Philosophy

The Cony Middle and High School athletics and activities programs provide diverse and well-balanced activities.  Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the offerings.  In planning and administering these programs, every effort is made to offer activities that meet the needs and interests of the students and to provide the best possible facilities, qualified coaches and advisors.  The health and welfare of the participants are the primary considerations in conducting the athletic and activities program.

The athletic and activities programs are extensions of the academic curriculum and provide important benefits to students.  The coaches and advisors have an opportunity to achieve many educational goals because they spend time with small groups of highly motivated students.  Under these conditions, students can attain high levels of success in a variety of areas and develop positive social and emotional attitudes.  Students participating in athletics and activities are expected to maintain high academic and conduct standards.

Every student interested in participating in the athletic and activities program at Cony Middle and High School is expected to know and follow the rules and obligations they are assuming before deciding to participate at any level.  Parents and students should be aware that participating in athletics/activities and representing the school is a “privilege” afforded to students who meet the eligibility requirements and who follow all applicable policies and rules.  These rules apply to all student-athletes, including players, managers, trainers, cheerleaders, “club teams”, and all members of activities sponsored or endorsed by Cony Middle and High School.  Each athletic season begins with the pre-season meeting and ends only after the Awards Ceremony has occurred.

Academic Requirements for Participation

1. Be regularly enrolled or home schooled in a program approved by the Superintendent.

2. During the previous quarter, students must pass three full time classes or all classes in a reduced program which received prior administrative approval.

1. If a student is not passing the required number of subjects when rank cards are issued, he/she will have two weeks to bring failing classes up to passing or he/she will be ineligible for participation until the next quarter grades are issued.

2. Eligibility for fall athletics and activities will be based on the previous fourth quarter grades. Failures may be made-up through an approved summer school program.

3. All students MUST be at school by 10:30 am to participate in any extra or co curricular activity or sports practice or game

that day.

Rules for Students in Athletics and Activities

Student Conduct:  Students are expected to follow all Board policies, school rules, the athletic and activities handbook, and any additional rules and or rules imposed by coaches and advisors.  Violations of any policies or rules may result in suspension or removal for the team or activity as well as additional disciplinary action under the applicable policies or rules.  *See the Athletic and Activities Rubric

Students involved in athletics and activities are further expected to conduct themselves so as not to discredit themselves, their organization, or the school.  If a student commits a crime or violates policy, he or she may be suspended from participating in athletics or activities.  The Principal or his/her designee will schedule a meeting with the student.  When a student has been charged with a crime, but not yet convicted, the Principal may suspend the student temporarily from participation in athletics or activities if it is in the best interests of the school.   A student who is convicted of a crime may be suspended from participation in athletics or activities following the conviction.  The principal has the authority to modify these requirements when they would clearly constitute an injustice to the student based on the particular circumstances of the case, after providing the student with the opportunity to tell his or her side of the story.  At the end of the suspension, the student may request in writing reinstatement to athletics or activities to the Principal.  The Principal and Athletic and Activities Director will meet with the student and his/her parents.  The Principal will then make a determination as to whether the student will be allowed to participate in athletics or activities, and under what conditions.

The Principal and the Athletic and Activities Director, in consultation with the coach or advisor, will determine the consequences for student misconduct not specifically addressed in policies and/or rules.

Appeal of Suspension/Removal from Team or Activity: Any student who wishes to appeal a suspension or removal from a team or activity may do so in writing to the Superintendent within three school days of his/her notification of the suspension.  The Superintendent, or designee, may conduct whatever further investigation she or he deems advisable and shall render his or her decision in writing to the student within ten school days of receiving the appeal.  If the appeal is made at the conclusion of the school year, this period may be extended if necessary to complete an appropriate investigation.  The Superintendent’s decision or that of the Superintendent’s designee shall be final.  A student remains under suspension during the appeal process.

Dress Code: Students involved in athletics or activities are expected to be neatly groomed and abide by the dress code in the Cony Middle and High School Handbook.

Hazing:  Activities by student participants, coaches or advisors that humiliate, harass,  abuse, or degrade a participant as part of initiation rites or membership of a team or activity are unacceptable in Cony Middle and High School programs and will not be tolerated.

Maine law prohibits injurious hazing, which is defined as “any action or situation including harassing behavior that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any school personnel or a student enrolled in a public school.”  Disciplinary consequences for hazing may include suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate measures, in addition to any civil or criminal penalties to which the individual or organization may be subject.  Please refer to Board Policy JICFA.

