ARTICLE I
Name and Purpose Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National 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, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. Section 3: The NHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA, 20191. ARTICLE II Membership Section 1: Membership in the Dorothy Norman Chapter of National Honor Society is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on scholarship, character, leadership, and service as specified in the Bylaws. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service and character. Section 2: The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS sponsors, or citizens in recognition of outstanding service rendered the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Honor Society. Section 3: Membership shall be known as active, honorary and graduate. Active members shall become graduate members at graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs. Section 4: New members shall be inducted at a special ceremony. Section 5: Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by the chapters to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program. Section 6: A National Honor Society member who transfers to Ava High School and brings a letter from the former principal or a chapter adviser signifying they left in good standing shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school's chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership. Section 7: Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits. ARTICLE III The Principal Section 1: The principal of Ava High School shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter. Section 2: The principal shall annually appoint a chapter adviser, who may serve consecutive terms. Section 3: The principal shall annually appoint a faculty council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms. ARTICLE IV Chapter Adviser(s) Section 1: The chapter adviser(s) shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, and community. Section 2: The chapter adviser(s) shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions. The chapter adviser(s) shall send the annual activity report to the national office. Section 3: The chapter adviser(s) shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations. Section 4: The chapter adviser(s) shall help the officers understand and carry out their duties. ARTICLE V Faculty Council Section 1: The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal of Ava High School. Section 2: The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms. Section 3: The faculty council shall meet at least once a year to select members and to consider, dismissal, nonselection and warning cases. Section 4: The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio member of the Faculty Council. ARTICLE VI Chapter Officers Section 1: The officers of the Dorothy Norman Chapter of National Honor Society, 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, and described in the chapter bylaws. Section 2: A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect any chapter officer. Section 3: New officers shall be installed at a special ceremony. ARTICLE VII Removal of Officers Section 1: An officer may be removed from his/her office when he/she are unable to fulfill his/her duties or he/she continuously fails to satisfactorily fulfill his/her duties a. Adviser(s) will evaluate officers twice a year to determine the efficiency of each officer. If an officer receives one evaluation that is unsatisfactory, he/she will be put on probation. If an officer does not improve in a timely fashion, he/she will be removed from office. This process will be repeated on the second evaluation. Section 2: An officer may be removed after a vote by the faculty council Section 3: An officer has the right to plead his/her case at a faculty council meeting. Section 4: Officer evaluations can be instituted upon request to the adviser(s) by other officers. It is at the discretion of the adviser as to whether there should be an evaluation. Section 5: Members of NHS may bring a concern about officers to the adviser(s) that might result in an evaluation of an officer. |
ARTICLE VIII
Appointment of Vacated Offices Section 1: If an office becomes vacant by resignation/removal of an officer or creation of that office then the executive board and adviser(s) shall select a candidate to fulfill that office. Section 2: The member selected to fill the position shall then be brought before a vote of the general assembly of membership at the next general meeting. Section 3: If the candidate is approved by a majority of the active members present at a general meeting, then he/she shall assume that office. Section 4: If he/she is not approved, the executive board and adviser(s) will select another candidate for the office and continue this process until the office has been filled. Section 5: The person who assumes a vacated office shall be in that office until the next election of officers or his/her resignation. ARTICLE IX Executive Committee Section 1: The executive committee of the Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National Honor Society shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter adviser(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 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 activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations. ARTICLE X Meetings Section 1: Regular meetings of the Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National Honor Society shall held at such times and places as shall be designated in the bylaws. Section 2: Special meetings may be called by the chapter president after approval the executive committee. ARTICLE XI Activities Section 1: The Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National Honor Society shall determine one or more service projects for each year. Section 2: All members shall regularly participate in these projects. Section 3: The service 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 that reflects his or her particular talents and interests. Each member must complete twenty-for hours of community service each year. 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 XII Official Insignia Section 1: The official insignia of the Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National Honor Society shall be the emblem of the national organization. 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, the French Phrase meaning "nobility obligates." Section 5: The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue & gold. ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS Section 1: This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the membership. Section 2: No part of this constitution may be contrary to the constitution of the national organization ARTICLE XIV BYLAWS Section 1: The Dorothy Norman Chapter of the National Honor Society shall write bylaws to amplify sections of this constitution and to clarify operating procedures of the chapter. |