Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Charles A. Forbes Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Society of Charles A. Forbes Middle School.

 

Section 2. 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 and citizenship in students of Charles A. Forbes Middle School.

 

 

Section 1. Membership in this chapter shall be known as active, honorary, and graduate. Active members become graduate members when they graduate from 8th grade. Graduate and honorary members have no vote in chapter affairs.

 

Section 2. 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, Character and Citizenship. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

 

Section 3. Eligibility:

 

Candidates eligible for election to this chapter must be members of the seventh or eighth grade class.

To be eligible for selection for membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period of one semester at Forbes Middle School.

Eighth grade candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade of 90 or above for their average in the seventh grade. Seventh grade candidates eligible for election to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative grade of 92 or above for their average in the sixth grade. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum scholastic level of achievement for admission to candidacy. All students who can rise in scholarship to or above such standard may be admitted to candidacy for selection to membership.

Upon meeting the grade level, attendance, and GPA standard requirements, candidates shall then be considered based on their service, leadership, character, and citizenship.

 

 

Section 1. The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council consisting of five faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter adviser(s) shall be the sixth (and seventh), non-voting, ex-officio member(s) of the Faculty Council.

 

Section 2. Prior to selection, the following shall occur:

 

Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.

 

Students who are eligible scholastically (“candidates”) shall be notified and asked to complete and submit the Student Activity Information Form for further consideration for selection.

 

The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter advisers.

 

The Faculty Council shall review the Student Activity Information Form and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.

 

Section 3. The selection of new, active members shall be held once a year during the first semester of the school year.

 

Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

 

Section 5. An active member of the National Junior Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given a letter indicating the status of his/her membership and signed by the Principal or adviser(s).

 

Section 6. An active member of the National Junior 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.

 

 

Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, service or citizenship may be dismissed from the Charles A. Forbes M. S. chapter of the National Junior Society. A member of the National Junior Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and demonstrate his citizenship by taking an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.

 

Section 2. If a member’s cumulative grade average falls below 90, he/she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the cumulative grade average remains below 90 at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council that could include dismissal from the chapter.

 

Section 3. Violation of the law or school regulations can result in dismissal of a member. These violations include, but are not limited to, stealing, destruction of property, cheating, truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

 

Section 4. Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absence, excessive tardiness [exceeding 15 tardies], etc.) will receive written warning notification. A conference may be requested by either party (Faculty Council or student/parents). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be dismissed.

 

Section 5. In all cases of impending dismissal:

 

The member will receive written notification indicating the reason for possible dismissal from the adviser/Faculty Council. The member and adviser will discuss the written notification in a conference. Situations that involve flagrant violations of school rules or the law can warrant disciplinary action without warning although a hearing must still be held (see below).

The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charge against him/her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to the vote on dismissal (in accordance with the rules for disciplinary dismissal in the school handbook.). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or in writing. The Faculty Council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is needed to dismiss any member.

The results of the Faculty Council vote will be reviewed by the principal, and then if confirmed, expressed in a letter sent to the student, parents, and principal. The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards through the school district’s discipline policy.
When a student is dismissed or resigns, he/she is no longer a member and may never again be considered for membership in the National Junior Honor Society.

 

Section 6. In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

 

Secton 7. Any member who is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter. 

 

 

Section 1. The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.

 

Section 2. Student officers shall be elected at a designated meeting after the induction ceremony. All eighth grade members are eligible to run for a position as an officer.

 

Section 3. A plurality vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. If the first vote yields a tie, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the same number of votes. 

 

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings for this chapter and the executive committee and to participate in planning the chapter activities.

 

Section 5. The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall also keep a record of the members’ attendance and contributions to leadership and service.

 

Section 6. The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings and be responsible for correspondence.

 

Section 7. The treasurer shall keep the record of business expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter. He/she shall also get a monthly treasury report from the school bookkeeper and give a financial report at chapter meetings.

 

Section 8. The historian shall be responsible for keeping a pictorial and written record of the chapter’s activities by way of a scrapbook. He/she will also be responsible for making known to the school and community the activities and accomplishments of the chapter and its members.

  

Section 9. If an officer’s membership in the NJHS is placed on probation, he/she shall be relieved of the duties of his/her office. If the president is relieved of his/her duties or withdraws from the school, the vice president shall assume the duties of the president and a new vice president will be appointed by a committee made up of the advisor(s), the principal and the new president. If any of the other offices is vacated, the same committee will vote to appoint a replacement from among the general membership of the chapter.

 

 

Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the faculty adviser(s) and the chapter officers.

 

Section 2. The executive committee shall 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.

 

 

Section 1. Meetings of the chapter shall be monthly.

 

Section 2. This chapter shall conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

 

 

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 its projects in a positive manner.

 

 

Section 1. 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 Junior Honor Society.

 

Section 2. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter.

 

 

Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be $15.00. 

 

Section 2. Dues will be payable to the chapter treasurer within 30 days of the induction. 

 

 

Section 1. The chapter adviser(s) is/are given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as designated by the school principal.

 

Section 2. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.

 

 

Section 1. These by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the chapter, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given to the members at least one month prior to the vote. The exceptions are Articles III and IV, which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal (selection and discipline).

 

Section 2. By-laws and amendments must be consistent with the Constitution of the National Junior Honor Society.

 

Date of last approved revisions:_____________________________________________

 

Chapter President:_______________________________________________________

 

Chapter Secretary:_______________________________________________________

 

Chapter Adviser(s):_______________________________________________________

 

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