Adopted: May 2022

Société Honoraire de Français of the

American Association of Teachers of French

Constitution & Bylaws

Article I. Name and Classification

Section 1. The name of this honorary organization shall be the Société Honoraire de Français
(SHF) of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF).
Section 2. The chapter of SHF at Legacy High School is number “2739”. This chapter
recognized all bylaws of the national society.
Section 3. The aim of this organization shall be to stimulate interest in the study of French, to
promote high standards of scholarship, to reward scholastic achievements, to create enthusiasm
for and an understanding of Francophone cultures, and to promote international friendship.
Section 4. A chapter of the Société Honoraire de Français may be established by a current
AATF member in any secondary school. Chartered home schools shall be added to a state-
designated SHF chapter, e.g., Home Schools of Virginia. Each Société Honoraire de Français
chapter is expected to establish its own constitution and bylaws based upon the national
documents. While the SHF Secretary will issue the chapter an official name, individual chapters
may choose to give their chapter a name if they so choose.

Article II. Qualification for Membership

Section 1. Eligibility Requirements to be met by all Sponsors:
The Sponsor of the chapter must be a current member of the AATF. If sponsorship of the SHF
chapter is maintained by more than one French teacher, all sponsors must meet this requirement.
All SHF sponsors must maintain membership in the AATF on an annual basis.
Section 2. During the first weeks of school, the French teacher will officer General Eligibility
Requirements to be met by all students:
a) Selection of candidates shall be the responsibility of the Sponsor/s.
b) Membership shall be based on scholarship in general and scholarship in French in
particular, along with interest, participation and leadership in French activities.
i) Candidates must have completed or be actively enrolled in their 4th semester of
French.
ii) Candidates must be in the 10th, 11th or 12th grade of high school
iii) Transfer candidates must have spent one full semester in the program at Legacy
High School
iv) Candidates must have an overall GPA of 3.0/85% or higher.
v) Candidates must have a cumulative French average of 3.0/85% or higher.
vi) Candidates must never have failed a class due to attendance.
vii) Candidates must have a good behavior record and no disciplinary issues on
record.
Section 3. The SHF Sponsor will offer applications to all eligible candidates. Candidates who
believe they meet the qualification in Section 2. may apply to join the “2739” chapter.
Article III. Application and Initiation
Section 1. During the first few weeks of school, the SHF Sponsor will offer applications to all
students.
Section 2. Potential SHF members complete a form for admission to give to the SHF chapter
sponsor for consideration by the application deadline.
Section 3. The SHF Sponsor along with the LOTE Department meet to confer on the candidates
and come to a consensus of the new members for initiation.
Section 4. The SHF Sponsor will meet with an Assistant Principal should there be a concern in
behavior and or/ discipline of a student.
Section 5. The Initiation Ceremony will be held for new members and their family and friends.
The SHF sponsor and officer will determine a location and time, usually at the end of the first
grade cycle.

Article IV. Qualifications for Continued Membership

Section 1. Each year members commit to fulfilling an activity for each of the following
categories: Academic Commitment and Community Commitment.
Section 2. Academic commitment may be defined in part as: current enrollment in the French
class and/or another world language while maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0/85%, or
maintaining a transcript GPA of 3.0/85%.
Section 3. Community Commitment may be defined as ten hours of community service. At least
five of the hours must be either provided by the SHF chapter or related to French.
Section 4. Students meet monthly at the discretion of the SHF sponsor with more than half of
attendance rate with the purpose to discuss, plan and generate participation for: the initiation
ceremony, French tutoring, fundraisers and drives, etc.
Section 5. Students must continue to demonstrate academic integrity and character: i.e. no
recorded incidents of cheating, plagiarism, misconduct, insubordination or intentional
dishonesty.
Section 6. If a student does not complete the Academic Commitment or the Community
Commitment, they may be placed on probationary status for one semester. If requisites for that
semester are not met, the student may be removed from the SHF chapter.
Section 7. Any further requirements for continuing membership must be included in the bylaws
of the local chapter of the Société Honoraire de Français.
Section 8. The sponsor of the Société Honoraire de Français is empowered to revoke a student's
membership, based on requirements stated in the local SHF chapter constitution, bylaws, or
school policies, for failure to maintain a high scholastic average, behavior inappropriate to an
honor society, lack of participation in Société Honoraire de Français activities, insufficient
service hours, failure to attend the induction ceremony, etc.
Section 9. Upon graduation, student members are considered alumni members of the Société
Honoraire de Français.

