NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY BYLAWS

Braden River High School Chapter

ARTICLE I
NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1:
The name of this organization shall be Braden River High School
Chapter of the National
Honor Society, hereinafter known as the local chapter. For purposes of
this document, the term National Honor Society shall be interpreted to
mean the national organization with which the local chapter is affiliated.
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 secondary
schools.

ARTICLE II
THE PRINCIPAL

Section 1:
The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and
decisions of the local chapter.
Section 2:
The principal shall annually appoint a member of the faculty as
Chapter Advisor, who may 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 receive appeals in cases of non-selection of
candidates and the disciplining or dismissal of members. Braden River
administration has granted the Faculty Council the authority to hear and
decide appeals in cases of non-selection of candidates. The decision of
the Faculty Council is final and may not be appealed.

ARTICLE III
THE CHAPTER ADVISOR

Section 1:
The Chapter Advisor shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day
supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty,
administration, students and the community.
Section 2:
The Chapter Advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter
history, activities, and
financial transactions. The Chapter Advisor shall send the annual
activity report to the
national office.
Section 3:
The Chapter Advisor shall regularly review each member for
compliance of membership standards and obligations.

Section 4: The Chapter Advisor shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, member of the

Faculty Council and shall have authority to convene and chair meetings
of the council.
Section 5:
The Chapter Advisor shall be a member of the faculty of Braden
River High School, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve
consecutive terms.
Section 6:
The Chapter Advisor shall have discretion to excuse members from
meetings. The Chapter Advisor may, at his/her discretion, authorize
local chapter officers to excuse members from meetings.
Section 7:
The Chapter Advisor shall assist the chapter officers in
understanding and carrying out their duties.
Section 8:
In the event an issue comes before the Faculty Council in which the
Chapter Advisor may have a conflict of interests, as determined by a
vote of the Faculty Council, the Principal shall appoint a faculty member
to serve as a temporary, non-voting chairperson of the Faculty Council
for the purpose of chairing any meetings relevant to the issue in
question.

ARTICLE IV
THE FACULTY COUNCIL

Section 1:
The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting members appointed
annually by the principal. The Chapter Advisor shall be an ex-officio,
non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. No principal or
assistant principal may be included on the Faculty Council. A quorum of
the Faculty Council shall consist of four voting members.
Section 2:
The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be
appointed to consecutive terms. Members of the Faculty Council may be
removed by the Principal for just cause.
Section 3:
The Faculty Council shall meet at least once per year to review the
procedures of the chapter; to select members; and to consider appeals
of non-selection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and membership
warning cases.
Section 4:
A meeting of the Faculty Council may be convened by the Chapter
Advisor, by written request of two Faculty Council members submitted
to the Chapter Advisor, or by request of the principal.
Section 5:
The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary
membership to school officials, administrators, teachers, local chapter
advisors, adults, students with disabilities, or foreign exchange students
in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to
the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Honor Society.
Section 6:
In the event an issue comes before the Faculty Council in which a
voting Faculty Council member may have a conflict of interests, the
member in question shall not vote. If the partiality of a voting member
of the council is questioned prior to a vote, the remaining council
members shall vote upon the alleged conflict of interests. If the council
decides that a conflict is apparent, the member in question shall not
vote.

Section 7:
In any matter before the Faculty Council in which a tied vote occurs,
the matter being considered shall be tabled until a meeting of the full
council may again address the issue.
Section 8:
All votes of the Faculty Council shall occur in closed session, with
only the members of the council and the Chapter Advisor present. The
vote of individual council member shall not be made known to persons
not present when the vote is taken.
Section 9:
Discussions of Faculty Council members in closed meetings are
confidential and may not be disclosed to any other persons except the
Principal.

ARTICLE V
CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: To be considered for membership, a student must meet the following

criteria: 1) be a second-semester sophomore or a junior, 2) have been
in regular classroom attendance at Braden River High School for a
minimum of one semester in the year of application, and 3) have a
cumulative unweighted G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher. National Honor Society
membership is not a right of any student; it is an honor bestowed upon
outstanding students who exemplify the four characteristics of
scholarship, leadership, service and character. Meeting the minimum
G.P.A. requirement does not guarantee membership.
Section 2:
In accordance with National Honor Society standards, homeschooled students are ineligible for membership.
Section 3:
A description of the selection procedures and location of required
forms shall be announced in the manner that information is customarily
made available to students. A written notice shall also be posted in the
Student Services office.
Section 4:
Any student who meets the criteria for candidacy may submit his or
her credentials to the Faculty Council in a manner prescribed by the
Faculty Council. This submission shall contain documentation of the
candidate's service, leadership and character.
Section 5:
The Faculty Council shall evaluate each candidate's membership
qualifications and rank them from most qualified to least qualified.
Section 6:
Once the candidates have been ranked, the Faculty Council shall
make a recommendation on membership and submit the list to the
principal for approval or modification.
Section 7:
The list of candidates approved for membership by the principal
shall be publically posted in multiple locations at the school.
Section 8:
A student whose name is not listed among the approved
membership candidates may
request that his or her membership credentials be re-examined. The
process for completing this request shall be made available to the
students when their credentials are submitted. Candidates are
prohibited from contacting the principal or members of the Faculty
Council regarding their membership status prior to the completion of
the membership and appeal processes.

