National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS)

The purpose of this organization shall be to recognize students for their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated personal responsibility, to provide service to the school and community, and to develop leadership skills in the students of elementary schools.

NEHS is structured as follows:

The Chapter Adviser: The chapter adviser shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms. The chapter adviser shall be responsible for the direct, ongoing administration and supervision of the chapter, its members, and activities, and act as liaison with the faculty, administration, students, and community.

Faculty Council: The faculty council shall consist of the chapter adviser and at least two (2) voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal.

Student Membership: Membership in a local chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship and responsibility. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities and to participate in chapter activities to build experience and improve skills in leadership and service.

Selection of Members

Section 1. Candidacy.

• Grade Level. To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a member of those grade levels (grades 4, 5, and 6) designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws. (Note: Local chapters can reduce the number of eligible grade levels to be grades 5 and 6 or grade 6 only when creating their local selection guidelines. Refer to Chapter 3 for details.)
• Enrollment. Candidates must have been enrolled at the school the equivalent of one semester. (Note: Some candidates may be considered to be ineligible for candidacy because of this semester eligibility policy. Many students, including students of military parents, are required to move with parents or guardians who have transferred in their work. In such cases, the present school principal should seek a recommendation from the previous school principal or other school representative regarding the candidate’s eligibility. On the basis of the recommendation of the previous principal, the faculty council may waive the semester regulation.)
• Scholarship. Candidates must meet or exceed the national minimum standard for scholarship (i.e., academic performance), which is a cumulative scholastic average of at least 85 percent, B, or 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or the equivalent standard of excellence. (Note: In order to reflect higher expectations and standards of excellence for students, local chapters may raise the cumulative GPA standard above the national minimum, apply it fairly and consistently, and include this standard in their locally published selection procedures.)
• Candidates who meet the three conditions above (a., b., and c.) shall be evaluated by the faculty council on demonstrated aspects of their personal responsibility as outlined by the chapter. To assist in this step, additional input shall be requested from candidates in the form of an information sheet (also known as a Candidate’s Form), or obtained as professional input from the faculty, or as recommendations from members of the community.

Section 2. Following review of all relevant information by the faculty council, the selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the faculty council. (Note: Refer to Chapter 3 for clarification on these voting procedures.)

Section 3. Candidates selected for membership shall be notified of their selection and inducted at a special ceremony. Candidates who are not selected shall also be notified and, upon request, provided counsel regarding their nonselection. (Note: Students who are candidates but not selected can be considered again at the next (and all future) round(s) of selections presuming that all of the required conditions are still being met.)