Selection of Members

Selection to the National Honor Society is based upon high qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The chapter and its members are actively involved in service to school and community. To be scholastically eligible for membership, a student must achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.75. He/she must also maintain a current “year-to-date" GPA of 3.75. Students are considered for membership at the end of the first semester of 11th grade, the middle of the first semester of 12th grade, and again at the end of the first semester of 12th grade. Statements relating to leadership, service, and character are distributed to each faculty member who is requested to rate those eligible students in the above areas. After reviewing these ratings, the final selection is made by the Faculty Council composed of five members appointed by the principal plus the NHS advisor who serves as an ex-officio member. Announcements of new members are in early November and April. Induction ceremonies occur during the annual banquet in May.

Dismissal Policy

National Honor Society members should understand fully that they are liable for dismissal if they do not maintain the standards of scholarship, leadership, service, and character that were used as the basis for their selection. Only one warning is allowed during membership, and in the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, a warning is not necessarily required before dismissal. A student who is dismissed or who resigns may never again become an Honor Society member.

Scholarship: If a student’s grades fall below the required GPA, he/she will be issued a warning and allowed one marking quarter to bring his/her grades back up. If this is not accomplished, his/her case will be reviewed for dismissal action.

Leadership/Character: Any infraction of school rules which warrants suspension will also warrant a NHS warning and/or hearing for possible dismissal. If a faculty member reports an infraction of the standards of Leadership/Character which were the basis for election to member- ship, a hearing with the faculty member and the student may be conducted by the Faculty Council to determine whether a warning should be issued.

Service: A member who fails to continue active service to school and/or community will be issued a warning with time for the correction allowed and specified. Because officers of the National Honor Society represent the membership in both school and community activities, they will be held responsible for highest standards. A member will be removed from his/her office for a school offense that warrants disciplinary action by the school administration, i.e., suspension, or more than one assigned detention per year. If the Faculty Council decides that dismissal may be warranted, the member is allowed to present his/her case before the Faculty Council. If a member is dismissed, written notice of the decision will be sent to both the member and his/her parents. The member must then surrender the National Honor Society emblem and the membership card to the chapter advisor. Rules specify that the dismissed member may not appeal the decision of the Faculty Council; however, the student has the right to appeal procedural matters. Such an appeal should be made to the principal.