Section 9:
Candidates become members when administered the membership
oath at a Spring induction ceremony.
Section 10: For purposes of membership, community service hours that promote
or denigrate religion or that involve activities required by a students
membership in a particular organization (and not freely undertaken
without being otherwise required) shall not be considered. The Faculty
Council makes the final decision regarding what constitutes community
service.

ARTICLE VI
MEMBERSHIP

Section 1:
Members must maintain a 3.5 unweighted G.P.A. and 1s or 2s in
Conduct.
Section 2:
Members must fully participate in a minimum of two local chapter
projects per year, one of which must be a fundraising project for the
chapter.
Section 3:
Members must complete a minimum of ten service hours each
semester. These hours must include both service to the school and to
the community. Members may use up to five (5) service hours from
summer projects to meet the service requirements for the fall semester.
Newly-inducted members must begin their service hours prior to the
first day of the second academic grading period following their
induction. The Executive Committee of the local chapter shall be
exempt from service requirements unless removed from office or
suspended from membership during the semester.
Section 4:
Members are required to attend all local chapter meetings unless
excused. Members may miss one regularly-scheduled meeting per
semester without penalty. There shall be a minimum of two meetings
per month, except the first and last month of the school year and the
months that include the winter and spring breaks.
Section 5:
Types of membership shall be active, honorary, and graduate.
Membership privileges of honorary and graduate members shall be
limited to attendance at meetings, participation in fund-raising
activities and community service. Only active members whose
membership is not on probationary status may vote or have voice in
chapter affairs.
Section 6:
A National Honor Society member who transfers from another
school and brings a letter verifying that he or she is a member in good
standing from the principal or Chapter Advisor to the new school
Chapter Advisor 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 7:
Students who are dual-enrolled at Braden River High School and
any other educational institution are obligated to fulfill all requirements
of membership, including attendance at meetings, projects, service and
scholarship. It is the responsibility of these students to keep themselves
informed of membership activities and requirements.

Section 8:
Membership dues will be determined at the first regularly-scheduled
full-membership meeting of the year. Membership dues may not exceed
the maximum amount allowed by the national organization. Dues must
be paid by the end of the first grading quarter of the year.

ARTICLE VII
OFFICERS

Section 1:
Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer and Historian. Collectively, the officers shall constitute the
Executive Committee.
Section 2:
Officers shall hold office for a period of one year, beginning
immediately after the graduation ceremony following their election and
ending at the completion of the graduation ceremony of the following
year.
Section 3:
Officers shall be formally installed at a ceremony during the first
regularly-scheduled meeting of the new academic year.
Section 4:
Prior to the first regularly scheduled full-membership meeting of the
year, the Executive Committee shall meet with the Chapter Advisor to
determine recommended goals and projects for the year, membership
dues, meeting dates, committee assignments and other official
business of the local chapter.
Section 5:
At the first regularly scheduled full-membership meeting of the
year, the full membership shall be informed by the Executive
Committee of meeting times and dates, goals and projects of the year,
membership dues and attendance requirements.
Section 6:
The Chapter Advisor shall have authority to suspend or remove an
officer from office for insubordination, malfeasance, neglect of duty,
acts that harm or threaten harm to the local chapter, or other acts
that constitute failure to exemplify the standards of membership:
scholarship, leadership, service and character. The officer may appeal
the decision of the Chapter Advisor to the Faculty Council.
Section 7:
Elections for officers shall be held during the fourth quarter of the
school year. To be elected to an office, a candidate must receive a
majority of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority vote in
the initial ballot, a run-off election shall be held between the two
candidates with the most votes.
Section 8:
The candidate in second place in the election for president shall
become the vice-president.
Section 9:
If no candidate receives a majority after two ballots, the Faculty
Council shall determine the winner of the election through a process of
their choosing.
Section 10: In the event that an officer position is vacated prior to the expiration
of that officers term, a special election shall be held to replace that
officer. The date and time of the election shall be determined by the
Faculty Adviser, in consultation with the remaining officers. If the
vacancy occurs during the last 45 days of the school year, the
remaining officers may cote not to hold an election to replace the
officer.

If a current officer elects to run for the vacant office and is elected to
the office, the candidate with the second-highest vote total may replace
the officer who has been elected to the vacant position. An additional
election can be held to fill the new vacancy.

