National English Honor society The Eagle Chapter Created by Swetha Ramamurthy & edited by Sagar Mulchandani 2012-2013

Nehs Bylaws 2012-2013 Bylaws for local chapters are designed to implement the NEHS Constitution and to provide a written set of rules for a particular group. The Bylaws define the limits of authority for the organization and give a sense both of order and of purpose; they also formalize a chapter's operations and procedures.

Article i Section 1: This organization is called The National English Honor Society and our chapter is called The Eagle Chapter. The chapter is located at Glenda Dawson High School—2050 Cullen Blvd., Pearland, TX 77581.

Article ii Section 1: The purpose of this organization is: To recognize on the national level those who, on the basis of academic grades and performance, merit special note for past and current accomplishments; To nurture these persons in such ways that they are encouraged to develop further their abilities in the various fields of English; To encourage members to use their talents in the service of others; To promote literacy and a lifelong love of literature at Glenda Dawson High School and the community.

Article iii Section 1: Powers vested in this chapter include, but are not limited to: Revision of chapter by-laws; Planning and organization of NEHS; Election and dismissal of chapter officers. Induction and dismissal of NEHS members; These powers shall be executed under the guidance of the later Articles.

Article iii Section 2: The chapter advisor shall be a member of the English faculty, appointed by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms. The advisor is responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter, maintaining files on membership, chapter history, activities, financial transactions, and the chapter bylaws. The advisor shall also regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligation and help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties. The chapter advisor shall be a voting member of the Faculty Advisory Council and shall be designated a NEHS honorary member, but will not pay the national induction fee.

Article iii Section 3: The faculty advisory council shall consist of the chapter advisor and at least one officer identified by the chapter advisor. The faculty advisory council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members, consider dismissals, and/or for other related matters. The faculty advisory council shall develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for the selection and dismissal of members.

Article iv Selection for membership is by a Faculty Advisory Council and is based both on academic accomplishment in English and English-related courses, as well as an overall academic accomplishment.

Article iv For Inside Hours: NEHS is no longer accepting the website “Free Rice” as an option for inside hours. NEHS is also no longer accepting tutoring as a method for inside hours due to problems regarding work authenticity. *Signature Forging is an automatic dismissal from NEHS*

Article iv The specific requirements for membership are as follows: Must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester prior to being considered . If special circumstances merit (such as coming from a different school), the Faculty Advisory Council may waive the semester regulation. Must have completed the equivalent of two semesters (or one full credit) of English prior to induction as a member Must have achieved a minimum overall grade point average of a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) prior to induction as a member. Have an 80 or above in AP or Pre-AP English classes Have a 90 or above in regular English classes

Member responsibilities Article iv Member responsibilities Have an 80 or above in AP or Pre-AP English classes Have a 90 or above in regular English classes Have 5 volunteer hours (per semester) AND attend all required projects. ****You can only miss two meetings a year! Meetings will not be on a set day, but will most likely be once/twice a month, Tuesdays or Fridays. ****Once you get your required hours for NEHS, you can use extra hours from inside projects for NHS.

Article iv Election of Officers: Must have met all the requirements as a member and have never been given a probation letter. Must have been in the society for at least one semester. Officers will be elected through an application-and-interview process at the end of each year for the seceding year. Officers can hold the same position for more than one term. What the Eagle chapter looks for in officers for next year: In evaluating potential officer positions, we look for proof of leadership, involvement, contribution, service, and character. The involvement and contribution criterion is considered highly important for officer selection and should be shown to a greater extent than the rest of the Eagle chapter members.

Article iv Member Removal: Any member who fails to meet the Eagle chapter’s requirements or violates any rules of Glenda Dawson High School and/or Pearland ISD shall be dismissed from NEHS membership. Officer Removal: Any officer who fails to meet this society’s requirements, does not fulfill his/her duties as an officer, or violates any rules of Glenda Dawson High School shall be dismissed from NEHS membership or dismissed from his/her officer position and will remain a NEHS member.

Article iv The procedure for removal of a member shall be as follows: A probation letter shall be sent to the member stating the specific duties not fulfilled. Once a letter is received the member has 5 school days to rectify the situation with the chapter advisor, president, and vice president. Should one of the members include the president or vice president, then the secretary will stand in as one of those representing officers. If the situation is still not rectified, then a final meeting will be held with the chapter advisor, associate principal, and/or principal of Glenda Dawson High School. A final letter will be given regarding the membership decision.

