Robert Joyce Chapter of NHS
Rockville High School
2014-15
MCPS
Member Notebook
NHS Pledge
I pledge to uphold the high
purposes of the National Honor
Society to which I have been
selected; I will be true to the
principles for which it stands; I
will be loyal to my school; and
will maintain and encourage
high standards of scholarship,
leadership, service, and
character.
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What is National Honor Society?
Established in 1921, the National Honor Society is an organization that recognizes outstanding
students who exhibit excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Its purpose is to further develop these students through active involvement in school activities
and community service.
The four pillars of the National Honor Society:
Scholarship: Members must have a strong academic background and must maintain an
acceptable grade point average (CGPA - 3.0 AND WGPA 3.5) to maintain an NHS
membership.
Service: Members are expected to serve and participate in their community through their
actions and projects. This entails voluntary service without compensation.
Leadership: Members must demonstrate their leadership within the school community and
must have exhibited leadership before membership. Student leaders should be resourceful,
problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, and dependable. As an NHS
chapter, one service project is completed each year that members can participate. In addition,
members are expected to guide other students (tutoring) and participate in community service
on their own.
Character: Members are held to a higher standard of conduct and serve as examples to their
fellow students. They must conduct themselves in a respectable manner and demonstrate
honesty and reliability.
Obligations of an NHS member:
 Members are required to earn 25 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours each year they
are in the NHS. At least 15 SSL hours must be earned through tutoring. There will also
be a service project conducted each year that members can participate in.
o Hours must be completed. Juniors who do not complete hours are subject to a
faculty board hearing. Seniors who do not complete hours will not receive the
NHS garment for graduation.
 There is a yearly $15 dollar membership dues.
 Members are required to complete their own, personal service project in addition to
their participation in the chapter project
 Meetings are mandatory and occur twice monthly on dates specified by the NHS
President
 NHS members are expected to abide by the rules outlined in the chapter’s by-laws
 Members must maintain their “level of excellence” in the 4 pillars of the society
Benefits of being an NHS member:
 Membership is nationally recognized
 Local recognition for achievements in the four pillars
 More involvement in the school and student-led activities
 Opportunity to lead student-run committees and activities
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
Benefit and help the surrounding community through service
Structure of the NHS
 Faculty adviser: The adviser provides guidance to the members and serves as a link
between the NHS students and the rest of the faculty
 NHS President: The president is elected by the NHS, runs each meeting, prepares the
agenda for each meeting, and serves as the student leader of the entire chapter.
 NHS Vice President: The vice president possesses the same qualifications as the
president, plans and conducts meetings with the president, and assumes leadership in
the president’s absence.
 NHS Secretary: The secretary records the events of each meeting by writing minutes
that are filed for later reference, records members’ attendance of meetings, and keeps
track of the members’ records of service.
 NHS Treasurer: The treasurer handles the chapter’s funds and keeps record of the
chapter’s spending. They collect and keep track of NHS member fees.
 Tutor-location Officers: These officers are assigned to specific schools where NHS
members can tutor students. They provide information to the rest of the NHS about
these tutoring opportunities and are responsible for making sure each location has a
sufficient number of tutors.
Election Process
The members of the current year’s NHS elect the student officers for the next year’s NHS. The
candidate for each position prepares a short 5 minute speech and any hand-outs or papers to
distribute for presentation during a set date. Candidates present even if they are running
unopposed. Members of the NHS listen and cast anonymous ballots.
According to the National Organization’s Constitution:
Obligations of NHS or NJHS Membership
The National Constitution delineates seven (7) formal obligations of membership.
The first obligation is as much a duty of the chapter as it is a member obligation. Article VIII,
Section 4 indicates that all members must be inducted at a special ceremony to become active
members of the chapter. One remains in the condition of being a ‘successfully selected
candidate’ until this ceremony is undertaken.
The following list outlines those obligations as delineated in the National Constitution
(listed as they appear in the current versions of the constitutions):
• Dues (Article IV, Section 3): Members may be asked to pay annual chapter dues. The
constitution limits this amount to $20 per student per year. For this amount and any other
obligatory expenses bestowed upon members, the chapter should be able to provide
alternative sources of funding for those students who may be incapable of paying due to
legitimate circumstances. The authentic inability of a member or his/her family to pay such
financial obligations should not be the reason for the disciplining or dismissal of any
member. Chapters are not required to charge dues to members, but if they do, should
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delineate this responsibility of members in their chapter bylaws.
