Newcastle Middle School Honor Society

Constitution & Bylaws

All policies and procedures for Newcastle Middle School Honor Society chapter, hereinafter referred to as NMSJHS, are based on the provisions of the National Junior High Honor Society Constitution. The following version of the NMSJHS Constitution was approved for this chapter on February 7, 2017, by the NMSJHS Committee, which includes the Honor Society Sponsor(s), NMSJHS Faculty Council and NMS Principal. This is the most recent edition for use by this chapter.

Every year chapter faculty council advisers and school principals are asked to review this document carefully. Copies can be provided to chapter officers and all chapter members as a reference to the national guidelines that govern all chapters of NMSJHS. Always consult www.nhs.us/constitution for the most recent edition of the National Constitution.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Newcastle Middle School Honor Society, also known as NMSJHS.

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 Newcastle Public Schools secondary schools.

Section 3. NMSJHS is a program of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1537, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit association.

ARTICLE II: THE NASSP STUDENT LEADERSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE Section 1. The control of this organization shall be vested in the NMSJHS Faculty Council, the NMSJHS sponsor, and the NMS Principal.

Section 2. At this time there shall be no national advisory committee to advise its policies and procedures.

Section 3. The Student Leadership Advisory Committee shall consist of the students chosen to be officers for the following year. The number may vary from year to year.

ARTICLE III: STATE ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1. Local chapters may or may not choose to organize state associations.

Section 2. Any state association of National Honor Society chapters shall conform to this Constitution and shall work in furthering the purposes of this organization.

Section 3. All state associations shall be affiliated with the National Honor Society.

Section 4. The state affiliate shall not serve as an appeal board for local chapter nonselection or dismissal cases.

Section 5. Bylaws of the state associations must be approved by NASSP and must be consistent with the NHS Constitution.

ARTICLE IV: LOCAL CHAPTER

Section 1. This document hereby serves as the establishment of a new chapter for NMSJHS as of February 7, 2017.

Section 2. Deleted.

Section 3. Each school with a chapter shall pay an annual affiliation fee to the state or national Honor Society approved by the NMSJHS Faculty Council and NMS Principal if it is determined to be a part of said organizations.

Section 4. The annual individual NMSJHS member dues paid to a chapter or state affiliate, if any, shall not exceed ___(amount to be determined)_____. The exact amount shall be determined yearly by the faculty committee of the chapter and shall be subject to the approval of the Faculty Committee.

Section 5. Duly inducted members shall conform to this Constitution as set forth. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the membership.

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 member of the faculty as chapter adviser, also known as the chapter sponsor, who may serve consecutive terms. Co-advisers may be appointed where necessary.

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 receive appeals in cases of nonselection of candidates, and the disciplining or dismissal of members.

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 complete the annual survey and submit it to any state or national offices as necessary.

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 ex officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council and shall facilitate all meetings of the council.

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

ARTICLE VII: THE FACULTY COUNCIL

Section 1. The Faculty Council shall consist of five (5) voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal. The chapter adviser shall be an ex officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. 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 Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members, and to consider grievances for nonselection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases.

Section 4. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with this Constitution and NMSJHS policies.

ARTICLE VIII: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in the local chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or above is not the only consideration for membership. Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character including behavior in the classroom, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

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

Section 3. Members of the Faculty Council shall support the school leader in creating and sustaining a school environment in which each student is known, accepted and valued, trusted and respected, cared for and encouraged to be an active and responsible member of the school community. As such, the Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to students who warrant special consideration—including those who receive accommodations for a disability, or foreign exchange students—in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the standards of the NMSJHS and/or the National Honor Society. The Faculty Council might also award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS advisers, or other adults. Honorary membership grants to the recipient all of the privileges of membership without the obligations associated with active member status (See Chapter 3 of the National Honor Society Handbook for additional information).

Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony. Candidates who do not or cannot attend the induction ceremony risk losing their invitation to membership. There will be special consideration for school sponsored reasons for not attending but not personal reasons.

Section 5. N/A.

Section 6. An Honor Society member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the principal or chapter adviser to the NMSJHS school adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member in the 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 IX: SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of the 7^th or 8^th grade at Newcastle Middle School and be designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws. 6^th graders are not eligible until after their first semester. Candidates must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester. 1 [See notes at end]

Section 2. The national minimum standard for scholarship shall be a cumulative scholastic average of at least 85 percent, B+, or 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or the equivalent standard of excellence. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character.

Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser shall review with the principal the results of the Faculty Council’s deliberations.

Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication that 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 NHS.

Section 5. Deleted.

ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL

Section 1. The Faculty Council, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the State and/or National Honor Society, shall determine the procedure for dismissal. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available on the NMSJHS website to interested parties.

Section 2. Members who fall below the standards that 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 the law, a member does not have to be warned.

Section 3. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings (usually no more than 2).

Section 4. In all cases of pending dismissal in cases other than normal procedures, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. (Note: This hearing is required and is considered “due process” for all members.)

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 to the principal and thereafter under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district.

Section 7. NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases. (Note: Refer to Article VIII, Section 7 regarding the permanent consequences for members when dismissed.)

ARTICLE XI: CHAPTER OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the chapter, their duties, and the method of their election shall be determined by the members of the chapter, approved by the Faculty Council and the principal, and described in the chapter bylaws.

