Sandra Day O'Connor National Honor Society By-Laws

  ARTICLE I
NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Sandra Day O'Connor Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools.

Section 2. The object 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 the members of our Sandra Day O'Connor Chapter.

ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active and graduate. Active members become graduate members at graduation. The graduate members have no vote.

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. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must be a student in the junior or senior class and must have been in attendance for a period of at least one semester at Sandra Day O'Connor High School. 

Section 4. Candidates eligible for selection to membership in this chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 90.0. All students who can rise in scholarship to or above this standard may be admitted to candidacy for selection to membership. Their eligibility shall then be considered on their service, leadership, and character. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain from candidacy to admission. 

Section 5. Membership dues shall be a $10.00 annual fee and shall be collected by a requested date from active members during Prep Days or the first meeting. From seniors inducted in the second semester, dues shall be collected by a requested date before the end of the second semester. 

ARTICLE III
SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. The final selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. The chapter adviser(s) shall be the sixth, non-voting, ex-officio member(s) of the Faculty council.

Section 2. Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:

a.         Students' academic records shall be reviewed to determine academic eligibility.

b.        Students who are eligible scholastically shall be notified and asked to complete the application for further consideration for selection.

c.         The faculty and administration shall be requested to comment on all candidates determined to be scholastically eligible.

d.        The application and faculty comments shall be reviewed by the Faculty Council.

Section 3. The selection of juniors for active membership shall be held once a year during the Spring semester of the school year.

Section 4. Eligible seniors may be admitted into NHS during the first semester of their senior year. They will be officially inducted during the formal ceremony provided they fulfill all responsibilities for NHS throughout the year.

a. Eligible seniors will be contacted in the fall. These seniors will be asked to complete the same requirements outlined in Article II. Induction for these seniors will be conducted in the Spring.

Section 5. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school shall be automatically accepted for membership to this chapter. This transfer member shall maintain the membership requirements for this chapter.

Section 6. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school shall be given a letter indicating the status of his/her membership, signed by the Principal and/or the faculty adviser(s), upon request.  

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS 

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

Section 2. Student officers shall be elected at the first meeting. All members are eligible to run for a position as an officer. The ballot shall consist of only those who have accepted the nomination and have been approved by the advisors.

Section 3. A majority vote and approval by faculty council and advisors 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 between the two top candidates based on plurality.

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings for this chapter, coordinate with the faculty adviser(s), attend to committee responsibilities, manage all NHS activities, and determine the outline of membership meetings.

Section 5. The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also coordinate the projects, make certain that the secretary gets all announcements, coordinate announcements for meetings and activities and conduct social activities for NHS.

Section 6. The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings, maintain records of attendance at general meetings and ensure they are correctly and promptly posted by the webmaster and correspond with members regarding status.

Section 7. The webmaster shall keep the web page current, including points, activities, events on campus, and future announcements.

Section 8. In addition to individual officer responsibilities, each officer shall assist in all activities, projects, records, communications and any other tasks the organization may need.

Section 9. In the case of an individual's unsatisfactory fulfillment of Officer duties:

a. All rules for general membership apply.

b. Evidence must be brought to the attention of one or both faculty advisers by another officer, a member, or any member of the O'Connor Faculty and Staff.

c. If significant evidence exists, as deemed by the faculty advisers, the faculty advisers may request a Letter of Resignation from Officer Duties upon presentation of evidence to the Officer in question.

d. The Officer may retain his/her membership status if he/she submits a valid Letter of Resignation from Officer Duties to the faculty advisers.

e. If the Officer chooses not to turn in a valid Letter of Resignation from Officer Duties and further problems arise, the faculty advisers can elect to dismiss the individual from his or her officer position. 

Section 10. If an Officer resigns from his/her officer duties or is dismissed from the organization, the remaining officers and the faculty advisers may elect to:

a.    appoint a current member in good standings to fill the vacant office

b.  disburses the duties of the office among the remaining Officers for the duration of the term of office. 

ARTICLE V
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the faculty adviser(s) and the chapter officers.

 ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings of this chapter shall be announced via the website and the school announcements.

ARTICLE VII
ACTIVITIES

Section 1. All members shall actively and regularly participate in the campus community projects.

Section 2. All campus community projects shall be approved by the faculty adviser(s).

Section 3. All active members shall be required to attain a total of 6 service points each semester.

a.    No rollover points, or points earned in the summer, will be recognized

b. Each member must attain at least 6 points per semester (3 Academic, 3 Campus)

c. 1 point shall equal 30 minutes

Section 4. Points shall be verifiable by a reliable second party (i.e. Other Officer, Faculty Adviser, Teacher, or Administrator).

ARTICLE VIII
DISMISSAL

Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, or service may be dismissed from the Sandra Day O'Connor Chapter of the National Honor Society.

Section 2. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community. Failing to turn in service point slips by the date requested are grounds for probation. If a student fails to meet probationary requirements by the date requested, he/she shall be dismissed from the chapter.

Section 3. Violation of any of the four expectations of NHS membership (Leadership, Scholarship, Service, and Character) may result in dismissal of a member. These cases shall be referred to a disciplinary committee comprised of the faculty council.

Section 4. Offenders of the school code of conduct (i.e. use of profanity, failure to comply, truancy, excessive tardiness, and all other offenses resulting in administrative referral etc.) shall receive written warning notification from NHS faculty advisors and/or committee. A conference may be requested by either party (Faculty Council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school code of conduct, the member may be dismissed.

Section 5. Dismissal procedures:

a.    The member shall receive written warning notification of the reason for possible dismissal from the adviser/Faculty Council. The member and adviser shall discuss the written notification in a conference. Conference must be within 3 days upon receipt of the letter.

b.    The member may appeal the dismissal and shall be offered a hearing with the Faculty Council (and Principal if necessary) prior to dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense. The Faculty Council shall then vote on whether to dismiss.

c.     A letter of dismissal shall be sent to the principal, student, and parents if the student is dismissed. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the faculty adviser(s).

d.    When a student is dismissed or resigns, he/she is no longer a member and may never again be a member in the National Honor Society of O'Connor High School.