National Junior Honor Society s4

National Junior Honor Society GRAND BAY MIDDLE SCHOOL The National Junior Honor Society is a service organization that promotes recognition for students who reflect outstanding accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, character, leadership, citizenship, and service. The National Junior Honor Society member must exhibit exemplary academic achievement, honorable and admirable character, leadership - either overtly or silently – respectable citizenship, as well as service that demonstrates that the member is willing to use his or her talents and skills for the improvement of society. As stated in the National Junior Honor Society Handbook, “the selection to the National Junior Honor Society is a privilege, not a right. Students do not apply for membership in the NJHS; instead, candidacy for membership is determined by meeting or exceeding the criteria as stated in Grand Bay Middle School’s NJHS By-Laws. This is not an election, nor is membership automatically conveyed simply because a student has achieved a specified level of academic performance or scholarship. NJHS is more than just an honor roll.” Along with academic performance, the components of character, leadership, citizenship, and service are carefully considered in the selection process.

GRAND BAY MIDDLE SCHOOL NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I Name and Purpose Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Linda France Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society of Grand Bay Middle School. 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 citizenship in the students of Grand Bay Middle School. ARTICLE II Membership Section 1. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship. Section 2. The principal and advisor shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisors, or adults in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purpose of the National Junior Honor Society. Section 3. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony. ARTICLE III Selection and Induction Procedures Section 1. The sponsors develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, disciplining, and dismissal of members. Selection is conducted by the sponsors and an anonymous committee of teachers from Grand Bay Middle School. Section 2. To be eligible for consideration for membership, the candidate must have been enrolled at Grand Bay Middle School or another Mobile County Public School for the equivalent of one full semester.

(Continued on next page) NJHS By-laws, p. 2 Section 3. Students must attend the mandatory interest meeting and complete the NJHS application packet by the assigned due date. Packets must be completely filled out to be considered. Completion of the application packet does not guarantee membership. Once the application is turned in and 3rd quarter is complete, the advisors will begin the eligibility process of tabulating grades and teacher recommendations as listed below.

Section 4. The student must have a grade point average of 85 or higher for 6th grade and 88 or higher for 7th grade in all core subjects with no Ds or Es in any classes. The GPA for 7th grade is averaged from 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter grades. The GPA for 6th grade is based on the end of the year average. The end of quarter grade for any non-core class may not be below 80 in either 6th or 7th grade. As stated before, selection and membership into the National Junior Honor Society is a privilege, not a right. Membership is not automatically conveyed simply because a student has achieved a specified level of academic performance. Section 5. A student would also be eligible if the student is a NJHS member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the principal or chapter advisor to the Grand Bay Middle School Advisor. Upon receipt of the letter by the Grand Bay Middle School Advisor, the transfer student shall be accepted automatically as a member in Grand Bay Middle School's chapter if the previous school’s requirements meet the same standards. Transfer members must meet and maintain the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership. Transfer members will only be accepted if they are in the 8th grade. Section 6. Students eligible for candidacy may not have any off-campus suspensions for any reason and may only have one retract/in-school suspension during the current school year. Students may only have one retract or one B-class suspension during their 6th grade year. Section 7. Once a student has met the GPA and enrollment requirements, a committee of teachers (one for each core subject and one elective) will be asked to rate only the students they teach in the areas of conduct, character, leadership, citizenship, and service (reliability) on a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent). Students eligible for candidacy must have a character rating of 88 or higher from the committee of their teachers.

Section 8. The National Junior Honor Society has its induction during the fourth quarter. Only students in the 7th grade who meet the requirements for selection will be inducted. These requirements reflect excellence in the five areas of accomplishments: scholarship, character, leadership, citizenship, and service. ARTICLE IV Membership Responsibilities Section 1. Members are required to uphold all standards by which they were selected according to the NJHS By-Laws once they have been inducted as full members of the Linda France Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. Section 2. Members must maintain an overall grade point average of 88 in all core classes for each quarter of the academic school year, with no non-core class average below 80. Section 3. Members may not have any off-campus suspensions or retract/in-school suspensions during the academic school year for any reason. Section 4. Members must also maintain satisfactory conduct grades for each reporting period of the academic school year. Section 5. Members must participate in all service projects that are assigned by the chapter advisor.

(Continued on next page) NJHS By-laws, p. 3 Section 6. 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 7. Members must attend all regular and special meetings of the chapter. Regular meetings will be held periodically during each grading period. Failure to attend meetings without prior approval from the sponsor will result in demerits. If you are absent on the day of a meeting, it is your responsibility to contact the sponsor on the day you return. ARTICLE V Probation, Dismissal, and Resignation Section 1. Probation will occur if a member receives 15 demerits or a “D” on a report card. See demerit sheet. Section 2. Two D’s on the same report card, two D’s throughout the school year, an E on a report card, 2 probations, 20 demerits, retract, OR suspension will result in immediate dismissal. The member also has the right to resign prior to the dismissal. See demerit sheet. Section 3. Members on probation will be notified in writing and will not be allowed to participate in chapter activities during the probation period, but will still be required to attend the meetings. Section 4. For purposes of dismissal, the member will be notified in writing of the decision by the sponsors. Section 5. Resignation from the NJHS shall involve the submission of a written statement by the resigning member that is dated and signed by both the student and his/her parent(s). Verbal resignations are insufficient to end membership. Section 6. Once a member has resigned or is dismissed from NJHS, the student will not be able to return as an active member. All resignations and dismissals are FINAL.

ARTICLE VI Officers Section 1. Prior to officer elections, NJHS members will be afforded the opportunity to sign up for various officer positions. These members will be placed on a ballot and voted upon by all current NJHS members. Officers will be installed at a special meeting. Section 2. Once elected as an officer, he/she must abide by all the NJHS By-Laws. In addition, if an officer is placed on probation for any behavioral infraction, academics, citizenship, is tardy for 2 or more required meetings, and/or misses any required meetings, receives 10 demerits, it will be grounds for immediate dismissal as an officer. Officers will also be expected to complete all tasks assigned by the sponsor. Section 3. If an officer is dismissed from office, the NJHS sponsor will appoint a new officer or current officer to fulfill his/her duties for the remainder of the current academic year.

ARTICLE VII Amendments These By-Laws will be reviewed annually. NOTE: By-laws must be consistent with the NJHS Constitution and Handbook.