Olathe West NHS By-Laws
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1. The chapter shall be known as Olathe West Chapter of National Honor Society.
Section 2. The purpose of this organization 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 secondary schools.
Article II: The Principal
Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The principal shall be a part of the appeal process for non-selection or dismissal cases.
Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.
Article III: Chapter Advisor
Section 1. The chapter advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities and financial transactions.
Section 2. The advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with NHS standards and obligations.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall be an ex officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council and shall facilitate all meetings of the council.
Section 4. The chapter advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1. Membership in the Olathe West chapter of NHS is an honor bestowed upon a student. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. Members are required to attend all meetings and must submit a written excuse to the chapter secretary and/or advisor before the meeting date. If the absence is unexcused as determined by the advisor and the executive board, the member will be placed on probation. Two excused absences will be grounds for probation. A second unexcused or third excused absences will require a hearing before the faculty council and may result in dismissal from NHS.
Section 3. Members are required to perform community service hours: 20 volunteer hours before application is submitted that can be included from the beginning of Freshmen year until application is due. 10 more hours will be earned throughout the year which includes the NHS service project.
Section 4. Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by their chapters to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program.
Section 5. A NHS member who transfers to Olathe West and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 6. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Section 7. A member may also resign in writing. No verbal resignations will be accepted. When the student turns in a written resignation, the student is no longer considered a member of the National Honor Society.
Article V: Selection of Members
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a junior or senior at Olathe West High School and must have been in attendance at Olathe West for one semester. Transfer students will seek recommendation from their previous school principal pursuant to their selection. Based on the recommendation the faculty council may waive the semester regulation.
Section 2. Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of scholarship, service, leadership, and character by 2 academic teachers and 1 activity sponsors. A minimum of 20 service hours is expected prior to selection. Students must also complete an additional 10 community service hours from March of their junior year to March of their senior year. This would be waived for students who join their senior year.
Section 3. The faculty council shall review each candidate with the materials listed in Article V Section 2. The selections of each member-elect to the Olathe West chapter shall be by majority vote of the faculty council.
Section 4. Candidates who meet these standards will then be designated members-elect and will participate in a NHS group service project. If the member-elect successfully completes the group service project and has retained the high standards on which the faculty council designated them as a member elect, they will be invited to become a member of NHS.
Section 5. The chapter advisory and faculty council shall decide the date for an induction of new members. The advisor shall determine deadlines for selection of members in order to meet the induction date.
Article VI: Dismissal
Section 1. Members who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter advisor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not have to be warned.
Section 2. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.
Section 3. In all cases of pending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required. If the majority is in favor of dismissal, then the student’s membership is official terminated.
Section 4. In the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws of a member does not have to be warned. When members of Olathe West National Honor Society are caught in the instance of academic dishonesty, fighting, substance abuse, or given in school suspension or out of school suspension, membership rights are suspended immediately and termination of membership is sought, no questions asked.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the faculty Council to the principal and thereafter under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district.
Article VII: Meetings
Section 1. The chapter shall meet once a month or every other month. Other meetings may be called when deemed necessary by the chapter advisor and/or the president of the Olathe West chapter.
Section 2. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Article VII: Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Olathe West chapter will work together to run meetings, community service opportunities, and help with induction. Offices may be added or deleted at the discretion of the chapter advisor.
Section 2. The officers will determine policies and activities by majority vote.
Section 3. Committees should be appointed as the officers determines the need for them.
Section 4. Officers will be elected after applications are due and will serve for one year. If a vacancy occurs during the year, the advisor and the officers may appoint a replacement or call for a vote of the membership.
Article IX: Activities
Section 1. The Olathe West chapter shall determine one or more service projects in which all members will participate. The project(s) shall have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and faculty; be well-planned, organized and executed.
Section 2. Each member shall also have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.
Article X: Dues
Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be $15.00.
Section 2. Dues will be payable to the chapter advisor by check or cash within 30 days of induction. Checks need to payable to USD233.
Article XI: By Laws
Section 1. The by-laws of the Olathe West chapter shall be ratified by three-fourths of the membership.
Section 2. Members may amend a by-law by submitting an amendment to the Executive Board who will decide by majority vote if the amendment proposed would be discussed at the next chapter meeting. Three-fourths of the membership must approve an amendment for passage.
Section 1. The chapter shall be known as Olathe West Chapter of National Honor Society.
