BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

3700P

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

HIGH SCHOOL CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES PROGRAM

CODE OF CONDUCT and VERIFICATION OF UNDERSTANDING

To be eligible for participation, a signed verification by the student and parent indicating they have received and read a copy of the Co-Curricular Activity Code, as well as the specific rules and regulations of an individual co-curricular activity, must be submitted annually by the parent or student and kept on file in the office of the Activities Coordinator of the school.

The Code of Conduct will be signed by students each year and will apply to their participation for the ensuing calendar year. The Code will be in effect for the school year, beginning with the first day of the fall sports turnout period, ending with the last student day of the school year, and including any school-sponsored and approved activities held during the summer (e.g. camps, tours, trips, etc.).

GENERAL REGULATIONS

1. Washington Interscholastic Activities Association rules must be followed in all cases of eligibility, transfer, physical examinations, insurance coverage, starting dates, use of school equipment, etc.
2. No athlete may quit one sport and turn out for another after the season has begun without the mutual consent of the coaches.
3. Participants must travel to and from contests away from Bellingham in transportation provided by the school. The only exceptions permitted are:
• Injury to a participant which would require alternate transportation, and
• Prior arrangement between the participant’s parent/guardian and the coach/advisor for the student to ride with parent/guardian.
4. A co-curricular activity season shall be that portion of a school and/or calendar year during which regularly scheduled practices, turnouts, rehearsals, meetings, games, events or contests for the specific activity that are conducted under the direct supervision of an approved Bellingham School District employee.
5. Completion of the activity’s season is required in order for the student to be eligible for letter or other team or individual awards. (Exception: injury which limits participation.) No awards shall be given to any student suspended for the remainder of the season for Co-Curricular Activity Code violations.
6. An athlete who has been injured and has had medical treatment cannot participate until a signed release from the doctor is presented to the head coach. The release form will be kept on file by the school administration. (Form provided by school.)
7. Any display of unsportsman-like conduct toward an opponent or official or use of profanity, obscene or vulgar language or gesture during a practice or contest will result in counseling by the head coach/advisor and possible exclusion.
8. School-owned equipment checked out by a participant in any co-curricular activity is his/her responsibility. The loss or misuse of this equipment will be the financial obligation of the participant. Participants will not be allowed to continue competition or receive awards until this obligation is fulfilled.
9. Any student representing the school in co-curricular activities must meet the dress standards deemed appropriate by the advisor/coach and school administration. Coaches and advisors of activities will notify participants as to the standards they expect.
10. A participant is expected to attend all scheduled practices, meetings, contests and performances, whether or not school is in session. If it is necessary to miss such, prior notification must be provided to the advisor/coach no less than 48 hours prior to the planned absence. Exceptions to the 48-hour requirement may be made in an emergency through a request to the principal.
11. A participant shall not engage in conduct detrimental to the group or to the school.
12. A participant shall not steal or use another’s property without permission.
13. A participant shall not use, consume, possess, transmit or sell alcoholic beverages, drugs, drug paraphernalia, narcotics or tobacco (including smokeless tobacco.)

STUDENT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. A student must be in school the entire day in order to participate in a practice or co-curricular activity that day. The only exceptions are funerals, pre-planned medical/legal appointments, or school sponsored events. Absences for reasons other than those noted above are not allowed for participation. The principal may grant an appeal under unusual circumstances.
2. If a student is absent the last school day of the week, and the competition is on a non-school day, the student must bring to the coach/advisor a signed statement from the parent that permission is given to participate. It is recommended that the coach/advisor call the parent in regard to the nature of the absence.
3. Truancy (unexcused absence from any class, portion of a class or practice) will be dealt with as follows:
• First Offense:  Exclusion for one event
• Second Offense:  Exclusion for the remainder of the co-curricular activity season.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