• Maintaining standards (Article VIII, Section 1). Once selected, all members are expected
to maintain the standards by which they were selected. The implication here is that members
are well informed concerning what those selection standards were as published in the
description of the local selection process. Chapter advisers are charged with monitoring all
members for compliance in this area.
• Meetings (Article XIII, Section 1): Chapters can hold meetings and may require members
to attend. The schedule of these meetings should be well publicized. In addition, chapter
officers should work closely with the adviser to see that the agendas for all meetings are well
thought out and planned for.
• Chapter Service Project(s) (Article XIV, Sections 1 & 2): All chapters are required to
sponsor a chapter service project and all members are required to participate (Section 2),
assuming that the project meets the criteria as outlined in the constitution (Section 3).
Chapters can sponsor and require participation in more than one project each year.
• Individual Service Projects(s) (Article XIV, Section 4): In addition to the chapter service
project noted above, members are to engage in additional service according to their own
talents and interests. The quantity of this service and the degree to which the chapter
monitors this activity should be defined in the chapter bylaws.
• Additional Obligations (Article XVI, Section 2): If additional obligations exist for
members of the chapter, such obligations should be spelled out in the Chapter Bylaws for all
members to see. It is recommended that a set of these bylaws be presented to each member
yearly as a reminder of these and all member obligations. Efforts to inform parents of these
obligations should also be undertaken on a regular basis.
Publication of member obligations is the responsibility of the chapter. In addition to
publishing the chapter bylaws for each member, chapters should include member obligations in
the general chapter description that appears in the student handbook, faculty handbook, parent
newsletters or any other official publications of the school or school system. Helping potential
candidates and their parents understand what is expected of them if they are selected will assist a
candidate in determining if he/she has sufficient time for this honor.
It is also beneficial for parents to understand the commitment of time and energy required
once their student becomes a member of the chapter. Many chapters outline all member
obligations and include such a list either in the candidate's packet of information or in a new
member packet and then request (or require) that the student and parent/guardian sign the form
affirming their understanding of the nature of all member obligations.
© 2008 NASSP. HS/Handouts/Obligations
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National Honor Society: Robert Joyce Chapter
Rockville High School Bylaws
The National Honor Society brings together students who meet high standards in four areas:
scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Membership in NHS is recognized as a great honor
throughout the country. Membership is an honor, but we believe that your strengths bring
responsibilities. NHS is a service organization, helping the school and community in a variety of
ways, especially tutoring.
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
ARTICLE II: LOCAL CHAPTERS
ARTICLE III: THE PRINCIPAL
ARTICLE IV: THE CHAPTER ADVISOR
ARTICLE V: FACULTY COUNCIL
ARTICLE VI: MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE VII: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
ARTICLE VIII: DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL
ARTICLE IX: CHAPTER OFFICERS
ARTICLE X: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE XI: MEETINGS
ARTICLE XII: ACTIVITIES
ARTICLE XIV: BYLAWS
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Robert Joyce National Honor Society of
Rockville High School (NHS).
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: LOCAL CHAPTERS
Section 1. Rockville High School National Honor Society shall pay an annual affiliation fee
approved by the NASSP Board of Directors.
Section 2. The annual individual member dues paid will be $15.
ARTICLE III: THE PRINCIPAL
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.
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ARTICLE IV: THE CHAPTER ADVISER
Section 1. 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 2. 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 3. The chapter adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society
standards and obligations.
Section 4. The chapter adviser shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section 5. The chapter adviser shall be an ex-officio, non-voting, sixth member of the Faculty
Council.
Section 6. The chapter adviser shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal,
and may serve consecutive terms.
ARTICLE V: FACULTY COUNCIL
Section 1. 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.
Section 2. The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to
consecutive terms.
Section 3. 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 4. The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for
selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with this
Constitution and NHS policies.
