Hudsonville Chapter By-Laws

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Article I

Selection of Members

Section 1. The selection process will conform to the national guidelines set forth by the governing body of the National Honor Society, the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Section 2. Membership in the National Honor Society is a privilege, not a right. Students are invited to apply for membership.

Section 3. Students must have been in attendance at the school for at least two trimesters to be considered for membership. Special circumstances will be considered on an individual basis.

Section 4. Students must be sophomores or juniors.

Section 5. Cumulative GPA is used to determine scholastic eligibility and all classes will have the same GPA requirement. National minimum GPA requirement of 3.250 on a 4-point scale will be used.

Section 6. There will be no limit on membership and no quota system will be used.

Section 7. Students will receive written notification in the spring that they are academically qualified for membership. Students qualified will be responsible for obtaining and completing the required "NHS Application" and submitting said form by date specified.

Section 8. Selection to NHS is not based solely on academics. The components of leadership, character and service, included on the "NHS Application," are all evaluated equally with the academics to obtain the most well-rounded student for membership.

Section 9. Submitted "NHS Application" will be evaluated by the Faculty Council.

Section 10. The selection committee, Faculty Council, is composed of five members representing the core classes. Each faculty member evaluates the candidates on the information provided using the criteria specified (leadership, character, and service) in the NASSP guidelines. At the spring meeting of the Faculty Council, all candidates are discussed and voted on. A majority vote is required for admission to the National Honor Society.

Section 11. Building principal and assistant principal along with NHS advisors can not be voting members of the faculty council.

Section 12. Students who have been selected for membership will be notified in writing of their selection.

Section 13. Selected students will be required to sign a "NHS Contract" before being admitted to the NHS. This "NHS Contract" indicates that the potential member has read and accepts the duties, responsibilities and requirements set forth in the by-laws and constitution of the Hudsonville High School chapter of the National Honor Society.

Article II

Election of Officers

Section 1. Anyone who wishes to be an officer must write an essay telling why he/she feels he/she should be in that position.

Section 2. The vice-president will take the place of the president in the following school year.

Section 3. The president will be a senior.

Section 4. Sophomores and juniors can apply for secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian, and only sophomores can apply for vice-president.

Section 5. All sophomore and junior members will vote on the officers.

Section 6. Voting for officers will take place in April.

Article III

Duties Of Officers

Section 1. President
The president shall call all meetings and determine the agenda to be followed.

Section 2. Vice-president
The vice-president shall assume the responsibilities of the president in his/her absence. The vice-president will count and record service hours. In the school year following his/her election, the vice-president shall assume the title and role of president. 

Section 3. Parliamentarian
The parliamentarian shall assume the responsibilities of the vice-president in his/her absence. The parliamentarian will assist the vice-president in counting service hours.

Section 4. Secretary
The secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence of the chapter.

Section 5. Treasurer
The treasurer will be responsible for keeping track of all finances for this chapter.

Article IV

Meetings

Section 1. The Hudsonville chapter will meet once a month.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the executive board which includes the four officers of the chapter.

Section 3. The time and place for the meeting will be determined by the executive board.

Article V

Maintaining Membership

Section 1. All members must maintain a minimum 3.250 cumulative grade point average.

Section 2. Each member must participate in at least three chapter annual service projects. The members will be responsible for organizing and carrying out all activities related to the projects including (but not limited to) organizational meetings, work sessions, and any other involvement outside the monthly membership meetings necessary to the completion of each project.

Section 3. Each member must be involved in some community service: seven hours in school and seven hours in the Greater Grand Rapids Area. Guidelines for service hours will be determined by the executive board and the advisors.

Community service hour that are required for other organizations MAY NOT be counted toward required hours for The National Honor Society.

Service hours MUST be turned in the monthly meeting immediately following the date of service to be counted.

Section 5. Each member will provide written proof of participation and service by the deadline determined by the executive board.

Section 6. Each member will attend all scheduled monthly meetings.

Section 7. All members will be expected to set a positive example for all other students.

Section 8. Substitutions between areas mentioned above will be allowed at the discretion of the executive board and the advisors.

Article VI

Dismissal Of Members

Section 1. Meeting attendance is the member's responsibility. Regular attendance at monthly meetings is mandatory. Attendance reminders will not be issued. Members cannot have more than one absence from meetings. Each absence will result in two additional service hours, one community service hour and one school service hour. The second unexcused absence will result in a hearing to determine a member's status. The recommended course of discipline will be dismissal. A tardy of more than ten minutes will be considered an absence. Two tardies (of less than 10 minutes each) will be recorded as an absence.

Section 2. Event attendance is the member's responsibility for the events that they have volunteered for. Event attendance is mandatory for those that have signed up and for all chapter projects. Members cannot have more than one absence from events. The first absence will result in the automatic addition of two service hours, one community service and one school service hour. The second absence will result in a hearing to determine the member's status. The recommended course of discipline will be dismissal.

Section 3. Any violation of school rules that leads to suspension results in a hearing to determine the member's status. The recommended course of discipline will be dismissal.

Section 4. Members are expected to report other members who are violating the rules.

Section 5. Violators will be reported to the advisor(s) or administration.

Section 6. Members get one warning for dropping below the expected grade point average, and will have the following nine weeks to get grades back up. If grades do meet the minimum grade point average, the member will be subject to dismissal.

Section 7. More than one warning will lead to dismissal.

Section 8. All dismissals will be handled by the advisors and will be done in writing.

Section 9. All discipline of members will be reviewed by the executive board prior to faculty committee hearings.