ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Weedsport Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.
Section 2: The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, to develop character, and to encourage good citizenship in the students of secondary schools.
Section 3: NJHS is a program of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1537, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit association.
ARTICLE II: THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
Section 1: The control of this organization shall be vested in the NASSP Board of Directors.
Section 2: There shall be a National Council to advise the NASSP Board of Directions regarding NJHS and its policies and procedures.
Section 3: The National Council shall consist of eleven members appointed by the Board of Directors of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, one representative chosen from each of the NASSP administrative regions, two at-large principals or assistant principals (from any region), and the NJHS Representative, a chapter advisor(s)(s) from a middle school level. Regional representatives shall alternate terms between principals and advisers according to the schedule developed by the national office. The executive director of NASSP shall be an ex-officio member of the National Council. The NASSP director of student activities shall be an ex-officio member and shall serve as secretary of the National Council.
Section 4: Members shall be appointed for a term of no more than three years.
Section 5: A simple majority of members shall constitute a quorum of the National Council.
ARTICLE III: STATE ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1: Local chapters may choose to organize state associations.
Section 2: Any state association of National Junior Honor Society chapters shall conform to this constitution and shall work with NASSP in furthering the purposes of this organization.
Section 3: All state associations shall be affiliated with the National Junior Honor Society.
Section 4: The state affiliate shall not serve as an appeal board for local chapter non-selection or dismissal cases.
Section 5: Bylaws of the state associations must be approved by the NASSP and must be consistent with the NJHS Constitution.
ARTICLE IV: LOCAL CHAPTERS
Section 1: Any secondary public school is eligible to apply for a charter for a local chapter. Nonpublic secondary schools accredited or approved by state departments of education or by accrediting agencies approved by NASSP are eligible to apply for a charter for a local chapter. Each school shall have its own chapter except in cases where a school’s size precludes the formation of a full faculty council. In such cases, a chapter can be shared as long as all other constitutional requirements can be met. A middle level unit in the same building with a high school unit (e.g. in a K-12 school) will be appropriate cause for two separate chapters (one for the National Junior Honor Society and one for the National Honor Society).
Section 2: Each chapter shall pay a chartering fee determined by the NASSP Board of Directors.
Section 3: Each school with a chapter shall pay an annual affiliation fee approved by the NASSP Board of Directors.
Section 4: The annual individual member dues paid to a chapter or state affiliate, if any, shall not exceed twenty dollars inclusively. The exact amount shall be determined by the executive committee of the chapter and shall be subject to the approval of the chapter membership.
Section 5: Duly chartered local chapters shall conform to this constitution as set forth by the NASSP Board of Directors. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the charter.
ARTICLE V: THE 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 member of the faculty for board approval as chapter advisor(s) who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 3: The principal shall annually recommend for appointment a faculty council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.
Section 4: The principal shall receive appeals in cases of non-selection of candidates and the disciplining or dismissal of members.
ARTICLE VI: THE CHAPTER ADVISOR
Section 1: The chapter advisor(s) shall be responsible for the direct, day to day supervision of the chapter and act as a liaison between faculty, administration, students and the community.
Section 2: The chapter advisor(s) shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions.
Section 3: The chapter advisor(s) shall regularly review the standing of each member for compliance with the rules.
Section 4: The chapter advisor(s) shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section 5: The chapter advisor(s) shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the faculty council.
Section 6: The chapter advisor(s) shall be a member of the faculty appointed annually by the Board of Education and may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE VII: FACULTY COUNCIL
Section 1: The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting members appointed annually by the principal. The chapter advisor(s) shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the faculty council. No principal or assistant principal may be included on the faculty council.
Section 2: The term for the members of the faculty council shall be one year. Members may be appointed consecutive terms.
Section 3: The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members and to consider the non-selection, as well as, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases.
Section 4: The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with the Constitution and NJHS policies.
ARTICLE VIII: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership is open to any 8th grade or 9th grade student who meets the annually published criteria for scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship. A Faculty
Council will select the members based on the above criteria. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2: The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisors, adults, students with disabilities, or foreign exchange students in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding services rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 3: Candidates become members when inducted at the Induction Ceremony and will continue through December of the sophomore year.
Section 4: A National Junior Honor Society member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter sponsor to the new school’s chapter sponsor shall be accepted automatically as a member of the Weedsport Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. Transfer members must meet the Weedsport chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 5: Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Section 6: Members must maintain an 89.5 average each marking period and continue to consistently demonstrate the qualities for scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.
Section 7: Inductees begin their service hours as soon as they are officially inducted into the Weedsport Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society of the Secondary School.
Section 8: Members are required to attend all National Junior Honor Society meetings and events unless there is prior notice with a written excuse from a parent, coach, or teacher. Failure to meet these requirements are subject to membership review by the Faculty Council, with termination possible.
