Bylaws

This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the NJHS National Constitution. See https://www.njhs.us/constitutions for more information.

The chapter adviser(s) is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal. See Article V, Section 1 of the National Constitution (https://www.njhs.us/constitutions) for more information.

Nondiscrimination. Our chapter of NJHS 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, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members.

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, character, and citizenship.

Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, probationary, honorary, and alumni. Active members become alumni members at graduation. Honorary members are selected at the discretion of the faculty council. Alumni and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs unless they are members of the faculty council.

Eligibility:

1. Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be in the third grading period of seventh grade or members of the eighth grade class.

2. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been enrolled for a period equivalent to two grading periods at Robert E. Ellis Middle School.

3. Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter must prove a trend of academic success and shall have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 over the two previous and consecutive grading periods. The candidate's GPA shall be calculated as one fifth of the sum of the average grade earned in each of the four academic classes and the average grade earned in related arts over the specified time period. For use in the GPA calculation, the average grade in each academic class shall be determined individually for each class using the scores earned over the specified time period; the average grade earned in related arts shall be determined collectively for any and all related arts classes taken by the candidate using the score(s) earned over the same specified time period. When figuring a GPA, an A is worth 4 points, a B 3 points, a C 2 points, and a D is worth 1 point. Exceptions may be made based on the discretion of school administrators when grades appear to violate school policy.

4. Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, character, and citizenship.

The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council which consists of five faculty members appointed by the principal and/or adviser(s). The chapter adviser(s) shall be the sixth, nonvoting member of the faculty council.

The selection of active members shall be held four times a year, toward the beginning of each grading period.

Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:

1. Students shall review their report cards and determine scholastic eligibility. Students shall use scores from the two previous and consecutive grading periods when determining eligibility. When figuring a grade point average (GPA), an A is worth 4 points, a B 3 points, a C 2 points, and a D is worth 1 point (see Article IV, Section 3, Paragraph C above). This eligibility may be confirmed by the adviser(s) and faculty council.

2. All students who are eligible scholastically (i.e., candidates) shall complete and submit the candidate information form for further consideration.

3. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official input form provided by the adviser(s).

4. The faculty council shall review the candidate information forms, faculty input, community impact descriptions, and other relevant information to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership.

Candidates become members when inducted at the next meeting or at a special ceremony if inducted in the fourth quarter of the student’s seventh grade year.

An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership upon request.

An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter.

Members shall maintain the personal code of conduct that is exemplary of the scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship requirements that initially qualified them for membership.

Members shall attend all meetings. Failure to attend a meeting without prior approval from the adviser(s) at least one school day before the meeting may result in probation. Members who miss meetings without approval and as a result of an unexcused absence may be placed on probation. Any materials due must be turned in to the adviser(s) no later than the day the member returns to school. The adviser(s) and faculty council may choose to allow one absence each quarter.

Students shall maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 each grading period. When figuring a GPA, an A is worth 4 points, a B 3 points, a C 2 points, and a D is worth 1 point. When calculating a GPA for a single grading period, students should first average together the score(s) of related arts classes, and then use the resulting score in combination with the academic classes’ scores to come to the final GPA. This calculation may be confirmed by the adviser(s) and faculty council.

Members shall acquire five service hours each grading period. At least one of these hours must be dedicated to a project defined by the chapter unless the adviser(s) gives permission otherwise. Members that do not meet the service requirement shall be placed on probation and will be expected to complete the missed hours in addition to the new grading period’s expectation of five service hours or risk dismissal.

All active and probationary members shall complete and submit the member attestation form each grading period in order to maintain membership by the deadline shared by the adviser(s). This deadline will always be at least one week after report cards have been released. Late or incomplete forms may be grounds for probation.

Members will work in cooperation with the adviser(s) and/or any administrator concerning the National Junior Honor Society.

Annual dues for this chapter shall be $10. Dues will be payable to the chapter within 30 days of induction. Dues are optional

Members will notify the adviser(s) of any change in contact information, including e-mail address.

Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be granted the privilege to wear the emblem adopted by the National Junior Honor Society.

Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall have the privilege of wearing the emblem to the chapter revoked.

The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, and secretary.

Student officers shall be elected at the second meeting of each school year. All members who have maintained membership for at least two grading periods are eligible to run for a position as an officer.

Voting shall be by secret ballot. 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.

It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings of the chapter. The president will also serve as the official representative of the chapter at school and community functions. The president shall also be responsible for maintaining the chapter’s website.

The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of members’ contributions to leadership and service, including the organization of candidate information forms and member attestation forms.

The secretary shall keep the minutes and attendance records for meetings and be responsible for all official correspondence, including a regularly scheduled e-mail to the membership.

Officers and the faculty adviser(s) shall collectively be known as the chapter’s executive committee. The execute committee shall establish annual goals for the chapter and have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter. Any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members.

Regular meetings of this chapter shall be on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Special meetings can be called by the president with approval of the adviser(s).

Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings (see Article VI, Section 2 above).

The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each grading period.

All members shall regularly participate in these projects. Members are expected to participate for at least one hour each grading period (see Article VI, Section 4 above).

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.

Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in individual service projects that reflect his or her particular talents and interests and is approved by the chapter adviser(s). This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute. Time spent with existing extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to, band, athletics, and theatre, shall not be considered service projects, as they are natural extensions of previous commitments, unless those organizations create service opportunities that are both entirely voluntary and not required to maintain involvement. These hours may be applied to the hours requirement described in Article VI, Section 4 at the discretion of the adviser(s) and faculty council.

The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner.

Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, character, or citizenship may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Robert E. Ellis Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. A member is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership in his/her school and community.

If a member does meet all of the expectations as defined in Article VI, Sections 1 through 8 above, he/she may be placed on probation. Not meeting three or more expectations as defined in Article VI, Sections 1 through 8 above in a single quarter may also be grounds for dismissal. Two probationary periods, consecutive or otherwise, are grounds for dismissal from the Robert E. Ellis Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.

Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 4 below). These violations include, but are not limited to cheating, threatening or aggressive language, direct disrespect/direct defiance, damage to school or property of others, aggressive/excessive physical contact, leaving class without permission, theft, bullying/harassing behaviors, and willful/persistent violation of school expectations. Lesser violations may result in probation for the member or required community service as defined by the council.

Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions as a consequence of disciplinary action.

In all cases of pending dismissal:

1. The member will receive written notification from the adviser(s) and/or faculty council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.

2. The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charge(s) against him/her at a hearing before the faculty council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Constitution, see https://www.njhs.us/constitutions). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or via a written statement presented in lieu of the face-to-face hearing. Following the hearing, the faculty council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the faculty council is needed to dismiss any member.

3. The results of the faculty council vote will be presented to the principal for review, and then stated in a letter sent to the student and parents. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser(s).

4. The faculty council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policies.

5. A member who is dismissed or resigns may never again be considered for membership in the National Junior Honor Society.

In lieu of dismissal, the faculty council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

These bylaws will be approved upon receiving a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members of the chapter, a majority affirmative vote of the faculty council, and approval by the administration. If there is no active membership, it may be approved by a majority affirmative vote of the principal, adviser(s), and faculty council.

These bylaws shall be reviewed and, if necessary, revised within five years from the date of approval noted on this document.