LOCAL BYLAWS
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHAPTER
PENINSULA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
600 Harpersville Road
Newport News, Virginia 23601-1813
ARTICLE I -- NAME OF ORGANIZATION
The following bylaws apply only to the St. Vincent de Paul chapter of the National Honor Society at Peninsula Catholic High School located in Newport News, Virginia.
ARTICLE II -- MEMBER OBLIGATIONS
Upon induction to the National Honor Society, all members will be expected to continue to exemplify the four ideals, which are the basis for membership: scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
Scholarship--all members must maintain a 3.25 overall GPA each quarter. Any member falling below a 3.25 will automatically be put on probation for one quarter. If the member's overall GPA does not improve to a 3.25, the member will be subject to dismissal.
Service--see Article V and VI
Leadership--all members should exercise positive leadership in the classroom, in the halls, on the playing field, and at all other school-related activities.
Character--all members should demonstrate the highest standards of character, honesty, and integrity. See Article IX.
Generally--all students should be a positive role model for the rest of the student body at all times.
ARTICLE III -- DUES
All members are expected to pay the annual due.
ARTICLE IV -- MEETINGS AND ATTENDANCE
The society will follow and abide by Robert's Rules of Order when conducting and participating in meetings.
Meetings will be held once a month after school. All members are expected to attend. Any additional meetings that will be scheduled during lunch or after school are also mandatory. If a member is unable to attend, that member must see the moderator by the beginning of the day the meeting is scheduled.
Any member who misses a meeting must see the moderator within two (2) days in order to receive the minutes of the meeting.
Any member who fails to do the above may be subject to disciplinary action by the moderator or the faculty council.
ARTICLE V -- PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS
Several projects are planned for each school year. All members are expected to participate in all of these projects enthusiastically and cheerfully.
Though it may occasionally happen that a member is unable to take part in a planned event, this should be a rare occurrence. Members will be excused from no more than one scheduled event over the course of each semester.
If a member misses more than one event, they may be subject to disciplinary action by either the moderator or the faculty council.
ARTICLE VI -- DESCRIPTION OF PROJECTS
Projects for each school year will be decided upon by the moderator, the executive committee, and the planning committee. The areas of service, which will be considered, are: student leadership, citizenship education, senior citizen interchange, career education, community service, intercultural exchange, and school service.
ARTICLE VII -- OFFICERS, THEIR DUTIES, METHODS FOR ELECTION AND FILLING VACANCIES
OFFICERS AND DUTIES
President -- open to juniors or seniors prepares agenda for chapter meetings responsible for governing all chapter meetings appoints committees and delegates authority has a working knowledge of all officers' duties knows the national constitution and bylaws is a perfect example to the chapter of a good member performs other such duties as usually pertains to this office
Vice- president-- open to juniors or seniors acts in the absence of the president assists the president in any way possible has a working knowledge of all officers' duties performs other such duties as usually pertains to this office
Secretary -- open to juniors or seniors calls roll and records attendance keeps chapter roll book complete and up to date keeps minutes of regular and special chapter meetings records motions verbatim minutes should be rewritten neatly or typed and given to the moderator one (1) day after the meeting so absent members may refer to it acts as parliamentarian performs other such duties as usually pertains to the office
Treasurer -- open to juniors or seniors assists in preparing the budget for the school year collects dues and delivers to bookkeeper keeps accurate records of income and expenses of the chapter makes monthly reports to the chapter performs other such duties as usually pertains to this office
The officers above make up the Executive Committee, which helps direct the business affairs of the chapter. The committee determines the dues structure, makes recommendations concerning the bylaws, time and place of special meetings, special projects, member obligations, nominating procedures for the NHS Scholarship Awards Programs, and the like. All actions and recommendations by the executive committee are subject to review by the membership.
METHOD FOR ELECTION
Near the end of each school year, after the induction of new members, elections take place. Beginning with president, members nominate candidates. Candidates may decline nomination. After all candidates have been nominated and have accepted, chapter members vote. The candidate with the majority of votes is elected as that officer. The remaining officers are elected in the same manner in the following order: vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.
New officers should be installed in a special ceremony at a chapter meeting or a special dinner meeting.
FILLING VACANCIES
For any office that becomes vacant for any reason, the position will be immediately filled through the standard method of election. In the case of a vacancy in the office of president, the vice- president may fill that office if he or she so chooses. In this case, there would be an election for the vacant office of vice- president.
ARTICLE VIII -- SCHOLARSHIP NOMINATION PROCEDURES
The administration, faculty, and staff will be instructed to select two members from a list of senior candidates provided by the moderator. The two members receiving the most votes will have the option of accepting the nomination and applying for the scholarship. If a member turns down the nomination, it will then go to the member who received the next highest number of votes.
ARTICLE IX -- HONOR CODE
Cheating is defined as the giving or receiving of unauthorized aid. Plagiarism is defined as the stealing and using of the ideas or writings of another as one's own.
All students inducted into the St. Vincent de Paul chapter of the National Honor Society will abide by an honor code. This means that each member promises not to give or receive help or to plagiarize on ANY type of school assignment.
In addition, any member who has knowledge that another member has broken the honor code will be expected to disclose that information to the appropriate teacher as well as the moderator of NHS immediately. A member may protect their anonymity by disclosing the information to the moderator only.
Cheating and plagiarizing are serious offenses. Any student who is found to be guilty of either may be subject to immediate dismissal from the National Honor Society. Any student who is found to have knowledge of an honor code violation and did not disclose the information may also be subject to dismissal as a disciplinary action.