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Article V. Dues and Fees
Section 1. At induction, a new member must submit a designated amount of membership dues.
These dues include a one-time national membership dues of $20 and other fees to cover the costs
of the induction ceremony, graduation regalia, chapter t-shirts and other chapter activities.
Section 2. To renew membership in the chapter, amember will pay a designated amount of at
least $20.00 to cover costs of the chapter activities and graduation regalia. A higher amount may
be requested to include chapter t-shirts.
Section 3. Graduation regalia, such as honor cord or stoles, may be awarded to Active Members
who fulfill participation requirements of the chapter as determined by the bachter bylaws and
constitution.

Article VI. Elections and Duties of Officers

Section 1. The officers of the “2739” chapter are: President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, and Historian. The Secretary/Historian position may be combined. The officers must
be juniors or seniors in order to hold office as a representative of the SHF.
Section 2. Officers are nominated by the active members present before the final meetings of the
school year, approved by the SHF sponsor. All SHF active members are invited to vote by ballot.
Section 3. The duties of the officers are as follows: to have consistent attendance at meetings; to
serve as models of diplomacy for other members of the SHF and the Legacy High School
community; to delegate, plan and organize the induction ritual through ceremony parts, the
reading of the script in French and English, the set-up of the ceremony venue, the preparation of
food and beverages for the ceremony, and to speak with new members about their
responsibilities and commitments in order to maintain membership in good standing, etc.
Section 4. The role of the President is to delegate and organize the annual induction ceremony,
preside at meetings consistently, and serve as the SHF student spokesperson, prospective
candidates, the LOTE Department and the high school.
Section 5. The role of Vice President is to assist the President collegiality, use social media to
announce all meetings, keep Excel record of SHF tutor service and fundraiser projects, and be in
charge of official correspondence of the SHH chapter within the school and community.
Section 6. The role of the Secretary is to keep the ledger of initiates, active members and their
qualifications and attendance up to date via Excel sheet.
Section 7. The role of the Treasurer is to keep the financial records of the SHF chapter and
follow the rules for deposit and disbursement as outlined by the Legacy High School
bookkeeper. The Treasurer corresponds with the SHF Sponsor to ensure that payment of the SHF
national dues in order to receive the certificates for distribution at the ceremony.
Section 8. The role of Historian is to record chapter events, taking pictures and creating pages
for the “2739” chapter scrapbook. The Historian will also work with the SHF Sponsor to submit
chapter news to the national organization.

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Article VII. Meetings
Section 1. Each member must maintain more than half of attendance at the monthly meetings.
Section 2. Meetings are to be regularly scheduled by the sponsors and officers with some delay
time due to months with extended holiday breaks.
Section 3. The last meeting of the year will take place late-April or early-May to select new
officers and to set direction for the goals of the following school year.

Article VIII. Awards & Insignia

Section 1. Upon selection and payment of the induction fee, candidates shall be awarded an
official certificate of membership to the Société Honoraire de Français. Student members may
order pins and other logo items and materials through the chapter sponsor.
Section 2. Chapters may designate awards of their own in addition to official SHF certificates.
Section 3. Graduating members of the Société Honoraire de Français may wear blue, white and
red honor cords or white cords.
Section 4. The official Société Honoraire de Français seal, available from Société Honoraire de
Français headquarters, may be affixed to the student's diploma and/or certificate.

Article IX. Charter Status

Section 1. Each chapter of the Société Honoraire de Français shall have its own local
constitution and bylaws. Requirements for membership may exceed the national constitution
and bylaws, but may not require less.
Section 2. To maintain an active charter of the Société Honoraire de Français, the sponsor shall
forward in April-June of each year to the SHF Secretary a brief summary of the activities of the
local chapter. These summaries shall form the basis of the national "Report to the Chapters” and
shall be printed as space allows in L'Elan.
Section 3. For a charter to be considered active, a sponsor must submit an annual report and
must induct students at least once every two years. Ordering materials for students for whom
induction fees were not paid does not fulfill the requirement. If these requirements are not met, a
charter shall be considered inactive.  To regain active status, the sponsor must resubmit an
application accompanied by a charter reactivation fee.

Article X. Emergency Bylaws

Section 1. Additional regulations for facilitating the government of the “2739” chapter and the
activities of the Chapter may be prepared by the officers whenever the exigencies for such
regulations may arise.
Section 2. Dues may be initiated at the beginning of each year to be determined by the Sponsor
and advisors if necessary.

Article XI. Amendments

Section 1. Any proposed amendment to this Constitution must be presented to the SHF in a
regular meeting.
Section 2. Any amendment may be adopted by two-thirds (2/3) of the officers and Chapter
sponsors present and voting at the consecutive scheduled meeting.