TKCS Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society
Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character, Citizenship
The Five Pillars of NJHS
The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) has a history linked to its high school counterpart, the National Honor Society (NHS). NHS was established by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) in 1921 to recognize outstanding high school students. Recognizing the potential for younger students, the NASSP founded the NJHS with a similar mission in 1929. Thus, the NJHS focuses on:
- Scholarship: A love of learning!
- Service: Giving back to the community.
- Leadership: Taking initiative and inspiring others.
- Character: Developing strong moral values.
- Citizenship: Being a responsible and involved individual.
These five ideals, called pillars, have now become the basis for selection. Today, membership in the NJHS is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a middle school student.
The King’s Christian School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of this prestigious organization. Membership is open to students in grades 7 through 9 who have completed at least one full semester at King’s and who have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better on a 4.0 scale. However, no student is inducted into the NJHS simply because of a high academic average. The National Junior Honor Society strives to recognize the total student—one who excels in each of five areas. Those areas, in addition to scholarship, are service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
To that end, each February students who meet the academic threshold are invited to complete a candidate information packet that collects information regarding the student’s service, leadership, character, and citizenship. A five-member faculty council, appointed by the principal, considers all the information in the information packet, as well as faculty input and school disciplinary records. Students are then selected for membership by a majority vote of the faculty council.
Following notification, a formal induction ceremony is held at the school to recognize the newly selected members. Once inducted, new members are required to maintain the same level of performance, or better, in all criteria that led to their selection.
Membership in the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a middle school student. Our chapter strives to give practical meaning to the society’s standards of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
Membership, however, is more than an honor. It is an ongoing responsibility. Once inducted, each member is expected to attend the monthly chapter meetings unless excused by the adviser. Members are also required to maintain the same level of performance, or better, in all criteria that led to their selection, specifically the required cumulative GPA, involvement in leadership opportunities, and participation in chapter service projects as well as individual service projects selected by the member and approved by the adviser.
Members who fail to meet their chapter obligations may be considered for discipline or dismissal from chapter. Please reference the chapter NJHS bylaws for additional information.
Any member who fails to meet the chapter obligations or who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, character, or citizenship may be considered for discipline or dismissal from NJHS.
If a member’s cumulative grade point average falls below the standard in effect when he or she was selected, currently a 3.75 on a 4.0 scale, he or she will be given a written warning and a reasonable time period, typically one semester, to show improvement. If the cumulative grade point average remains below standard at the end of the warning period, the student will be subject to further disciplinary action by the faculty council that includes consideration of dismissal from the chapter.
Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member. These violations include, but are not limited to stealing; destruction of property; bullying; cheating; truancy; or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community.
Offenders of the school conduct code (such as use of profanity, disrespect or defiance towards authority, unexcused absences, excessive tardiness, etc.) will receive a written warning notification. A conference may be requested by either party (faculty council or student/parent). If the member is involved in another violation of the school conduct code, the member may be considered for dismissal.
Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions because of disciplinary action taken by the faculty council.
In all cases of pending dismissal:
- The member will receive written notification from the adviser/faculty council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.
- The member has the right to respond to the charge(s) against him/her at a hearing before the faculty council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense either in person or via a written statement presented in lieu of the face-to-face hearing. Following the hearing, the faculty council will vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the faculty council is needed to dismiss any member.
- The results of the faculty council vote will be presented to the principal for review and then stated in a letter sent to the student and parents. Dismissed members must surrender any membership emblems to the adviser.
- The faculty council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards according to provisions of the school district discipline policies.
- A member who is dismissed or resigns may never again be considered for membership in the National Junior Honor Society.
In lieu of dismissal, the faculty council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.
2023-2024 NJHS OFFICERS
Cole Carver, President
Alexander Gager, Vice President
Abigail Knoll, Secretary
Jacob Knoll, Chaplain
2023-2024 MEMBERSHIP ROSTER
Abbigail Knoll
Alex Gager
Atticus Willey
Britta Duff
Caleb Munoz
Christian Lawlor
Cole Carver
Eleanor Genello
Eli Emmons
Eliana Bonaventura
Elise Kieselowsky
Eliza Dunbar
Hannah Gowans
Heidi Stemetzki
Ian Takamoto
Jacob Knoll
Joel Shonibare
Juliana Georgetti
Kaiden Walker
Luke Varghese
Maddyn Patel
Nicholas Galvis
Samantha Arroyo
Sophia Braatz
Vivian Galvis
Zach Dunbar
2023-2024 NJHS ADVISER
Mrs. Lorraine Scaffidi
Lscaffidi@tkcs.org
856-489-6720 x 138
PRINCIPAL CONTACT INFORMATION
Mr. Craig Beatty
cbeatty@tkcs.org
856-489-6720 x 112
NATIONAL NJHS ORGANIZATION CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: www.njhs.us
Phone: 800-253-7746
Each chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is governed by the constitution for the National Junior Honor Society. In addition to the constitution, local chapters must adopt bylaws to establish local procedures.