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NHS By Laws

NHS Bylaws

NHS

Bylaws 2024-2025

 

Chapter Bylaws

of the

Sword and Shield Chapter

of the

National Honor Society

Adopted: 2024-2025

 

 

ARTICLE I:  NAME

 

The name of this chapter shall be the Sword and Shield Chapter of the National Honor Society of Upper Merion Area High School.

 

 

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Upper Merion Area High School.

 

 

ARTICLE III: POWERS

 

Section 1: This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the National Constitution of NHS. See www.nhs.us/constitutions. In addition, this chapter will maintain active affiliation with the national organization on an annual basis.

 

Section 2: This chapter will remain an active member of the state association by paying annual dues and participating in state functions when possible.

 

Section 3. The chapter advisers are given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

[*Note, this chapter maintains two co-sponsors, both of which operate as ex officio, non-voting members]

 

Section 4: Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal.

 

Section 5: Nondiscrimination. Our chapter of NHS maintains policies and practices that are designed to prevent discrimination against any qualified candidate or member on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members. 



ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1.  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 2.  Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and alumni.  Active members become alumni members at graduation. Alumni and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.

 

Section 3.  Eligibility:

a. Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be members of the sophomore, junior, or senior class.

b. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been enrolled for a period equivalent to one semester at Upper Merion Area High School.

c. Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be enrolled in a full academic schedule and shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

d. Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, and character.

 

ARTICLE V:  SELECTION OF MEMBERS 

 

Section 1.  The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council which consists of five faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter advisers* shall be the sixth, nonvoting, ex officio member of the faculty council. 

 

Section 2.  The selection of active members shall be held once a year during the first semester of the school year.  

 

Section 3.  Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:

  1. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.

  2. All students who are eligible scholastically (i.e., candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the Candidate Information Form for further consideration.

  3. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official input mechanisms provided by the chapter advisers*.

  4. The faculty council shall review the Candidate Information Form, faculty input, and other relevant information to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership. 

 

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

 

Section 5.  An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership upon request.

 

Section 6.  For an active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school, the faculty council shall grant to the transferring member one semester to attain the membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain their membership.

ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS 

 

Section 1.  Annual dues for this chapter shall be $25. 

 

Section 2.  Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society. A member in good standing is defined as:

  • meeting the GPA requirements (Article X, Section 2)

  • attending all meetings (Article VIII, Section 3)

  • paying dues (Article VI, Section 1)

  • completing and submitting verification of requisite service hours (Article IX)

  • complying with student code of conduct; no major violations resulting in an out-of-school suspension

 

Section 3.  Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter.

 

Section 4. Chapter members who are seniors in good standing shall be granted the privilege of wearing the honor stole at graduation.

 

 

ARTICLE VII:  OFFICERS

 

Section 1.  The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, and historian. 

 

Section 2.  Student officers shall be elected at the last meeting of each school year.  All returning junior members in good standing with the chapter are eligible to run for a position as an officer. Any active member can nominate an eligible member as a candidate for office.

 

Section 3.  Voting shall be by secret ballot. A plurality vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. If the first vote does not yield a plurality, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.  Graduating senior members are not eligible to vote.

 

Section 4.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings of the chapter, and serve as the official representative of the chapter at school and community functions.

 

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 and attendance records for meetings and be responsible for all official correspondence.

 

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

  

Section 8.  Officers and the faculty advisers* shall collectively be known as the chapter’s executive committee. The executive committee shall establish annual goals for the chapter and have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter, but any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members.

 

ARTICLE VIII:  MEETINGS

 

Section 1.  Regular meetings of this chapter shall be monthly. Special meetings can be called by the president with approval of the advisers*.

 

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

 

Section 3. Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings. If a member misses more than two (2) meetings during a school year, they will be required to complete one additional service hour for each subsequent meeting missed.

 

Section 4: Members are required to attend the Induction Ceremony.  Officers will additionally be required to attend Induction Ceremony practice.

 

ARTICLE IX:  SERVICE ACTIVITIES

 

Section 1.  The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year.

 

Section 2.  All members shall regularly participate in these projects. Newly inducted students are required to complete four (4) hours of service by the last day listed on the school calendar; sustaining underclassmen are required to complete ten (10) hours of service by the last day listed on the school calendar. Senior members -- newly inducted and sustaining -- are required to complete and submit their service hours by the last day of scheduled classes for seniors.  

 

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 opportunity to choose and participate in an individual service project which reflects their particular talents and interests and as approved by the chapter advisers*. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute. The chapter will work with students who have difficulty fulfilling hours.

 

Section 5.  The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner. 

 

Section 6.  No more than two hours of service completed for a different school organization will be counted towards the NHS service requirement. 

 

 

ARTICLE X:  DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL of MEMBERS

 

Section 1.  A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain their academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to their school and community. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, or character may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Sword and Shield chapter of the National Honor Society.  The faculty council may impose disciplinary sanctions.  Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, probation, additional service, apology letter, dismissal of a member as deemed appropriate. Members on probation would not have the privileges of membership - wearing graduation stoles, participating in Quiz Bowl, attending National Honor Society meetings or social events, running for office or removal from office.  Probation is not permanent, whereas dismissal is.  

 

Section 2.  If at any time, a member is not in good standing, as defined in Article VI, Section 2, they will be given a written warning and a reasonable time period for improvement. If the member is unable to attain good standing by the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the faculty council that includes consideration of dismissal from the chapter.

 

Section 3.  Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absences, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive written warning notification.  A conference may be requested by either party (faculty council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be considered for dismissal.

 

Section 4.  Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 5 below).  These violations include, but are not limited to: DWI, stealing, destruction of property, cheating, truancy, possession or use of weapons or simulated use of physical weapons at school or at school-related activities, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community.

 

Section 5.  Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the faculty council.

 

Section 6. In all cases of pending dismissal:

  1. The member will receive written notification from the advisers*/faculty council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.

  2. The member has the right to respond to the charge(s) against them at a hearing before the faculty council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present their defense either in person or via a written statement presented in lieu of the face-to-face hearing. Following the hearing, 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 presented to the principal for review, and then stated in a letter sent to the student and parents. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the advisers*.

  4. The faculty council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policies.

  5. A member who is dismissed or resigns may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society.

  

ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL, and REVIEW.

 

Section 1: These bylaws will be approved upon receiving a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members of the chapter, a majority affirmative vote of the faculty council, and approval by the administration.

 

Section 2: These bylaws shall be reviewed and if necessary, revised within five years from the date of approval noted on this document.

 

 

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

 

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles IV, V, and X, which are developed by the faculty council with the approval of the principal.

  

Approved: 2024-2025

 

Signatures

 

Stephanie Dell’Elmo, Co-Sponsor

 

Danielle Sabato, Co-Sponsor

 

Jonathan Bauer, Principal

 

Chloe Doan, President

 

Morgan Lawson Moll, Secretary