Middle School Policy for Academic Eligibility
The policy includes all middle school activities that a middle school student may be part of, which is not required by any class, or teacher, as part of the student’s grade. Such activities will include athletic activities, cheerleading (spirit team/club), vocal music, instrumental music, trapshooting and student council.
The policy is as follows:
• The middle school academic eligibility policy will be enforced while a student is academically considered a middle school student. They are not to participate in games, contests, or represent the school from Wednesday PM to the following Wednesday PM. The student is not eligible if their grades become passing during the week unless the staff member recognizes an unusual circumstance.
• Participants are expected to participate in practice and attend study table the week they are ineligible on Thursday. If students don’t attend practice or study table coaches will count both as students missing practice. Coaches do use participation in practice or study tables if applicable when determining participation. (If there is a change in the timing of grade checks students will be notified.) If a student is academically ineligible, it is for the entire week. If the grade goes up, they are to wait until the following Wednesday. Any ungraded fine arts activity is considered extra curricular and is under the jurisdiction of academic eligibility. no relation to the subject matter being assessed would be an impermissible double punishment and is contrary to the best interest of education.
• Participation in high school activities is a privilege. School activities provide the benefits of promoting additional interest and abilities in the students during their school years and for their lifetimes. Students who participate in extracurricular activities serve as ambassadors of the school district throughout the calendar year, whether away from school or at school. Students who wish to have the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities must conduct themselves in accordance with board policy and must refrain from activities that are illegal, immoral or unhealthy.
• Students who fail to abide by this policy and the administrative regulations supporting it, may be subject to disciplinary measures. The principal will keep records of violations of the good conduct rule. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop rules and regulations for school activities. Students wanting to participate in school activities must meet the requirements set out by the school district for participation in the activity.
Requirements to Participate in an Activity
East Marshall Student Conduct Code Code No. 503.4
Conduct Code:
Whereas conduct detrimental to the school, found guilty of a crime, vandalism, shoplifting, theft, use and/or possession of alcohol, use and/or possession of tobacco and/or tobacco products, and use of illegal drugs will be handled as outlined below:
• Item I: The penalty for the first offense during the same school year for athletics will be:
• Middle School
Football. 1 game
Volleyball. 2 games
Wrestling. 2 dates
Basketball. 3 games
Baseball 2 dates
Softball 2 dates
Cross Country 2 meets
Cheerleading Same as sport in which they are cheering
Track 2 scheduled meets
• High School
Any student that is serving an in-school or out of school suspension will not be allowed to practice or participate in extracurricular contests on that day.
Attendance/Academic Eligibility for Athletics and Co-Curricular Activities 501.10
East Marshall Board of Directors also recognizes that extraordinary events may occur which cause or contribute to a student’s academic ineligibility. Examples may include, but are not limited to, automobile or other accidents resulting in permanent or temporary physical or mental impairment, family problems, child or sexual abuse or alcohol dependency, etc. In such instances, a committee comprised of the Secondary Principal, AD, Special Education teacher, and At-Risk Coordinator may, by unanimous consent, restore the eligibility of any such student upon such terms and conditions they deem to be in the best interest of such student and the philosophy of the East Marshall School District.
To be eligible for athletics, or school-sponsored performance activities (e.g. cheerleading, band, vocal, drama, speech, dance, FFA, etc) students participating must (be)
• East Marshall high school students must carry at least five credits before they will be eligible to participate in competitive athletics or any co-curricular activities at East Marshall High School. If for any reason a student drops below five credits they are automatically eliminated from further competition until such condition is corrected. An ineligible student may continue to practice, but not compete/perform until eligibility has been restored. (Board Policy)
• Students participating in athletics and failing a class at the end of a semester are ineligible for 30 consecutive calendar days for all interscholastic athletic contests, beginning immediately (when grades are released) if involved in a sport or the first legal day of competition that the student is a contestant. (State Rule)
• Students participating in school-sponsored performance activities and failing a class at the end of a semester are ineligible for 30 consecutive calendar days for school-sponsored performance activities; beginning with the first day of the next grading period. (State Rule)
• Students failing a class at the mid-term date, are ineligible beginning with the next school day for a minimum of 24 hours, and will remain ineligible until the grade of the failing class has been raised to passing. This will require the student to turn in a progress notice to the principal, signed by the teacher of the failing class.
