nhs membership packet...national honor society (nhs) is the nation's premier organization...
TRANSCRIPT
NHS Membership
Packet
Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
Table of Contents
NHS Executive Committee .............................................................................. 1
Membership Responsibilities ............................................................................ 2
General Meetings ........................................................................................... 3
Point System Overview ................................................................................... 4
Point Form 2020-2021 .................................................................................... 5
Pre-Approval Form for Non-NHS Events ............................................................ 6
Penalties, Probation, and Dismissal Overview ................................................. 7-8
Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................... 9-11
Get Connected ............................................................................................. 12
2020-2021 Chapter Motto
"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members."
-Coretta Scott King
NHS Executive Committee Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
Principal: Mrs. McGinnis
Chapter Advisers: Ms. Spence and Ms. Williams
NHS Officers
President:
Service Vice President:
Leadership Vice President:
Senior Class Secretary:
Junior Class Secretary:
Fall Events Coordinator:
Spring Events Coordinators:
Member Relations:
Treasurer:
Publicist:
Interested in being an NHS Officer this year? Come speak to the
sponsors to get more information!
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Congratulations on being a part of the 2020-2021
Atascocita High School Chapter of NHS! New and Old Members,
Despite the unusual start to the school year, we’re excited to finally be all back
together! In the following pages you will find everything you need to know in order to have a successful year in NHS!
What is NHS?
National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation's premier organization established to
recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS
serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of
scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
What does a NHS member look like?
He or she is classified as a junior or senior. (Sophomores can apply at the
end of 10th grade if they have completed all course requirements.) He or she maintains at least a 4.25 cumulative GPA throughout the school
year.
He or she demonstrates excellence in character and leadership both on campus and in the community.
All members must complete a total of 30 service hours* throughout the year. Fifteen of those hours need to come from NHS-sponsored events. See additional requirements and due dates on the Point System Overview.
Each student is required to attend a leadership conference in either the fall or spring semester to develop and hone his or her leadership skills.
All NHS members are also required to pay membership dues. **Please note that this year due to the delayed start, there will be altered
requirement for service hours.
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General Meetings Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
General meetings are monthly gatherings that consist of games, “housekeeping” items (e.g. hearing about potential fundraisers and budget updates), and service
opportunities. According to our Chapter’s Bylaws, the purpose of our organization is “to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to
promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of Atascocita High School.” Our general meetings will aim to further the purpose of our NHS Chapter.
Please refer to the table below for the general meeting dates. This schedule can also be found on our NHS website. Meeting dates are subject to change due to unforeseen events/circumstances. Members will be
informed well in advance when there is a change of date or location.
Fall Semester 2020
Date / Time Location
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 3:05 p.m. OR Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 3:05 p.m.
Tuesday PM Meeting = Blue LGI; Wednesday PM Meeting = Zoom
Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 3:05 p.m. OR Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 3:05 p.m.
Tuesday PM meeting = Blue LGI; Wednesday PM Meeting = Zoom
Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 3:05 p.m. OR Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 3:05 p.m.
Tuesday PM meeting = Blue LGI; Wednesday PM Meeting = Zoom
*Zoom meetings will be recorded. *The dates for general meetings in the spring semester will be posted at a later date.
NHS Zoom Link: https://humbleisd.zoom.us/j/9639708787 *Please note that you need to change your Zoom profile name to FIRST and LAST
NAME for attendance purposes.
If you cannot attend a general meeting due to a scheduling conflict, you must complete a General Meeting Excuse Form. The form is now a digital Google Form on our NHS website (under General Meetings tab). The Google Form
must be completed BEFORE the meeting in question.
You are allowed to excuse ONE meeting per semester without penalty. Failure to get a meeting excused will result in consequences. Please read the Penalties, Probation, and Dismissal Overview.
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National Honor Society - Point System Overview Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
By the end of the whole school year, each member is required to have obtained at least 5 NHS service hours plus another 10 NHS/non-NHS service hours for a total of 15 service hours. This means that at least 5 of the 15 hours for the school year must be
NHS-sponsored service points. (Please note that the service requirements for this school year have been reduced as a result of our delayed start and COVID-related requirements for volunteering.)
