Bylaws of the Jackson County Central Chapter Of The National Honor Society

ARTICLE I  Name and Purpose

Section I: The name of this chapter shall be the Jackson County Central 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 members of the National Council.

                                                                ARTICLE II  Membership

Section I:  Membership in this chapter shall be based upon outstanding Scholarship, Service, Leadership and Character.  Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

Section II:  Membership of this chapter shall be known as active and graduate.  The graduate members have no vote.  Active members become graduate members at graduation.

Section III:  Candidates shall have spent at least one year in Jackson County Central  High School, and shall be members of the senior or junior class.   Candidates eligible to election to the chapter shall have a scholarship average of 3.400.  This scholarship level of achievement shall remain fixed and shall be for this chapter, the required scholarship achievement for admission to candidacy for membership in this chapter.

Section IV: The faculty council shall reserve the right to award honorary  membership to foreign exchange students, school officials, principals, teachers, National Honor Society advisors or citizens in recognition of outstanding service rendered the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society.

ARTICLE III  Election of Members

Section I:  The election to this chapter of the National Honor Society shall be by the faculty at large with final approval given by the faculty council, consisting of the principal and ten members of the faculty.  The faculty members are to be chosen by the principal.  Teachers shall vote on each applicant’s Character, Leadership and Service based upon each student’s application.  These votes, as well as each applicant’s GPA, shall be tabulated and computed on a 25%/25%/25%/25% basis.  Students must meet the standard set by the faculty council to be elected to this chapter. 

Section II:  Any member who falls below the standards which were the basis of his/her election to the National Honor Society shall be promptly warned in writing.  No advance warning will be required in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civic laws.  If a member fails to maintain the standards of the National Honor Society that were the basis for his/her election to the Society, the National Honor Society Faculty Council will review the member’s case and make a determination.  A member will be allowed one warning and be granted one quarter to correct an academic deficiency.

Section IV:  In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have the right to a hearing before the faculty council of the National Honor Society.

Section V:  A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the faculty council under the same rules as for disciplinary appeals in the school district.

Section VI:  The National Council and NAASP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.

Section VII:  When a member is dismissed, his/her emblem shall be returned to the advisor of the chapter or the principal of the school.

Section VIII:  An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter.  This transfer member must maintain the membership requirements for  this chapter in order to retain his membership. 

ARTICLE IV  Officers

Section I:  The officers of this chapter shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.

Section II:  A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any office of this chapter.

Section III:  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of this chapter.  The president shall also work with the executive board in making decisions which will best benefit the chapter members, and delegate duties to the best of his/her ability.

Section IV: It shall be the duty of the vice-president to fill the chair of the president in his/her absence.  The vice-president shall also work with the president in assigning and accepting delegation of duties and see that these are carried out.

Section V:  It shall be the duty of the chapter secretary to keep the minutes of each meeting, a record of all business, and all records on file.  The chapter secretary shall also submit a report of old and new business at monthly executive board meetings.

Section VI:  It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive and disburse all funds of the chapter and shall keep an accurate account of receipts and disbursements in accordance with school regulations.  The treasurer shall submit a financial report at monthly executive board meetings.

Section VII:  It shall be the duty of the historian to keep records (written, photographs, etc.) of all National Honor Society events through the course of the school year, to be compiled in a scrapbook which will be submitted at the Minnesota Association of Honor Societies’ state convention.  The historian shall also inform the public of the chapter’s events (via newspaper, etc.).

Section VIII:  All officers shall attend executive board meetings when scheduled.

ARTICLE V  Executive Committee

Section I:   The executive committee shall consist of two (2) members of the faculty council, the officers of the chapter, and chapter advisor.

Section II: The executive committee shall have supervision of the meetings and business of the chapter, but any action on the part of the executive committee may be subject to the review of the chapter.

ARTICLE VI  Supervision

Section I:  The activities of this chapter shall be subject to the approval of the principal.

ARTICLE VII  Meetings

Section I:  Meetings of this chapter may be held monthly during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and approved by the principal.

Section II:The officers of the chapter shall be elected at the last regular meeting of the year.

Section III:  Special meetings, approved by the executive committee, may be called by the president.

Section IV:  All meetings shall be open and shall be held under the sponsorship of the principal or some member of the faculty selected by him/her.

Section V:  This chapter may conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order in all points not expressly provided for in the constitution of this chapter.

ARTICLE VIII  Emblem

Section I:  Each member of this chapter shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools.

Section II:  Any member who withdraws or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem.  (See ARTICLE III, Section VII).

Section III: Each member agrees that, whether the emblem comes to him/her as a gift, a personal purchase, an award, or from whatever source, the title to the emblem shall rest with the chapter of which he/she is a member.  Therefore, the emblem can, on motion of the council, be commandeered.  Furthermore, each member agrees that his/her acceptance of the emblem shall be considered affirmation of this stipulation in regard to the title of the emblem.

Section IV:  All insignia must be procured from the national secretary of the National Honor Society, 1201 Sixteenth Street Northwest, Washington DC.  All insignia are registered in the United States Post Office, and cannot be duplicated by anyone.

ARTICLE IX  Attendance

Section I:  All active members shall be required to attend scheduled meetings and activities.

Section II:  In the event of an absence, the member shall have three (3) days after his/her absence to justify himself/herself.  Any of the presiding officers may accept an excuse for absence.

Section III:  If a member does not participate in National Honor Society sponsored activities and/or has poor attendance, he/she shall be warned.  If this should continue, the member shall then be declared inactive and not be allowed to wear his/her collar upon graduation.

Section IV:  If an inactive member desires to become active again, he/she can appear before the executive committee and if activeness has improved, he/she can once again become active at the committee’s jurisdiction.

ARTICLE X  Activities

Section I: Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each  year; all members shall regularly participate in these projects.

Section II:  Projects shall have the following characteristics:  fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; and be well-planned, and organized. 

ARTICLE XI Amendments

Section I: This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter provided that the proposed amendments has been approved by the executive committee of the chapter and by the national secretary of the               National Honor Society and that notice to members has been given at least one (1) month prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted upon.