Sudlersville Middle School
National Junior Honor Society Bylaws
Article I: Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the National Junior Honor Society of Secondary
Schools – Sudlersville Chapter. The National Constitution shall serve as the general guideline for all
chapter functions, and these bylaws shall amplify sections of the National Constitution and clarify the
operating procedures of the chapter. The National Junior Honor Society Handbook shall be consulted
when issues arise that are not covered by the National Constitution or the Sudlersville NJHS Bylaws.
Article II: Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of this chapter 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 Sudlersville
Middle School.
Article III: Role of the Principal, Chapter Advisor(s), Faculty Council, and Executive
Committee
Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The principal shall annually appoint a member of the faculty as 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.
Section 4. The principal shall receive appeals in cases of non-selection of candidates, and the
disciplining or dismissal of members.
Section 5. The Principal shall communicate to the Chapter Advisor any issues concerning National
Junior Honor Society brought to his/her attention by members of the community that
would directly impact the selection or dismissal of a student. Under no circumstance is the
Principal to serve as a member or even an observer of the Faculty Council’s deliberations
pertaining to the selection or dismissal of a student.
Section 6. The chapter adviser shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the
chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, and community.
Section 7. The chapter adviser shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and
financial transactions. The chapter adviser shall send the annual report to the national
office.
Section 8. The chapter adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society
standards and obligations.
Section 9. The chapter adviser shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section 10. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty
Council.
Section 11. The chapter adviser shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the
principal, and may serve consecutive terms.
Section 12. . In addition to the above responsibilities listed under Article VI of the National
Constitution, the Advisor(s) shall 1) review each member for compliance with society
standards and obligations within one week after the end of each quarter; 2) approve all
chapter activities and provide the Principal with a written record of chapter activities; 3) read
and develop a familiarity with the Constitution of the National Junior Honor Society and the
Sudlersville Middle School bylaws; 4) attend all meetings and functions, including those of
the Faculty Council; 5) hand applications and by-laws to scholastically eligible students prior
to the first Tuesday in February; 6) collect all applications from interested students by the
second Tuesday in February; 7) involve Chapter members of the development and review of
selection and dismissal procedures and guidelines; 8) ensure that the Faculty Council follows
national and local guidelines for procedure; 9) facilitate discussions of the Faculty Council in
order to maintain objectivity and professionalism during the review of each case; 10) serve as
an advocate for each student whose name or case is brought before the Faculty Council by
assuring that the Council considers only relevant and valid information in a fair and consistent
manner; 11) interview teachers who give students a below-average evaluation;
12) notify applicants by mail of selection/non-selection by the third Tuesday in February; 13)
hold an induction ceremony by the first Tuesday of April; and 14) provide written
documentation to the Principal if the Faculty Council violates the National Constitution or the
Sudlersville Middle Bylaws in such manner as to jeopardize the fairness of a student’s
selection or dismissal.
Section 13. The Faculty Council shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed annually by
the principal. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the
Faculty Council. No principal or assistant principal may be included on the Faculty
Council.
Section14. The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to
consecutive terms.
Section15. The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the
chapter, select members and to consider non-selection, dismissal, other disciplinary
actions, and warning cases.
Section 16. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for
selection, disciplining, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance
with the national guidelines.
Section17. In addition to the above responsibilities listed under Article VII of the National
Constitution, the Faculty Council shall 1) Read and develop a familiarity with the
Constitution of the National Junior Honor Society and the Sudlersville Middle Bylaws prior to
meeting with the Principal prior to the first school day; 2) Follow all stated guidelines and
procedures in all aspects of the chapter’s activity; 3) Consult with the Chapter Advisor
concerning questions of policy and/or procedure and refer all questions from 3 parents
concerning the National Junior Honor Society to the Chapter Advisor; 4) Review student
applications and meet with the Chapter Advisor to select new members by the second Friday
in April; 5) maintain objectivity and professionalism during the review of each case; 6)
Examine each individual case as a group in such manner as to allow every member to evaluate
and comment on every case; 7) Provide written documentation to the Principal if the Chapter
Advisor violates the National Constitution or the Sudlersville Bylaws in such manner as to
jeopardize the fairness of a student’s selection or dismissal.
Section18. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter
adviser.
Section19. 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 such 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.
Section20. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities
and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
Section21. In addition to the above responsibilities listed under Article XII of the National
Constitution, the Executive Committee shall determine the dues structure and make
recommendations concerning the bylaws, time and place of meetings, meeting agendas,
special projects, member obligations.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1. Membership in the Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is an honor
bestowed upon a student. Membership is not a right or an elective position, but rather a
privilege enjoyed by those students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship, character,
leadership and service. Membership is not automatically conveyed simply because a
student achieves a 3.5 GPA or submits a NJHS Application Form. Students must be
enrolled in Queen Anne’s County Public Schools for two full semesters to be considered for
membership.
Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate and document
these qualities.
Section 2. Annual dues set by the Executive Committee and approved by the membership. Dues will
be
$10.00. Dues may not exceed $20.00. Membership shall not be denied due to a member’s
inability to pay.
Section 3. Membership shall be known as active and honorary.
Section 4. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school
officials, principals, teachers, NJHS advisers, adults, students with disabilities, or foreign
exchange students in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to
the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Junior Honor Society. Honorary
members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 5. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 6. An NJHS member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the principal
or chapter adviser to the new school adviser 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 V: Selection/Dismissal of Members
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of the 7 th or 8 th Grade
Classes.
Section 2. Candidates must have a cumulative (including 6th grade) GPA of at least 3.5000 on a 4.0
scale as determined by the guidance department and Principal. Candidates shall then be
evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty
Council. The council may request written (signed) faculty recommendations, interviews
with candidates, or any other verifiable information about each candidate and his or her
activities which define the candidate’s leadership, service, character, and citizenship.
Section 4. The selection procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be
consistent with the rules and regulations of the National Junior Honor Society. A committee
consisting of the executive committee members, the members of the Faculty Council, shall
collectively or individually review the selection procedure for clarity and provide any
suggested changes to the Faculty Advisor once each school year. Pursuant to Article IX,
Section 4 of the National Constitution, only the Faculty Council may vote on the selection
and/or dismissal procedures.
Section 5. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in a timely fashion on the
Sudlersville Middle School Website. Copies of the selection process and all attendant
forms shall be available from the Chapter Advisor.
Section 6. The selection of members for the Sudlersville chapter of the National Junior Honor
Society shall be conducted as follows:
1.All 7 th or 8 th Grade students at Sudlersville Middle who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5000
will be notified by the chapter advisor and provided with a copy of the National Junior
Honor Society Application Form by September 5, 2019 this form shall provide
documentation of the candidate’s character, leadership, citizenship and service.
Candidates must request faculty recommendations that speak to the candidate’s character,
leadership, citizenship and/or service.
2. Completed NJHS forms shall be reviewed by the Faculty Council pursuant to Section 3
above Students who fail to complete the NJHS form or fail to turn the form in by the date
set by the Faculty Council will not be considered for membership.
3. Candidates who are selected for membership by a majority vote of the Faculty Council
shall be inducted into the chapter.
4. Students who are selected, and their parents, shall be notified of their selection and given
information regarding the upcoming induction ceremony and the obligations of
membership in NJHS by March 2, 2017.
Section 7. The procedure for non-selection will be as follows:
1. Students who are not selected for membership in the NJHS shall be notified in writing of
their non-selection by March 2, 2017. Specific reasons need not be given.
2. Students who wish to appeal the decision of the Faculty Council may submit an appeal in
writing to the Principal by March 10, 2017.
3. The Principal shall hear all appeals from non-selected students. Following a discussion
with the student and his or her parents, if the Principal feels that a technical or procedural
error has been made, the principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the
situation.
Section 8. The dismissal of members from the Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor
Society shall be conducted as follows:
1. Students shall be provided with a written explanation of the obligations of membership in
the National Junior Honor Society. All members are expected to uphold the standards by
which they were selected. Failure to do so may result in dismissal.
2. If a student’s GPA falls below the standard in effect when he/she was selected he/she will
be given a written warning and a time period for improvement. If the GPA remains below
the standard at the end of the warning period the student will be subject to further
disciplinary action by the Faculty Council which may include consideration of dismissal
from the chapter.
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 consideration of dismissal from the
chapter.
4. If a member violates the law he or she will be subject to immediate dismissal based upon a
majority vote of the Faculty Council.
5. Dismissal of a member is based on a majority vote of the Faculty Council.
6. If a member is dismissed, the Faculty Council shall provide written notice of the decision
to the member, his or her parent, and the principal. The letter should inform the dismissed
member of the appeal procedure.
7. Any dismissed member may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council to the principal,
who will then follow the local district appeals process.
8. Members who resign must do so in writing and will never again be eligible for
membership or its benefits.
Article VI: Meetings
Section 1. The chapter shall have regularly called meetings during the school year on days
designated by the Executive Committee and in accordance with school policy and
regulations. The Chapter Advisor reserves the right to cancel meetings provided they are
rescheduled. An attempt should be made to hold one meeting each six weeks.
Section 2. The installation of new officers shall occur during a ceremony on one of the scheduled
meeting days.
Section 3. Attendance at NJHS meetings is an expectation for NJHS members. Excessive unexcused
absenteeism prevents the chapter from fulfilling its goals and makes it difficult to
disseminate information. Students with excessive unexcused absences will be subject to
the dismissal process.
Article VII: Duties and Responsibilities of the Organization, Officers, Advisor and Members:
Section 1. The Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society shall create enthusiasm for
scholarship, stimulate a desire to render service, promote leadership and develop
character and citizenship. As an organization, it will seek to develop a culture of pride
and respect within the school and establish a history of fairness and consistency.
