122-AR. Athletic/Co-Curricular Activities

1. Understand that the purpose of interscholastic athletics and co-curricular activities should be sound in purpose and designed to further each student's total educational development.
2. Set an example of good conduct for team and activity members as well as to the student body and the general public.
3. Act in a sportsmanlike manner at all times.
4. Refrain from the use of tobacco in any form, the use of alcohol, or the use of profane language while supervising a team or activity.
5. Be courteous to visiting teams, groups, coaches and officials.
6. Strive for a positive relationship with opposing coaches or sponsors.
7. Achieve a thorough knowledge and understanding of rules and regulations of the sport or activity.
8. Properly supervise and direct students in their charge at all times.
9. Prohibit "hazing" or other demeaning practices by team or activi¬ty members.
10. Consistently remind students of their academic and social obligations relative to the high school educational program.
11. Respect the decisions of officials, the administration, and the School Directors and accept such decisions and recommend-¬ dations.
12. Establish written rules for practice and participation. Such rules should be annually reviewed with the appropriate administrators.

1. Attend school regularly and obey all rules as set forth in the Student Handbook.
2. Achieve satisfactorily in academic schoolwork and adhere to the eligibility rules as set forth in the section on student eligi¬b11/08/2006
3. Conform to the rules for practice and participation as estab¬lished by the coach or advisor.
4. Behave and act in a manner which displays a high sense of ethics and fairness toward all other students.
5. Represent the Springfield School Community in a proper and man¬nerly way when competing and when traveling away from the dis¬trict.
6. Be neat and well-groomed when representing the school district.
7. Never engage in profanity or display temper, anger, or bad man¬ ners.
8. Adhere to healthful training habits and take care to get proper rest, diet and conditioning. Attend all practices unless other¬ wise excused.
9. Respect the rights and property of others at all times.
10. Be courteous, respectful and fair by displaying good sportsman¬ ship at all times toward other participants, sponsors and game and event officials.
11. Care for and return all district equipment.
12. Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the rules of the sport or activity.
13. Demonstrate a complete respect for all duly constituted authori¬ty, including coaches and advisors as well as for fellow stu¬dents, inside and outside the school.
14. Report any and all injuries or physical problems to the coach or trainer immediately upon discovery or at the time of first per¬sonal knowledge.
15. Obey completely the Board Policies and the rules and regulations regarding drug and alcohol use/abuse, and the use of anabolic steroids, as set forth elsewhere in the Student Handbook. Stu¬dents shall affirm this decision by signing and returning the Parent and Student Consent Form to the Coach and Athletic Direc¬tor.

1. In conjunction with PIAA rules, a student must have received passing grades in four (4) full credit subjects or the equiva¬lent during the previous grading period in order to be eligible for interscholastic athletics. This includes ninth grade. A student who fails two (2) full-credit courses shall not be eligi¬ble.
2. To be eligible for interscholastic athletic participation, a student must pursue a curriculum defined and approved by the principal as a full-time curriculum.
3. Eligibility shall be cumulative from the beginning of a grading period and shall be reported on a weekly basis.
4. Teachers will submit names of students who are failing to the assistant principal's office each Friday. The grades are to be cumulative from the beginning of the marking period and conclude at the end of each marking period.
5. The assistant principal's secretary, upon his/her approval, will compile co-curricular eligibility reports and distribute them to staff. In the event that a student has failed two (2) or more subjects, s/he is ineligible to participate in contests for a period of one (1) week. This ineligibility begins the first Monday and ends on Sunday, following the issuance of weekly reports to the athletic office.
6. Upon issuance of the regular report cards, coaches must review the grades to see if any student involved in their program is not eligible. Those students with two (2) or more "F's" for the marking period are ineligible for the following week or until they are certified as passing by the principal, following consultation with the teacher.
7. According to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, those students not passing at least four (4) full credit courses are ineligible for the first four (4) weeks of the next marking period.
8. A transfer student may be eligible to participate in athletics. However, strict guidelines have been established by the PIAA, and these must be followed. The specific questions about transfer rules should be addressed to the Athletic Director and the principal.

Age Guidelines And Amateur Status

Students who reach the age of nineteen (19) on or after September 1 are eligible to compete through the fall sports season. Those who reach age nineteen (19) by November 1 are eligible to compete through the winter sports season. Those who reach age nineteen (19) by March 1 are eligible to complete through the spring sports season.

All students must have amateur status in order to be eligible to participate in any contest.

Attendance

In order to be eligible, a student must have been enrolled and in con¬tinuous regular attendance. A student who has been absent from school during a semester for a period of ten (10) or more school days, for any reason whatsoever, shall not be eligible to participate in any athletic contest until the student has been in attendance for a period of sixty (60) days following the tenth day of absence. Students may not participate in a sporting event on a day in which they were absent from school. Furthermore, if a student is chronical¬ly or excessively late or absent from school, the principal shall evaluate each situation and determine the student's eligibility to participate in any extra-curricular activity. The district reserves the right to require a physician's excuse to validate any period of absence. The principal shall have the final decision on eligibility.

Consent of Parents and Physical Examination

No student shall be eligible to represent his/her school in any sport unless a certificate of consent signed by a parent or legal guardian is on file in the school office.

No student shall participate or be eligible to represent his/her school in any athletic contest unless the student has been examined by a physician and the results of such examination are on file in the school office.

Student Accident Insurance

Student accident insurance shall be governed by Policy 211 and 211 AR.

1. For completion of a season, unless injured.
2. For participation in at least half the quarters of football and basketball; half the innings played in baseball (one-third for pitcher); one more than half the wrestling meets together with scoring nine points or more; scoring in at least half of the cross country meets; scoring 10 points in dual meets or scoring a place in open or championship meets in track and field; participation in at least half of the periods in hockey, lacrosse and soccer games; or at least half of the tennis or golf matches.
3. For satisfactory attendance in practice.
4. Before the senior year, a student may receive only one varsity letter in each sport. A student who has a varsity letter and who meets varsity letter requirements for the same sport in the senior year receives a senior letter in reverse colors which indicates the number of times the student has qualified for a varsity letter in that sport.
5. The above participation requirements apply to junior varsity letters in sports for which there are complete junior varsity schedules. Requirements for certificates, freshman awards and letters for junior varsity sports with incomplete schedules are based on the extent of scheduled opportunities for participation, together with practice, recommendations and approval requirements for varsity letters.

1. The same procedures as set forth in the sections above, under Academic Subject Eligibility and Attendance for athletics, shall apply to all other co-curricular activities.
2. As with athletics, to participate in co-curricular activities, a student cannot fail two (2) courses and must successfully pass at least four (4) full credit academic subjects in order to be eligible.
3. Advisors have the same responsibility as athletic coaches for determining the eligibility of students who participate in their activity.
4. Any student ruled ineligible must report each Friday morning to the Guidance Office to procure a form which they must take to all their teachers for reporting their grades that week. This form must be presented to the advisor before eligibility can resume.
5. If a student received two (2) or more F's at the conclusion of the school year, the scholastic ineligibility carries over the summer; and the student must make up the failed work. If the student attends a summer school, s/he becomes eligible immediate¬ly, provided that failed grades have been raised to passing.
6. If a student is ineligible as of August, s/he may participate in summer practices, rehearsals, or activities; however, s/he will not be eligible for participation in competitions or student activities until the completion of the first full week of school in September.