Panther Creek High School

Panther Creek High School Chapter of the National Honor Society

Chapter Bylaws

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Panther Creek High School Chapter of the National Honor Society.

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 in students of Panther Creek High School .

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. 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 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, and character.

Section 3. Eligibility

Candidates eligible for selection to this chapter must be members of the sophomore, junior, or senior class.
To be eligible for selection to membership in this chapter, the candidate must have been in attendance for a period of one semester at Panther Creek High School .
Candidates eligible for selection to the chapter shall have a minimum cumulative 3.6 weighted GPA. This scholastic level of achievement shall remain fixed, and shall be the required minimum level of scholastic 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, and character.

ARTICLE III: SELECTION OF MEMBERS

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 and co-adviser shall be the sixth and seventh, nonvoting, ex officio members 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 Information Form for further consideration for selection.
The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates using the official evaluation form provided by the chapter adviser and co-adviser.
The Faculty Council shall review the Student Information Form and faculty evaluations in order to determine membership.

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

Students who are juniors and seniors will be eligible for selection during the first and

second semesters of the school year.

Students who are sophomores will be eligible for selection during the second semester of the school year.

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

Section 5. Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected and maintain all obligations of membership.

Section 6. An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given a letter indicating the status of his or her membership and signed by the principal or chapter adviser.

Section 7. 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 or her membership.

ARTICLE IV: DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL

Section 1. Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, or service may be considered for dismissal from the Panther Creek High School chapter of the National Honor Society. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain his or her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his or her school and community.

Section 2. If a member’s cumulative GPA falls below the cumulative 3.6 weighted minimum, he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the cumulative GPA remains below the cumulative 3.6 weighted minimum, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3. If a member fails to perform any of the published obligations of membership, he or she will be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the obligation remains unmet at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the Faculty Council, which may include dismissal from the chapter.

Section 4. Violation of the law or school regulations can result in dismissal of a member. These violations include but are not limited to, DWI; stealing; destruction of property; cheating; plagiarism; truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities.

Section 5. Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, failure to comply, unexcused absence, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive written warning notification. A conference may be requested by either party (Faculty Council, student, or parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be considered for dismissal. The school conduct codes are outlined in the Panther Creek High School Student/Parent Handbook and the Wake County Public School System Student/Parent Handbook. Adhering to the school conduct code is the responsibility of each member.

Section 6. In all cases of pending dismissal:

The member will receive written notification indicating the reason for possible dismissal from the adviser, co-adviser, or the Faculty Council. The member, adviser, and co-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 a written warning although a hearing must still be held.
The member will be given the opportunity to respond to the charge against him or her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to the vote on dismissal. 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. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser or co-adviser.
The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards through the school district discipline policy.
When a student is dismissed or resigned, he or she is no longer a member and may not be reconsidered 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 as appropriate. Such actions could include but are not limited to a probationary period until chapter requirements are met and maintained or suspension from chapter activities.

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS

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

Section 2. Student officers shall be elected at the last meeting of each school year. All returning active members are eligible to run for a position as an officer. All active members of the chapter are eligible to vote.

Section 3. 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 create meeting agendas and preside at chapter meetings and executive committee meetings.

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 of meetings, take attendance, and be responsible for all chapter correspondence.

Section 7. The treasurer shall keep the record of chapter expenses, dues, and all other financial transactions of the chapter.

Section 8. The historian shall keep a written and pictorial record of the chapter activities.

Section 9. Should a vacancy occur, then the chapter adviser and co-adviser will appoint a member to finish the term.

ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the chapter adviser, co-adviser, 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 3. Meetings of the executive committee shall be monthly.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings of this chapter shall be monthly.

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

Section 3. Attendance at the monthly meetings is required. Members are allowed one excused absence per semester. Excused absences include missing meetings due to sickness, participation in a school-sponsored event, or a family emergency. Members are required to inform the chapter adviser or co-adviser of their absence prior to the meeting day. In the event of an excused absence, chapter members are to provide the appropriate documentation to the chapter adviser or co-adviser. Such documentation includes a PCHS attendance slip, a doctor’s note, or a note from a teacher or coach. Members who fail to attend the monthly meetings will be considered for dismissal.

ARTICLE VIII: ACTIVITIES

Section 1. The chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each semester.

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 that reflects his or her particular talents and interests and has chapter adviser and co-adviser approval. 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.

ARTICLE IX: EMBLEM

Section 1. Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall have the privilege of wearing the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society.

Section 2. Any member who withdraws, resigns, or is dismissed from the chapter shall return the emblem to the chapter. If the member purchased such emblem, the chapter is obligated to reimburse the student for said expense.

ARTICLE X: DUES

Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be ten dollars.

Section 2. Dues will be payable to the chapter adviser or co-adviser within 30 days of induction.

ARTICLE XI: POWERS

Section 1. The chapter adviser and co-adviser are given the authority to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

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

Section 3. These bylaws are designed to amplify provisions of the national constitution and cannot contradict any components thereof. The chapter is obligated to adhere to the provisions of the national constitution in all activities it undertakes.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

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

Section 2. Bylaws and amendments must be consistent with the constitution of the National Honor Society.