The Board of Education recognizes the value to the students of the District and to the community of a program of interscholastic athletics for students as an integral part of the total school experience.

The program should foster the growth of school loyalty within the student body as a whole and stimulate community interest in athletics.

The game activities and practice sessions should provide many opportunities to teach the values of competition and good sportsmanship.

The program of interscholastic athletics should provide students the opportunity to exercise and test their athletic abilities in a context greater and more varied than that which can be offered by a school or the School District alone. It should also offer an opportunity for career and educational development.

For purposes of this policy, the program of interscholastic athletics shall include all activities relating to competitive sport contests, games, events, or sport exhibitions involving individual students or teams of students of this District with those of another district.

The Board expects students in grades 9 - 12, participating in extra-curricular activities to meet the following eligibility requirements:

At the end of each quarter all three (3) of the above conditions must be met in order for a student to remain eligible.

Grades 7 - 8: to be eligible, a student must be currently enrolled in a member school and have received passing grades in seventy five percent (75%) of subjects in which enrolled the immediately preceding grading period.

For eligibility purposes, summer school grades may not be used to substitute for failing grades received in the final grading period of the regular school year.

In addition to this O.H.S.A.A. mandated quarter requirement, grades will be checked weekly and any student not passing seventy-five percent (75%) of their classes at any weekly grade check will be declared ineligible and required to attend a daily study table. An ineligible student will remain ineligible and be required to attend the daily study table until such time that a weekly grade check shows that the student is passing seventy-five percent (75%) of their classes at which time the student will be declared eligible. The Athletic Director will notify the student and parents in writing of the ineligible student’s status and explain the conditions that must be met to become eligible at the next grade check.

The Board shall determine the standards of eligibility to be met by all students participating in the interscholastic program. Such standards shall require that each student be in good physical condition, be free of injury, and have fully recovered from illness before participating in any interscholastic athletic event.

These same eligibility standards shall apply to all other co-curricular and extra-curricular activities sponsored by the District. (See Policy 2430)

Students identified as disabled under R.C. 3323 and the IDEA are subject to the eligibility standards established by this policy unless specifically exempted by the express terms of their individualized education program (IEP). An IEP can specify the criteria by which a grade will be determined for (a) course(s), given the individualized student’s disability.

Since the primary purpose of the athletic program is to enhance the education of participating students as indicated in this policy, the Board places top priority on maximum student participation and the values of good sportsmanship, team play, and fair competition.

The Board further adopts those eligibility standards set by the Constitution of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and shall review such standards annually to ascertain that they continue to be in conformity with the objectives of this Board.

No student shall be excused from a class or supervised study for an extended period of time to participate in interscholastic athletics.

The Board further directs that only those students may participate in the program of interscholastic athletics who have:

In order to minimize health and safety risks to student-athletes and maintain ethical standards, school personnel, coaches, athletic trainers, and lay coaches shall not dispense, supply, recommend, or permit the use of any drug, medication, or food supplement solely for performance-enhancing purposes. The Superintendent shall cause to be posted in all locker rooms in buildings that include students in any grade higher than the sixth grade, the following:

The Superintendent shall develop appropriate administrative guidelines for the operation of the Athletic Program and a Code of Conduct for those who participate. Such guidelines should provide for the following safeguards:

The guidelines should also provide a set of behavioral expectations for each type of participant as well as a Sportsmanship Code of Conduct which each type of participant is to follow. The Superintendent is authorized to implement suitable disciplinary procedures against those who violate this Sportsmanship Code.

Students will be further informed that participation in interscholastic sports is a privilege and not a right, and that they may be prohibited from all or part of their participation in such activities by authorized school personnel.

In order to support the High School Athletic Association's program to strengthen sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity, the Board commits itself to:

R.C. 2305.23, 2305.231, 3313.53, 3313.535, 3313.752, 3315.062
Ohio High School Athletic Association

Revised 2/19/08