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NJHS Chapter Bylaws

NJHS

Chapter Bylaws of the

Mechanicville City Schools Chapter

of the

National Junior Honor Society

 

ARTICLE I:  NAME

The name of this chapter shall be the Mechanicville City Schools Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society of Mechanicville Junior High school. 

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purpose of this chapter shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, to develop character, and to encourage good citizenship in the students of schools in Mechanicville City Schools.

ARTICLE III: POWERS

Section 1: This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the National Constitution of NJHS. In addition, this chapter will maintain active affiliation with the national organization on an annual basis.

Section 2: This chapter will remain an active member of the state association, the National Junior Honor Society of Mechanicville Junior High school, by paying annual dues and participating in state functions when possible. 

Section 3. The chapter adviser is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

Section 4: Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal.

Section 5: 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.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  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.

Section 2.  Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and alumni.  Active members become alumni members at graduation. Alumni and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

Section 3.  Eligibility:

  1.   Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be 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 one semester at Mechanicville City Schools.
  3.     Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 92.
  4.   Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, character, and citizenship.

ARTICLE V:  SELECTION OF MEMBERS 

Section 1.  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. The chapter adviser shall be the sixth, nonvoting, ex officio member of the faculty council.

 Section 2.  The selection of active members shall be held once a year during the first quarter of the school year.

Section 3.  Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:

  1. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.
  2. All students who are eligible scholastically (i.e., candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the candidate information form, complete and document 12 hours of community service, submit an essay and get faculty recommendations, 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 chapter adviser.
  4. The faculty council shall review the candidate information forms, faculty input, and other relevant information to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership.

Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

Section 5.  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.

Section 6.  An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The faculty council shall grant to the transferring member one semester to attain the membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership.

ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

Section 1.  Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Junior Honor Society.

Section 2.  Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter.

ARTICLE VII:  OFFICERS 

Section 1.  The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.

Section 2.  Student officers shall be elected at the last meeting of each school year.  All returning members in good standing with the chapter are eligible to run for a position as an officer. Any active member can nominate an eligible member as a candidate for office.

Section 3.  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.

Section 4.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings of the chapter, and serve as the official representative of the chapter at school and community functions.

 Section 5.  The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of members’ contributions to leadership and service.

Section 6.  The secretary shall keep the minutes and attendance records for meetings and be responsible for all official correspondence.

Section 7.  The treasurer shall keep the record of business expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter.

Section 8.  Officers and the faculty adviser(s) shall collectively be known as the chapter’s executive committee. The executive committee shall establish annual goals for the chapter and have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter, but any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members.

ARTICLE VIII:  MEETINGS

Section 1.  Regular meetings of this chapter shall be bi-monthly. Special meetings can be called by the president with approval of the adviser.

Section 2.  This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 3. Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings.

ARTICLE IX:  ACTIVITIES

Section 1.  The 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 an individual service project which reflects his or her particular talents and interests and as approved by the chapter adviser. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.

Section 5.  The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner.

ARTICLE X:  DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL of MEMBERS

Section 1.  Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, character, or citizenship may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Mechanicville City School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. A member of the National Junior Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.

 Section 2.  If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected (92), he /she will be given a written warning and a reasonable time period for improvement.  If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the warning period the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the faculty council that includes consideration of dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3.  Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 5 below).  These violations include, but are not limited to stealing; destruction of property; cheating; truancy; or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community.

 Section 4.  Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absences, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive written warning notification. A conference may be requested by either party (faculty council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be considered for dismissal.

Section 5.  Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the faculty council.

Section 6. In all cases of pending dismissal:

  1. The member will receive written notification from the adviser/faculty council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.
  2. The member has the right 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). 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.
  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.

Section 7.  In lieu of dismissal, the faculty council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL, and REVIEW.

 Section 1: 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.

Section 2: These bylaws shall be reviewed and if necessary, revised within five years from the date of approval noted on this document.

 ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

 These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles IV, V, and X, which are developed by the faculty council with the approval of the principal.