Prince George High School Chapter
of the
National Honor Society
Bylaws
Revision date: September 2012
All policies and procedures for NHS chapters are based on the provisions of the National Constitution of NHS.
I. Membership selection
After the first semester grading period, the sponsor shall procure a list of sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a cumulative 3.5 GPA or above. GPAs are not rounded. Qualifying students shall be asked by letter to submit a list of their community and school activities and sponsor verification of their participation in these activities. The sponsor shall also ask for faculty recommendation of candidates. After reviewing all information available, the Faculty Council shall honor those candidates whom they deem as meeting NHS standards of scholarship, character, leadership, and service with an invitation to join.
Students with disabilities are not excluded from consideration based on their disabilities.
The process of selection is as follows:
1. After the first semester grading period, students with at least a cumulative GPA of 3.5 are asked to submit information about their school, leadership, and community service activities with qualifying signatures to the Faculty Council. GPAs are not rounded.
2. It is required that students verify participation in three or more PGHS school activities. Also, students must document at least fifteen hours of community service within the past two semesters of school and the summer of the selection year. A selection year is usually from the end of the previous year’s first semester to the end of the current school year’s first semester (for example, February to February). Documented leadership positions and responsibilities must be consistently held throughout the selection year.
3. Faculty is asked to comment on the character, leadership, and service of each candidate. They rate each candidate as outstanding, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory in character, leadership, and service.
4. The sponsor and/or Faculty Council representative review discipline files in the office.
5. Attendance and tardiness are checked.
6. The Faculty Council meets and honors those candidates deemed as outstanding in scholarship, character, leadership, and service. The council considers the information provided by candidates, faculty comments, fulfillment of Beta Club members’ service points, discipline files, and attendance/tardiness.
An appeal of the decision of non-selection by the Faculty Council must be made in writing by the parent/legal guardian or student to the sponsor within five school days of a non-selection notice. The sponsor will notify the principal of the appeal request. If parents or students are not satisfied after conferring with the sponsor, the next level of discussion will take place with the principal. The principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the situation if the principal believes a procedural or technical mistake has been made. Technical or procedural mistakes might include omission of a student’s name from the list of those qualified for induction, the erroneous averaging of grades, or failure to follow prescribed procedures (NHS Handbook)
Any candidate selected for membership who receives a referral prior to induction will be given the opportunity to meet with the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will determine then if the candidate will still be honored with membership. According to national rules, a candidate is not a member until inducted.
II. Membership responsibilities
Members will pay a one-time dues of $10.00 upon induction.
Members are expected to attend meetings. Members who can not attend a meeting should contact the sponsor prior to the meeting to provide an excuse for the absence. Members are responsible for information discussed and presented at meetings.
Members and their parents will sign a contract of member expectations upon induction.
Active members are expected to maintain the standards of the National Honor Society by which they were selected. Probationary status precludes the bestowal of any special privileges or honors by the adviser, Faculty Council, or administration on any member. Seniors must have maintained all expectations in order to be honored with a NHS stole in graduation ceremonies.
Members who take off-campus courses at local colleges are to be held to the same expectations as on-campus members.
Social media of members should reflect outstanding character.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
An active member of the NHS who transfers to PGHS will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter after he/she has presented the sponsor with a copy of his/her official NHS membership card and induction certificate from the previous school. It is the transfer student’s responsibility to identify her/himself to the sponsor within two weeks of enrollment. The transfer student will have one semester to attain the PGHS membership requirements, and thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership (NHS Handbook).
III. Meetings
NHS will meet as needed and according to the PGHS activity period calendar. All meetings will be announced via school media.
IV Officers
The following position will be considered an office of NHS:
President Presides over meetings
Confers with sponsor about meetings and projects
Is a senior
Does not hold the office of SCA president or senior class president
Maintains community service hours records
Writes and reads meeting minutes
Provides copies of meeting agenda or minutes to absent members
Keeps attendance of meetings
Writes all NHS letters
Bookkeeping of monies
Provides a monthly financial report
All publicity of projects
All PA announcements
Club report at the end of the year
Members must be in good standing and not on probation in order to run for office and maintain one’s office. If a vacancy occurs, then the runner-up will be offered the office.