1. Participation in a co-curricular activity program requires successful performance in academics. The academic standards place proper emphasis upon student achievement in the classroom to maintain eligibility.
2. The academic eligibility is established at least every two weeks during the co-curricular activity season. In order to be eligible to participate in an activity, a student must be registered, attending and passing all assigned classes. Students who do not have passing grades may be excluded, as described below in Section 3. The participant’s parent or guardian will be notified of such exclusion. Students who raise their grades to Passing during the exclusion week are still ineligible until the following Monday. Clerical errors made by a teacher may be corrected by mutual agreement between the teacher and the Activities Coordinator.
3. Academic eligibility assessments shall begin no later than the third week of any season. All participants will be required to have an eligibility slip signed by each teacher at least every two weeks. The eligibility check slips will be circulated on Wednesday and returned by Friday at noon. The week will start on the Monday following the grade check and include the entire next week, ending Sunday. Eligibility check slips will be marked with one of the following:
   • “P” (for passing,) – A “P” will mean the participant is eligible for competition the following week.
   • “W” (for warning) – A “W” is a warning to the student/family and the advisor/coach that the student’s grade is in jeopardy. It can only be given for one week. If the student is receiving a “W,” the participant is eligible for the upcoming week but has been warned about a grade in jeopardy. A “W” is to be given prior to the first “F” in a class.
   • “I” (for improvement) – An “I” is an indication that the student is making progress toward improving his/her grade in that specific course, is eligible for the upcoming week, and has been informed that continued improvement is necessary. It can only be given for two weeks. It is the teacher who defines “continued improvement.”
   • “F” (for failing) – An “F” means that the student is not passing a particular class. If a participant receives an “F” in any course, s/he will be excluded from participating in the activity for the following week and any subsequent weeks until the academic situation is rectified.
   Students who receive a Warning, Failure or Improving, will have an eligibility check slip circulated each week until satisfactory academic progress is made and all grades are passing.

       4.   Forging of a signature or a grade will result in automatic exclusion for the season.

CITIZENSHIP STANDARDS

1. All participants should be examples of good citizenship in the school building, classroom and co-curricular activity program. Conduct that materially and substantially interferes with the educational process is prohibited.
2. Any participant referred to the administration for disruptive behavior will be made aware of the possible consequences of his/her actions and may receive a penalty.
• Upon the second referral that requires administrative action, the participant will be declared ineligible for the following week.
• If there is a third referral requiring administrative action, the participant will be excluded from the co-curricular activity for the remainder of the season.

USE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS

The Bellingham School District recognizes that chemical dependency is a serious illness and the use of drugs may be a violation of the law. The principal/principal designee and coach/advisor will implement the following disciplinary action as a result of a participant’s offense for use, consumption, possession, transmittal or sale of alcoholic beverages, drugs or drug paraphernalia.

The substance abuse offenses/violations described will accumulate through the student’s high school co-curricular career and will invoke the disciplinary action described below. The following definitions apply:

Definitions:

Proximity Possession – In the absence of physical possession, if there is a dominion and control over the substance—such as knowledge that alcohol, tobacco, drugs or other illegal substances are available and/or being used by others—all students have a responsibility to remove themselves beyond all reasonable doubt and proximity from that situation. At off-campus events where alcohol or other drugs or illegal substances are evident, students who have made a willful choice to remain beyond 10 minutes are in violation of the rule. This rule does not apply to events where alcohol or drug use is permitted by law such as at religious ceremonies or where alcohol use is restricted to adults.

Exclusion – Athletic/activity exclusion means the complete denial of the privilege to participate in the athletic/activity program for an indefinite period of time.

Self-Admittance – Self-admittance of a violation means that, when questioned, a student responds with cooperation and honesty in the investigation.

Self-Referral – Self-referral of a violation means that the student admits to the infraction before an investigation or inquiry by any school staff.

Sanctions:  Sale of or Intent to Sell Alcohol or Drugs

First Violation involving Sale of or Intent to Sell Alcohol or Drugs, In or Out of Season

Any student who is found to have been engaged in the sale or intent to sell alcohol or drugs will be excluded from all sports or activities in the District. If a student completes drug/alcohol dependency assessment and any subsequent recommendations, the principal may reinstate the student for athletics or activities after a one calendar year suspension, based on a written appeal from the student.

Sanctions:  Use of Alcohol or Drugs

First Violation In or Out of Season

Second Offense In or Out of Season

A second violation of the athletic/activities code will result in expulsion from all sports or activities for one calendar year in the District. If a student completes drug/alcohol dependency assessment and any subsequent recommendations, the principal may reduce the sanction to the first 50% of games/events for the next season, based on a written appeal from the student.

Third Offense In or Out of Season

A third violation of the athletic/activities code will result in exclusion from all sports or activities in the District. If a student completes drug/alcohol dependency assessment and any subsequent recommendations, the principal may reinstate the student for athletics or activities after a one calendar year suspension, based on a written appeal from the student.

