NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY DAPHNE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPTER BY­LA WS

ARTICLE I NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Beta Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society of Daphne Middle School.

Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, to develop character, and to encourage citizenship.

Section 3. The NJHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191­1537.

ARTICLE II THE PRINCIPAL

Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.

Section2. Theprincipalshallannuallyappointamemberofthefacultyaschapteradviser,whomay serve consecutive terms.

Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.

Section 4. The principal shall be a part of the local school district appeal process for non­selection, discipline, or dismissal cases.

Section 1. The chapter adviser shall be responsible for the direct, day­to­day 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.

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. Section 5. The chapter adviser shall be an ex­officio, non­voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council.

Section 6. The chapter adviser shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms.

ARTICLE IV FACULTY COUNCIL

Section 1. The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal. No principal or assistant principal may be included on the Faculty Council.

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 ex­officio, non­voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council.

Section 4. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members and to consider non­selection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases.

ARTICLE V

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

Section 2. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisers, or adults in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

Section 3. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

Section 4. A National Junior 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 5. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.

ARTICLE VI

SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a rising eighth grader or current eighth grader. Candidates must have been in attendance at this school for at least a full semester before

consideration for membership unless under special circumstances as outlined in the National Constitution.

Section 2.  Candidates must not have more than 1 B in all classes on the first semester and third quarter report cards. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship. 

Section 3. The selection of each member 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 in a timely fashion to all students and parents of the school. The selection procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Junior Honor Society.

Section 5. The National Council of the NJHS and the NASSP shall not review the judgment of the Faculty Council regarding selection of individual members to local chapters.

ARTICLE VII

DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM

Section 1. Students will be expected to maintain a 3.75 core grade point average. Chapter advisers will review report cards as follows: 1​st quarter, 1​st semester, 3​rd quarter, and 2​nd semester. Students who fall below a 3.75 will receive a probationary letter and one semester (two report card periods) to return to active status. During the probation period, students may not participate in any field trips or the awards ceremony. All other obligations should be met.

Section 2. Members should understand fully that they are subject to dismissal if they do not maintain the standards of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character that were used as a basis for their selection. When a member falls below the standards by which the member was selected, the adviser should inform the errant member in writing of the nature of the violation, the time period given for improvement, and provide warning of the possible consequences of non­improvement.

Section 3. Failure to comply with all school conduct rules and procedures will result in a demerit. This includes, but is not limited to dress code infractions, show of disrespect to peers or teachers, tardiness, and dishonesty. Upon receiving three demerits, the student will be placed on probation. The fourth demerit will result in dismissal proceedings. The student will be informed in writing of each demerit when it is issued. If a member receives a discipline referral or is placed in detention, he or she will receive two demerits. Off campus suspension will result in three demerits and probation. A member will receive one demerit for missing a mandatory NJHS meeting or function because of an unexcused absence. Adviser must be informed in advance for an absence to be excused.

Section 4. In the event that a member should be dismissed, a written notification and pre­dismissal hearing is called for. The Faculty Council will preside over the hearing. In the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, a warning is not required for dismissal, but a hearing will still be held. Cheating (including copying someone else’s homework) i​s​considered a flagrant violation. NJHS follows a zero tolerance policy on any kind of cheating. Students will be automatically dismissed from NJHS for cheating.

Article VIII

Community Service

Section 1. Members are required to participate in the chapter’s Service Projects. Members will be made aware of any Service Project and requirements in a timely manner. Members who do not participate in the chapter’s Service Projects will receive 2 demerits.

Section 2. Members are required to complete individual service projects each quarter. These projects must involve 3 hours of volunteer service. Members who do not complete the required 3 hours of service each quarter will receive 2 demerits. (Chapter Service Projects may count towards these 3 hours.)

ARTICLE VIII DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS

Section 1. The procedure for dismissal shall be determined by the Faculty Council in compliance with the rules and regulation of the National Junior 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. Members shall receive demerits as described in Article VII above. In the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned prior to dismissal.

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 written notification of charges and a hearing before the Faculty Council.

Section 5. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required.

Section 6. 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 7. The National Council and the NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.

Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be president, vice­president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.

Section 2. Officers shall be elected at a regular meeting of the chapter. The first regularly scheduled meeting to occur after the Induction Ceremony shall include election of officers. Members shall nominate individuals they feel qualified to serve for each office. Members may nominate themselves. Members may be nominated for more than one office. The President’s position will be voted on first, and then the Vice President, etc. Only after the higher position is filled will the lower positions be open for nomination. Elections shall consist of written ballots upon which each member shall privately write in the name of the most qualified nominee for the office. The adviser(s) shall then tally the ballots to determine which nominee received the most votes for the office. The nominee receiving the most votes shall take position of the office immediately.

Section 1. The president calls and presides over meetings. He or she works closely with the sponsors and members to insure a successful year for the chapter.

Section 2. The vice­president works with the president and serves in the president’s absence.

Section 3. The secretary keeps the minutes of the meetings, a log of members present or absent, and maintains a chapter base on every member.

Section 4. The treasurer keeps a copy of the chapter’s finances, and reports to members and the adviser.

Section 5. The historian maintains a scrapbook, accumulating anything and everything appropriate to the chapter and its works. He or she works as the chapter’s photographer.

Section 6. Procedures for removal of officers and the filling of vacancies are as follows. If an elected officer is placed on academic probation for a single report card or is placed on probation for character or citizenship issues, the officer shall have one quarter (rather than two) to return to full standing. An officer who does not return to full standing after one quarter will be removed from office but retain full standing as a member on probation (see Article VII Disciplinary System). In the event that the president is removed, the vice­president shall fill his or her office and the vice­president’s office shall remain vacant. The secretary and treasurer shall help as needed. In the event that the secretary, treasurer, or the historian’s, office becomes vacant, the office shall be filled by the person who received the next highest votes in the original election and who is currently in full standing at the time of the vacancy.