As members of the student body, National Honor Society members are subject to the school wide Honor Code. Membership in the National Honor Society is a privilege and a commitment to the highest standards of a nationwide organization dedicated to maintaining scholarship, service, and character. Any NHS member found to be in violation of the school Honor Code will then meet with the NHS Council for flagrant violation of school rules. Refer to Article XII and Article XIII for procedures.
ARTICLE X -- DESCRIPTION OF SELECTION AND NON-SELECTION PROCEDURES
A student's academic record is reviewed. Any sophomore, junior, or senior with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 is scholastically eligible for further consideration for selection to the NHS chapter. (Candidates should keep in mind that membership is never considered on the basis of scholarship alone as that is a violation of the national Constitution and could place a chapter's charter in jeopardy.)
Students who are eligible scholastically are notified in writing. This notification states that for further consideration for selection to the NHS chapter they must complete the Student Activity Information Form. It also states the manner in which this Student Activity Information Form should be completed. The notification also identifies the person(s) the students may go to for any additional information or help in filling out the form. The notification also suggests that all interested students participate in a short meeting (date, time, and place will be specified) clarifying all of the above and answering questions from candidates. This form must be completed by the specified date or the eligibility of that student is revoked.
If review of a candidate's Student Activity Form when received discloses that a candidate has failed to fill out the form correctly or completely, that candidate will not be allowed to resubmit their application.
After interested students have turned in the Student Activity Information Form, administration, faculty, and staff are invited to make written comments on candidates.
The Student Activity Information Form is reviewed by the NHS faculty council, along with other verifiable information about each candidate.
All candidates will be notified in writing of their selection or non-selection into NHS. Any candidate not selected will have the opportunity to meet with the moderator and/or faculty council chair to discuss ways of improving their application for the following year.
The only time the faculty council may reconvene to review a situation of non-selection is when it is believed that some kind of technical error has been made. Technical errors might include the inadvertent omission of a student's name from the list of those qualified for induction, the erroneous averaging of grades, or the like.
Candidates receiving a majority vote of the faculty council are eligible to be inducted into the chapter.
ARTICLE XI -- DESCRIPTION OF PERIODIC REVIEW OF MEMBERS
At least twice a year the faculty reviews the standing of members for compliance with society standards.
If a member is found to be errant in one or more of the four standards (scholarship, service, leadership, or character), the member may be subject to disciplinary action (see Article XII).
ARTICLE XII -- DESCRIPTION OF DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE
DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS WHO FAIL TO MAINTAIN NHS STANDARDS AND/OR HAVE AN UNSATISFACTORY PERIODIC REVIEW
Students are held accountable in maintaining the standards of NHS from the first calendar day of the regular school year until the last calendar day of the regular school year.
If it has been determined that a student has failed to maintain one or more of the four standards, or if after a periodic review a member is found to be errant in one or more of the standards (see Article XI), the moderator and faculty council chair will inform the errant member in writing of the nature of their violation and the date and time of the conference at which the student may present his or her explanation.
Depending on the nature of the violation, the conference may be only with the moderator and faculty chair, or it may be with the entire faculty council.
One to two days after the conference, the member will meet with the moderator and faculty chair. At this time the student may be given either a verbal warning or a written warning which notifies the member of the probation period given for improvement and the possible consequences for non-improvement.
At the end of the probation period stated in the written warning, that student may again be reviewed by the faculty to insure that no further violations have occurred.
At the end of the probation period, if no further violations have occurred, the member is again in good standing, however their written warning is kept on file.
If a member does not make the improvement in the specified time, that member is liable for whatever disciplinary measures are considered appropriate by the faculty council. This could include suspension of certain chapter privileges, a second written warning (with probation) to go on file, resignation, or dismissal (see Article XIII).
DISCIPLINE MEASURES FOR STUDENTS WHO FLAGRANTLY AND/OR CONSISTENTLY VIOLATE STANDARDS OF NHS
All members are liable for dismissal if they do not maintain the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character that were used as a basis for their selection.
Students are allowed limited warnings during their membership, but in the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, a warning is not necessarily required for dismissal.
ARTICLE XIII -- DESCRIPTION OF DISMISSAL PROCEDURE
If the faculty council believes that dismissal may be warranted, the council will thoroughly investigate before action is taken.
Members are notified in writing of the specifics of their flagrant or consistent violation in maintaining NHS standards and the possibility of dismissal. A hearing is then scheduled.
A parent/guardian may be present with the member but the primary focus of the hearing is to allow the member to present his or her case.
If a member is dismissed, written notice of the decision will be sent to the member, his or her parents, the assistant principal, and the principal.
The member must then surrender their NHS pin and membership card to the moderator. If a member is unwilling to do this, the matter will then be treated as a school disciplinary matter.
The dismissed member may appeal the dismissal (see Article XIV).
A student who is dismissed and whose appeal, if submitted, is denied, may never again become an Honor Society member.
ARTICLE XIV -- APPEALING A DISMISSAL
If a member chooses to appeal a dismissal, the member should first contact the assistant principal. He or she will thoroughly investigate the actions that resulted in the dismissal of the member and will confer with the moderator and the faculty council. The Principal of the school will then review the findings and hear the appeal. The Principal’s decision is final.
The National Council and the National Association of Secondary School Principals do not hear or make any decisions regarding appeals in dismissal cases.
During any appeal process, the member may not take part in any NHS activity nor is he or she allowed to wear the insignia, hood, or gold tassel (during graduation) indicating membership.
ARTICLE XV -- RESIGNATION
A student who resigns may never again become an Honor Society member.
ARTICLE XVI -- THE PRINCIPAL
The principal reserves the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
All bylaws are based upon information found in the National Honor Society Handbook 1992, revised edition.