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NHS Selection Process
Questions for National Honor Society™
How does a student join NHS?
The Prince George High School Chapter of the National Honor Society will induct new members in our annual ceremony in May. The Faculty Council is now reviewing all tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students who are academically eligible for membership. To be academically eligible, a student must have a cumulative 3.8 GPA. The grade point average is not rounded.
Membership in NHS is based upon excellence in four areas: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. In February, the Faculty Council will give letters and information forms to students who have met the scholarship requirement of a 3.8000 cumulative GPA. If a student did not receive a letter, he/she needs to contact ----- immediately. All information forms are due to---- Students with disabilities are not excluded from consideration based on their disabilities.
How are students honored with membership?
The process of selection is as follows:
1. After the first semester grading period, students with at least a cumulative GPA of 3.8000 are asked to submit information about their school, leadership, and community service activities with qualifying signatures to the Faculty Council. GPAs are not rounded.
2. Students must verify participation in three or more school activities. Also, students must document at least fifteen hours of community service within the past two semesters of school and the summer of the selection year. A selection year is usually from the end of the previous year’s first semester to the end of the current school year’s first semester (for example, February to February). Documented leadership positions and responsibilities should be consistently held throughout the selection year.
3. Faculty is asked to comment on the character, leadership, and service of each candidate. They rate each candidate as outstanding, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory in character, leadership, and service.
4. The sponsor and/or Faculty Council representative review discipline files in the office.
5. Attendance and tardiness are checked.
6. The Faculty Council meets and honors those candidates deemed as outstanding in scholarship, character, leadership, and service. The council considers the information provided by candidates, faculty comments, fulfillment of Beta Club members’ service points, discipline files, and attendance/tardiness. 7. Candidates must be inducted in order to be a member.
Please note that the sponsor ---- does not select the candidates who will be honored. The five-member Faculty Council selects candidates.
What counts as community service?
Community service is defined by NHS guidelines as “work done on behalf of others” voluntarily and must be completed with a recognized organization or institution. (for example, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, volunteer fire stations, religious groups, elementary schools, nursing homes/assisted living homes, libraries, hospitals, school-sponsored events like Walk Against Drugs) Community service does not include activities such as yard work and babysitting/pet watching for neighbors, selling items, and filing papers/clerical work.
Personal tutoring is not accepted. Teaching positions generally fall under leadership. Not all IB community service qualifies as NHS community service.
For each project in which hours are earned, it is the responsibility of the member to have a community service form completed, verified, and submitted to the sponsor.
Community service given as a disciplinary measure will not count towards club community service hours.
Members who fail to perform community service hours will be warned in writing and will be reviewed for possible dismissal by the Faculty Council.
What are the responsibilities of members?
Active members of the National Honor Society are required to maintain a 3.8 GPA and to live up to the character, leadership, and service ideals of NHS. Active members are also required to attend NHS meetings and perform twenty community service hours per membership year. Five of those community service hours must be completed in NHS-sponsored projects. Failure to uphold these standards can result in dismissal from NHS. All hours must be completed one month prior to the Faculty Council’s annual review of members and candidates for induction.
Members will pay a one-time dues of $20 upon induction.
Members are expected to attend meetings. Members who cannot attend a meeting should contact the sponsor prior to the meeting to provide an excuse for the absence. Members are responsible for information discussed and presented at meetings.
Members and their parents will sign a contract of member expectations upon induction.
Active members are expected to maintain the standards of the National Honor Society by which they were selected. Probationary status precludes the bestowal of any special privileges or honors by the adviser, Faculty Council, or administration on any member.
Members who take off-campus courses at local colleges are held to the same expectations as on-campus members.
What about NHS senior stoles?
Senior members order and pay for their stoles by May 1 if all of their community service hours have been met.
Probationary status precludes the bestowal of any special privileges or honors by the adviser, Faculty Council, or administration on any member.
Seniors must have maintained all expectations in order to be honored with a NHS stole in graduation ceremonies.
How does a student or parent appeal a non-selection decision by the Faculty Council?
An appeal of the decision of non-selection by the Faculty Council must be made in writing by the parent/legal guardian or student to the sponsor within five school days of a non-selection notice. The sponsor will notify the principal of the appeal request. If parents or students are not satisfied after conferring with the sponsor, the next level of discussion will take place with the principal. The principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the situation if the principal believes a procedural or technical mistake has been made. Technical or procedural mistakes might include omission of a student’s name from the list of those qualified for induction, the erroneous averaging of grades, or failure to follow prescribed procedures (NHS Handbook)
What if a student receives a referral prior to induction?
Any candidate selected for membership who receives a referral prior to induction will be given the opportunity to meet with the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will determine then if the candidate will still be honored with membership. According to national rules, a candidate is not a member until inducted.
I belonged to NHS at another school. How do I join the PGHS NHS?
An active member of the NHS who transfers to PGHS will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter after he/she has presented the sponsor with a copy of his/her official NHS membership card and induction certificate from the previous school. It is the transfer student’s responsibility to identify her/himself to the sponsor within two weeks of enrollment. The transfer student will have one semester to attain the PGHS membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership (NHS Handbook).
How is a NHS member dismissed? What happens if a NHS member receives a referral?
All members will be notified in writing if they fail to perform the obligations of membership. Prior to any dismissal, members will be given an opportunity to meet with the Faculty Council.
Any member who receives a referral to the office or any discipline from a PGHS faculty member should report the matter to the sponsor since the spirit of an honor organization implies honorable conduct and acceptance of responsibility.
Members should not have excessive tardies and absences.
Honorable conduct extends beyond high school hours. Violations of the law can result in dismissal. Social media of members should reflect outstanding character.
NHS Sponsor:----
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