Eligibility & Violations

High School Students

• Passing work in at least 2.5 credits per week.

• Grades will be computed in three-week intervals to include the end of each grading period.

• Grades used in determining eligibility will be cumulative from the beginning of the semester.

• A student may become ineligible or regain their eligibility at each of the grade checks.

Middle School Students Participating in High School Activities

• Seventh and eighth grade students involved in high school activities must be passing all classes in order to maintain eligibility.

• Grades will be computed in three-week intervals to include the end of each grading period.

• Grades used in determining eligibility will be cumulative from the beginning of the semester.

• A student may become ineligible or regain their eligibility at each of the grade checks.

Middle School Students Participating in Middle School Activities

• Must have no more than one “failing grade” to maintain eligibility.

• Grade checks will be done every two weeks.

• Period of ineligibility will be for two weeks.

• Grades used in determining eligibility will be quarterly grades.

• A student may become ineligible or regain their eligibility at each grade check.

• Students will continue to practice during the period of ineligibility.

Attendance

Participants must be in attendance for all academic and required activities designated by the school in order to be eligible to participate in or attend practice or competition on any given day. (Excuses will be accepted for verified medical appointments and/or emergencies if approved by administrators and coaches.)

Suspension or Expulsion

Any participant who receives an out-of-school suspension or expulsion shall be ineligible for participation, including practices, during the period of suspension or expulsion. Participants shall be eligible to participate when they are readmitted to school.

Dress and Grooming

Students who participate in co-curricular activities are expected to dress appropriately for out-of-town trips. Coaches/Advisors may establish and post appropriate standards with each individual group. Participants should also expect to be neatly groomed.

Travel

Students designated to participate in out-of-town events are to travel to and from events with the squad. No other means of transportation is to be used unless approval has been granted by the coach or advisor and building Activities Coordinator. Students are required to dress appropriately for winter travel.

Regional Tournaments –No overnights should be scheduled unless schedule of play, distance or inclement weather is a factor.

State Tournaments – The expectation for tournaments within a 90-mile radius is to return home each day. Prior to overnights being scheduled by a school, the decision should be discussed between the building activity coordinators participating in the same regional or state tournament.

Citizenship

The conduct and behavior of participants is closely observed in many areas of school life and is a direct reflection of themselves, their parents, the school, the organization, and the coach/advisor. Participants shall be courteous and show respect for people and property. Exceptional leaders accept these responsibilities, realizing that they influence many others in the school. Gambling and other inappropriate activities will not be tolerated among student participants.

In GENERAL: A school official shall have the authority to suspend a co-curricular activity participant for any of the following behaviors:

• Possession, use, or purchase of tobacco products, regardless of the student’s age. “Tobacco” is defined to include any product that contains tobacco, is manufactured from tobacco, or contains nicotine.

• Possession, use, or purchase of any alcoholic beverages. The North Dakota Supreme Court has been defined “use” as having the odor of alcohol on one’s breath and “possession” is evidence of the exercise of some degree of actual dominion or control over an alcoholic beverage.

• Possession, use, purchase, or attempted sale/purchase of illegal drugs, or the unauthorized possession, use, purchase or attempted sale/purchase of otherwise lawful drugs.

• Engaging in any act that would be grounds for arrest or citation in the criminal or juvenile court system (excluding minor offenses such as traffic or hunting/fishing violations), regardless of whether the student was cited, arrested, convicted, or adjudicated for the act or acts.

• Actions deemed to be in violation of the citizenship clause.

• Exceedingly inappropriate or offensive conduct such as assaulting staff or students, gross insubordination, hazing or harassment of others. NOTE: This could include group conduct!

• “Mere Presence” - Being in attendance at a function or party where the student knows or has reason to know that alcohol or other drugs are being consumed illegally by minors and failing to leave despite having a reasonable opportunity to do so. When a student recognizes this situation, he/she is expected to leave immediately.

