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ARTICLE
I
NAME
AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the National Honor Society of
Secondary Schools (NHS).
Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for
scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership,
and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.
Section 3. The NHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association
Dr., Reston, Va. 22091.
Section 4. Four members shall constitute a quorum of the
National Council.
ARTICLE
II
THE
NATIONAL COUNCIL
Section 1. The control of this organization shall be vested in the National
Council.
Section 2. The National Council shall consist of seven members appointed by the
Board of Directors of the National Association of Secondary School
Principals. The executive director of NASSP shall be a member ex‑officio
of the National Council and shall serve as treasurer of NHS. The director of
NASSP's Division of Student Activities shall serve as secretary of the
National Council.
Section 3. The seven members shall be appointed for a three year term.
ARTICLE
III
STATE/REGIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1. Local chapters may choose
to organize state or regional associations.
Section 2. Any state or regional
association of National Honor Society chapters shall conform to this
constitution and shall work with the NASSP Division of Student Activities in
furthering the purposes of this organization.
ARTICLE IV
LOCAL
CHAPTERS
Section 1. Secondary schools
accredited by state departments of education or by accrediting agencies
approved by the National Council are eligible to apply for a charter for a
local chapter.
Section 2. Each chapter shall pay a
one‑time charter fee determined by the National Council.
Section 3. The annual chapter dues, if
any, shall not exceed five dollars. The exact amount shall be determined by
the executive committee of the chapter and shall be subject to the approval
of the chapter membership.
Section 4. Duly chartered local
chapters shall conform to this constitution as set forth by the National
Council. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the charter.
ARTICLE
V
THE
PRINCIPAL
Section 1. The principal shall reserve
the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The principal shall
annually appoint a chapter adviser, who may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE
IX
SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a
member of those classes (sophomore, junior, senior) designated as eligible in
the chapter bylaws. (Freshmen [ninth graders] are not eligible.) Candidates
must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester.
Section 2. Candidates must have a cumulative scholastic average of at least 85
percent, B, or 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or the equivalent standard of excellence
for that school. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service,
leadership, and character.
Section 3. The selection of members to the chapter
shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council.
Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall
be published in an official school publication which is widely available to
all students and parents in the school. The selection procedure shall be
determined by the faculty council and shall be consistent with the rules and
regulations of the National Honor Society.
Section 5. The National Council and the NASSP shall not review the judgment of
the faculty council regarding selection of individual members to local
chapters.
ARTICLE
X
DISMISSAL
Section 1. The procedure for dismissal shall be determined
by the faculty council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the
National Honor Society. A written description of the dismissal procedure
shall be available to interested parties.
Section 2. Members who fall below the standards which were
the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the
chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the
deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or
civic laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned.
Section 3. The faculty council shall
determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.
Section 4. In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a
hearing before the faculty council.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the
faculty council under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school
district.
Section 6. The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no
appeals in dismissal cases.
ARTICLE
XI
CHAPTER
OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the chapters, their duties, and the method of their
election shall be determined by the members of the chapter and be described
in the chapter bylaws.
Section 2. A majority of the votes cast
shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer.
Section 3. New officers shall be installed at a special
ceremony.
ARTICLE XII
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter
and the chapter adviser.
Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs
of the chapter between its business meetings, make recommendations to the
chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the
chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee
shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership.
Section 3. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring
that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
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ARTICLE
VI
THE
CHAPTER ADVISER
Section 1. The chapter adviser shall
be responsible for the direct, day‑to‑day supervision of the
chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, and
community.
Section 2. The chapter adviser shall
maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial
transactions. The chapter adviser shall send the annual report to the
national office.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall
regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and
obligations.
Section 4. The chapter adviser shall
help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
ARTICLE
VII
FACULTY
COUNCIL
Section 1. The faculty council shall consist of five faculty members appointed
annually by the principal.
Section 2. The term of the faculty council shall be one year. Members may be
appointed to consecutive terms.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall
be an ex‑officio member of the faculty council.
Section 4. The faculty council shall
meet at least once a year to select members and to consider dismissal,
nonselection, and warning cases.
ARTICLE
VIII
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in local
chapters is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by
a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character,
leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to
continue to demonstrate the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service,
and character.
Section 2. Membership shall be known
as active and graduate. Active members shall become graduate members at
graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 3. The faculty council shall
reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials,
principals, teachers, NHS advisers, or citizens in recognition of outstanding
service rendered the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor
Society.
Section 4. New members shall be
inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 5. Members who are seniors in
good standing are eligible to be nominated by their chapters to compete in
the National Honor Society Scholarship Program.
Section 6. A
National 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 in the new school's chapter. Transfer
members must meet the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to
retain membership.
Section 7. Members who resign or are
dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
ARTICLE
XIII
MEETINGS
Section 1. Each chapter shall have regular meetings during the school year on
days designated by the executive committee and in accordance with school
regulations.
Section 2. The regularity of the meetings (i.e., weekly,
monthly, bimonthly) shall be designated in the chapter bylaws.
Section 3. Special meetings approved by the executive
committee may be called by the president.
Section 4. Chapters shall conduct meetings according to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly
Revised in
all points not expressly provided for in this constitution or the chapter
bylaws.
ARTICLE
XIV
ACTIVITIES
Section 1. Each 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 a service project which reflects his‑or
her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter
projects to which all members contribute.
Section 5. Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a
positive manner.
ARTICLE
XV
OFFICIAL INSIGNIA
Section 1. This organization shall have an official emblem selected by the
National Council. The emblem shall be uniform.
Section 2.
The
distribution of the emblem and the rules for its use shall be under the
exclusive control of the National Council.
Section 3. Each active, graduate, or honorary member shall be entitled to wear
this emblem.
Section 4. Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall
return the emblem to the chapter adviser.
Section 5. All insignia must be procured from the national
secretary of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Dr., Reston, Va.
22091. All insignia are registered in the United States Patent Office and may
not be copied by anyone.
Section 6. The motto of the National Honor Society shall be Noblesse
Oblige.
Section 7. The official colors of the National Honor Society
shall be blue and gold.
Section 8. A graduate member may replace a lost emblem by
verifying membership to the national office.
ARTICLE
XVI
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This constitution may
be amended at
any meeting of the National Council or by mail by an
affirmative vote of four members of the National Council.
ARTICLE
XVII
BYLAWS
Section 1. Each chapter shall write
bylaws to amplify sections of this constitution and to clarify operating
procedures of the chapter. Bylaws do not need the approval of the National
Council but must be consistent with this constitution.
Section 2. The bylaws shall contain
information concerning the election and duties of officers, the schedule of
meetings, member obligations, dues, and the like.
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