National Honor Society

NHS Bylaws

By-laws of the Hackettstown Chapter of National Honor Society of Hackettstown High School

Adopted January 2003; revisited September 2019; proposed changes for the 2020-21 school year have NOT been approved as of 9/1/2021.

ARTICLE I           NAME and PURPOSE

SECTION 1    The name of this chapter shall be the Hackettstown Chapter of the National Honor Society. (NHS)

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 Hackettstown High School.

ARTICLE II       GOVERNANCE

SECTION 1    The NHS shall be under the supervision of the advisor(s) of NHS of Hackettstown High School selected from a pool of applicants by the principal and approved by the Board of Education.

SECTION 2    The National Honor Society Faculty Council shall be called the National Honor Society Advisory Council at Hackettstown High School.  The National Honor Society Advisory Council shall be composed of five teachers selected by the principal and the advisor(s) and shall be reviewed on an annual basis.

SECTION 3    The principal shall reserve the right to remove the advisor(s) and any member of the NHS Advisory Council from their position.

ARTICLE III      MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1    Members of the HHS Chapter shall be those selected students who maintain a minimum grade point average of 90% or higher, which is a weighted average, to be eligible and to maintain membership.  Eligible students who have completed Candidate Application Forms must demonstrate very good to outstanding completion of activities in leadership; a MINIMUM OF 25 HOURS of documented community service (completed from Grade 8 to the present); and have very good to outstanding character based upon the faculty character survey.  A definition of the characteristics of leadership, service, and character desired in members of NHS is listed on the "Pillars of NHS" page on the NHS website.

ARTICLE IV     SELECTION OF MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1    All sophomores and juniors having a career weighted grade point average minimum of 90% will be invited by letter to submit a Candidate Application Form.  All forms will be reviewed by the NHS Advisory Council and rated according to the selection rubric.  Those students receiving a minimum rating of 9, with no ratings less than 2, will be accepted into the Society.

SECTION 2    Students will be notified of the results of the selection process in a written letter from the principal. 

SECTION 3    If students are not satisfied with the initial results of the selection process, they may appeal to the NHS Advisory Council for reconsideration in an appeal hearing.  The hearing will be held within two weeks of the announcement of the initial results of the selection process.  Students will be notified of the results of the appeal in a letter from the advisor. If still not satisfied with the results of the appeal, the candidate may offer another appeal to the building principal.  The principal’s decision will be final. Only in rare circumstances will the Advisory Council's decision be reversed.

ARTICLE V      DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SECTION 1    The duties and responsibilities of each member of the organization are the maintenance of a career grade point average of 90%, the completion of twenty-five hours of community service each year of their membership, acting as a positive role model in leadership and character for the school and the society, and participation in at least three NHS-sponsored service projects each year.

SECTION 2    The duties of the officers are the following:

President:  plan, organize, and run all meetings; plan and organize society-wide service activities by contacting organizations; help to plan additional smaller activities throughout the year; help plan the induction ceremony.

Vice-President of Scholarship:  aid the President with activities; help to plan the induction ceremony; announce meetings; announce and help with society-wide service activities, and write any and all press releases for the society.

Vice-President of Service:  keep track of community service hours and activities for the membership; maintain listings of possible service activities; plan and organize society-wide service activities by contacting organizations; help to plan additional smaller activities throughout the year

Secretary:  help to plan the induction ceremony; keep attendance at meetings; inform the Advisor of the attendance and keep minutes of the meetings; write thank-you notes as needed.

Treasurer:  keep a record of dues and obligations from society members; communicate with the advisor when necessary in any matter regarding the monetary needs of the membership or charitable contributions on behalf of the membership

Sergeant-at-Arms: Maintain order and discipline during meetings.  Assist the President when needed.  Attend NHS-sponsored activities.

Historian:  Helps update the website regularly with upcoming meetings and events, takes pictures of fundraisers and events and provides sponsors with pictures, advertise meetings and events, and posts NHS pictures on the website 

SECTION 3    The duties of the advisor are to keep an account of any money earned, to enforce the bylaws, to write warnings and probation letters, and to act as a liaison between the Principal, the Administration, the Faculty, and members.

ARTICLE VI ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 SECTION 1    Nominations for officers are solicited in the Fall and will be announced prior to the election.  A meeting will follow the announcement of candidates.  Only juniors will cast ballots.  A quorum of 2/3 of the  junior and senior membership is required to vote for candidates.  Voting will be by secret ballot and will be counted by the advisor.  A plurality of the votes wins the election.  A plurality is understood to mean a greater number of votes for one candidate.  The ballots will be counted by the advisor.  In the event of a tie vote, the officers and the advisor will vote.  The outcome of the election will be announced the following day.

SECTION 2    Officers will be removed from their positions if they are dismissed from NHS or if they can no longer carry out the duties of the office.  Notification of dismissal will be by written letter from the NHS advisor.

SECTION 3    Should vacancies in one or more offices occur, elections will immediately be held to fill the position vacated.

ARTICLE VII    MEETINGS

SECTION 1    Bi-monthly meetings will be advertised on the appointed bulletin board as well as on the NHS Google Classroom at least one week in advance.

SECTION 2    Attendance at all meetings advertised at least 1 week in advance will be required.  If a student cannot attend a meeting, a written note or email explaining why must be given to the secretary or to the advisor. 

