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

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, develop, and test their athletic abilities in a context greater and more varied than that which can be offered by the school or School District alone, and an opportunity for career and educational development as well.

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 when such events occur between separate schools within this District or with any schools outside this District.

The management of the interscholastic activity program is the responsibility of the building principal with the assistance of the athletic director.

In order to provide broader representation in the decision-making process, an athletic council shall be established to provide advice to the principals and athletic director. Membership will include the high school and middle school principals, the Superintendent or his/her designee, one (1) Board member appointed by the Board president, the athletic director, one (1) coach selected by the coaches, and the president of the athletic booster club.

The athletic council will review issues related to the interscholastic athletic program including, but not limited to, teams to be sponsored, budgets, league affiliation, proposed league and OHSAA rule changes, rules for team participants, scheduling, requests from coaches, and money making projects. The athletic council will not be involved in personnel matters.

The athletic director will serve as chairman, prepare agendas, and notify members of meetings.

The Board further adopts those eligibility standards set by the Constitution of the Ohio High School Interscholastic Athletic Association and shall review such standards periodically to ascertain that they continue to be in conformity with the objectives of this Board as expressed in the student activity code (5601).

The Superintendent shall prepare rules for the conduct of students participating in interscholastic athletics. Such rules shall be in conformity with the rules of student activity code.

The Board endorses the value of a co-curricular program as part of the total educational experience for students. The program must reflect the values of both the School District and the community; the same level of responsibility and ethical behavior is expected in and out of the classroom. Therefore, an integral part of a well developed co-curricular program is a dynamic, ongoing plan to ensure sportsmanship, integrity and ethical behavior by everyone associated with the process. Such a program for the schools shall include the following components:

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