Section 2. The purpose of this organization 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 secondary schools.
Article II: The Principal
Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The principal shall be a part of the appeal process for non-selection or dismissal cases.
Section 3. The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of five members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms.
Article III: Chapter Advisor
Section 1. The chapter advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities and financial transactions.
Section 2. The advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with NHS standards and obligations.
Section 3. The chapter adviser shall be an ex officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council and shall facilitate all meetings of the council.
Section 4. The chapter advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1. Membership in the Olathe West chapter of NHS is an honor bestowed upon a student. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. Members are required to attend all meetings and must submit a written excuse to the chapter secretary and/or advisor before the meeting date. If the absence is unexcused as determined by the advisor and the executive board, the member will be placed on probation. Two excused absences will be grounds for probation. A second unexcused or third excused absences will require a hearing before the faculty council and may result in dismissal from NHS.
Section 3. Members are required to perform community service hours: 20 volunteer hours before application is submitted that can be included from the beginning of Freshmen year until application is due. 10 more hours will be earned throughout the year which includes the NHS service project.
Section 4. Members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to be nominated by their chapters to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship Program.
Section 5. A NHS member who transfers to Olathe West and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 6. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Section 7. A member may also resign in writing. No verbal resignations will be accepted. When the student turns in a written resignation, the student is no longer considered a member of the National Honor Society.
Article V: Selection of Members
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a junior or senior at Olathe West High School and must have been in attendance at Olathe West for one semester. Transfer students will seek recommendation from their previous school principal pursuant to their selection. Based on the recommendation the faculty council may waive the semester regulation.
Section 2. Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of scholarship, service, leadership, and character by 2 academic teachers and 1 activity sponsors. A minimum of 20 service hours is expected prior to selection. Students must also complete an additional 10 community service hours from March of their junior year to March of their senior year. This would be waived for students who join their senior year.
Section 3. The faculty council shall review each candidate with the materials listed in Article V Section 2. The selections of each member-elect to the Olathe West chapter shall be by majority vote of the faculty council.
Section 4. Candidates who meet these standards will then be designated members-elect and will participate in a NHS group service project. If the member-elect successfully completes the group service project and has retained the high standards on which the faculty council designated them as a member elect, they will be invited to become a member of NHS.
Section 5. The chapter advisory and faculty council shall decide the date for an induction of new members. The advisor shall determine deadlines for selection of members in order to meet the induction date.
Article VI: Dismissal
Section 1. Members who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter advisor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not have to be warned.
Section 2. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.
Section 3. In all cases of pending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required. If the majority is in favor of dismissal, then the student’s membership is official terminated.
Section 4. In the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws of a member does not have to be warned. When members of Olathe West National Honor Society are caught in the instance of academic dishonesty, fighting, substance abuse, or given in school suspension or out of school suspension, membership rights are suspended immediately and termination of membership is sought, no questions asked.
Section 5. A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the faculty Council to the principal and thereafter under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district.
Article VII: Meetings
Section 1. The chapter shall meet once a month or every other month. Other meetings may be called when deemed necessary by the chapter advisor and/or the president of the Olathe West chapter.
Section 2. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Article VII: Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Olathe West chapter will work together to run meetings, community service opportunities, and help with induction. Offices may be added or deleted at the discretion of the chapter advisor.
Section 2. The officers will determine policies and activities by majority vote.
Section 3. Committees should be appointed as the officers determines the need for them.
Section 4. Officers will be elected after applications are due and will serve for one year. If a vacancy occurs during the year, the advisor and the officers may appoint a replacement or call for a vote of the membership.
Article IX: Activities
Section 1. The Olathe West chapter shall determine one or more service projects in which all members will participate. The project(s) shall have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and faculty; be well-planned, organized and executed.
Section 2. Each member shall also have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute.
Article X: Dues
Section 1. Annual dues for this chapter shall be $15.00.
Section 2. Dues will be payable to the chapter advisor by check or cash within 30 days of induction. Checks need to payable to USD233.
Article XI: By Laws
Section 1. The by-laws of the Olathe West chapter shall be ratified by three-fourths of the membership.
Section 2. Members may amend a by-law by submitting an amendment to the Executive Board who will decide by majority vote if the amendment proposed would be discussed at the next chapter meeting. Three-fourths of the membership must approve an amendment for passage.