Welcome To The PCHS NHS Web Site

The PCHS NHS Handbook

Bylaws of the Plainfield Chapter of the National Honor Society are written in compliance with the National Constitution and are approved by the administration and School Board of the Plainfield School District 202. The bylaws are provided to the active members of the Plainfield Chapter of NHS for reference and clarification of roles and responsibilities. The bylaws are reviewed annually and revised as needed.

Article I Name, Purpose and Pledge

Plainfield High School National Honor Society

NHS MISSION STATEMENT

To continue to develop personal qualities of scholarship, leadership, character and service as an individual and to encourage others to challenge themselves to develop these characteristics.

NHS PLEDGE

I pledge myself to uphold the high purposes
of the National Honor Society to which I have been elected.
I shall strive in every way to make its ideals
and the ideals of my school and my life
by maintaining and encouraging high standards of
Character, scholarship, leadership and service.



Article II--Selection

Section 1--Eligibility

**To be eligible for membership consideration the candidate must be a 2nd semester Junior or Senior.
**Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 4.5.

Section 2--Process

**Beginning of 2nd Semester, eligible students will receive an invitation to provide the faculty council with information to support their candidacy for membership.
**Candidates will submit their information sheet, which declares their intention to be considered for membership.
**Faculty will evaluate candidates in the area of character, leadership and service.
**The information and faculty evaluations will be presented to the faculty council.
**The faculty council will then vote on each candidate.

Section 3--Notification

**The candidates will be notified in writing of their selection or non-selection.
**Candidates who are not selected may meet with the advisers to gain insight as to why they were not selected.

Section 4--Appeal Process

**Non selected students should first meet with the adviser to receive feed back on how the decision was made and provide direction to assist in reaching goals to be considered in the future.
**If student or parent is not satisfied, the next level of discussion is with the principal.
**If the principal believes a technical or procedural mistake has been made, the faculty council may reconvene to review the situation.

Section 5--Faculty Council

**Faculty Council is composed of 5 voting faculty members appointed by the principal.
**Faculty Council members who have children in the classes of eligible candidates will not be eligible to serve on the council.
**Term is one year.
**Members may serve consecutive terms
**Faculty Council will select members and hear dismissal cases.

ARTICLE III

Membership, rewards and requirements

Section 1--General Membership Information

**Membership in this chapter shall be known as active and graduate.
**Active members become graduate members at graduation after meeting requirements.
**The graduate members no longer have a vote.
**Active membership is one year.
**An active member of another National Honor Society Chapter who transfers to this school will be considered for membership in this chapter. This transfer member will complete an information sheet, which will be evaluated by the advisors and taken to the faculty committee for a membership decision.

Section 2--Rewards

**Students are recognized at an induction ceremony, which marks his/her official membership in this NHS chapter.
**Students will receive the following emblems of membership; a letter of congratulations, an NHS pin or charm and candle used at induction. When requirements are met and prior to graduation, a membership card and tassel will be presented.
**Students are further recognized in yearbook pictures, various publicity publications such as local newspapers, at the graduation ceremony (with a separate tassel), and with an NHS stamp on the high school diploma.
**Intrinsic rewards from personal achievement, leadership opportunity and helping others.
**Section 3 Service Requirements:
**All students must complete 30 hours of service. The hours are divided as follows, fifteen school hours and fifteen community hours.
**Each person must serve on a service activity committee with at least half of all service hours earned through the NHS sponsored activities.
**Students are encouraged to participate in all NHS sponsored activities and earn all 30 hours through these school and community service projects.
**Service hours that are not NHS sponsored activities must be pre-approved to receive credit towards NHS service requirements.
**NHS sponsored activities are open to the entire school and it is the job of the committee members and the activity director(s) to publicize and promote the activity and to encourage others to participate.
**Attend at least one community or school board meeting.
**Keep track of all your service hours and turn them in on or before the four due dates per year.

Section 4 NHS Sponsored Service Activities:

**Academic Outreach -tutoring PHS peers and District #202 students.

Mission Statement

As members of the National Honor Society’s Academic Outreach committee we pledge to aid in the development of the academic process of our fellow students, including others in our community. We will achieve this goal by volunteering our time and dedication to the academic excellence of all students we encounter.

**Adopt a grandparent
**Community Outreach

Mission Statement

As part of the NHS pledge, you, as a member, will be expected to maintain high standards of service throughout your school and your community. Activities for this committee include Big Brothers/Big Sisters Santa Train and the MS Walk. Also, you will play the role of recruiter to encourage all students, not only those involved in NHS, to participate in Volunteer opportunities. Also, you will be expected to assist the Committee chairs in providing speakers for meetings to inform members and other interested students of upcoming events, and to help provide the President and Vice President of current information to update web page and other publicity. Finally, you will be expected to concur with all NHS rules and regulations, with a failure to do so can result in your termination from this club.

**District outreach

Mission Statement

The purpose of the District Outreach Committee of the Plainfield High School chapter of the National Honor Society is to provide support for District 202 schools throughout Plainfield. We will make it a priority to establish a relationship between the schools in District 202 in order to make Plainfield High School students an intricate part of the district’s life. Members are to assist in the projects as requested by school officials. The overall goal of the committee is to give back to the schools of our early education.

**Historian
**Shelter Helpers

Mission Statement

As the Shelter Helper Committee, we will be responsible for setting up times to go to Daybreak, bringing a guest speaker to an NHS meeting, handling all paperwork pertaining to shelter activities, and providing picture, signs, and announcements for the NHS scrap book and publicity. We will also, and most importantly, help the needy and strive to get the PHS student body concerned about the people in our community less fortunate for themselves.

**Ways and Means (T-shirt purchase, fundraising, and meeting attendance fees)

Mission Statement

As a member of the National Honor Society’s Ways and Means Committee, one will be expected to help with all NHS functions, as well as, being an intricate part of what is one of the most important committees in NHS. Your job lies in two main functions for the committee. One, that the committee as a whole, designs the National Honor Society’s T-shirt, in which the entire organization wears during group functions. Two, your committee, pending approval for the NHS advisers, will design the academic gift, which will be left for the school, for countless years to come. In conjunction with that, committee chairs will be expected to keep treasury reports, which detail any money entering, as well as leaving the organization. And finally, all members will be expected to assist in the fundraising activities, which will, in turn, fund the academic gift.

**Webmaster

Mission Statement

The title of NHS Webmaster comes with certain responsibilities. The Webmaster has to create and update the web page. The web page should be set up in a way that it is easy to use and include information such as current members, volunteer activities, and any other NHS news.

Section 5 NHS Meeting Requirements:

**Students are expected to attend all meetings.
**Service hour credit of half- hour per meeting will be given and may be applied to either community or school.
**Committees will make reports on activities at each meeting and may invite speakers.
**Late attendance and early leavers fees of $.50 will be charged.
**A $1.00 fee will be charged to all members not in attendance.
**The reason for not attending must be put in writing each time a meeting is missed.
**The non-attendance/ late fees will go toward fund-raising projects or end of year NHS party.

Section 6 Character, Scholarship, and Leadership requirements:

**Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 4.5 on a 5.0 scale.
**Students are expected to maintain a good behavioral record both in the school and community. **Continue to develop leadership skill through participation in committees.

ARTICLE IV--DISMISSAL

Section 1--Probation

**Students who fail to meet these requirements will be put on probation.
**If requirements are not made up or a second probation occurs, a dismissal hearing will be held and NHS membership may be revoked.

Section 2--Dismissal/Withdrawal:

**Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, leadership, character, or service may be dismissed.