1 hour served at a NHS-sponsored event = 1 NHS service point
1 hour served at a non-NHS event = 1 non-NHS service point
According to our Bylaws (Appendix B, Article 6), specific deadlines for service hours will be set at the beginning of the school year. Please see the tables below in order to be aware of the point deadlines for this school year. Except for early release dates, all
point forms are due by 3:15 p.m. on the dates listed below.
Fall Semester 2020 Due Date Minimum Service Points
Required
2nd Nine Weeks Point Check Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 (Early release – points due by noon)
5 points (5 total)
At the end of the first semester, students must have at least 2 NHS service
points in order to remain in good standing. The remaining required NHS service
points can be earned in the second semester. The 15 points for the school year must be earned by participating in a minimum
of 4 total events (NHS-sponsored and non-NHS events combined).
Spring Semester 2021 Due Date Minimum Service Points
Required
3rd Nine Weeks Point Check Friday, March 12, 2021 5 additional points (10 total)
Final Senior Point Check Friday, April 23, 2021 5 additional points (15 total)
4th Nine Weeks Point Check Friday, May 21, 2021 5 additional points (15 total)
*The Final Senior Point Check only applies to graduating seniors. All point and event requirements must be met in order to earn your cords for graduation.
Failure to maintain the minimum service points required at each point check will result in probation. Please see the probation overview for more details. If you encounter an error in the points online: First, you should check your own records against what is
online. Second, you should contact the NHS Secretary and Chapter Advisers.
NHS-sponsored event: An event that is supported by the organization and is promoted with a corresponding Sign Up Genius. A running list of NHS-sponsored events
is provided on the website.
Non-NHS event: An event that the student seeks out and is approved in advance by
the Service Vice President. Please see the pre-approval form for non-NHS events for further details.
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Pre-Approval Form for Non-NHS Events
All email requests should be sent to: [email protected]
In order to guarantee a response, you must email your pre-approval form at least
5 days in advance to the event in question. You may send in your form any time
prior to the event (e.g. two or three days before event), but there is no guarantee
that your request form will be reviewed prior to the event taking place.
If it is a last minute event request and you need a fast turnaround on the request,
feel free to stop by Ms. Spence’s room (Blue 1 – 2512) or Ms. Williams’ room
(Blue 1 – 2513).
Please check your email for correspondence regarding the event’s approval status.
If the event is approved, please print out the approval email/original request form
and attach it to your service point form. You will not gain any non-NHS service
points without the approval email. You still need an adult volunteer from the non-
NHS event to sign off on your point sheet.
Name:
Student Email:
Event:
Sponsoring Organization of event:
Date / Time of event:
Description of Service:
**Please do not email about events that have already happened, how you forgot to email about said event,
if you heard it was approved and it wasn’t, etc. All emails must be sent before an event takes place.
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National Honor Society - Penalties, Probation, and Dismissal Overview Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021 According to our Chapter Bylaws, failure to meet the standards of a NHS member
will result in disciplinary action. Some of the penalties are outlined below. For a complete list, please read Article X of the Chapter Bylaws.
Member Requirements A student who has not maintained the described membership requirements or who
has failed to maintain the standards of excellence for which he or she was selected will be placed on probation and/or removed from the organization.
GPA
If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below the required 4.25, he or she will
be placed on probation and given a period of one semester to restore the cumulative GPA to a 4.25.
Failure to maintain this standard will result in dismissal. Point System
A member must obtain the required number of points for each nine weeks point check. Please see the deadlines listed in the Point System
Overview. At the end of the first semester, students must have at least 2 NHS
service points in order to remain in good standing. The remaining
required NHS service points can be earned in the second semester. The 15 points for the school year must be earned by participating in a
minimum of 4 total events (NHS-sponsored and non-NHS events combined).
If a member does not meet the point/event requirements of a nine weeks
or a semester, he or she will be put on probation. The student will have until the next immediate nine weeks deadline to get back in good
standing. Failure to regain good standing will result in dismissal from the organization.