• Students failing a class at the end of the quarter will be ineligible for the next 2 weeks of athletics and activities, beginning with the first day grades are released. In order to regain eligibility, after 2 weeks students must turn in a progress notice to the principal, signed by the teacher of the failing class that states, the student is passing that quarter or making progress to improve his/her grade. If the student is not passing, after 2 weeks, another week of ineligibility will be assigned. This will continue until the student is passing the quarter. A student that fails the 2nd quarter of a single semester class will be ineligible for 2 weeks of the 3rd quarter. A student that fails a 4th quarter class will be ineligible for 2 weeks of summer activities, beginning the day grades are released.
If the athlete does not complete the season then the ineligibility will carry over to their next sport.
An athlete cannot make up ineligibility in one sport in order to have eligibility in another sport if they have not previously participated in that sport. The exception would be a freshman student or a transfer student.
To participate in all co-curricular activities at East Marshall High School (examples include: band, vocal, dramatics, speech, athletics, etc.) a student must be in attendance at least the last half of that student’s day of the event/practice. Illness is not a satisfactory excuse. If one is too sick to come to school, one is too sick to participate. All medical appointments need a medical release to participate and all other (funeral) need to have administrative approval if gone in the afternoon.
Ineligibility of students with an IEP or 504 plans will be determined by the student’s services team.
The principal has the right to make adjustments to this policy due to situations that may occur.
If a student receives an incomplete, he/she will be on probation for 2 weeks. Courses not completed after the probation period will result in a letter grade of “F” and ineligibility will start immediately. If a student is administratively withdrawn from a class, it is equivalent to a letter grade of “F”. NOTE: Special considerations will be reviewed and addressed by the secondary principal for both incompletes and withdrawals.
The Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa High School Music Association occasionally receive questions about the application of locally developed Good Conduct or “minimum grade point” policies of students who participate in curricular activities (those activities that are part of the curriculum and which generate grades or academic credit) and co-curricular activities (those activities that are outside of but usually complementing the regular curriculum). The school must balance
1) the interests in ensuring that it is represented by performers who uphold high standards of citizenship and academic attainment with
2) its obligation to ensure that students’ academic records accurately reflect each student’s actual academic achievement. If a student is a representative of a school in a performance or competition (whether sponsored by the IHSMA or not), a district may permissibly exclude a student based upon violations of a Good Conduct policy or a minimum grade point standard only if it is co-curricular in nature. The district must ask whether the performance or competition is curricular or co-curricular in nature.
Note: The IHSMA defines music events under its jurisdiction as either “competitive” or “evaluative.” If the music event is “evaluative” (ratings are given but schools are not in competition with each other), the IHSMA permits the Academic Eligibility Rule to be set aside if the school has deemed the music event to be curricular. The IHSMA applies the Academic Eligibility Rule to all “competitive” events (events where placings or rankings are given). For that reason, “evaluative” music events may be curricular or co-curricular. “Competitive” music events may not be curricular in nature: they may only be co-curricular. The answer to that question will determine the district’s next steps.
Rule I: If being excluded from the event or performance due to a Good Conduct or minimum GPA policy violation will have no effect on a student’s academic record, the activity is co-curricular in nature. No further action is required, and the district may apply its policy and the IHSMA Academic Eligibility
Rule II: If being excluded from the event or performance due to a Good Conduct or minimum GPA policy violation will have an actual or potential negative effect on a student’s academic record, the activity is curricular in nature. The student may not be excluded from that activity based on application of a Good Conduct or minimum GPA policy. To do otherwise would be contrary to State Board decisions. Penalizing a student by reducing the student’s grades for acts that have
Football. 2 games
Volleyball 4 games
Wrestling 4 dates
Basketball 5 games
Baseball 6 dates
Softball 6 dates
Cross Country 3 meets
Soccer 3 games
Cheerleading Same as the sport in which they are cheering
Track 3 scheduled meets
Golf 3 meets
• Item II: The penalty for the first offense during the same school year for fine arts will be: One performance (unless performance is required for academic coursework). A performance shall be defined as all the fine arts activities that occur on a specific day.
