The National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) was established in 2008 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals(NASSP) in partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). NEHS recognizes students in both public and nonpublic elementary schools for their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated personal responsibility. Through NEHS, students provide meaningful service to the school and community and develop essential leadership skills. NEHS supports these purposes by strengthening the lives of our nation's elementary students and the schools in which they are enrolled.
As the nation's newest student recognition program, NEHS joins the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and National Honor Society(NHS), the nation's two oldest and largest student recognition programs, in creating a continuum of excellence being established throughout the elementary, middle, and high school education community.
The National Elementary Honor Society chapter of Barnette Elementary is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of this prestigious national organization. Membership is open to those students who meet the required standards in two areas of initial evaluation: scholarship (academic achievement) and responsibility. General standards for selection are established bythe national office of NEHS and have been revised to meet the needs of our school and fall within our strategic goals. Students are selected to be members of NEHS by a Faculty Council, appointed by the principal and supervised by an additional member of the faculty serving as the chapter adviser. This group awards the honor of membership to qualified students on behalf of the faculty of the school during each school year. Our NEHS chapter will conduct its selection procedures during the fall of each school year, from this point forward. Students in the fourth and fifth grades are eligible for membership. For the Scholarship criterion, a student must maintain report card grades of As and Bs only. Those students who meet this criterion are invited to complete a Candidate’s Form that provides the Faculty Council with evidence of the candidate’s Responsibility at home, at school, and in the community. In addition, to evaluate a candidate’s level of Responsibility, the Faculty Council uses two types of information: school administrative records and faculty input regarding their professional reflections on a candidate’s personal responsibility qualities. These forms and the Candidate’s Forms are carefully reviewed by the Faculty Council to determine membership. A majority vote of the council is necessary for selection. Candidates are notified regarding selection or nonselection according to a predetermined schedule established by the chapter. Following notification, a formal induction ceremony is held at the school to recognize all newly selected members. Once inducted, new members are required to maintain the same level of performance (or better) in all of the criteria that led to their selection. This obligation includes the following:
• Attending monthly meetings held before or during the school day.
• Paying required dues of $20 per year (dues cover the costs of member pins, cards, chapter
supplies and service project materials.)
• Service project participation requirements (Our chapter will complete at least four service
projects per year)
• Leadership development opportunities during the year.
• Understanding that discipline action and possible dismissal from the organization could
take place, if the member consistently fails to uphold the standards of the chapter.