Offenses Occurring at School or a School-Sponsored Event

1. First Offense During High School
• Discipline Sanctions under Policy 3200
• Athletic/Activity Sanctions as described above for first offense
2. Second Offense During High School
• Discipline Sanctions under Policy 3200
• Athletic/Activity Sanctions as described above for second offense
3. Third Offense During High School
• Discipline Sanctions under Policy 3200
• Athletic/Activity Sanctions as described above for third offense

USE OF TOBACCO

The Bellingham School District recognizes that the use of tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, is a potential health hazard and is addictive in nature. The use or possession of tobacco by an athlete during the activity season or any student participating in the co-curricular activity program while on school property or at a school co-curricular activity function will not be tolerated. Participants who violate this regulation will be subject to the following action:

First Offense

• The student will be counseled on the hazards of tobacco to his/her health and will be restricted from participation in the activity for one game, performance, contest, competition or event.
• Opportunity for participation in a smoking cessation class will be offered to the student at the student’s expense.

Second Offense

• The student will be counseled again on the hazards of tobacco to his/her health and will be restricted from participation in the activity for two games, performances, contests, competition or events.
• Participation in a smoking cessation class will be required of the student at the student’s expense. Should the student fail to attend the smoking cessation class, he/she will be restricted from further participation in any co-curricular activity until he/she has done so.

Third Offense

• The student will be excluded for the remainder of the co-curricular activity season.
• The student must complete a smoking cessation class at the student’s expense, and a report of such completion must be presented to the coach/advisor or an administrator before the student can become eligible for future participation in any co-curricular activity.

Fourth Offense

• The student will be excluded from all co-curricular activity programs within the Bellingham Public School District for the remainder of his/her high school year.

OTHER UNDESIRABLE STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Undesirable student behavior not covered in the above, including, but not limited to, violations requiring administrative action, as established in the “Rules and Regulations for Students in the Bellingham Public Schools” (Policy 3200), theft or malicious destruction of any school or individual’s property will be dealt with as follows:

• First Offense – Exclusion for at least the next scheduled event

• Second Offense – Exclusion for the remainder of the co-curricular activity season

PROCESS FOR DETERMINING A VIOLATION

The guiding principles for violations are as follows:

1. Penalize the violation.
2. Degree of violation should not be an overriding concern.
3. Proof of violation must be established by any one of the following:
• Positive identification of a student violation by a teacher, student or school administrator who is willing to give testimony about the violation. This will require an investigation.
• Accusations made by parents/adults or students who are willing to testify against an alleged student violation of the code. This must be confirmed through an investigation by appropriate school authorities prior to any disciplinary action.
• An investigation of a student violation of the code must reveal sufficient facts to prove the violation. Such investigation must be conducted by the appropriate school administrator or designee.
• Self-Admittance of a violation by the student when questioned and cooperation and honesty in the investigation.
• Self-Referral of a violation by the student before an investigation or inquiry by any school staff.

Before any discipline resulting in an exclusion from a co-curricular activity shall take effect, as provided for under these rules, the student shall be verbally advised by the head coach/advisor and a school administrator/designee of the alleged violation of the rules and the student will have the opportunity to explain or justify his or her actions. If, after such informal conference with the student, the head coach/advisor or school administrator is satisfied that a sanction is justified, the student shall be so notified and the sanction shall then become effective.

DISCIPLINE/GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

The grievance procedure for any sanction from a co-curricular activity program is provided within Bellingham School District Policy 3200 as set forth in WAC 180-40-240.

1. Any student, parent or guardian who is aggrieved by the suspension or termination of extra-curricular privileges under these rules shall have the right to an informal conference with the building principal or his/her designee for the purpose of resolving the grievance. During such conference, the student, parent or guardian shall be subject to questioning by the building principal or his/her designee and shall be entitled to question school personnel involved in the matter being grieved.
2. If the grievance is not resolved at the information conference, the student, parent or guardian, upon two (2) school business days’ prior notice, shall have the right to present a written and/or oral grievance to the superintendent of the district or his/her designee.
3. If the grievance is not resolved at the superintendent’s level, the student, parent or guardian, upon two (2) school business days’ prior notice, shall have the right to present a written and/or oral grievance to the Board of Directors during the Board’s next regular meeting. The Board shall notify the student, parent or guardian of its response to the grievance within ten (10) school business days after the date of the meeting.
4. The exclusion or termination of privileges shall continue notwithstanding the implementation of the grievance procedure set forth above unless the principal or his/her designee elects to postpone such action.

ADVISOR’S/COACH’S STANDARDS

Any additional, specific rules or regulations not covered above within the Co-Curricular Activity Code which are established by the advisor/coach of a specific activity must be consistent with this co-curricular activity code and must be approved by the principal and activities coordinator in advance. Any additional rules and regulations must be in writing, kept on file in the school office of the activities coordinator, each participant must be informed of such rules and regulations and be provided a copy of them.

Approved:

Dale E. Kinsley                                                                                                       February 16, 2006

Superintendent ofSchools

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