SECTION 3    Special meetings, if needed, will be called by the president, executive committee or advisor.

SECTION 4    Disciplinary issues involving attendance at meetings are discussed in Article IX, Section 3.

ARTICLE VIII   COMMUNITY SERVICE

SECTION 1    Twenty-five hours of community service must be completed per each year of membership.  If a junior member completes more than 25 hours in any one year, these hours may not be rolled over to then next year.  However, any member that completes 25 or more additional hours of community service will receive credit for one NHS-sponsored activity. 

SECTION 2  If a member does not complete the required 25 hours of community service and/or a minimum of 3 NHS-sponsored activities, disciplinary measures will be taken.  Disciplinary issues involving completion of community service are discussed in Article IX, Section 4.

ARTICLE IX     DISCIPLINE

SECTION 1    Disciplinary measures will consist of a series of written warnings, probation, and dismissal and will deal with issues of scholarship, leadership, character and service.

 SECTION 2    For non-compliance due to low grade point average, the student will receive a written warning and be placed on probation.  The student will have the opportunity to bring his or her grade point average into compliance in the following two terms.  If, after this time period, the grade point average is 93% or higher (or 90% or higher for members of the Class of 2021 or later), the student will receive notification of removal from probation by written letter from the NHS advisor.  If, on the other hand, the grade point average continues to be lower than 90%, the student will be dismissed from the chapter.  Notification of dismissal will be by written letter from the NHS advisor.

SECTION 3    For the first unexcused non-attendance at a required meeting advertised one week in advance students will be issued a written warning.  For the second unexcused non-attendance at a required meeting, students will be placed on probation in writing.  The third unexcused non-attendance at a required meeting will result in dismissal in writing from the society.

SECTION 4    If the Junior member fails to complete 25 hours of community service per year of membership and/or 3 NHS-sponsored activities, the student will be issued a written warning, placed on probation, and will have the opportunity to make up the fifteen hours plus an additional five hours for each NHS sponsored activity missed the following term.  Therefore, at the end of this time period following the warning and period of probation, the student must turn in a community service form or forms indicating the completion of a minimum of fifteen hours of service.  If the student fails, during his or her senior year, to make up the required number of community service hours, the student will be dismissed in writing from the chapter.  Senior members who do not meet their obligations will not receive the NHS gold seal on their diploma or an NHS graduation stole.  Members will be made aware of their status by letter from the advisor.

SECTION 5    Issues dealing with character will be handled on an individual basis and may include input from the faculty, NHS Advisory Council and the principal.

SECTION 6    Once dismissed, a student cannot be reinstated in the National Honor Society.

ARTICLE X      PRIVILEGES (proposed changes for the 2020-21 school year; approval needed by administration)

 SECTION 1    The following privileges will be extended to NHS members in good standing:

1. Upon completion of the Late Arrival Form, junior NHS members may arrive late to school in time for second period, providing that the first period of the day is a study hall. Students are first to report to the office to sign in in the NHS privilege book.  Students are then to pass through the halls and go to their lockers quietly so as not to disturb classes in session.  Abuse of this privilege (i.e. noise in the halls upon arrival to school) will result in the revocation of the privilege for the NHS member involved.  The student will be asked to surrender their NHS membership card for the determined period of time of revocation of the privilege.  Students with study first and last period may only choose one period to exercise this privilege.

2. Upon completion of the Early Dismissal Form NHS junior members may leave school early providing that the final period of the day is a study hall. Students are first to pick up any books from their lockers they may need.  They are then to report to the office to sign out in the NHS privilege book.  Students are to leave the school property promptly upon dismissal.  Abuse of this privilege (i.e. remaining on school grounds) will result in the revocation of the privilege for the NHS member involved.  Students will be asked to surrender their NHS membership card for the determined period of time of revocation of the privilege.  Students with study first and last period may only choose one period to exercise this privilege.

3. All NHS members in good standing may use their NHS membership card as a hall pass instead of the required pass when arriving late to class or when passing through the halls during class time. Students must present this identification card each time upon entry to class or when requested in the halls.  Chronic tardiness or abuse of this privilege (three times) or excessive noise in the halls will result in a character-based hearing with the NHS Advisory Council.

4. Graduating members of NHS will have the privilege of wearing the NHS stole at commencement exercises and receiving the NHS gold seal on their diploma provided that they have maintained a minimum of a 93% average through third term of their senior year (90% or higher for Class of 2021 and later) and have completed a minimum of 15 hours of community service and 5 NHS-sponsored activities during their senior year. Any student who fails to carry out these requirements will not be accorded the privilege of wearing the NHS stole or getting the NHS gold diploma seal.

SECTION 2    Any NHS member found abusing any of the above privileges by school administration or faculty will be given a written warning and be denied the privilege for a period of one term.  If further abuse of the privilege continues, the student will be dismissed in writing from NHS.

ARTICLE XI     RATIFICATION OF BYLAWS

 SECTION 1    The bylaws of the HHS Chapter must be ratified by a vote of two-thirds of the total membership.

ARTICLE XII    AMENDING BYLAWS

 SECTION 1    The bylaws of the HHS Chapter may be amended by an approval of newly suggested amendments by two-thirds of the total membership.