Adopted:      04/16/2007                                                                                                                   

371.2 Rule

School District of Prairie Farm

National Honor Society Administrative Rules and Regulations                      

I. MEMBERSHIP OVERVIEW

A. Membership in the Prairie Farm Schools National Honor Society requires that;

      1. Students must be a second semester sophomore, junior or senior.

      2. Students must have been in attendance at Prairie Farm high school for a         minimum of one semester.

      3. A student may transfer into the NHS with proof of membership from their      previous school and maintain the same standards established at PFHS.

B. The motto of the National Honor Society is "Noblesse Oblige" which means that "Nobility Obligates". Therefore membership is not based on grades alone but on all 4 components of the National Honor Society charter.

      1. Scholarship; A cumulative scholarship average of 3.5%

      2. Service; Service is defined as a willingness to assist administration, teachers,             and students by volunteering when needed and being actively involved within             the school and community.

      3. Character; Character consists of a willingness to adhere to school rules,       regulations, and policies in spirit and practice.  Students must not obtain a     Level II or Level III offense or a suspension offense during their high school     career.

      4. Leadership; Leadership is not confined to elected positions in school and     community organizations, but includes an active participation in these organizations.

II. RESPONSIBILITY

A. The Principal is responsible for enforcing this policy and adhering to the rules of the NHS.

B. The Principal is responsible for ensuring that the written guidelines that explain the eligibility and admission standards, and the rules for participation in the NHS, are established and distributed to parents and students each school year in the school’s parent and student handbooks.

C. The NHS Advisor is responsible for enforcing this policy. The NHS Advisor is also responsible for maintaining on file a copy of each school’s NHS eligibility and membership guidelines and for reviewing them for consistency with the constitution and handbook of the NHS.

III. Communicating Information to Parents and Students

A.  Prairie Farm Schools shall inform parents and the general student population about the National Honor Society, eligibility and admission standards, selection procedures, key contact persons, timelines associated with the admissions process, and disciplinary, dismissal, and appeals procedures. The school shall communicate this information to parents and students at the beginning of the school year during orientation, in parent and student handbooks, and when announcing opportunities. This information shall also be available on the school’s website and through any other medium the school deems appropriate, such as school wide informational sessions to students and parents.

IV. Eligibility

A. To be considered for membership in the National Honor Society a student must be a sophomore, junior, or senior.

B. Candidates for membership in the NHS must have been in attendance     at the school for the equivalent of one semester. Based on the recommendation of the principal at the student’s previous school, the Faculty Council may waive   this provision for transfer students and students with special circumstances, such as students of military parents who are required to move with parents who have transferred in their work.

C. To be considered for membership in the NHS a Prairie Farm Schools student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5. No student’s GPA shall be adjusted from weighted to un-weighted or from un-weighted to weighted for eligibility or admission into the NHS. Further the overall GPA calculation must be based on participation in Prairie Farm Schools core curricular and/or advanced academic classes. The Faculty Council shall also set specific standards for character, leadership, and service in accordance with the guidelines established by the NHS (must be publicized as above).

V. Screening, Selection and Admission Process

A. The Faculty Council shall establish selection procedures consistent with the rules and regulations of the NHS. Procedures for screening and selecting candidates and admitting students to the local chapter must address the following:

    1. Notifying parents and the general student population of the eligibility and          admission criteria, and timelines associated with the screening, selection, and      admission process.

    2. Identifying students who meet the eligibility criteria regarding cumulative           GPA.

    3. Once scholarship criteria have been met inviting students to apply for   membership      in the organization.

    4. Conducting a review of each candidate based on character, leadership, and     service using the Prairie Farm Schools established qualifications matrix.

    5. A formal review of the application by the Faculty Council and communication of the decision of the to the student and parents

B. Prairie Farm Schools shall conduct at least one induction ceremony each school year to admit the selected candidates.

VI. Membership

A. Membership in the NHS shall transfer with a member who brings a letter from his/her former principal or faculty advisor to the new school. Transfer members must meet the new chapter’s standards, if applicable, within one semester in order to retain membership.

B. The Faculty Council can consider disciplinary actions that are related to a student’s membership in the NHS, up to and including dismissal, if circumstances warrant. Students who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection (i.e., scholarship, character, leadership, and service) shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency before disciplinary action is taken. However, in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not necessarily have to be warned and may be disciplined immediately. Students who receive a Level II or Level III offense or who are suspended during their high school career shall be immediately reviewed by the Faculty Council and may have their membership terminated. National Honor Society standards apply to both on and off-campus conduct.

C. The Faculty Council, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NHS, shall determine the procedure for dismissal. In all cases of pending dismissal, before the Faculty Council votes, a member has a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. Dismissal procedures must include:

      1. Written warnings, except for flagrant violation (A reasonable number of         warnings shall be determined by the Faculty Council.)

      2. Right to a hearing before the Faculty Council

      3. Appeal to the principal         

D. The school shall periodically review the eligibility standards of the local chapter for consistency with this policy and the Constitution and Handbook of the NHS.

E. Copies of school’s NHS published guidelines shall be submitted to the Office of the Superintendent for review.

VII. Appeals

A. Students and parents may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council regarding non-selection of candidates and the disciplining and dismissal of members to the principal.

B. All appeals must be submitted to the principal in writing.

Cross Ref: National Honor Society Constitution and Handbook

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