Constitution and Bylaws
Of the
Mount Clemens High School
National Honor Society
Constitution
Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the National Honor Society, Mount Clemens High School Chapter.
Article II – Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to simulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of Mount Clemens High School .
Article III – Principal
Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The principal shall annually appoint a chapter advisor, who may serve consecutive terms.
Article IV – The Chapter Adviser
Section 1. The chapter advisor shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and as a liaison between faculty, administration, students, and community.
Section 2. The chapter advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions. The chapter advisor shall send the annual report to the national office.
Section 3. The chapter advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations.
Section 4. The chapter advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Article V – Faculty Council
Section 1. The faculty council shall consist of five faculty members appointed annually by the principal.
Section 2. The term of the faculty council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms.
Section 3. The Chapter advisor shall be an ex-officio member of the faculty council.
Section 4. The faculty council shall meet at least once a year to select members and consider dismissal, non selection, and warning cases.
Article VI – Membership
Section 1. The members of this organization shall consist of juniors and seniors selected by the faculty council. Membership is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. (Criteria may be established to admit sophomores during the second semester at a later date.)
Section 2. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a faculty council.
Section 3. Membership shall be known as active and graduate. Active members shall become graduate members at graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 4. The faculty council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS advisors, or citizens in recognition of outstanding service rendered the school in keeping with the purpose of
National Honor Society.
Section 5. New members shall be inducted at a special service.
Section 6. Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by the chapter to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program.
Section 7. A National Honor Society member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor to the Mount Clemens High School advisor shall be accepted automatically as a NHS member. Transfer students must meet the chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 8. Members who reign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits
Article VII – Selection of Members
Section 1. To be eligible for membership a candidate must be a member of the junior or senior class. Candidates must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester.
Section 2. Candidate must have a cumulative scholastic average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, scholarship, and character.
Section 3. The selection of members to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council.
Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication which is widely available to all students and parents in the school. The selection procedure shall be determined by the faculty council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society.
Article VIII – Dismissal
Section 1. The procedure for dismissal shall be determined by the faculty council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society
Section 2. Members who fall below the standards which were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in a case of flagrant violation of school rules or civic laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned.
Section 3. The faculty council should determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings
Section 4. In all cases of impending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the faculty council.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the faculty council under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district.
Section 6. The National Council and NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.
Article IX – Officers
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian.
Section 2. A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer.
Section 3. New officers shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer.
Article X – Executive Committee
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter advisor.
Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its business meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership.
Section 3. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activates and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
Article XI – Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held once a month.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Chapters shall conduct all meetings according to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised in all points not expressly provided for in the national constitution of the chapter constitution and bylaws.
Section 4. In order to be excused from a meeting, a member must be cleared with the chapter advisor.
Section 5. The Society advisor must be present at all meetings.
Article XII – 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.
Section 3. These projects shall have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community: have the support of the administration and faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; and be well planned, organized, and executed.
Section 4. Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participation 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. The chapter shall publicize its project in a positive manner.
Section 6. Each member will perform 25 hours of community service each year. Fifteen hours during the semester and ten hours during the spring semester. All 25 hours can be completed during the fall semester
Article XIII – Official Insignia
Section 1. This organization shall use the official emblem selected by the National Council.
Section 2. Each active, graduate, or honorary member shall be entitled to wear this emblem
Section 3. Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall return the emblem to the chapter adviser.
Section 4. The motto of the National Honor Society shall be Noblesse Oblige.
Section 5. The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue and gold.
Article XIV – Resignations
Section 1. In the event of the President's resignation, the Vice President shall become President
Section 2. In the event of an empty office, those present at a regular meeting shall elect a new officer. An attempt will be made to notify the students that an election will take place.
Article XV – Amendments
The Constitution may be amended by two-thirds majority of the members present at a regular meeting provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been presented at a previous meeting. Amendments must be consistent with the National Constitution
Bylaws
Article I – Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall
• Preside at all general meetings.
• Inform the advisor of all general meetings.
• Ensure that the organization is conducted in accordance wit the Constitution and Bylaws.
• Appoint chairpersons of temporary committees.
• Oversee all committees and officers.
• Write and deliver a speech at the formal initiation of new members.
• Be responsible for the formal initiation.
• Be responsible for holding a chair on the Student Assembly and maintaining good attendance.
Section 2. The Vice President shall
• In the absence of the President, preside at the regular meeting.
• Be responsible for all cultural activities of the club.
• Be responsible for the informal initiation of new members
• Write and deliver a speech at the formal initiation of new members.
Section 3. The Secretary shall
• Record the minutes of all regular meetings and present them in writing and orally for approval at the following meeting.
• Record attendance at all regular meetings and activities.
• Read aloud at regular meetings all correspondence.
• Make and distribute an updated phone list each semester.
• Be responsible for all PA announcements.
• Write and deliver a speech at the formal initiation of new members.
• Publicize chapter activities in a positive manner.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall
• Act as a liaison between the chapter and the MCHS accounting office.
• Keep a record of all expenditures and receipts.
• Present a monthly report during the regular meeting.
• Complete, turn in, pick up, and return all forms for the purchasing of orders.
• Be responsible for all chapter fund raising activities
• Write and deliver a speech at the formal initiation of new members.
• Be responsible for the Invitation Ceremony refreshments / food.
Section 5. The Historian shall
• Be responsible for keeping a visual record of all chapter activities.
• Be responsible for the chapter album.
• Be responsible for chapter social activities.
• Write and deliver a speech at the formal initiation of new members.
• Be responsible for the tapping ceremony.
Article II – Elections
Section 1. Only members in good standing are eligible for election as chapter officers. Class Presidents, Student Assembly President, and other agreed upon major officers are not eligible for chapter election as officers.
Section 2. Nominations will be taken from the floor. Absent members may have their name placed in nomination by indication their desire to run for a particular office in writing to the advisor prior to the election meeting.
Section 3. A quorum must be present. Election is by majority vote.
Section 4. The election meeting must be announced
Section 5. The election shall take place during May. If this becomes not practicable then the election shall take place during the first regular meeting in September
Article III – Dues
Section 1. Dues are five dollars ($5.00) per year.
Article IV – Treasury
Section 1. At least one hundred dollars ($100.00) should be left in the treasury from one year to the next
Article V – NHS Scholarship Nomination
Section 1. All seniors interested in the NHS program will submit a letter of interest to the Society advisor.
Section 2. The faculty council shall select two candidates based on the information in the submitted letters to represent MCHS in the contest for a national NHS scholarship.
Article VI – Member Obligation
Section 1. Attendance at regular meetings shall be expected. Three consecutive absences shall result in a warning letter. On the fifth consecutive absence the student shall be barred participation in chapter activities. Attendance starts a new each year.
Section 2. Members shall be expected to participate in at lease one-half of the chapter products.
Section 3. In extreme cases, exception shall be presented to the advisor.