Constitution

Article I
NAME AND PURPOSE

Section l.  The name of this chapter shall be the Annandale Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, which appears on the charter granted by the National Council of the National Honor Society duly signed by the National Secretary.

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 all students of the Annandale High School.

Article II
MEMBERSHIP

Section l.  Membership in this chapter is a honor bestowed upon a student.  Selection shall be based upon scholarship, service, leadership, and character.  Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

Section 2.  Membership of this chapter shall be known as active, inactive, or graduate.  The graduate members have no vote.  Active members become graduated members at graduation.

Section 3.  To be eligible for election to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period equivalent to one semester in this school.

Section 4.  Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be members of the sophomore, junior, or senior class.  Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum scholarship average of B+ (GPA 3.33), or its equivalent.  This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum scholastic level of achievement for admission to candidacy.  All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for election to membership.  Their eligibility shall then be considered on their service, leadership, and character.

Section 5.  A National Honor Society member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school's chapter.  Transfer members must meet the new champter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership.

Article III
SELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section l.  The election of members of this chapter of the National Honor Society shall be by a faculty council, consisting of five faculty members, who are chosen by the principal.  No members of the staff who have children in grades l0, ll, or l2 shall be a member on the selection committee.

Section 2.  Any member of the faculty may propose to the council the names of students eligible for membership in the chapter.

Article IV
DISMISSAL

Section l.  Any member who falls below the standards which were the basis of his election shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser.  If during the next regular marking period of the school, the member fails to meet the standards used as a basis for his election to the Society, his case shall be passed upon by the faculty council.  An exception shall be made to this procedure in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws.  A warning will not be given, but immediate action will be taken by the faculty council regarding the violation.

Section 2.  A member shall be dismissed if:  he falls below the Society's standards of scholarship, leadership, character, and service, which were the basis for his being chosen; he fails to participate in his chapter service project and/or to chose and participate in one of his own; he flagrantly violates any school rules or civic laws, for example, involvement in drinking, smoking, drugs, or any other serious violation.

Section 3.  In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the faculty council.

Section 4.  When  a member is dismissed, he must be notified in writing and his emblem-pin and membership card returned to the adviser or principal.  Notice of his dismissal must be indicated on the annual report submitted to the national secretary at the end of the school year.

Section 5.  A student who is dismissed or who resigns may never become an Honor Society member  again.

Article V
OFFICERS

Section l.  The officers of this chapter shall be president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.

Section 2.  A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter.

Section 3.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings of this chapter.

Section 4.  The vice-president shall fill the chair of the president in his absence.

Section 5.  The chapter secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings, a record of all business, and all records on file.  He shall, with the approval of the principal or adviser, certify to the national secretary of the National Council the names of all members for the current school year on the annual report submitted to national headquarters.

Section 6.  The treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds of the chapter and shall keep an accurate account of receipts and disbursements in accordance with school regulations.



Article VI
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section l.  The executive committee shall consist of five members of the faculty council, one faculty adviser, and the officers of the chapter.  One faculty member shall serve as the chapter adviser, representing the faculty at all meetings of the chapter.

Section 2.  The executive committee shall have general charge of the meetings and business of the chapter, but any action on the part of the executive committee may be subject to the review of the chapter.

Section 3.  All accounts of the treasurer must be audited annually by an auditing committee appointed by the executive committee of the chapter.

Article VII
SUPERVISION

Section l.  The activities of this chapter shall be subject to the approval of the principal.

Article VIII
MEETINGS

Section l.  The regular meetings of this chapter shall be held whenever deemed necessary during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and approved by the principal.

Section 2.  The officers of the chapter shall be elected at the end of each school year.

Section 3.  Special meetings, approved by the executive committee, may be called by the president.

Section 4.  All meetings shall be open meetings and shall be held under the guidance of the faculty adviser.

Section 5. This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised in all points not expressly provided for in the constitution of this chapter.

Article IX
ATTENDANCE

Section l.  All members shall be required to attend the set requirement of scheduled meetings and activities.

Section 2.  In the event of absence, the member shall have three days after his/her absence to justify himself/herself to the faculty adviser.

Section 3.  If a member has poor participation in National Honor Society sponsored activities and/or has poor attendance at meetings and/or has not completed an individual project, he/she shall be warned in writing.  If this shall continue, the member shall be declared inactive or no longer a member and not be allowed to wear the NHS sash or tassel at graduation. Active membership shall be based upon participation in school and community projects, completing an individual project and attendance at meetings unless otherwise excused. (See Attendance Amendments for details on requirements.)

Section 4.  If an inactive member decides to become active again, he/she can appear before the executive committee and if activeness has improved can once again become active at the committee's jurisdiction.

Article X
ACTIVITIES

Section l.  Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year.

Section 2.  All members shall regularly participate in these projects.

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 responsibility for choosing and participating in a service project which reflects his or her particular talents and interests.  This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.

Section 5.  Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive manner.

Article XI
EMBLEM-PIN

Section l.  Each member of this chapter shall be entitled to wear the emblem-pin adopted by the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools.

Section 2.  Any member who withdraws or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem-pin.  (See Article IV, Section 4)

Section 3.  Each member agrees that, whether the emblem-pin comes to him as a gift, a personal purchase, an award, or from whatever source, the title of the emblem-pin shall rest with the chapter of which he is a member.  The faculty council can, therefore, by a majority vote, request that any member return the emblem-pin.  In the case where the emblem-pin can be shown to have been a personal purchase of the member, the chapter shall reimburse the member the original cost of the emblem-pin upon its surrender.  Each member agrees that his acceptance of the emblem-pin shall be considered affirmation of this stipulation in regard to the title of the emblem-pin.

Section 4.  All insignia must be procured from the national secretary of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia  22091.

Article XII
DUES

The executive committee of the chapter shall decide upon whether dues shall be deemed necessary for each member.

Article XIII
AMENDMENTS

Section l.  This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter, provided that the proposed amendment has been approved by the executive committee of the chapter and that notice of members has been given at least one month prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted upon.

AMENDMENTS:  POST SECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS (PSEO) STUDENTS


Section l.  PSEO students may choose to remain active members by attending the required amount of meetings, participating in the required amount of chapter activities and by doing an individual service project.

Section 2.  PSEO students may be excused from projects that only occur during the AHS school day and that conflict with the post-secondary student's college classes. Classes, however, are not an excuse to miss meetings.

Section 3.  PSEO students who choose to remain active must give their contact address and phone number to the faculty adviser.

Section 4.  PSEO students who meet the criteria of an active member will graduate as a full member with both the gold tassel and NHS sash.

AMENDMENTS: ATTENDANCE


Section l. A member's status is either graduate, active, inactive, or no longer a member.

Section 2.In order to be an active member, the student must be attend at least 75% of meetings, attend at least 75% of NHS projects, and complete an individual project for each year of membership. Active members will receive the NHS sash and tassel to wear at graduation.

Section 3. In order to be an inactive member, the student must attend at least 50% of meetings, attend at least 50% of the NHS projects, and complete an individual project for each year of membership. Inactive members will only receive the tassel.

AMENDMENTS: COUNCIL ELECTIONS


Section l. In the result in a tie for council elections, the following will be used as a tie breaker. They are listed in the order that they will be considered. If more than two people are running for a position, only those who actually tied for the position will still be considered for the position. As soon as one of the steps has selected a winner, none of the following steps will be considered. Step 1: Check to make sure that all candidates who are tied are at active status in all categories. If a candidate has an area that is not at active status, the position will be given to the candidate who is at active status. Step 2: The seniors will vote. Step 3: The current NHS Council will vote.