(a) An intention to leave and/or serve as a designated driver is not a defense.

(b) Stay and risk loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities.

This is not an all-inclusive list of prohibited behaviors. The school reserves the right to discipline a student for violation of the good conduct rule which includes but is not limited to the above referenced behaviors.

A student who declares and defends his/her innocence under the “mere presence” rule will have a consequence of 2 weeks or 2 contests (whichever is greater), when their claim of innocence is substantiated by legal proof or other determination. A second mere presence violation shall result in the consequences of a first violation as listed below.

1^st Violation:

Penalty shall be a suspension from participation of 6 consecutive weeks in the students current and/or next activity season.

Intervention: The suspended student will be required to meet with a designated school professional.

Subsequent Violations:

Penalty shall be a suspension from participation of 18 weeks in the students current and/or next activity season.

Intervention: The student will be required to meet with the building Student Wellness and Family Facilitator in addition to providing proof of a drug and alcohol evaluation by a certified evaluation agency.

The period of suspension shall begin from the date and time the school official becomes aware of the violation.

General Guidelines for all three offenses:

Consequences for violations are cumulative within the middle school years and again within the high school years.

1. Suspension periods will cover consecutive weeks whenever a violation occurs during the school year.

2. Violations occurring out of season or during the summer are enforced at the start of the next season of participation for the student during the following year. For non-athletic activity suspensions, the start of the next season of participation is defined as the first missed event. Students who elect to participate in any activity must remain in good standing and complete the full season of that activity in order for that participation to constitute service of a suspension.

3. The participant will not be involved in any public recognition or activity during the suspension, although students will be allowed to continue to practice. Participants who are suspended from activities will not be included in performances, drama productions, and awards presentations.
   Music performance exceptions apply only to those students who are required to participate in the three designated curricular concerts, which are established by each school’s administration.

4. Any student who has a violation that occurs during the season or prior to the awards presentation will not be awarded a letter or receive any other school sponsored recognition/awards for that activity.

5. Any participant who serves a suspension or commits a violation during any part of an activity season is not eligible for a leadership role during that season. To be reconsidered for a leadership role in subsequent seasons, a participant must a) successfully complete the NFHS Captains Course; and b) participate in a meeting with both the building Principal and the building Activity Coordinator to assess their readiness to assume a leadership role. Participants who have multiple violations during their high school career will be excluded from any leadership role.

6. Any participant who engages in, admits to, or is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including hazing which would reflect on the performance, status, or personal growth of other individuals involved in the activity shall be dismissed from all co-curricular activities. Penalties are the same as those described above.

During Suspension

A student who is serving a suspension for a NDHSAA/FPS rule violation may:

• Practice with their team/group.

• Tryout for a team/group.

• Attend team/group meetings and gatherings.

• Be present in the team locker room during pre-game, halftime or post-game.

A student who is serving a suspension for a NDHSAA/FPS rule violation may not:

• Travel out of the school with their team/group

• Miss school to attend a team/group event

• Perform in public with the team/group

• Be in uniform on the team bench

• Represent the team/group outside of the school

Investigation Procedures

1. Infraction occurs when a student is identified as having been involved.

2. Principal or designee holds a pre-suspension investigation with the student.

3. If the investigation results find that no disciplinary action is needed, the matter is dropped. The student will continue in school activities.

4. If the investigation results find that disciplinary action is necessary, appropriate action will be taken.

5. Parents are notified of the disciplinary action. An activity suspension may or may not involve a suspension from the school day.

6. A parent conference, if requested, is held as soon as both parties can agree on a date and time.

7. If the parent/student believes that the investigation process was not followed, they may appeal to the District Activities Director within three (3) days of being advised of the violation. The Activities Director will review the process and the conclusion/consequence to determine whether the process was properly followed and whether the conclusion/consequence is appropriate. This is the final process a student may use in seeking a remedy or appeal concerning their suspension.