ARTICLE VI: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by the
Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once
selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. Membership shall be known as active, honorary, and graduate. Active members shall
become graduate members at graduation. Graduate members shall have no voice or vote in chapter
affairs.
Section 3. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school
officials, principals, teachers, NHS 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 Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in
chapter affairs.
Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 5. An NHS 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 6. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its
benefits.
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ARTICLE VII: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of the Junior or Senior
class. Ninth and tenth graders are not eligible. Candidates must have been in attendance at the
school the equivalent of one semester.
Section 2. The standard for scholarship shall be a scholastic average of at least a 3.0 cumulative
GPA and a 3.5 weighted GPA. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service,
leadership, and character. Candidates will be required to give character and leadership references
from the faculty.
Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty
Council. Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser shall review with the principal
the results of the Faculty Council’s deliberations.
Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall be published on the RHS NHS website, that
is widely available in a timely fashion to all students and parents of the school. The selection
procedure shall be as follows:
1. In the February, the chapter advisor will identify those sophomores and juniors who meet
the academic criteria.
2. Those students who meet the academic criteria will be given a letter inviting them to
submit a Candidates packet for consideration to become a member of the National Honor
Society.
3. Students will be asked to name three teachers who can serve as a reference to their
leadership and character. Information from these references will be considered in
conjunction with their written responses to questions asked in the candidate’s packet.
4. The faculty council will review candidates’ packets and determine which students have
met the threshold for membership.
ARTICLE VIII: DISCIPLINE AND 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 adviser and given one month 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 Members to fail to meet deadlines for completing service hours shall be promptly warned
in writing by the chapter adviser and given one month to correct the deficiency.
Section 3. The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable
number of warnings.
Section 4. In all cases of pending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the
Faculty Council.
Section 5. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required.
Section 6. 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.
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ARTICLE IX: CHAPTER OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the chapter include President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President.
The duties of these positions are the following:
 President: responsible for general oversight of the chapter, executive committee
and all other committees. Exfacto member of all committees. Appoints
committee chairpersons and tutoring liaisons. Runs all general membership, board
and executive committee meetings.

Vice President: responsible for helping the president make decisions,
communicating with NHS members, making sure that objectives are being met,
and helping organize events. May stand instead for the president if the president is
unavailable.

Secretary: Record minutes of all executive committee, chapter board and general
membership meetings. Track and report Tutoring hours. Oversight of tutoring
liaisons, including reminders to the tutors.

Treasurer: Responsible for all money matters. Oversight of chapter fundraising
events.
Section 2. New officers shall be installed at a special ceremony.
ARTICLE X: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/CHAPTER BOARD
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter
adviser.
Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter
between its business meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and oversee chapter
committees. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the
review of the chapter membership.
Section 3. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities
and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
Section 4. The executive committee plus the committee chairpersons and tutoring liaisons shall be
known as the chapter board.
Section 5. The committee chairpersons and tutoring liaisons will be appointed by the president.
ARTICLE XI: MEETINGS
Section 1. The chapter shall have twice monthly general membership meetings during the school
year.
Section 2. The chapter president or other designated student leader may call special meetings
approved by the executive committee.
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Section 3. The executive committee shall meet twice monthly with one of the two meetings to
include all chapter board members
Section 4. The chapter shall conduct meetings according to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised
in all points not expressly provided for in these chapter bylaws.
ARTICLE XII: ACTIVITIES
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; 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. This is in addition to the chapter
projects to which all members contribute.
Section 5. Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive manner.
ARTICLE XIV: BYLAWS
Section 1. These bylaws can be altered at any time, after the changes have been reviewed by the,
Faculty Council, and the Principal.
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How to be an effective
chapter member:
1. Attend and participate in all chapter
meetings. Set a goal of making one positive
contribution at each session—even
if nothing more than being on time and paying
attention to every presenter.
2. Participate in and support all of the
chapter’s projects throughout the year,
whether these are providing service,
raising money, providing leadership and
training or otherwise reaching out to the
school or community.
3. Promote service through your individual
service project activities and by supporting
service activities done by other groups
both at school and in the community.
4. If your chapter charges member dues each
year, pay them willingly and on time.