School Attendance:  Regular school attendance is required of participants in athletic and activities programs in accordance with Board policies and Cony Middle and High School rules.  In addition the following rules apply to student-athletes:

1. Students shall not participate unless they provide a valid excuse for non-attendance approved by the Attendance Office.

2. If a student is absent the day of an activity because of personal illness, the student may not participate in the activity.

3. If a student is absent for any other reason approved by the Attendance Office, the Athletic and Activities Director shall determine whether or not the student may participate in an activity that day.  If an activity is scheduled for a Saturday and a student is absent on Friday for any excused reason, the coach/advisor and/or Athletic and Activities Director shall verify the reason and determine whether the student is eligible to participate.

4. A student who is absent from class, study hall or school for an unexcused reason or suspended from school shall not participate in athletic or activity programs that day.

5.  If a student has more than two unexcused absences from school of any kind during a sports season the student shall be removed from the team or activity.

6. Students must arrive by 10:30 am to participate in extracurricular activities. Exceptions approved by the Athletic Director.

School-Issued Equipment and Clothing:  Athletes and activity participants are responsible for all equipment and/or clothing issued to him or her.  Students will be required to pay for any lost or damaged equipment or clothing.  Students are not to wear or use any school-issued equipment or clothing except when participating in a practice, game, activity or other designated school function.  Participants may not loan or give any school-issued equipment or clothing to others.

Parent-Provided Equipment and Clothing:  For any equipment that is provided by the student, parent or guardian for the purpose of athletic or activities participation, the provider should provide safe equipment that meets current safety standards and guidelines.

Travel:  When bus transportation is provided, all participants are required to travel to and from out-of-town contests or activities with the team or group.  Permission may be granted by a coach or advisor to release a participant to his or her parent/guardian only if such request is made in writing and presented to and approved by the coach or advisor.  A request to release a participant to anyone other than the parent/guardian requires a prior written request to the Principal and approval by the Principal.

It is the parents and students responsibility to arrange transportation to the off-site facility when school transportation is not provided for the students.  Supervision does not start until practice time or game time, or until the coach or advisor arrives.  

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Rules:  Cony Middle and High School recognizes that the use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs negatively affect student health, safety, and athletic performance.  Students participating in athletics and activities carry a responsibility to themselves, their fellow students, parents and school to set the highest possible example of conduct, sportsmanship and training, which includes avoiding the use, possession, furnishing or selling of alcohol, tobacco and illegal  drugs.  Substance use and abuse are incompatible with the physical, mental and emotional demands placed upon participants and upon the positive image that athletes and activity participants project to other students and the community on behalf of Cony Middle and High School. *Please refer to Board Policy JICH and the Athletic & Activities rubric

Prohibited Activities:  Students involved in athletics and activities are expected to abide by Board policies and school rules and the laws pertaining to tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.  Students participating in athletics and activities may not engage in the prohibited behaviors and activities described in the policies/rules at any time or place for the duration of the athletic or activity period.

In addition to the prohibited activities specified in Board policies and school rules students participating in athletics and activities will be subject to disciplinary action if it is determined participants are present at a party or gathering at any location where illegal drugs are being used or underage drinking is taking place and they do not leave as soon as practical after they become aware of such activities.

Self-Referral or Concerned Person Referral:  A student of a concerned person (such as a parent, teammate or friend) may discuss a possible problem with substance use or abuse with the student’s coach, a member of administration, guidance or a school substance abuse counselor.  In such cases, a referral will be made to the appropriate school staff for assessment.  This process cannot be used to circumvent these substance abuse rules, or other Board policies or school rules.

Sanctions for Rule Violations:  In addition to any other disciplinary action taken in accordance with Board policies and school rules, students participating in athletics and activities programs will be subject to the consequences described here.  The decision to suspend a student from athletics or activities will be made by the Principal in consultation with the Athletic and Activities Director and the coach or advisor.  Violations are cumulative over a student’s high school career.

Sanctions are guidelines intended to ensure that violations are treated fairly and consistently.  Administrators have the discretion to depart from these guidelines based upon the relevant facts and circumstances in a particular case, including but not limited to the student’s behavior accompanying the violation, the student’s willingness to cooperate in the investigation and participate fully in the counseling requirements, and the student’s prior disciplinary record. 

