ByLaws

Northampton High School

Nonotuck Chapter National Honor Society Bylaws


ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE


Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Nonotuck Chapter of the National Honor Society of Northampton High School.


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 to encourage the development of character in students of Northampton High School.


Section 3. The Nonotuck Chapter of NHS maintains policies and practices that are designed to prevent discrimination against any qualified candidate or member on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members.


ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP


Section 1. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and graduate. Active members become graduate members at graduation. Graduate and honorary members have no 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, and Character.


Section 3. Eligibility:

  1. Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be members of the junior or senior class.

  2. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period of 1 semester at Northampton High School.

  3. Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.4(out of 4.0). This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum scholastic level of 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 GPA standard requirements, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, and character.


ARTICLE III: SELECTION OF MEMBERS


Section 1. The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council consisting of five faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter adviser(s) shall be additional, non-voting, ex-officio member of the Faculty Council. Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser shall review with the principal the results of the Faculty Council’s deliberations. School administrators shall not be part of the selection process.


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

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

b. Students who are eligible scholastically (“candidates”) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the Candidate Application Form for further consideration for selection.

c. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter adviser.

d. The Faculty Council shall review the Candidate Form, disciplinary records and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.


Section 3. The selection of new junior active members shall be held once a year during the second semester of the school year. Junior students who were not invited to apply for membership because they did not meet the minimum GPA requirement for membership during the Spring of their junior year may reapply for membership during the beginning of their fall or spring semester during their senior year.

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


Section 5. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given a letter indicating the status of his/her membership and signed by the Principal [alt., adviser].


Section 6. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The Faculty 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/her membership.


ARTICLE IV: DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL


Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, or service may be dismissed from the Nonotuck Chapter of the National Honor Society. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.


a. Students who fail to complete the 20 hour minimum volunteer service component to membership by February 28th of their membership year may be subject to dismissal.


Section 2. If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected (3.4) he /she will be given a written warning and placed on probation for 1 semester. If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the probationary semester the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council that may include dismissal from the chapter.


Section 3. Violation of the law or school regulations can result in dismissal of a member. These violations include, but are not limited to, DWI, 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 4. Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absence, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive written warning notification and may be placed on probation for 1 semester. A conference may be requested by either party (Faculty Council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be dismissed.


Section 5. In all cases of pending dismissal:

a. The member will receive written notification indicating the reason for possible dismissal from the adviser/Faculty Council. The member and adviser will discuss the written notification in a conference. Situations that involve flagrant violations of school rules or the law can warrant disciplinary action without a written warning although a hearing must still be held (see below).

b. The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charge against him/her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to the vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or in writing. The Faculty Council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is needed to dismiss any member.

c. The principal will review the result of the Faculty Council vote, and then if confirmed, communicate the result in a letter sent to the student and parents. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser.

d. The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards through the school district discipline policy.

e. When a student is dismissed or resigns, he/she is no longer a member and may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society.


Section 6. In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty 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 treasurer.


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


Section 4. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings for this chapter.


Section 5. The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of members’ contributions to leadership and service.


Section 6. The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings and be responsible for all official chapter correspondence.


Section 7. The treasurer shall assist the adviser with the record of chapter expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter.


Section 8. If the president of the National Honor Society is dismissed from membership, then the vice president will assume the role of president and a new election will be held in a timely manner to fill the role of vice president.


Section 9. If the vice-president, secretary, or the treasurer is dismissed from membership, a new election will be held in a timely manner to fill the position.


Section 10. If an officer is suspended from school, he/she may be relieved from his/her position on the executive committee but may remain a member at-large, in accordance with the discipline policy of the honor society.


ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the faculty adviser 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 held 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. Excessive absences from meetings may result in a written warning, probationary period, and/or dismissal by the Faculty Council.


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 local service projects, as approved by the chapter adviser. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.

  1. Volunteer service shall be defined as any service for which the volunteer does not receive monetary gain, personal benefit, or credit. Favors, or exercising responsibilities or duties to family/friends or organizations including clubs and sports teams shall also be excluded from the definition of volunteer service.

  2. Members must complete a total of 20 volunteer service hours between his/her date of induction and February 28th.

  3. Ten of 20 volunteer hours must be school related, and 10 must be related to the local community..

  4. Volunteer hours must be documented using the National Honor Society Volunteer Hour Verification Form, which requires the name and phone number of the project coordinator.

  5. Verification forms must be submitted within 2 weeks of the completion of the activity in order to count towards the 20-hour total requirement.

  6. At least 10 of the 20 hour requirement must be completed by November 1st of the membership year.


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


ARTICLE IX: EMBLEM


Section 1. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the 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 honor stole at graduation.


ARTICLE X: DUES


Section 1. There will be no annual dues for the Nonotuck Chapter of the National Honor Society.



ARTICLE XI: POWERS


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


Section 2. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.


Section 3: These bylaws are designed to amplify provisions of the National Constitution and cannot contradict any components thereof. The chapter is obligated to adhere to the provisions of the National Constitution in all activities it undertakes.


ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS


Section 1. These by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 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 II, III and IV (selection and discipline), which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal.


Section 2. By-laws and amendments must be consistent with the Constitution of the National Honor Society.