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By-Laws

National Honor Society By-Laws

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1—The name of the Rockford Christian Chapter of National Honor Society will be Lucere.

Section 2—The purpose of this chapter will be to give glory to God through all of the member’s actions and attitudes and to promote scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1—Membership in this chapter shall be known as active and honorary. Honorary members become graduate members at graduation. Graduate and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

Section 2—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, and character.

Section 3 - Nominations of new members will occur each year in November, and induction will occur in February.

Section 4—Eligibility

  1. Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be juniors or seniors.
  2. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have
  3. been in attendance, for a period of one semester at Rockford Christian School.
  4. Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum level of scholastic achievement for admission to candidacy. All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for selection to membership.
  5. Upon meeting the grade level, attendance, GPA standard, and covenant requirements, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership and character.

ARTICLE III: SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1—The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. This will consist of five faculty members appointed by the NHS principal. The chapter adviser shall be the sixth, nonvoting, member of the Faculty Council.

Section 2—Prior to selection, the following shall occur:

  1. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.
  2. Students who are eligible scholastically (“candidates”) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit an application packet for further consideration for selection.
  3. The application packet consists of an activity resume, essay response to a specific prompt, and teacher recommendation forms for further consideration for selection.
  4. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the selection guidelines provided by the chapter adviser.
  5. The Faculty Council shall review the application packet and discuss the faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.
  6. Each member of the Faculty Council will independently vote “yes” or “no” for selection.
  7. The Chapter Adviser will tally the votes. A simple majority is required for selection.

Section 3—The selection of new active members shall be held once a year during the first
semester of the school year.

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

Section 5—Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected and maintain all obligations of membership.

Section 6—An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given a letter indicating the status of his or her membership and signed by the principal or chapter adviser.

Section 7— An NHS member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the 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

ARTICLE IV: DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL

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

Section 2—If a member’s cumulative GPA falls below the standard in effect when he or she was selected (3.5), he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the cumulative GPA remains below standard at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council, which may include consideration of dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3—If a member fails to perform any of the published obligations of membership, he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the obligation remains un-met at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

Section 4—Violation of the law, school regulations, or student pledge form can result in dismissal of a member. Offenders may a receive written warning notification, or, in serious breaches of school rules, may be dismissed. A conference may be requested by either party (Faculty Council, student, or parent). Once a member has received a warning, if the member is involved in another violation of the law, school regulations, or student pledge form, the member may be considered for dismissal.

Section 5—In all cases of pending dismissal:

  1. The member will receive written notification indicating the reason for possible dismissal from the adviser or Faculty Council. The member and adviser will discuss the written notification in a conference. Situations that involve flagrant violations of school rules or the student pledge form can warrant disciplinary action without a written warning although a hearing must still be held (see below).
  2. The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charge against him or her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to the vote on dismissal. 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 reviewed by the principal and then, if confirmed, expressed in a letter sent to the student, parents, and principal. 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 through the school district discipline policy.
  5. When a student is dismissed or resigns, he or she is no longer a member and may not be reconsidered for membership in the National Honor Society.

Section 6—In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

ARTICLE V: 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 active members are eligible to run for a position as an officer. All active members of the chapter are eligible to vote.

Section 3—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 for this chapter.

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 of meetings and be responsible for all official chapter correspondence.

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

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1—Meetings of this chapter shall be as needed.

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

Section 3—All chapter members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled chapter meetings.

ARTICLE VII: ACTIVITIES

Section 1—The chapter shall determine one or more service projects each month.

Section 2—All Senior 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 that 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 its projects in a positive manner

ARTICLE VII: DUES

Section 1—Annual dues for this chapter shall be $40.00 per year.

Section 2—Dues will be payable to the school within 30 days of induction for new members and at the first meeting of the school year for returning members.

Section 3—Student members for whom the dues will impose an undue financial hardship may see the adviser about an exemption from dues.

ARTICLE IX: POWERS

Section 1—The chapter adviser is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter Activities.

Section 2—The advisor shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.

Section 3—These by laws are designed to amplify provisions of the national constitution and cannot contradict any components thereof. The chapter is obligated to adhere to the provisions of the national constitution in all activities it undertakes.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

Section 1—These by laws 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.

Section 2—By laws and amendments must be consistent with the constitution of the National Honor Society.

Drew Popejoy, Principal

Missy Thompson, Chapter Adviser

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