential.
ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
Membership in local chapters is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by the 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
New members shall be inducted at a special ceremony held in May.
Section 3
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 of the new school's chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 4
Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Section 5
To be promoted as a member in good standing of the National Junior Honor Society, a member must not be on probation.
ARTICLE II LOCAL CHAPTERS
Section 1
Each member will pay annual dues of $20.00. These dues must be paid by the end of September and will include membership fees for the society.
Members not meeting the above obligations will have their eligibility reviewed and may be placed on probation.
ARTICLE III SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1
To be considered for election to the National Junior Honor Society, students must have: completed a full semester in Santa Rita Middle School, achieved a cumulative scholastic average of 92 (averaged across all classes) through the 4th six weeks, and been evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
Section 2
During the second semester, a list of students will have been compiled that have met the scholastic requirements of a 92 (averaged across all classes) GPA through the 4th six weeks. Students will be notified of their eligibility. Students must pick up an application for membership in NJHS from the front office within one week of notification, complete the application requirements, and submit it by the deadline stated on the form. Once the form has been completed, signed, and submitted, it becomes the property of the National Junior Honor Society. A signed form authorizes the National Junior Honor Society to compile teacher evaluations and conduct records and activity verifications. No forms will be accepted after the deadline. It is very important to follow the instructions for the application process from beginning to end. Leadership will be based on participation in clubs and organizations at school and in the community, as well as teacher-documented leadership in the classroom. Service will be based on participation in school, community, and/or church groups. Documented service projects also are considered.
Section 3
The character aspect of the selection is based on three sources: teacher evaluations, reports filed in the Principal's office including both discipline referrals and incident reports, and an optional letter of reference from someone outside of the school.
Section 4
No individual teacher's evaluation will determine a student's selection. The teacher evaluation is not a vote by the faculty member as to which students should be selected. Instead, the information is used by the Faculty Council to get an overall character evaluation.
After all the records are compiled, selection is determined by a majority vote of the Faculty Council, which is appointed by the Principal. As stated in the National NJHS Constitution, the decision of the Faculty Council is final. The advisors and Faculty Council are under no obligation to reveal information concerning non-selection.
The Faculty Council decides who will be selected by determining the standards of excellence necessary before the balloting takes place. There is no limit to the number of students who can be selected during this selection period.
Students who are selected will be notified by mail.
ARTICLE IV DISMISSAL
Section 1
The procedure for probation and dismissal will be as follows:
Students will be notified about probation via letter, listing the stipulated probation terms.
Parents will be notified by letter of the probation or dismissal, with the expectation that it be signed.
Students will return the letter to the NJHS sponsor.
Students will be given the stipulated time to improve upon their scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, or character.
If the student is on probation 3 consecutive 6 weeks for any pillar of NJHS, they will be automatically dismissed from NJHS.
Parents and students will be notified via letter.
Should the impending dismissal be upheld by the Faculty Council, the student may request a hearing before the principal; if that decision is upheld the student may request a hearing before the superintendent; and, if the decision is upheld, the student may request a hearing before the school board. The decision by the school board is the final step in the appeal process.
Section 2
A student must maintain a 92 percent or higher cumulative scholastic average to retain membership in NJHS. A student who has not maintained the described membership requirements or who has failed to maintain the standards of excellence for which he/she was selected will be placed on probation. Probation is a warning given by the sponsor that the student's membership is in jeopardy. The warning is written and must be signed by the student and a parent or guardian to ensure that both are aware of the possibility of dismissal. The intention of the probation notice is to enable the student to make up for the deficiency for which he/she was placed on probation. The student will be given a reasonable amount of time to improve his or her performance to the required standard. In the case of behavior referrals to the office, the member will be required to write a letter of accountability, a plan of improvement, and conference with the sponsor. At the second referral for any reason, the student faces the possibility of dismissal. Automatic dismissal from NJHS will occur after the third office referral. If the referral results in an ISS placement, the member will have a conference with the sponsor and the principal to determine a plan for correcting the problem and a probation period. If there’s a second ISS placement for any reason, the student faces automatic dismissal. If the behavior referral results in a DAEP placement and or OSS, the member is automatically dismissed from the Santa Rita Middle School chapter of NJHS.
An exception to probation may occur in the case of flagrant violation of school or civil law. The National Constitution of the National Junior Honor Society states that in such cases the student does not necessarily have to be warned before dismissal occurs. This would be decided by a majority vote of the Faculty Council.
Section 3
The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.