Social Conduct
Members must continue to demonstrate excellence in character.
If a student develops an excessive amount of tardies, D-Halls, or
Saturday classes, he or she will be required to attend a conference with
the Chapter Advisers and Principal to determine his or her standing in the
organization.
In the case of behavior referrals to the Assistant Principal for discipline,
the member will be required to attend a conference with the Chapter
Advisers and Principal to determine a plan for correcting the problem and
a probation period. At the second referral, for any reason, the student
faces the possibility for dismissal.
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General Meeting Attendance
Members are required to attend mandatory general meetings either in
person or via Zoom.
A student can only excuse one general meeting per semester without
penalty. If a student is unable to attend a mandatory general meeting,
he or she must inform the Chapter Advisers ahead of time by completing
a General Meeting Excuse Form (Google Form on NHS website). The
member must present a logical explanation for his or her absence, or the
Chapter Advisers will declare that he or she is not excused.
A point penalty will occur with either of the following situations: a student
misses a general meeting without completing a General Meeting Excuse
Form beforehand or a student misses an additional meeting after one has
already been excused that semester.
What is probation?
Probation is a warning given by the Advisers that the student’s membership is in jeopardy.
The warning is written and must be signed by the student and a parent/guardian to ensure
that both are aware of the possibility of dismissal.
What is the purpose of probation?
The intention of the probation notice is to enable the student to make up the deficiency for
which he or she was placed on probation. The student must remedy the infraction by the
next deadline in order to be considered in good standing. If the deficiency is not corrected,
the member will be dismissed from the organization.
What is a point penalty?
A point penalty is an additional 2 service hours per infraction that the student must complete
during the nine weeks period in order to remain in good standing. Failure to complete the
additional service hours during the allotted time will result in the student being put on
probation.
How does the point penalty work?
Below is an example of both point penalty scenarios.
Scenario 1: In the excitement of the final school bell, Jane forgets that there is a general
meeting for NHS that afternoon and goes home. Since she did not turn in a General Meeting
Excuse Form beforehand (or have a legitimate reason for missing the meeting), she receives
an additional 2 service hours to complete during that nine weeks. For example, if this
occurred during the 2nd Nine Weeks Point Check, she would have to complete 7 service
points before the due date (instead of the mandatory 5 points for everyone else).
Scenario 2: John turned in a General Meeting Excuse Form last month because he had a
conflicting doctor’s appointment. He realizes that he also has a commitment tomorrow at
the same time as the NHS general meeting, but he’s already used his one excused meeting
this semester. Since he misses an additional meeting after the excused one, he receives an
additional 2 service hours to complete during that nine weeks.
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NHS Frequently Asked Questions Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
What do I need to do in order to be in good standing?
To be in good standing, members must meet their responsibilities each semester. In the first semester, this means paying dues ($30.00 for juniors and $55.00 for seniors), participating in fundraisers, attending Leadership Seminar, and completing 5 hours of service. In the second semester, this
means completing an additional 10 hours of service. Please see the Point System Overview for specific rules relating to service hours and point check
due dates. Members must also have clean conduct records and maintain a 4.25 cumulative GPA.
What happens if I'm put on probation?
Being put on probation means that you have fallen short in upholding your responsibilities as a NHS member. Therefore, you must remedy the situation by the end of the following nine weeks point check; otherwise, you will be
dismissed from NHS. For example, if you were short 3 points for the 2nd nine weeks point check, you must turn in 8 points for the 2nd nine weeks point
check (5 regular hours + 3 make up hours).
How can I earn service hours?
There are multiple chances to earn service hours each semester. The service account ([email protected]) sends out service opportunities to all members' email addresses. More information about each of these events can be found by going to the NHS Calendar and clicking on the event.
Additionally, you can submit your own ideas or other projects to count for service, but you must get it pre-approved first.
Can I participate in a service event for hours that is NOT sponsored by NHS?
