By-Laws

Chapter Bylaws Of the Casa Verde High School Chapter Of the National Honor Society Adopted: March 8, 2012 ARTICLE I: NAME The name of this chapter shall be the (#753650) Chapter of the National Honor Society of Casa Verde High School. ARTICLE II: PURPOSE The purpose of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Casa Verde High School. ARTICLE III: POWERS Section 1: This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the National Constitution of NHS. See __www.nhs.us/constitutions__. Section 2. The chapter adviser is given the full 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. (For reference, see Article V, Section 1 of the National Constitution.]) Section 4: Our chapter of NHS 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 (gender), sexual orientation, and disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Membership in this chapter is an honor bestowed upon deserving students by the faculty and shall be based on the criteria of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. Section 2. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and graduate. Active members become graduate members at graduation. Graduate and honorary members have no voice or vote in chapter affairs. Section 3. Eligibility: a. Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be members of the __sophomore, junior, or senior class.__ b. To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been enrolled for a period equivalent to two consecutive semesters at Casa Verde High School. c. Candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a __minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale__. d. Upon meeting the grade level, enrollment, and GPA standards, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, and character. ARTICLE V: SELECTION OF MEMBERS Section 1. The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council which consists of five volunteer faculty members appointed by the chapter adviser. The chapter adviser shall be the sixth, non-voting, ex officio member of the Faculty Council. Section 2. The selection of active members shall be held once a year during the first 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. Students who are eligible scholastically (i.e., candidates) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the __Student Activity Information Form (a.k.a the “Candidate’s Form”)__ 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 adviser__. d. The Faculty Council shall review the Student Activity Information Form, faculty evaluations, and other relevant information to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership. Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony. Section 5. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership. Section 6. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The Faculty Council shall grant to 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. ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be 10$. Dues will be payable to the chapter within 30 days of induction. Section 2. Each NHS member is obligated to complete at least four hours of documented community service a month. At the first meeting of each month, a record of the previous month’s services must be turned into the chapter advisor. Section 3. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society. Section 4. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter. Section 5. Chapter members who are seniors in good standing shall be granted the privilege of wearing the honor cords at graduation. ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS Section 1. The __officers__ of the chapter shall be __president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, historian and chapter officer.__ Section 2. Student officers shall be elected at the last meeting of each school year. All returning members in good standing with the chapter are eligible to run for a position as an officer. Any active member can nominate an eligible member as a candidate for office. Section 3. Voting shall be by secret ballot. A majority vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. If the first vote does not yield a majority, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. 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. This office is also responsible for developing and recording service hours of each individual member in the chapter. A list of members that failed to turn in service forms will be delivered to the chapter advisor. 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 the minutes and attendance records for meetings and be responsible for all official correspondence. They secretary is responsible for tracking the amount of meetings missed by members and delivering notices to members who have missed more than two meeting. If a third meeting is missed it is the secretary’s responsibility to deliver a ‘request for excessive absence form’ to the student. Section 7. The treasurer shall keep the record of business expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter. Section 8. The public relations officer shall keep the record of previous and future events. They may handle matters public relation. In addition to these responsibilities, the public relations officer shall be responsible for updating the bulletin board. Section 9. The chapter officer’s duties are as decided by the chapter adviser. Section 10. Officers and the chapter adviser(s) 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 the business of the chapter, but any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members. ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS Section 1. The regular meetings of this chapter shall be held two times per month, unless otherwise it is up to the Executive Committee’s decision. Special meetings can be called by the president or the adviser. Section 2. Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings. ARTICLE IX: 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 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 an individual service project which reflects his or her particular talents and interests and as approved by the chapter adviser. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute. Section 5. The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner. ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE and DISMISSAL of MEMBERS Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, or service may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the Casa Verde High School chapter of the National Honor Society. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community. Section 2. If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard of 3.5, he/she will be given a written warning and a reasonable time period for improvement as decided by the Faculty Council. If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the warning period the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council that includes consideration of dismissal from the chapter. Section 3. Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 5 below). These violations include, but are not limited to DUI, stealing, destruction of property, cheating, truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community. Section 4. Offenders of the school code of conduct (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absences, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive a 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 code of conduct, the member may be considered for dismissal. Section 5. Chapter 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 of pending dismissal: a. The member will 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 charge(s) against him/her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Honor constitution). Following the hearing, the Faculty Council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is needed to dismiss any member. 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. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser. d. The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the school principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policies. e. A member who is dismissed or resigns, may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society. Section 7. In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate. Section 8. Every member is required to complete an individual service project. Failure to complete a service project on their own accord may to disciplinary action from the Faculty Council and in turn may lead to termination of the student’s membership. Section 9. Every member must meet a service requirement of four hours. Members may exceed the service hour requirement, but failure to complete at minimum four hours may result in a disciplinary meeting with the Faculty Council, and may lead to termination of membership. Section 10. Members are required to attend meeting on a regular schedule. Unexcused absences may result discipline by the Faculty Council, which may lead to a termination of the student’s membership. Section 11. Every member is required to assist with a club service plan project. Failure to do so may lead to a meeting with the Faculty Council, and may result in membership termination. ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL, and REVIEW. Section 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 school 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: AMENDMENTS These by-laws may be amended by a __2/3rds vote__ of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to members at least __two weeks__ prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles V and X, which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal (selection and discipline). //[Note//: It is recommended that the Ratification and Amendment articles be the final articles. Should the chapter wish to insert additional articles, that is permissible.] Approved on Friday the 13th, January 2012 Kelly Cota, Chapter Adviser Garrett Gutierrez, Chapter President Chelsea Bailey, Vice President Kimberly Koerth, Secretary Michael Busch, Treasurer Kylie Collins, Public Relations Officer Erica Gonzalez, Chapter Officer Michael Busch Chelsea Bailey Kimberly Koerth Emily Carlisle Melvin Amos Andre Chaput
 * __ Executive Committee __**
 * __ Bylaws Revision Committee: __**