• Item III: The penalty for clubs and activities will be: Suspension from all clubs and activities for six (6) weeks if the student is not involved in Items I and II. Activities shall include any privileged activity to which the student qualifies; also lounge privileges and attendance at school dances other than homecoming or prom.
• Item IV: The penalty for the second offense will be the same as the first. The penalty for the third offense during one year will be suspension for all activities for the remainder of the year, which includes summer activities.
• Item V: If a student is not involved in activities I and II at the time of the infraction, the penalty will be the same as the first offense and will be assessed when the student begins participation in any activity in Items I or II. Should they not be involved in any activities in Items I or II and not planning on participation, then Item III will be used.
• Item VI: If a student is involved in both items I and II at the time of the infraction, the penalty will be assessed on each of the items individually.
• Item VII: If the season ends in Item I before the full suspension can be served, the unserved percentage of the penalty will be carried into the next sports season. The student will miss at least one activity with any fraction of an activity over one being dropped.
• Item VIII: Any disciplinary action for violations not named shall be left up to the individual coach or director for the activity involved.
• Item IX: If the athlete does not complete the season, then the ineligibility will carry over to their next sport.
Starting Dates, 2020-2021
The first date listed after each sport is the first date on which competition is allowed (eligibility period starts).
Eligibility resumes at 12:01 a.m. on the 31st day.
IHSAA Sports 1st competition date Eligibility resumes at 12:01 a.m. on THIS Date:
• Fall Golf August 13 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Football August 27 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Cross Country August 24 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Bowling November 23 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Swimming November 23 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Wrestling November 30 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Basketball November 30 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Track/Field March 8 April 7
• Spring Golf March 29 April 28
• Tennis March 29 April 28
• Soccer April 1 May 1
• Baseball May 24 June 23
IGHSAU Sports 1st competition date Eligibility resumes at 12:01 a.m. on THIS Date:
• Cross Country August 24 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Swimming/Diving August 24 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Volleyball August 24 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Basketball November 20 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Bowling November 23 Immediate Eligibility on First Competition Date
• Track/Field March 8 April 7
• Golf March 24 April 23
• Tennis March 24 April 23
• Soccer April 5 May 5
• Softball May 24 June 23
• The academic eligibility of students who either open-enroll or move into our school district will be reviewed and determined by the middle school principal and athletic director.
• There is a two week period to establish grades to start the year. If a student fails 1st/2nd/3rd quarter or 1st/2nd semester, they will be considered academically ineligible until passing at grade-drop following 10 class days of the following quarter.
• If a student fails second semester or 4th quarter, they are not to participate (games/activities) the next 2 weeks after the end of the school year. There is no grace period after the first semester has ended.
APPEALS:
Any student who is found by administration to have violated the Good Conduct Rule may appeal this determination to the superintendent.
The appeal must be made by contacting the superintendent in writing within three (3) calendar days Monday through Friday after receiving written notification of the finding of violation and imposition of sanctions. The sanction will remain in effect pending the superintendent’s decision. If the student or family chooses, he or she may appeal the Superintendent’s decision to the school board by notifying the Board secretary in writing within three calendar days(Monday through Friday) of receipt of the Superintendent’s decision. The Board will schedule the appeal hearing. The review by the board will be in closed session unless the student’s parents(s) or the student, if the student is 18 years old, requests an open session.
The grounds for appeal to the school board are limited to the following:
1. The student did not violate the Good Conduct Rule;
2. And/or the student was not given due process during the investigation process;
3. And/or the sanction is in violation of the Handbook or Board Policy. The sanction will remain in effect pending the outcome of the meeting with the Board. If the school board reverses the decision of administration, the student shall be immediately eligible and shall have the record of the ineligibility period and violation deleted from the student’s record. If the school board modifies the decision of administration, the student’s eligibility and record will be modified to accurately reflect the decision of the board.