For many of you, this is not only the beginning of a new school year, but also the start of your responsibilities as a National Honor Society (NHS) or National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) adviser.

A peek at the Adviser Online Community, launched last spring, reveals that many new advisers are looking for a checklist to ease the transition into the new role. We’re happy to help! (Even if you’re a veteran, continue reading for a refresher. You may stumble upon a tidbit of new information.)

  • Browse our website. Visit www.nhs.us or www.njhs.us. You’ll notice the website provides a customized experience for our four primary visitors: advisers, principals, students, and parents.

Visit the “Adviser” pages and peruse the “Student & Parent programs” section to learn about opportunities available to your hardworking members. Throughout the year, we’ll send you information about student-member programs, such as college admission planning webinars, the NHS Scholarship program or NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award, leadership-building events, and more. If you become familiar with these now, you will be ready to take action or share information when you receive our communications about these later.

  • Visit the Adviser Resource Center (ARC). Log in to access these pages. This is where you’ll find much of the “secret sauce” about Honor Society chapter management. Be sure to review the NHS or NJHS National Constitution, linked in the toolbar. If you have trouble logging in, contact [email protected] or [email protected].

Each pane represents a key facet of the Honor Society experience. Start by browsing “New Chapters & New Advisers.” Here, you’ll find a good overview, including a downloadable chapter checklist.

If you represent a brand new chapter, you will also need bylaws. This section offers a downloadable template to get you started.

The ARC also details information on selecting members, inducting members (including an infographic to help you visually plan the big event), working with members and officers, and more. The “Project Planning and Fundraising” section, for example, provides access to our National Student Project Database, brimming with thousands of project and activity ideas shared by other chapters.

If you prefer to learn the ins and outs of chapter management offline, you can also read the NHS or NJHS National Handbook, free to download in the ARC.

  • Join the Adviser Online Community. Log in at http://community.nassp.org/nhs-njhs using the same credentials you use for www.nhs.us or www.njhs.us. Take the welcome tour and introduce yourself. Ask a question. Jump in on a conversation. The community will be an invaluable resource year-round to share your challenges and successes.
  • Shop the NHS/NJHS Store. This is your online shopping destination for all official NHS and NJHS merchandise, including membership pins, cards, graduation stoles, T-shirts, induction ceremony supplies, and more. The best part? It’s open 24/7/365, and there are no lines! Visit www.nhs.us/store or www.njhs.us/store.
  • Watch your email inbox. That’s how we communicate with you. Make sure your email filters are set to accept “NHS,” “NHS & NJHS,” and “Jonathan Mathis” as safe senders. We respect your time and want to be sure critical information winds up in your inbox … and not your spam folder.
  • Follow us on social media. And suggest your student members do the same. Check out our social media handles below! (And for tips on seeing our posts, visit www.nhs.us/social-media.)

We’re excited to partner with you in maintaining and building the legacy that has made the National Honor Societies such a respected brand and a desirable student achievement.