The club will hold an election for president by ballot. Members interested in running for office will submit an interest letter to the sponsor prior to the election. Only those members who submit an interest letter will be placed on the ballot.
V. Community service
Each member is expected to perform twenty hours of community service per membership year. All hours must be completed one month prior to the Faculty Council’s annual review of members and candidates for induction.
Community service hours must include five hours of PGHS NHS-sponsored projects.
Community service outside of school must be completed with a recognized charitable organization or institution. Service activities are those which are done for or on the behalf of others in need (not family members) for which no compensation (monetary or other) is given. Service serves someone in need. Community service does not include activities such as yard work and babysitting /pet watching for neighbors, selling items, and filing papers/clerical work in an office. Personal tutoring is not accepted. Teaching positions generally fall under leadership and not community service.
The following chart is used as a guideline:
Counts as LEADERSHIP, not community service / Examples of acceptable community service / NOT community service· Teaching VBS or Sunday School
· 4-H counselor
· Presenter/speaker
· Demonstrations
· Providing directions
· Escorting
· Directing
· Altar server
· Leading discussions
· Leading at camps
· Coaching and refereeing / · Volunteering with a community fire station as a firefighter or EMT
· Most work done with a recognizable charitable community organization like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, PG Schools Walk Against Drugs, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, American Cancer Society Relay for Life
· assisting with PG Schools Spring Fling
· volunteer with Appomattox Regional Library
· Beta Club tutoring
· Assisting the elderly at an official hospital or nursing home
· Mission work trips to assist those in need
· Food Pantry
· Assisting with local elementary schools and PTA requests through NHS
· Serving as an official volunteer at a local hospital
· Soup kitchen, feeding the homeless with a charitable organization
· Working with the Salvation Army Angel Tree
· Working with Hopewell/PG Humane Society
CONTINUED
· Special Olympics volunteer
· Meals on Wheels volunteer
· James House volunteer / · Selling items
· Concession work
· Managing audiovisuals
· Mopping, cleaning, housekeeping tasks (unless the tasks are with a recognizable charitable community organization)
· Handing out flyers
· Cooking
· Performances
· Putting together packets
· Cutting grass for your neighbor without pay
· Babysitting children and/or pets for a neighbor without pay
· Personal tutoring
· Service done as discipline
· Filing papers in an office and/or any other clerical/administrative task in an office or for faculty
· Political campaigns
· Church car wash
For each project in which hours are earned, it is the responsibility of the member to have a community service form completed, verified, and submitted to the sponsor. Adults who supervise the service activity must sign the form/letter. Parents’ and relatives’ signatures are not accepted.
As stated under Section II Membership responsibilities, seniors must have maintained all expectations (including community service hours) in order to be honored with a NHS stole in graduation ceremonies.
Community service given as a disciplinary measure will not count towards club community service hours.
Members who fail to perform community service hours will be warned in writing and will be reviewed for possible dismissal by the Faculty Council.
VI. Discipline and Dismissal
All members will be notified in writing if they fail to perform the obligations of membership. Prior to any dismissal, members will be given an opportunity to meet with the Faculty Council in person or present their case in writing.
Any member who receives a referral to the office or any discipline from a PGHS faculty member should report the matter to the sponsor since the spirit of an honor organization implies honorable conduct and acceptance of responsibility.
Members should not have excessive tardies and absences.
Honorable conduct extends beyond high school hours. Violations of the law can result in dismissal. Social media of members must reflect outstanding character.
Dismissed members must surrender all NHS emblems and certificates within two weeks of dismissal.
Date of approved revision:______
Signatures:
Chapter president:______
Sponsor:______
Principal:______