5. Assume a leadership role in the chapter,
whether running for office, serving as a
committee chair, or otherwise volunteering
for a specific responsibility at least once each
year. One aspect of this leadership is to show
respect for other chapters’ leaders as they
undertake their duties and responsibilities.
6. Welcome new members, whether new
inductees or transfer members, to help them
become an active part of the chapter as
quickly as possible. Support their efforts to
understand the operations of your chapter by
offering explanations where needed and
looking out for their best interests. Remember:
You are an ambassador for your chapter and
for your school.
7. Read and respond to all paperwork or other
administrative requests that are shared at
chapter meetings and events in a timely and
appropriate manner. Adhere to deadlines.
8. Communicate effectively. Share ideas and
information about chapter activities whenever
possible. Be a strong communicator, whether
in your oral or written communications, but
also practice good listening skills.
9. Motivate others and yourself to get
involved and remain engaged in support of all
that your chapter does at school.
10. Be a good citizen at the local, state,
national, and global levels. Support and
encourage the ongoing use of democratic
principles in all aspects of chapter activity. Be
fair.
11. Remain engaged as an active member of
the chapter and encourage others to be
similarly engaged throughout the year. Help
all students at school find one activity that
they can become involved in to enhance their
experience at school.
12. Be a role model for your peers in the
chapter, for other students at school, and for
those in the community. Each member
represents the Honor Society and retains a
responsibility to reflect the values of the
organization in all that he or she does.
By becoming a strong member of your
chapter, you enhance the reputation and
effectiveness of your organization. An
effective
chapter becomes an asset to the school and
promotes the creation of a positive school
climate. A positive school climate
helps all students achieve and learn, helping to
achieve the goals of the principal, faculty, and
the school system. A strong school builds a
strong community and world. It all begins
with you. Make the most of your membership
in the Honor Society.
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Project Planning Guide
Robert Joyce Chapter of the Rockville High School National Honor Society
Chairman's Name
Project Name
Home Phone
Supervising Chapter Officer
Good advanced planning and record-keeping will mean the difference between success and failure.
Use this guide in planning and conducting your project by completely answering each question on
separate paper.
PLANNING:
1. Primary purpose (What is the one reason you want to successfully run this project?)
3. List the specific goals to be accomplished by this project. Use specific numbers. Example: To
involve twenty-five members.
4. What are the specific manpower assignments? (Show names and duties.)
5. What materials, supplies, and resources will. be required?
7. Describe the potential problems and their possible solutions to successfully complete this project.
Example: List problems and solutions by management technique (Planning, Training, Personnel
Management, Communications, Financial Management).
8. Give a brief description of the proposed project followed by a listing of the specific steps to be
taken to bring this project to a successful completion. Show approximate date for each step.
9. Complete the proposed budget showing all. anticipated income and expense. Include donated
items as income and expense and show return to chapter if applicable ..
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION:
10. Record by date the specific steps as they occur.
11. Record by date the revisions in plans as they become necessary. Show how problems were
handled using management techniques. What changes would you recommend if you were to run
this project again?
12. Record by date the sources of income and expenses as they occur. State why the project was a
financial success or failure and show profit or loss. Complete the Financial Statement.
14. Give specific results for each goal established.
15. What benefits could be derived by conducting this project in the future. (Include individual,
Request to change recorded NHS
Form S-2, 2011-2012
chapter, and community benefits.)
Service hours
Robert Joyce Chapter
NHS @ RHS
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You have two options to retrieve your hours:
(1) submit this form OR (2) submit the SSL
hours form.
Name
TO BE
COMPLETED BY NHS MEMBER
Date
Hours Actually Earned
Dates of Service
Location of Service
Adult Sponsor at Service Location
Adult who can vouch for Missing Service Hours
Name
TO BE
COMPLETED BY VOUCHING ADULT
Position/Title
Date Submitting
Contact (email or phone)
Vouching (Please check one)
I can vouch that this NHS member earned the above stated number of hours at the above stated location
during the above stated times.
I cannot vouch that this NHS member earned the above stated number of hours at the above stated location
during the above stated times.
Vouch
Signature
Approval
(Please check one) BY
TO BE COMPLETED
Date
NHS EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
APPROVED
DENIED, for the reason
Officer Name
Date
Signature
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