ARTICLE VIII
DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

Section 1:
Members who fail to maintain the standards of membership, or who
fail to fulfill
membership responsibilities, may be placed on probationary status by
the Chapter Advisor. The member, the Faculty Council and the principal
shall be notified in writing when a member is placed on probationary
status. The member shall remain on probationary status for 45 school
days. At the end of this probationary period, if the member is not in
compliance, the Faculty Council shall meet to consider terminating the
student's membership. A student who receives a 3 in conduct shall
meet with the Chapter Advisor for discussion of the cause(s). The
Chapter Advisor may refer the student to the Faculty Council for a
hearing. A student who receives a 4 in conduct shall be referred to the
Faculty Council for a hearing.
Section 2:
In the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, the
Faculty Council may
terminate a student's membership without a probationary period.
Section 3:
Members who are charged with serious offenses by school officials
or law enforcement agencies, shall have their membership placed on
probationary status by a majority vote of the Faculty Council pending
resolution of the charges. During the probationary period, the member
may not vote on any issue before the local chapter and may not serve
in any leadership position, including committee memberships. If the
accused member is an officer of the local chapter, the Chapter Advisor
may appoint a temporary replacement who shall serve until the charges
are resolved. If the charges result in suspension or a recommendation
for expulsion by the school; or the criminal charges result in a
conviction, nolo contendere or guilty plea, or pre-trial intervention
diversion by the legal system; the member shall be referred to the
Faculty Council for termination of membership. If the charges against
the member are dismissed without conditions by the school or the
legal system, the membership of the accused member shall be
restored. Any position(s) of leadership may be returned to the member
at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor in consultation with the Faculty
Council. If the charges against the member are dismissed with
conditions by the school or the legal system, the Faculty Council shall
meet to decide the membership status of the accused member.
Section 4:
In all cases of impending termination of membership, a member
shall have the right to a
hearing before the Faculty Council. Notice of the hearing will be given to
the student in writing. It is the students responsibility to notify the
parent/guardian of the meeting. A simple majority vote of the Faculty

Section

Section

Section
Section

Council shall suffice to terminate the membership. The students

parent(s) may attend the membership termination hearing, but may not
participate in the proceedings unless requested to do so by members of
the Faculty Council. The student shall have the right to call witnesses
during the hearing.
5:
It shall be the duty of the Faculty Council to question all available
witnesses, the individual making the accusation against the member,
and the accused member prior to making a decision on termination of
membership.
6:
A student whose membership has been terminated for cause by the
Faculty Council may
appeal the decision to the principal. The decision of the principal is final
and may not be appealed.
7:
Members who resign, or whose membership is terminated for
cause, are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
8:
A member whose membership is suspended or who is on
probationary status at any time during the quarter of graduation is not
eligible to wear the National Honor Society stole or to be recognized as
a member at graduation.

ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

Section 1:
Amendment of the By-Laws may periodically become necessary.
Section 2:
Amendments to the By-Laws may be proposed by a majority vote of
the full student membership of the local chapter, by a majority vote of
the Faculty Council, or by the Principal. If multiple changes to the ByLaws are required, or the By-Laws need to be completely re-written, a
By-Laws Revision Committee may be established in the same manner
as described for the review committee in Sections 4-6 below. The
revised By-Laws developed by the By-Laws Revision Committee shall be
presented to the student membership and Faculty Council as indicated
in Section 7 below.
Section 3:
Upon proposal of amendment(s) to the By-Laws, a review
committee shall be established for the purpose of ensuring that the
proposed amendment(s) are not in conflict with any state, school
district or school rules and that the proposed amendment(s) are in
compliance with National Honor Society standards and governing
documents.
Section 4:
The committee shall consist of six voting members: three members
shall be appointed by the local chapter student President and three
members of the Faculty Council shall be appointed to the committee by
the Chapter Advisor.
Section 5:
The chairperson of the committee shall be selected by the Chapter
Advisor. All decisions of the committee shall be by majority vote.
Section 6:
After reviewing the proposed amendment(s), and making any
necessary changes, the committee shall vote on recommending the
proposed amendment(s) for adoption.

Section 7:
Upon a recommendation for adoption of the proposed
amendment(s) by the review committee or the By-Laws Revision
Committee, the committee chairperson shall submit the proposal to the
Chapter Advisor within five school days. Within ten school days of
receipt of the committees recommendation, the Chapter Advisor shall
convene separate meetings of the student membership and the Faculty
Council. The proposed amendments shall be presented to the student
membership and the Faculty Council by the Chapter Advisor and a vote
shall be taken. The proposed amendments shall be considered ratified
and effective upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the full student
membership and the Faculty Council.
Section 8:
The Chapter Advisor shall immediately notify the Principal of the
amendments.
Section 9:
Amendment of or changes to the procedures for selection, discipline
or dismissal of members may only be changed by the Faculty Council,
although changes may be recommended to the Faculty Council by the
student membership.
By signing below, we verify that these By-Laws have been reviewed and
approved as prescribed within this document.
_______________________________________
NHS President

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Date

_______________________________________
Faculty Advisor

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Date

_______________________________________
Principal

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Date