Bylaws

Eta Sigma Alpha National Homeschool Honor Society 
Omicron Zeta Chapter Bylaws

Article I: Name
This organization, the Roanoke Valley Home School Honor Society, is the Omicron Zeta chapter of Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society. It shall be called Omicron Zeta Honor Society.

Article II: Objective

The purpose of Omicron Zeta is to encourage leadership, community service, networking, and scholarship among home school students. To achieve this purpose, Omicron Zeta shall provide opportunities for the development of leadership and service. Omicron Zeta shall encourage the development of an intellectual climate that will stimulate the exchange of ideas and ideals, foster scholarship, and promote academic excellence. Omicron Zeta shall be a living example of the home school community in the Roanoke Valley.

Article III: Membership and Joining

Section 1: All members of Omicron Zeta shall first be a part of Eta Sigma Alpha, the National Chapter of the Home School Honor Society. In order to join Eta Sigma Alpha students must have: a test score of 88(CLT), 91(CLT 10), 1200(SAT), 26(ACT), 26 (Pre-ACT 10), 1200(PSAT), 1170(PSAT 10), 1090(PSAT 8/9 for a 9th grade student), 1020(PSAT 8/9 for an 8th grade student), a 90% composite score on the Iowa ITBS or ITED, 90% on the total battery (the score listed under the National PR-S column) on the Stanford, or 90% total score (listed under the NPR column) on the Terra Nova 2 (CAT 6) 2nd Edition. When taking the iowa ITBS, Iowa ITED, Stanford or Terra Nova 2 (CAT6) the complete battery including science, social studies, language arts, spelling, reading, mathematics, and vocabulary must be taken. We do not accept the basic battery or core battery for admission. These tests must be administered by someone other than the parent and the test scores cannot be more than a year old.  The test score must come from one test. Section scores from different tests may not be combined to achieve the required test score for membership. Although some college scholarship applications accept super scoring, we do not. No exceptions will be made for any student. Online testing may be used if given at a testing center or at a private tester’s facility. Parents must not have access to the student, computer or test materials while the test is being administered. Students must not have access to other electronic devices which may connect to the internet, email, or texting during testing. All tests must be administered in a group setting if a parent is helping with the test administration. If a group setting is not possible, a nonfamily member may administer the test in a one-on-one setting, as long as the parent does not have access to the test. Parent administered tests are not acceptable. The necessary and proper forms for new members shall be given to the chapter sponsors on or before September 1st. This section shall change immediately if Eta Sigma Alpha changes its requirements for membership.

Section 2: All persons joining Omicron Zeta for the first time shall pay $25.00 in order to join. All returning members shall pay $25.00 with returning member application form. No family shall pay any more than $50.00. If any family or person is unable to pay, they may join free of charge at the discretion of the chapter sponsors.

Section 3: Upon joining Eta Sigma Alpha and being inducted into Omicron Zeta, the student becomes a member in full standing of Omicron Zeta.

Section 4: All returning members shall submit a transcript signed by their parent or legal guardian to certify that their high school grade point average is at least a 3.0.

Section 5: Each member shall remain in full standing unless he/she misses more than 50% of meetings or commits conduct that two-thirds of Omicron Zeta’s members in full standing (except or the member in questions) deem requires dismissal of the member in question from Omicron Zeta.

Section 6: All members shall make every effort to participate in as many service projects as Omicron Zeta organizes.

Section 7: All members have the right to run for any office in Omicron Zeta.

Section 8: Upon graduation from high school, active membership of Omicron Zeta shall be discontinued.

Article IV: Officers and Duties

Section 1: The officers shall consist of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian, historian, webmaster, public relations chairman, and snack coordinator. The officers will be nominated and elected by the third meeting of every school year.

Section 2: The president shall be responsible for creating meeting agendas, running the meetings, and overseeing the other officers and committees in coordination with the chapter sponsors. While running the meetings, the president may only moderate and may not participate in the debates. He may only vote if there is a tie. He must also develop a budget with the Treasurer for the year and confer with parent sponsors. 

Section 3: The vice-president shall oversee the organizing of service projects and fill in for the president if he is unable to attend a meeting.

Section 4: The secretary shall take minutes of the proceedings of each meeting and will distribute a copy to each member prior to the next meeting at which the minutes will be approved. The secretary shall also be responsible for taking role call at each meeting.

Section 5: The treasurer shall manage any funds Omicron Zeta may possess. The treasurer shall give a report at each meeting detailing any and all financial activity conducted by Omicron Zeta. He must develop a budget for the year with the president and confirm that there are enough funds for future expenditures each month. 

Section 6: The parliamentarian shall be responsible for making impartial decisions

regarding whether Robert’s Rules of Order are being followed during meetings. He shall

advise the officers and members on the parliamentary procedure.

Section 7: The historian shall photograph the activities and functions of Omicron Zeta. He is responsible to submit the pictures to the webmaster. If the historian cannot attend an event, he shall arrange for someone else to take photos. (Historian and Webmaster may be combined as one job).

Section 8: The webmaster shall maintain and upkeep any website or blog of Omicron Zeta. The webmaster shall abide by all copyright laws. (Webmaster and historian may be combined as one job). 

Section 9: The snack coordinator shall be responsible for arranging snacks/food at meetings and special events as required.

Section 10: Each officer’s term begins upon election and terminates at the end of the

school year.

Section 11: Nominations for officers shall be taken from any person on the floor. A nominee may accept or reject the nomination. The number of accepted nominations shall not exceed four. The voting shall take place by secret ballot.

Section 12: If an officer fails to fulfill his duties, he may be impeached. For impeachment to be considered, one-fifth of the members or, at a minimum, 2 shall request the president to put the issue of impeachment on the agenda of the next meeting. The president shall comply. The reason for the impeachment shall be included on the agenda. For the impeachment to occur, two-thirds of the attending members must vote in favor of the action. Impeachment from office does not remove the member from Omicron Zeta. The person being considered for impeachment may not chair the

meeting.

Section 13: If a vacancy arises, the president may temporarily appoint a replacement. At the next meeting, an election shall take place to fill the vacancy.

Section 14: A member may not hold more than one of the offices of president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer. Otherwise, a member may hold a maximum of two offices at a time.

Article V: Meeting Protocol

Section 1: Meetings shall be held on the second Friday of every month from September to May unless otherwise decided upon by the members of Omicron Zeta.The September meeting shall be called by the chapter sponsors.

Section 2: For substantive business to be conducted, a quorum of 50% of the members plus one must be present.

Article VI: Special Committees

Section 1: At its discretion, Omicron Zeta may establish temporary committees. The task of the committee shall be clearly laid out when it is established. The committee shall cease to exist when its task is finished.

Section 2: Nominations and elections of committee members shall take place in the same fashion as those of officers.

Article VII: Parliamentary Authority

Section 1: Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the standard for parliamentary procedure during the meetings.

Section 2: If a member notices a violation of Robert’s Rules, he should point out the proper procedure to the president in private. If the member believes it is important that the rules be followed immediately, he may raise his hand, call out “point of order,” and read the appropriate passage from Robert’s Rules to the present members. The president shall then follow Robert’s Rules on that point.

Article VIII: Amendments

Section 1: Ratification of these bylaws shall take place upon approval by two-thirds of the members.

Section 2: Amendments to the bylaws must be submitted to the president in writing before he sends out the agenda. The proposal shall be part of the new business for that meeting.

Section 3: For the proposed amendment to pass, it must receive approval by two-thirds of the attending members.

Revised Spring 2022