ARTICLE V CHAPTER OFFICERS
Section 1
The election of offices will occur during the spring semester. Nominations will have been made previously, and the election shall be by secret ballot. Candidates may run for more than one office, with the understanding that they will receive the highest office won.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS SHALL INCLUDE:
PRESIDENT - The chapter president must maintain a delicate balance between leading and encouraging other officers, members, and interested students to take on leadership responsibilities. The president’s responsibilities extend beyond the students within the chapter. The president serves as the point-person—the person out in front of everyone. The President runs the meetings and makes plans in conjunction with the advisor. At the end of the school year, the president writes a report, to be submitted to the national office of the National Junior Honor Society, outlining the group's activities throughout the year.
VICE-PRESIDENT - The vice president’s primary role is to serve as the official replacement for the president should the president fail to function or be unable to fulfill his or her responsibilities. The vice president, more than any other officer, has the opportunity to be creative in the position beyond the primary job description. The vice president is the president’s closest student adviser and assistant. The vice president and president must work very closely together to create a productive Honor Society. The vice president serves as the behind-the-scenes person who plans, organizes, schedules, and oversees to make sure the chapter work is done. The vice president is in charge of all group service projects and tracks the number of service hours completed by each member.
SECRETARY - The secretary’s primary responsibility is to keep the official records of chapter business and serve as the official correspondent for the chapter. The historical memory of the Honor Society on your campus depends on the quality of the secretary’s performance. The job requires accuracy, neatness, and completeness. The secretary deals with the agenda and meeting minutes, maintains files, all member communication, and distribution of materials.
TREASURER - The treasurer’s primary responsibility is to keep accurate records of all financial transactions of the chapter and periodically report a summary of these transactions at meetings. The treasurer predicts how the money will be used in the future and makes concrete suggestions for saving money and increasing efficiency. To do the job correctly, a treasurer must keep track of all expenditures and add the appropriate transactions to the account books. The treasurer should be the person concerned with regulating the flow of money, especially when many people want to spend it. Money management is a very serious responsibility. For your safety, it must always be done with adult supervision and assistance and according to the policies of your school so that no student is put in a potentially compromising position with the handling of money.
HISTORIAN - The historian is to take pictures at all events and report chapter activities to the newspaper, Superintendent's letter, school web page, etc. The Reporter/Historian is to keep the NJHS scrapbook up to date and compile a PowerPoint presentation of the group’s activities to be shown at the Induction Ceremony. The historian is also responsible for writing and submitting articles to the local newspapers.
PARLIAMENTARIAN - The role of the parliamentarian is to ensure that meetings are orderly and civil and to help the chapter operate according to its constitution and bylaws. The main function of the parliamentarian is to advise the president or chairperson on procedure during meetings. The parliamentarian does not rule members out of order. Neither should he or she call for votes—that is the job of the president. If a parliamentarian notices a violation in procedure, he or she should quietly tell the president, and then the president may rule from the chair.
ARTICLE VI MEETINGS
Section 1
Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every month during the school year from 8:00-8:30 AM, or as needed to plan chapter activities. Attendance is mandatory. Three absences per year will constitute probation; four absences will constitute possible dismissal. Make-up options will be available to students who are participating in an in-season sport, fine arts rehearsal, or tutoring before school.
ARTICLE VII ACTIVITIES
Section 1
One or more group service projects will be held each school year. Members are required to participate in school and community service projects. Failure will result in probation.
Donations for service projects will be required. Examples of possible donations are listed below:
Hope House: pairs of socks
Animal Shelter: cat/dog food
Public Library: new/used books
If a student cannot participate due to financial hardship, he or she needs to contact either the NJHS sponsors or officers to make other arrangements.
Members are expected to complete a minimum of five (5) hours of service in the summer prior to the start of the school year, eight (8) hours during the fall semester, and eight (8) hours during the spring semester. Written documentation of all service hours completed must be completed and submitted to the chapter vice-president. If the student has not turned in their Summer, Fall, or Spring service hours, they will not be allowed to participate in that year’s Induction Ceremony and not receive their NJHS cord. Student training doesn’t count for volunteer credits.
All members are also encouraged to participate in multiple extracurricular activities, including but not limited to: UIL Academics, fine arts, athletics, etc.
Section 2
Accumulation of the stipulated service requirements is mandatory. Participation in school-sponsored service opportunities will be tracked via a sign-up form. Students are required to contact the advisors should illness prevent them from participating in an event for which they are registered. However, students are encouraged to seek independent service hours within the local community. Written documentation is required for all service hours that are completed.
Revised August 2025
Approved by the following Faculty Council members:
Nicole Hagerty, Principal
Erin Jackson, Advisor
Tyler Copeland, Advisor
Abigail Kasberg, Faculty Council
Tarabeth Gertsch, Faculty Council
Sara Deba, Faculty Council
Benete Doerr, Faculty Council