Sunday Practice/Activity 

CONTESTS: During the school year, no contest may be held on Sundays. Exceptions may only be permitted by the Superintendent or Designee.

PRACTICES/REHEARSALS: During the school year no practices/rehearsals may be held on Sundays. Exceptions may be made for pre-approved practices/rehearsals if a contest is scheduled for a Monday. Such practice/rehearsal shall be held between 1 pm and 5 pm. No student will be required to attend such practice/rehearsal and there will be no consequences for not doing so. All exceptions for Sunday practices/rehearsals must be pre-approved by the Building Principal/Designee.

OPEN GYM: Schools may schedule open gyms between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Such gyms must be open to all students and parents/guardians. Open gym schedules will be posted in the schools.

Wednesday Night Practice/Activity 

No practice or activity, including travel time, is to run past 6:30 p.m. on any Wednesday evening. If a student needs to leave early they will be allowed to do so, with no penalty to them (no matter the level).

When school is dismissed early due to inclement weather, no practice, rehearsal, or any other after-school activity will be allowed.

When school start time is delayed due to inclement weather, all morning practices/rehearsals are to be cancelled.

When school is cancelled due to inclement weather, no practice, rehearsal, activity, or open gym will be allowed.

Criteria for Canceling Activities

Out of District: When weather or another emergency creates a situation where travel to an out of district school activity may be canceled, it is important that District and Building Principals/Designees make coordinated, consistent decisions. Problems arise when one school or department cancels travel to an activity when other schools travel under the same conditions.

The Superintendent or Designee along with Coordinator of Athletics/Physical Education will use the following guidelines in determining whether student groups should travel to an out-of-district activity:

Travel Guidelines

1.    Prior to traveling to an out of district event, coaches and activity leaders will:

• Confer with the building principal to determine the designated Administrator to contact in the event of an emergency.

• Acquire an Activity Travel Kit, which includes:

  • An emergency medical release form for each student participant

  • A parent communication tool to notify parents if return travel is delayed

  • An emergency phone card which lists the work and home phone numbers of building Administrators, the Coordinator of Fine Arts, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Staff Development, High School Curriculum Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Legal, and Superintendent who may be contacted in the event the designated building Administrator cannot be reached.

• Advisor/Coach/Director must have a personal or school cellular phone if traveling in vehicles that are not two-way radio equipped. This phone number must be given to Building Principal/Designee prior to departure.

• Check that students have proper clothing for anticipated weather conditions.

• Make sure students who require medication have a sufficient supply along on the trip.

2.    In cases of inclement weather, the Coordinator of Athletics must confer with the Building Principal/Designee prior to travel to or from an out of district event. The Assistant Principal in Charge of Activities will contact the Highway Patrol for a road condition report and the Administration at the school where the event is being held. If return travel is delayed, parents/guardians need to be informed as soon as possible. Road condition numbers:

• South Dakota                    367-5707 (winter months only)

• Iowa                                  1-515-288-1047

• Minnesota                        1-800-542-0220

3.    Weather and travel conditions are often unpredictable. Cancellations are made on a case by case basis.

4.    Travel to the activity will be canceled if there is no school due to inclement weather in this District or in the district where the activity is being held. The Superintendent/Designee must approve any exception.

5.    Weather and other emergency school activity cancellations that require public notification through the news media (television or radio) must be coordinated through the Coordinator of Athletics/Physical Education or the Superintendent.

In District: Building Principals/Designee or a program coordinator may cancel rehearsals.

When necessary to cancel in-district events, the cancellation must be coordinated through Coordinator of Athletics/Physical Education/Fine Arts and the respective program coordinator in Curriculum Services.

Who to Call When Canceling an Event

Cancelation of District events will be coordinated through Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent.

These people need to be notified first:

• Shane Wuebben, Fine Arts Coordinator 605-941-8456(Cell)

• Nate Malchow, WHS Activities Principal

• Dave Maxwell, LHS Activities Principal

• Steve Moore, RHS Activities Principal

• Chad Stadem, JHS Activities Principal

To practice, compete or perform on a given day, participants must be present in school three consecutive periods prior to dismissal. 

Suspension: Students who are suspended whether after-school (SAS), in-school (ISS), out of school (OSS), or attending the out- of-school suspension alternative program (OSS-A), will not be allowed to practice or compete on the day(s) of suspension. All ISS, SAS, OSS or OSS-A obligations must be completed prior to participation in any practice, competition, performance, or activity.

Questions should be directed to your building activities principals or principal.