Littleton Preparatory Charter School
Chapter of National Junior Honor Society
Selection Procedures
Selection to NJHS is a privilege, not a right. Students do not apply for membership in NJHS; instead, they provide information to be used by the Faculty Council of LPCS to support their candidacy for membership. Membership is granted only to those students selected by the Faculty Council of our school. This is not an election, nor is membership automatically conveyed simply because a student has achieved a specified level of academic performance.
The Selection Procedures are outlined below, and come from the National Council of the NJHS. There are five total criteria used in selecting new members into NJHS: scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character.
1. The names of students that meet the first requirement of Scholarship receive an invitation to continue further by filling out a Student Activity Information Form. The scholarship requirement set by the National Council is based on a student’s cumulative grade point average or GPA. The GPA used at LPCS is a minimum of 3.5. The Student Activity Information Form must be filled out by the student as completely as possible, reviewed and signed by the student’s parent or guardian for accuracy, signed by the student and returned on time by the deadline issued. Late forms and incomplete forms will not be accepted. Once this initial criteria has been met, the remaining four areas for consideration are:
Leadership: The student who exercises leadership demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities, exercises positive influence on peers in upholding school ideals, is able to delegate responsibilities, inspires positive behavior in others, demonstrates academic initiative, is a leader in the classroom and in other school or community activities, is thoroughly dependable in any responsibility accepted and is willing to uphold scholarship and maintain a loyal school attitude.
Service: Service is generally considered to be those actions undertaken by the student that are done with or on the behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation to the individual performing the service. This includes contributions made to school, classmates, and community, as well as the student’s attitude towards service.
Citizenship: The student who demonstrates citizenship understands the importance of civic involvement, has a high regard for freedom, justice, and respect for the American form of government, (representative democracy), and demonstrates mature participation and responsibility through involvement with such activities as Scouting, community organizations and school clubs.
Character: The NJHS supports and recommends the use of a multi-faceted definition of character including six qualities: respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship. In addition, it can also be said that a student of character takes criticism willingly an accepts recommendations gracefully, upholds principles of morality and ethics, demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability, regularly shows courtesy, concern and respect for others, has powers of concentration, self-discipline, and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies, actively helps rid the school of bad influences and manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating, and showing unwillingness to profit by the mistakes of others.
2. After the forms are received, a Faculty Evaluation form is given to all teachers of students in grades 6, 7 and 8 at LPCS, including specials teachers and instructors. The purpose of the Faculty Evaluation form is to support the strength of a student’s candidacy in the four areas of leadership, service, citizenship and character. Each teacher provides a score in each area using a scale of 1 – 4 with four being the highest rating given. Any ratings below 3 require a comment to explain that rating. The points are averaged and a cumulative number is arrived at. All Evaluations have to be signed by the teacher in order to be valid. Faculty Evaluation Forms and Student Activity Information Forms are considered working documents to assist the Faculty Council in making sound decisions regarding membership. Such evaluations are used only by the Faculty Council, the Adviser(s), and the Director and are considered confidential. In accordance with NJHS policy, these documents are destroyed after review.
3. For purposes of character and citizenship, a summary of the candidate’s disciplinary history while in grades 6, 7 or 8 is generated by the Director and made available to the Faculty Council and Adviser(s).
4. All of the above information is then gathered and organized by the NJHS Adviser(s) and is presented to the Faculty Council for review. As per the National Charter, the Faculty Council is made up of five teachers chosen by the Director of LPCS. The Faculty Council meets to consider all of the information received from each candidate, and candidates are chosen by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. The role of the Adviser(s) in the Selection Procedure is to function as the supervisor(s) who ensure that proper procedures are being followed, and as the advocate(s) who protect the interest of the student(s). Adviser(s) are non-voting members of the Faculty Council.
5. The role of the Director regarding the Faculty Council includes having the right to approve all activities and decisions of the NJHS. The Director appoints the faculty Adviser(s) and members of the Faculty Council. The Director is not allowed to sit in on the meetings of the Faculty Council or vote during the selection process.
6. Selected students and their parents will be notified via a written letter, which will include the duties and obligations of membership in the NJHS. Students who are not selected will receive a written letter. Students or parents who are unsatisfied with the feedback they receive regarding the selection procedures should submit their concerns in writing to the NJHS adviser(s). If concerns still remain, then the matter would be brought to the Director.
7. A formal induction ceremony will be held in a timely manner for all inductees and their families at LPCS.