Article iv *1st probation = Tentative Dismissal *2nd Probation = Automatic Dismissal from Society Depending on the circumstances of the dismissal, a member may or may not be reinstated into the society again.

The Duties and Responsibilities of Chapter Officers are as follows: Article v Chapter Officers Officers for the National English Honor Society should be dependable, enthusiastic, and have a vision of what they want the organization to accomplish for the school, community, and its members. The Duties and Responsibilities of Chapter Officers are as follows:

Article V President The president presides at the meetings; initiates activities and sees that they are carried out; appoints committees and sees that they function adequately and appropriately; makes certain that the jobs are distributed among as many of the members as possible. The president should make sure that each officer is performing their duties. The president should be aware of the importance of teamwork, and that the distinction of being elected president is an honor not to be treated lightly.

Article V Vice President This officer confers with the president and Chapter Advisor often and should be kept informed and involved in all activities. As a committed chapter officer, the vice president can chair particular committees as needed provide leadership for assigned projects and activities. The vice president is also required to fill in for the president when unavailable.

Article V Secretary: The secretary keeps an activity log of business transactions and of the programs and activities discussed at every meeting and gives it to the chapter advisor. He/she sends out announcements of future meetings and confirms that each member is aware of upcoming and scheduled events. He/she also creates any needed documents for the society which includes meeting notes and attendance. The secretary will fill in during a dismissal meeting should the dismissal include the president or vice president of the organization.

Article V Historian: It is essential to maintain a permanent record of the chapter's members and activities. This includes keeping a track of each members participation hours and photos of activities. Acceptance/probation letters, flyers, programs, hours sheet, photos, etc. should be kept in some permanent form. These materials should never be kept at a member's home but in the care of the Chapter Advisor or in a permanent location at school. A chapter historian, working closely with the Chapter Advisor, may be elected to handle this important work and must be aware that this information is strictly confidential.

Article V Treasurer: The treasurer, working with the Chapter Advisor, handles the chapter's money matters. Administers chapter funds and keeps the other officers aware of the status of chapter finances. A record of all the money that enters and leaves the society should be discussed with the Chapter Advisor and the bookkeeper of Glenda Dawson High School. At each meeting the treasurer needs to give everyone an update of the chapter’s financial standing (even if nothing changed since the previous meeting). Although the Chapter Advisor should be responsible for actually sending the national induction fees to the Central Office, the treasurer is enlisted to help with the collection of any local chapter dues as necessary.

Article v All Officers It is the responsibility of all officers to communicate with the chapter advisor on a regular basis (every month).

Article vi Amendments There are times when an outdated set of Bylaws is a real hindrance to the chapter. Some good reasons for amending the bylaws are items may become outdated, therefore; it is the duty of the officers to amend the Bylaws as necessary with the approval of the Chapter Advisor.

REQUIRED PROJECTS Required projects DO NOT count towards the required 5 hours. Silvercrest Library – Volunteer for an hour in groups of 3 on Tuesdays or Fridays. You must do this at least TWICE this semester by April 19th. Sign up for a date by February 15th on the Facebook page. Teacher Aid – Help English teachers at least TWICE a semester after school. Two people per teacher per day. We will pick the teacher you go to, and you sign up for a date on Facebook. If you fail to complete any requirements, be aware that a probation notice will follow.

Voluntary Project DHS will host an Elective Fair & Parent Night for incoming 9th graders on Tuesday, February 26th. If you would like to volunteer at our booth it is from 6:00-8:00 pm in the cafeteria.

WE GET CORDS!! * Double Honor Cord: Blue and Gold cords with tassels Requirements to get cords : 1. Volunteer at Silvercrest library four times a semester. 2. Assist an English teacher five times a semester. 3. 10 service hours instead of the required 5. 4. Never have been on probation (as a member). 5. Fulfill all membership requirements as stated in the bylaws.

FACEBOOK PAGE Facebook is our main method of communication! You must check the page regularly for updates. If you do not have a Facebook make sure you give us your phone number and email address. NEW RULE: You must speak with proper English on the Facebook page, since this is an English club. 

OFFICERS President – Anne Nguyen, Pallavi Dev Vice President – Sagar Mulchandani, John Nazareno, Drew Hall Secretary – Swetha Ramamurthy, Billiana Le Treasurer – Nicholas Nguyen Historian – Judy Tran Publicity Officer – Esther Phan Probation notices will go into effect Thursday, February 7, 2013 and distribution will take place February 21, 2013.