Athletic and Activities Violation Rubric

Exclusive to Athletics

Definitions

The following definitions apply in this policy:

Activity periods are the three athletic seasons (fall, winter, spring), from the start of pre-season activities through and including post-season play and team recognition events.

A week is seven (7) calendar days, not school days.

Athletic Eligibility

To be eligible to try out and participate in interscholastic athletics, including club sports teams, at Cony Middle and High School, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Complete the Cony Middle and High School Athletic Permission form (signed by a parent/guardian and student);

2. Have a complete physical examination at the beginning of seventh grade (or upon enrolling at Cony Middle and High School/Middle School);

3. Complete the Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation form each year;

4. Meet all Maine Principal Association (MPA) eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to:

   1. Age – the student must be under the age of twenty at the time of participation;

   2. Undergraduate status - the student has not graduated from a Maine secondary school or its equivalent;

   3. Eight Semester Rule – the student has yet to fulfill eight consecutive semesters after first enrolling as a freshman in a four year senior high school, or in the ninth grade in a junior high school;

   4. Residency – students must reside in the community of the high school or in a sending community for the high school.  Exceptions are made in the form of Superintendent’s Agreements.

If the student is transferring in from another school, a Transfer-Waiver Approval Form must be on file and checked off signifying that the student transferred for reasons other than athletics.

Athletic Awards and Honors  

In order to be eligible for any athletic award and honors, such as team captain, a student-athlete must be in good standing with his/her team and not in violation of any of the rules in this handbook.  The actual letter or numeral award will be given along with a certificate to all student-athletes meeting the first year the requirements for the award are met.  The student-athlete will receive only the certificate for the same sport in subsequent years.

Varsity Letter Award  

The student-athlete must have:

1. Competed in at least half of the total period of play team sports in which there is no tryout and selection process;

2. Completed and scored team points in half the meets of an individual sport in which there is no tryout and selection process;

3. Been selected as a member of a varsity team in which there is a tryout or selection process.

A Varsity Letter Award will also be awarded to any student-athlete who has been a varsity team member for three years in one sport, but has not earned the letter through competition.  All varsity-level managers will be awarded a Varsity Letter Award.

To earn a Junior Varsity Certificate Award, the student-athlete must have completed a season on a junior varsity team or have completed a season on a varsity team while not qualifying for a varsity letter.

To earn Freshman Numerals, the student-athlete must have completed a sport during his/her freshman year.

If an injured player is unable to finish the season, the appropriate award or numeral will be awarded provided that the student-athlete has participated in at least 50% of the regular season and has qualified for the award or numeral up to the time of the injury.

Special Awards-Awards Night

1. Varsity Team Awards – Player of the year and Coaches Award

2. Junior Varsity and Freshman Awards – Coach’s Award

3. Senior Awards (given at Spring Sports Awards night):

1. Watch Award – Awarded to a student-athlete who earns nine or more varsity letters.

2. Tri-athlete Award – Awarded to a student-athlete who has participated in sports at Cony every sports season for four years.

3. Scholar Athlete Award – A certificate given to senior athletes who have maintained a grade point average of 85 or better for four years.

Assignment to Teams

Placement on a team is at the discretion of the coach and with the approval of the Athletic Director.  Normally, freshman will be placed on a freshman team if one is available for that sport.  Freshman may play at another level at the discretion of the coach and the approval of the Athletic Director.  Such placements will consider the physical, emotional and social needs of the athlete, as well as the needs of the team.

Changing Sports

A student-athlete may not quit one sport and go out for another sport during the same season unless he/she has the consent of both coaches and the Athletic-Director.

Injuries

If a student sustains an injury that requires medical attention during a sports season, he or she is required to report the injury to the coach and provide written medical clearance before being allowed to return to athletic activities.

Insurance Coverage

The student’s family insurance is the primary coverage.  The Augusta Board of Education provides secondary accident insurance for all students participating in interscholastic athletics (see Student Accident Medical Expense insurance plan pamphlet and Board Policy JHA).

Participation on Non-School Teams

Student athletes participating on Cony Middle and High School teams are expected to place their primary allegiance on the school team.  Participation on teams outside of school is only allowed if the student-athlete meets all his/her obligations to the school team.

Practice Attendance

Student-Athletes must notify their coach before the end of the school day if they anticipate being late or absent from a practice.  An unexcused absence from practice will result in the student-athlete being suspended from the next contest.  Three unexcused absences will result in the student-athlete being removed from the team.