Yes! Simply submit a pre-approval form for non-NHS events with the appropriate information filled out to [email protected]. In order to guarantee a response, you must email your pre-approval form at least 5 days in advance to the event in question. You may send in your form any
time prior to the event (e.g. two or three days before event), but there is no guarantee that your request form will be reviewed prior to the event taking
place. If the event is approved, please print out the approval email/original request form and attach it to your service point form. You will not gain any non-NHS service points without the approval email.
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How many individual NHS and non-NHS points do I need?
By the end of the whole school year, each member is required to have obtained at least 5 NHS hours plus another 10 NHS/non-NHS hours for a
total of 15 hours. This means that at least 5 of the 15 hours of the year must be NHS points.
1 hour served at a NHS-sponsored event = 1 NHS service point
1 hour served at a non-NHS event = 1 non-NHS service point
At the end of the first semester, students must have at least 2 NHS service points in order to remain in good standing. The remaining required NHS service points can be earned in the second semester.
The 15 points for the school year must be earned by participating in a
minimum of 4 total events (NHS-sponsored and non-NHS events combined).
What is the difference between NHS-sponsored events and non-NHS
events?
A NHS-sponsored event is one that is supported by the organization and is promoted with a corresponding Sign Up Genius. A running list of NHS-
sponsored events is provided on the website. A non-NHS event is one that the student seeks out and is approved in
advance by the Service Vice President. Please see the pre-approval form for
non-NHS events for further details. Please note that when we count events, we count TYPE of event, not
the number of times you volunteered at a particular place. For example, if you help with custodial clean up three times over the course of the nine weeks, it will only count as ONE event for that
nine weeks. It will count as a separate event again at the start of a new nine weeks.
How do I know how many points I have?
Point statuses are updated online regularly. Check the date of the file for the last time it was updated. It is recommended that all members make a copy of their point forms before turning them in. Members are encouraged to turn
in their point forms by the end of each month in order to prevent procrastination.
Where/How do I turn in point forms?
Point forms can be turned in to Ms. Spence's room (Blue 1 - 2512) or Ms. Williams’ room (Blue 1 - 2513). You can also turn in point forms during general meetings.
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What should I do if I think there is an error with my points?
If you encounter an error in the points online: First, you should check your own records against what is online. Second, you should contact the NHS
Secretary and Chapter Advisers.
What about summer hours? Do I need to do them? Do they count towards
anything?
NHS members are not required to do additional hours over the summer. Non-NHS service completed over the summer WILL NOT be
counted for points during the fall semester.
What do I do if I can't make it to a monthly meeting?
Each member is required to attend the monthly meetings. (Please refer to the General Meetings tab of the website for the specific meeting dates.) If a member cannot go to the meeting, then he/she must inform the Chapter Advisers ahead of time by completing a General Meeting Excuse Form.
A student can only excuse one general meeting per semester without penalty.
A point penalty will occur with either of the following situations: a student misses a general meeting without completing a General Meeting Excuse Form beforehand or a student misses an additional meeting after one has already
been excused for that semester.
What is a point penalty?
A point penalty is an additional 2 service hours per infraction that the student must complete during the nine weeks period in order to remain in good standing. Failure to complete the additional service hours during the allotted
time will result in the student being put on probation.
What happens if I miss Leadership Seminar?
Leadership Seminar is an event occurring each semester that teaches
students to develop and hone their leadership skills. The event involves a guest speaker, games/activities, discussion sessions, and a reflection wrap-up. A make-up activity will be mandatory for members who do not attend
the leadership seminar. If you know that you are unable to attend Leadership Seminar due to a
scheduling conflict, you must submit a form ahead of time. Please see the Chapter Advisers for more information.
Any further questions can be addressed to any officer, sponsor, or NHS email.
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Get Connected Atascocita High School Chapter
2020-2021
NHS Leadership Email:
*Please send all general questions and communication to this email account.
Service Email:
*Please send all non-NHS Event Pre-Approval Forms to this email account.
Remind Notifications:
To receive messages via text message, text @ahseagles to 81010.
Follow us on Twitter:
@AHSNHS
Follow us on Instagram:
AHS_NHS
Chapter Advisers’ Emails:
Ms. Spence
Ms. Williams
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