Section 9: Members are required to complete a minimum of five community service hours, outside of school, each year. At the end of each year, members are to have their community service sheets signed by the person in charge of their volunteer hours and handed in to the chapter advisor(s) on or before the assigned date. Failure to meet these requirements are subject to membership review by the Faculty Council, with termination possible.
ARTICLE IX: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1: To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of the 8th grade or 9th grade class. Candidates must have been in attendance at Weedsport the equivalent of one semester.
Section 2: Candidates must have a cumulative scholastic grade point average of 89.5 or more over the previous 6 marking periods. Candidates are then evaluated on the basis of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.
Section 3: The selection process of each member to the chapter shall be by the majority vote of the Faculty Council. Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter advisor(s) shall review with the principal the results of the Faculty Council’s deliberations.
Section 4: A description of the selection process shall be published in an official school publication which is widely available to all students and parents of the school. The selection procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of NJHS.
Section 5: NASSP shall not review the judgment of the Faculty Council regarding selection of individual members to local chapters.
ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE/DISMISSAL
Section 1: The Faculty Council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Junior Honor Society shall determine the procedure for dismissal. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available to interested parties.4
Section 2: Members who fall below the standards for membership, such as compliance with school rules, shall be promptly notified by the chapter advisor(s) or the school principal that the situation will/may be reviewed by the Faculty Council for consideration for disciplinary action. The member may be given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency. In the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, a member does not necessarily have to be warned and may be recommended for dismissal.
Section 3: The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.
Section 4: In all cases that may result in probation or dismissal, a member shall have the right to a hearing before the Faculty Council.
Section 5: For the purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required.
Section 6: A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council to the principal.
Section 7: If a member’s marking period average falls below the local chapter standard for a marking period, he/she, will be given a written warning and time period for improvement equal to one marking period. If the member’s marking period average remains below the local chapter’s standard at the end of the probationary period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the faculty council that may include dismissal from the chapter, or a ten week extension of the probationary period. If a member is placed on probation a second time during the school year, the member is subject to dismissal. The member also has the right to resign prior to the dismissal.
Section 8: NASSP shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases.
Article XI: CHAPTER OFFICERS
Section 1: The officers of the chapter, their duties, and the method of their election shall be determined by the members of the chapter, approved by the Faculty Council and the principal. Students will be nominated for the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Whomever receives the majority vote of the members of the Weedsport Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society will be the officers until the next election. Officers may be appointed consecutive terms. The duties of each officer position is listed below:
a) President: The president shall be in charge of running membership meetings, oversee the other officers, help the chapter advisor(s) plan events, and act as a liaison between students and advisors.
b) Vice-President: The Vice-President shall step up if the President is unable to do the above outlined duties, as well as, help the President call meetings to order / close, and help organize meetings.
c) Secretary: The secretary will will make the posters/advertisements for NJHS activities and events. The secretary will also be in charge of taking attendance and meeting minutes.
d) Treasurer: The treasurer will be in charge of all the monies used and received as well as sign off on all purchases made by NJHS
Section 2: New officers shall be installed during the last National Junior Honor Society meeting of the year.
Article XII: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1: The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter advisor(s).
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 duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to review of the chapter membership.
Section 3: The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
Article XIII: FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS
Section 1: The academic school year meeting schedule shall be determined by the chapter advisor(s) and officers.
Section 2: Meetings will be held at least once a marking period.
Section 3: Members are expected to make a good faith effort to participate in all National Junior Honor Society meetings and projects each year unless there is prior notice with a written excuse from a parent, coach, or teacher. Failure to meet these requirements are subject to membership review by the Faculty Council, with termination possible.
Article XIV: ACTIVITIES
Section 1: Each 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 the need within the school community; have the support of the administration and the faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; be well-planned, organized, and executed.
Section 4: Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interest. 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.
Notes:
1. Article VIII, Section 5: Resignation or dismissal from NJHS has no bearing on future consideration for membership in NHS in high school.
2. Article IX, Section 1: Some candidates may be eligible for induction because of the semester ruling. Many students, including students of military parents, are required to move with parents or guardians that have transferred in their work. The present school principal should seek a recommendation from the previous school principal pursuant to the candidate’s selection. On the basis of the recommendation of the previous principal, the Faculty Council may waive the semester regulation.
3. Article IX, Section 2: Local chapters may raise the cumulative GPA standard above the national minimum, or increase standards for the remaining selection criteria, apply them fairly and consistently, and include these standards in their locally published selection procedures.
4. Article X, Section 1: To maintain compliance, all local procedures must conform to the full provisions of this article. Faculty Councils can consider disciplinary actions that are less severe than dismissal if circumstances warrant.