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-476249114300WILLIAMSTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL16478251628775NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETYBY-LAWS Chapter By-Laws of the Lenape Chapter of the National Junior Honor SocietyAdopted: SEPTEMBER 2018ARTICLE I: NAMEThe name of this chapter shall be the Lenape Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society of Williamstown Middle School.ARTICLE II: PURPOSEThe purpose of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership and citizenship, and to encourage the development of character in students of Williamstown Middle School.ARTICLE III: POWERSSection 1. This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the NJHS National Constitution.Section 2. The chapter adviser(s) is given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.Section 3. Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal.Section 4. Our chapter of NJHS 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, sex, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to the practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members. ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIPSection 1. Membership in this chapter is an honor not a right bestowed upon deserving students by the faculty and shall be based on the criteria of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Citizenship, and Character.Section 2. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and alumni. Active members become alumni members at graduation. Honorary members are selected at the discretion of the Faculty Council. 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 in the second semester of seventh or eighth grade.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 Williamstown Middle School.c. Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 93 from sixth grade forward.d. Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, citizenship, and character. Once selected, members have a responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities. e.The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to students with disabilities, or foreign exchange students in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary members do not attend meetings/events nor do they have a voice or vote in chapter affairs.f.Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for NJHS membership or its benefits. But will have the opportunity to apply for NHS in their junior year of high school if they meet the requirements for that school. ARTICLE V: SELECTION OF MEMBERSSection 1. The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council which consists of five anonymous faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter advisers shall be the sixth and seventh, non-voting members of the Faculty Council.Section 2. The selection of members shall be held once a year during the second semester of the school year.Section 3. Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:a. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.b. All students who are eligible scholastically shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the Student Information Packet for further consideration.c. The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter advisers.d. The Faculty Council shall review the Student Information Packets anonymously, including faculty recommendations, discipline records, school activity involvement, attendance records, and essays to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership.E.A student must receive three out of five yes votes by the Faculty Council to attain membership in the chapter. Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony. Section 5. An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership upon written request to the chapter advisers.Section 6. An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers to this school during his/her seventh or eighth grade year will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The Faculty Council shall grant 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 his/her membership.Section 7. A student who is not selected for NJHS may appeal the decision of the faculty council within one week of receipt of the notification letter. The student will consult with the advisers to discuss if there was a procedural error by the Faculty Council. Students cannot appeal the decision simply because they received a no vote. The appeal must be based on a technical or procedural error. If the adviser and student agree there was a procedural error that the student can appeal he/she will be provided with an NJHS appeal form and the appeal process will then be followed. The student will respond to the committee in his/her own handwriting why they believe they should be selected. The student has no more than three school days to submit the appeal form to the Faculty Council via the advisers. The form is to be handed in directly to the NJHS advisers. The form cannot be emailed or left in the advisers’ box. The form must be received by 8:20 am on or before the third day allotted. Upon receipt of the NJHS Appeal Form the advisers will submit the NJHS Appeal Form to the Faculty Council along with the original student information packet for reconsideration. If the Faculty Council still denies the student’s membership he/she can further appeal to the school principal. Should the principal deny the membership the final appeal is to the Superintendent of Schools. ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSSection 1. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be granted the privilege to wear the emblem adopted by the National Junior Honor Society.Section 2. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall have the privilege of wearing the emblem of the chapter revoked, and must return their certificate, membership card, and any other paraphernalia to the chapter advisers within five school days. Members who fail to do so will receive further disciplinary consequences from the grade-level vice principal for insubordination. Section 3. Members are required to retain membership in at least one school based activity, club, or sport in addition to their membership in NJHS. Section 4. Members are required to perform a minimum of six hours of community service per marking period and the summer months. Students are responsible for logging their hours and handing it to the Vice President by the required deadlines set by the executive committee at the end of each marking period. ARTICLE VII: OFFICERSSection 1. The officers of this chapter shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Public Relations.Section 2. Student officers will be elected at the last meeting of the school year or the first meeting of the eighth grade year. All members in good standing are eligible to run for a position as an officer. Prior to the election meeting the advisers will supply the membership with a handout describing each officers responsibilities and a timeline for the election procedures. Each candidate is to submit a speech to the advisers by the deadline provided at the May meeting. Section 3. Voting shall be by secret ballot. A majority vote shall be necessary to elect any officer. Students must present at the meeting to vote. In the case of a tie where only two people are running the outgoing officers will vote to break the tie. In the case of more than two people running, there will be a revote only between the two tied candidates. Students may only vote for those students who were tied. 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 minutes and attendance records for meetings.Section 7. The treasurer shall keep the business records of the chapter.Section 8. The historian shall keep a record of the chapter activities.Section 9. The public relations officer shall be responsible for conveying the activities of the chapter to the school and community. The public relations officer is expected to be a member of the school newspaper. Section 10. 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 business of the chapter. Any action by the executive committee is subject to review of the chapter members.Section 11. Campaign rules No campaign promises such as, “Pajama Day if I win.”Posters made be made but must be approved by Mrs. Mericle, Mrs. Monahan and Mrs. Morris before they are displayed. Posters may be only hung in the cafeterias and hallways. Posters must be removed the day after the elections. No posters on locker doors.Candy is allowed to be given out to support your campaign.All candidates must run a positive campaign. Keep in mind the RISE expectations when running. All candidates must follow the procedural directions given by the advisers prior to the election meeting in order to be eligible to run. Section 12. Vacancy If an officer is not fulfilling his/her duties, the advisers will provide a written warning to the officer listing their concerns and ways to improve. The officer will have one month to improve his/her performance. If he/she does improve the student will be removed from office.If an officer is removed, dismissed, or transfers to a different school and the vacancy needs to be filled a new officer will be appointed by the executive committee except in the case of the president which is automatically filled by the vice president. ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGSSection 1. Regular meetings of this chapter shall be conducted monthly. Special meetings can be called by the president with the approval of the advisers.Section 2. Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings. One absence is permitted per year.Section 3. In order to conduct business a quorum of 50 % of the membership must be present to conduct business. However, for elections this number will apply to the 7th grade membership and not include the eighth grade membership. ARTICLE IX: ACTIVITIESSection 1. The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for the 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. The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner.ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL of MEMBERSSection 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship, or service may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Lenape Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. A member is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership in his/her school and community.Section 2. If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected, 93, he/she will be given a written warning and will have one marking period to meet the standard. If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the next marking period, the student will be subject to dismissal from the chapter.Section 3. Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of the member. These violations include, but are not limited to stealing, destruction of property, cheating, truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities.Section 4. Offenders of the school conduct code (such as the 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 faces dismissal.Section 5. 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 pending dismissal:a. The member shall receive written notification from the adviser/Faculty Council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.b. The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charges against him/her in a hearing prior to dismissal. The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or via a written statement. Following the hearing, the Faculty Council will vote on whether to dismiss.c. 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.d. The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policy.e. A member who is dismissed or resigns, may never again be considered for membership in the National Junior Honor Society.Section 7. In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL, and REVIEWSection 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: AMENDMENTSThese bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members for at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Article V and X, which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal. ................
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