Section 2. New officers shall be installed at the induction ceremony for members for the next school year. 

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.

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 policy and regulations.

Section 2. The regularity of the meetings (i.e., weekly, monthly, bimonthly, etc.) shall be designated in the chapter bylaws, herewith determined to be held monthly.

Section 3. The chapter president or other designated student leader may call special meetings approved by the executive and/or faculty committee(s).

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 per semester for each year.

Section 2. All members shall regularly participate in these projects. One per semester will be deemed “required” for each member.

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; be well planned, organized, and executed.

Section 4. Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that 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 - a torch. The emblem shall be uniform and its distribution and rules for its use shall be determined by the Faculty Committee and changed if the affiliation to National organizations changes. NMSJHS will generally be displayed on the annual t-shirt purchased by each member at the beginning of the year. Members will be expected to wear this t-shirt for each meeting and any projects during the year. Failure to do so will result in one (1) service point being deducted for that semester.

Section 2. Each active, honorary, or alumni member in good standing with the chapter shall be entitled to wear this emblem or t-shirt.

Section 3. Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall return the emblem or t-shirt to the chapter adviser.

Section 4. N/A unless it is determined NMSJHS joins the national organization: All insignia must be procured from the national office of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA, 20191. All insignia are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and may not be copied by anyone without written permission of the NHS national office. (See also, Logo Usage Guidelines at www.nhs.us/logo.) Section 5. The motto of the National Honor Society shall be Noblesse oblige. Section 6. The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue and gold. Section 7. An alumni member may purchase a replacement for a lost emblem by verifying membership to the national office.

ARTICLE XVI: CHAPTER 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 NASSP but must be consistent with this Constitution.

Section 2. The chapter bylaws shall contain information concerning the election and duties of officers, the schedule of meetings, member obligations, dues, and the like. (Note: See Chapter 3 and the adviser section at www.nhs.us/bylaws for additional information regarding the appropriate content of chapter bylaws.)

ARTICLE XVII: AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by the NMSJHS Faculty Council and NMS Principal.

Article IX, Section 2. NMSJHS chapter may raise the cumulative GPA standard above the national minimum, or increase standards for the remaining selection criteria, apply them fairly and consistently, and include these standards in their locally published selection procedures as deemed appropriate.

Article X, Section 1. To maintain compliance, all local procedures must conform to the full provisions of this article. Faculty Councils can consider disciplinary actions that are less severe than dismissal if circumstances warrant.

Article XII, Section 3. This section is generally viewed to include chapter activities except those with regards to the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, which are the sole domain of the chapter’s Faculty Council per the provisions of Article VII, Section 4.

NMSJHS Constitution last revised and approved by the NMSJHS Faculty Council and NMS Principal on February 7, 2017.

NMSJHS Agenda

Wednesday, October 11th, 2017

1) Make sure you have your folder. Sign in for today’s meeting. Your t-shirt should be on top of your folder according to size that YOU ordered. Any youth sizes are a size Small.

1) Members must maintain a 3.5 GPA or will be placed on probation.

2) Be sure you have signed up for Remind. The @NMSJR is on there. You can then receive reminders from NMSJHS about meetings, etc.

3) 2 top service point members will receive special recognition in the spring. If you earn 20 points through the year prior to April 1, 2018, you can earn an Outstanding Service Award for NMSJHS. Some of you are already well on your way.

4) Our November project is to sign up to bring labeled pumpkin and pecan pies for Teacher Appreciation Day on Wednesday, November 15. You will need to sign up to bring pies, forks, whipped cream, etc. to the Teacher’s Lounge by 7:40 am. Those who sign up – DO NOT FORGET – we will be depending on you. We’ll announce on Remind and on announcements.

5) If you are looking for another way to earn points, see Mr. Harris about spreading mulch or cleaning up trash in the cafeteria during lunch times. We are working with a local nursing home for possible points to be earned for visits.

6) December service point: Each member MUST fill one request for the Student Council’s Angel Tree. You will receive points based on the amount spent. You must bring a copy of your receipt when you bring your item. No receipt means no points!!! Just pulling a request off the tree does not equal points – you must fulfill the request. Be aware of the date these are due! Fill as many as you can!!!! Lots of points can be earned this way. Each contains a list of items to possibly purchase. Return receipts to Mrs. Wooten’s or Ms. Sheaffer’s rooms with your service point paper filled out – including your name, the angel it was purchased for, and your receipt.

7) Also inside your folder is information for any points or pop tabs already turned in. Please be sure yours are accurate.

8) If you sign up for something and cannot bring what you said, you must give Ms. Sheaffer or Mrs. Wooten 48 hours’ notice! If you DO NOT show or DON’T bring your item, they you will lose the service point!!!!

9) If you have not paid dues, you are already on probation.

10) Notices for not maintaining the 3.5 GPA will go out after the next Progress Report on November 20.

11) Every member should receive their NMSJHS shirt today. From now on, please wear your shirt for every activity and meeting.

12) Remember, we collect pop tabs all year (200 pop tabs = 1 point) so they can be turned in anytime to Mrs. Wooten or Ms. Sheaffer.

13) Last but not least, do not take your folder. Take any handouts in the folder with you but do not take the folder. The folders stay here!!!

14) NMSJHS is already making a difference in our community. We are SO proud of you and the good work you are doing. Let’s make this Christmas special for our surrounding area. Thank you!