Section 2. The Officers (and their duties) of the Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor
Society are as follows:
President
Create the agenda for all meetings with the advice and consent of the officers and the advisor.
Preside at all meetings of the Sudlersville National Junior Honor Society and meetings of the
executive committee.
Appoint necessary committees and delegate leadership responsibilities of service projects and
activities.
Serve as ex-officio member on committees and projects.
Preside at the Induction Ceremony and deliver the speech on “Leadership.”
Represent the Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society at all public occurrences.
See that the names of all persons who participated in each service project and attended each meeting
are submitted to the advisor with the help of the Secretary and Treasurer in order that the Advisor may
fulfill the responsibility of notifying and informing those not fully participating of the responsibilities
of NJHS membership.
Maintain close communication with the Chapter Advisor.
Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to follow.
Vice – President
Preside at all meetings and perform all duties in the absence of the President.
Lead and organize at least one major chapter service project.
Coordinate and check on the planning activities of the various committees and keep the President
informed of their progress and problems.
Perform any duties delegated by the President.
Coordinate projects and help plan the calendar for the year.
Deliver an Induction Ceremony speech on “Character.”
Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to follow.
Secretary
Keep minutes of all meetings.
Keep accurate attendance of all meetings and service projects and report to the President and the
Advisor the names of any members who have become inactive.
Conduct correspondence with the President, Advisor, and the Administration and elements of the
community when necessary.
With the Chapter Historian, collect all publicity, clippings, and/or photographs for the chapter.
Deliver an Induction Ceremony speech on “Scholarship.”
Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to follow.
Treasurer
Maintain with the Advisor a financial record of all income and expenditures for the period the officer
holds office.
Recommend fundraising activities and collect dues.
Deliver an Induction Ceremony speech on “Citizenship.”
Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to follow.
Historian/Reporter
Collect and bind all Induction Ceremony speeches for posterity, and make an effort to obtain
whatever speeches were delivered in the past and are, to date, lost in order to build a collection and a
tradition.
Aid the Secretary in press, publicity and photography tasks.
Assure that there is a collection of photographs of NJHS activities for the Sudlersville Yearbook,
school bulletin boards, and press releases.
Deliver the Induction Ceremony speech on “Service.”
Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to follow.
Section 3. In addition to the duties outlined in Article III, Section 6-12 of these bylaws, the duties
and responsibilities of the Advisor are as follows:
1. Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to
follow.
2. Approve all chapter activities and inform the Principal of such activities.
3. Maintain all chapter records and send the annual report to the national office.
4. Attend all meetings and assure that proper procedure is followed by the officers.
5. Provide direction to chapter members concerning opportunities for service.
6. Work with the Faculty Council in selecting, disciplining, or dismissing members.
7. Promote chapter activities.
8. Stimulate positive action by members.
Section 4. Members of the Sudlersville Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society shall fulfill the
following duties and responsibilities:
1. Maintain the standard by which they were selected.
2. Attend meetings on a regular basis.
3. Participate in a majority of the planned chapter service projects.
4. Document a minimum of 10 hours of community service each year by completing at least
one individual service project, participating in fundraising activities, and participating in
chapter service activities.
5. Attend and participate in the induction ceremony for new members.
6. Set an example of scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service for others to
follow.
Article VIII: Election/Removal/Replacement of Officers
Section 1. Election. Nominations for each office of the following year’s Executive Committee will
be made by current and new members by the end of March. An official ballot will be
distributed to each member of the chapter and will be controlled by signing off on the
membership list. The candidate who receives the most votes for each office shall be
notified of their selection.
Section 2. Removal. If the membership wishes to remove from office an officer of the Executive
Committee they must provide written documentation detailing the reason(s) for removal to
the Chapter Advisor. The Chapter Advisor shall provide the documentation to the Faculty
Council and the officer facing removal. A special meeting will be held by the membership,
and the officer shall have an opportunity to defend himself/herself before the membership
and Faculty Council. The Removal of officers may be recommended by a 2/3 vote of the
membership conducted via secret ballot. The Faculty Council shall have the final majority
vote on any removal from office.
Section 3. Replacement. In the event an office comes open during the school year, the procedure
outlined in Section 1 above will be followed in order to fill the vacancy.
Article IX: Rules of Order
Section 1. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Article X: Ratification of Bylaws
Section 1. Chapter bylaws shall be voted on by the current membership (with the exception of Article
5), and approved by the Faculty Council and the Principal.
Article XI: Amending the Bylaws
Section 1. If changes to the bylaws become necessary, those changes shall be proposed in writing,
distributed to the membership for review and discussion, and brought to a vote. A 2/3 vote
of the membership is required to amend the bylaws. Changes to the selection procedures,
discipline procedures, and dismissal procedures may only be made by the Faculty Council;
however, membership input is encouraged.