TROY

Bylaws of Raymond Mays Middle School

Workforce Industry Training Jr

(WIT Jr.)

Article I

NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be WIT (Workforce Industry Training) Jr.

Section 2.  This program is for  school students who have interests in expanding their knowledge and understanding of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). More specifically, the program is designed to bring awareness and encouragement preparing students for STEM-rich programs at universities, two-year technical colleges, and technical certificate programs. By participating in WIT Jr, students gain exposure to higher education and career opportunities while building the confidence to consider further STEM education. While the founding emphasis is based in nuclear energy and technology applications, the program is broadly open to all aspects of STEM applications.

Article II

THE PRINCIPAL

Section 1.  The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the organization.

Section 2.  The principal shall annually appoint faculty advisors/sponsors, who may serve consecutive terms.

Article III

WIT Jr. ADVISORS

Section 1.  The advisors/sponsors shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, community, and NPI.

Section 2.  The advisors/sponsors shall maintain files on membership, activities, and financial transactions. 

Section 3.  The advisors/sponsors shall regularly review each member for compliance with the organization’s standards, obligations, and minimum requirements.

Section 4.  The advisors/sponsors shall help the organization’s officers understand and carry out their duties.

Section 5.  The advisors/sponsors shall be a voting member of the Advisory Board.

Section 6.  The advisors/sponsors shall maintain the required records and documentation for the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI).

Article IV

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Membership in the Raymond Mays Middle School WIT Jr  is an honor and an outstanding opportunity.  Selection for membership is based on outstanding character, STEM career interest, scholarship, and grade level.  Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

Section 2.  To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a junior high school student  in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade at Raymond Mays Middle School. Students are selected for membership at the beginning of each school year.

Section 3.  Prospective members must meet the organization’s scholarship requirement:  students shall have  passed all their classes in the previous grading cycle.To maintain membership, members must continue to pass all their classes and have had no major disciplinary infractions. 

Section 4.   Members shall be selected according to the following procedure: students who demonstrate an interest in STEM, scholarship, and character requirements will be considered for membership.  Students will have the opportunity to submit an application for membership showing their qualifications, their desire to be in the organization as illustrated by the completion of all of the necessary verification documents including a copy of the following: an updated school transcript and a media release form. Only  students who submit a complete application will be considered for admission.  Each student will then be required to participate in an interview.

Article V

THE OFFICERS

Section 1.  The officers of WIT Jr shall be president, vice-president, secretary/reporter, and student advisor. (The number of and types of officers are discretionary.)

Section 2.  The officers shall be elected by a majority of votes. In case of a tie vote, the tie will be broken by the discretion of the WIT Jr advisor/sponsor. The officers shall be elected from the continuing members in good standing. 

Section 3.  It shall be the duty of the president to preside at the meetings of this organization and to represent WIT Jr  in any outside activities.

Section 4.  The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president and shall be head of the project committee(s).

Section 5.  The chapter secretary/reporter shall keep the minutes of meetings, a record of all business, an accurate record of attendance, and report all activities of the chapter, when appropriate, to the local news media or to the school.

Section 6.  The student advisor shall help any, and all, members with problems that they might be having. The student advisor will notify members of upcoming events, update the bulletin board with current announcements and activities, and assist the secretary/report when it is deemed necessary.

Article VI

MEETINGS

Section 1.  The organization shall meet at a minimum of four times throughout the school year at the discretion of the organization’s advisors/sponsors.

Section 2.  Each member is expected to attend all meetings and participate in all activities.  If it becomes necessary for a member to miss a meeting or an activity, then the member must provide the advisor/sponsor with an excuse in writing prior to the meeting or activity except in the case of an illness.  Failure to attend two meetings without an excuse during the period of one year or missing one activity without an excuse warrants a warning letter.  Two unexcused tardies shall equal one unexcused absence.

Article VII

FACULTY SUPERVISION AND EVALUATION

Each member must uphold the standards of character throughout membership, and shall be evaluated by faculty members periodically.  If she/he should receive an unsatisfactory evaluation, she/he will receive a warning letter.

Article VIII

DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS

Section 1.  Members who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by an advisor/sponsor and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not necessarily have to be warned.  Receipt of a warning letter means the member has been placed on probation for the remainder of the school year. At the discretion of the WIT/WIT Jr. Sponsor, students placed in ISS may be issued a warning letter and be placed on probation for the remainder of the school year or may be dismissed from the program. 

Section 2.  When a member is placed on probation for any reason,  the member must attend meetings and participate in activities, but  cannot vote in the meetings or hold an office.  When an officer is placed on probation, a new officer shall be elected to take the member’s office.

Section 3.  Members shall receive a warning letter and be placed on probation for offenses such as:

      1. Failure to meet the scholarship requirement.

      2. Failure to participat the WIT and/or Power Bug projects.

      3. Failure to attend the regular meetings of the organization.

      4. Failure to participate in any activity the organization deems appropriate.

      5. Failure to maintain the high ideals of leadership and character.

      6. Failure to abide by school rules as stated in the student handbook.

Section 4.  Any active member who fails to meet the scholarship requirement (as defined in Article IV, Section 3) at the end of a semester shall receive a warning letter, placing  said member on probation, and  the member shall be given one semester to meet the scholarship requirement.  Failure to meet the scholarship requirement at the end of the probationary semester will  be evaluated for dismissal.

Section 5. A member is allowed only one (1) warning letter per academic school year.  A subsequent offense of any kind during the same school year a warning letter has been issued will result in consideration for dismissal.

Section 6.  Conduct that warrants placement in the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program also warrants dismissal from WIT Jr.

Section 7.  Conduct that warrants expulsion from school also warrants dismissal from WIT Jr.

Section 8.  If a student is dismissed from WIT Jr, any items issued to the student, as a member of WIT Jr must be returned, including but not limited to, the bracelet, polo shirt, t-shirt, and other parts of the “uniform”.

Article X

RESOLUTION IN ACADEMIC HONESTY

Section 1.  An act of academic dishonesty shall warrant a warning letter and placement on probation for the remainder of the school year.

Section 2. The use of an unauthorized source or reference for any schoolwork, or any violation of Raymond Mays Middle School Handbook shall be considered an act of academic dishonesty.

Article XI

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by the WIT Jr sponsor and/or principal with the approval of the Nuclear Power Institute.

Section 2. Members will be notified of the current Bylaws as part of the yearly membership application process and notified of any change in an open meeting at least one month prior to activation of the said changes.

Article XII

FIELD TRIPS

Section 1. Because the purpose of WIT Jr is to provide for exploring educational and professional opportunities, all field trips associated with the organization are mandatory. Because WITJr is allowed minimal school days for WIT Jr  field trips, field trips may be on Saturdays, other non-school days, or after school hours. The organization understands the nature of conflicts due to scheduling outside of school hours, but because the purpose is to promote these field trips and educational opportunities, the trips are mandatory. Failure to attend without a written excuse based on a valid reason submitted by the student or a parent or guardian to the sponsor prior to the trip will result in a warning letter. 

Section 2. Valid reasons include, but are not limited to the following:

       1. A wedding or funeral of a family member.

       2. A school sponsored UIL event.

       3. A school sponsored non-UIL event that is directly associated with the school and has a school employee/agent as the

           sponsor as required by policy.

      4. A school sponsored non-UIL event that is directly associated with the school and has a school employee/agent as the               sponsor as required by policy that was scheduled BEFORE a WIT Jr. event.

Section 3. In the event that member space is limited for a field trip, members will sign up for the field trip. If a member signs up to attend a field trip and fails to attend the field trip, without having a valid excuse, the member is subject to receive a warning letter.