Athletics

Participation in NCCVTSD interscholastic athletic programs is a privilege. Our expectation of all our athletes is that they maintain our defined academic and attendance standards and that they exhibit sportsmanship worthy of our district and schools.

1. The student is NOT eligible if they become 19 years of age before June 15 immediately preceding the school year.

2. A student shall not be eligible to try out, practice, scrimmage, or compete in an interscholastic contest unless a licensed physician (MD or DO), a licensed nurse practitioner, or a licensed physician’s assistant verifies in writing on a DIAA physical form on or after April 1 and before beginning such athletic activity for the current school year that the student has been adequately examined within the last 12 months and is cleared medically to participate.

3. In order to be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletic contests and scrimmages, a student must pursue a regular course of study or its equivalent as approved by the local governing body, and must be passing at least five (5) credits. Two (2) of the credits must be in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, World Language, or Social Studies. However, in the case of a student in the twelfth grade, the student must be passing all courses necessary for graduation from high school in order to be eligible for participation. A course necessary for graduation shall be any course, whether taken during or outside the regular school day, that satisfies an unmet graduation requirement.

• Freshmen students must have a 1.5 grade point average or higher for the first marking period.

• Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must have a 1.75 grade point average or higher for the first marking period.

• The student must have a passing grade on their career program or career exploratory course for the first marking period.

• If both a marking period grade and a final grade are issued for a course, the final grade is used to determine eligibility.

4. In order for 9th graders to be eligible during the third and fourth marking periods:

• The student must have earned a 1.75 grade point average or higher for the previous marking period.

5. Eligibility status is subject to change as of the date that the most recent report card is issued.

6. The student athlete who wishes to appeal eligibility status may do so through the building athletic director or the principal through the grievance procedures.

7. An athlete may join a team after regaining academic eligibility based upon the discretion of the varsity head coach, athletic director and with the approval of the principal or their designee. Academically ineligible athletes may be permitted to practice with a team at the discretion of the varsity head coach, athletic director and with the approval of the principal or their designee.

8. The student who is absent for at least half of the periods for a given day is NOT eligible to participate in a game or practice that day unless the tardiness or absence is due to participation in a school-approved activity. The student is NOT eligible to practice or participate in any athletic contest on those days when they are absent from school. Students serving an inside (or outside) suspension do not become eligible until the day they resume classes.

9. Students are NOT eligible to participate in another sport until all obligations are met from the previous sport in which they have participated. This includes the return of all equipment and/or payment for items not returned.

10. The student athlete must use the transportation provided by the school district, both to and from all competitions, unless previous arrangements have been made through the coach and the athletic director.

11. The student who quits one athletic team after the first week of practice is NOT eligible to try out for another team during that season unless they have approval from the first coach and from the athletic director. This rule does not apply to students who are not selected for a team.

All schools in the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District are members of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) and therefore must/will abide by all rules regulations, policies, and procedures established by that organization. No policy of the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District is meant to, or can, change or replace any D.I.A.A. policies. The New Castle County Vocational Technical School District Athletic Code of Conduct has been designed to insure equity, due process, and consistency in disciplining our student-athletes.

Although misconduct is usually limited to a small percentage of student-athletes on any one team, the aim of the coach is to promote self-discipline in each athlete. The student-athlete who practices self-discipline will be least affected by this policy.

It is essential for the district to initiate this code in order for all coaches, student-athletes, and parents to be aware of a code of conduct that is the same at each vocational technical district school. This code does not replace or diminish the responsibilities of the Student Advisors (disciplinarians) in their respective schools, but reinforces their efforts to promote self-discipline among the students in the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District.

The building Athletic Director is responsible for enforcing the discipline policy in a manner that is consistent, fair, and firm, treating each case on an individual basis and taking into consideration the overall school record of the student-athlete. All coaches are required to effect discipline or assist in discipline situations by maintaining written communication of action taken by them when dealing with student-athlete infractions as spelled out below. As violations are confirmed, coaches must not only make parental contact, but also send a copy of the written communication of action to the building Athletic Director and to the Student Advisor immediately.

The Principal/Designee may conduct an investigation to confirm that the charged offense has, in fact, been committed and select the appropriate disciplinary action.

Athletes, managers, and all team members must remember they represent their school and team at all times in the community as well as at school and athletic events. Athletes should understand that their behavior can not only hurt themselves, but also bring discredit to their school and team. Being a part of an athletic team is a privilege that may be revoked as a result of a violation of the District Code of Conduct. Inappropriate behavior includes, but is not limited to:

A. PURPOSE: To establish guidelines on parent and family involvement and associated partnerships.

B. ISSUE: The New Castle County Vocational Technical School District recognizes that a child’s education is a responsibility shared by the school and family during the entire period the child spends in school. To support the mission of the school district to effectively educate all students to succeed, the schools and parents/families must work together as knowledgeable partners. Although parents/families are diverse in culture, language, and needs, they share the school’s commitment to the educational success of their children. The District and the schools, in collaboration with parents/families, will work towards establishing programs and practices that enhance the partnership between them, reflecting the specific needs of students and their families.

C. Programs:

• The school district will put into operation programs, activities, and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools, including the process of school review, and improvement will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.

• The school district will work with its schools to ensure that the required school-level parental involvement policies each include, as a component, a school-parent compact.

• The school district will incorporate this district-wide parental involvement guideline into appropriate plans.

• The school district and its schools will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

• If the District plan for Title I, Part A, as documented in the Consolidated Grant, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school district will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school district submits the plan to the State Department of Education.

• The school district will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent and will ensure that not less than 95 percent of the one percent reserved goes directly to the schools.

The NCCVT School District will implement the following statutory definition of parental involvement and expects that its schools will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental Involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring-

• that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;

• that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child, and

• the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in Title I law and guidance.

Implementation activities included in the procedures and practices shall also include:

• The NCCVT School District will develop its district-wide parent involvement plan in consultation with parents of participating children.

• Involve parents in the process of school review and improvement.

• Coordinate technical assistance and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance.

• Build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement in order to ensure and support a partnership among the school, the parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following activities specifically described below:

The school district will, with the assistance of its Title I, Part A schools, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school district or school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph:

-the State’s academic content standards

-the State’s student academic achievement standards

-the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments

-the requirements of Part A

-how to monitor their child’s progress

-how to work with educators

The school district will, with the assistance of its schools, provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.

NCCVT School District will ensure that information related to the school and parent- programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. The District will pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parental involvement activities, including transportation and childcare costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions.

D. REVIEW AND REPORTING: The NCCVT School District will conduct annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of all of its schools, including those schools participating in Title I, Part A. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents), its parental involvement policies, procedures, and practices.

E. PARENT COMMUNICATION: Parents of students in Title I schools can expect the following communication:

• Written communication (as described above in Section C) at the beginning of the school year supplied in a school newsletter

• An annual meeting for parents at each Title I school in which the purpose and benefits of Title I funding is discussed. Parent involvement in the planning and delivery of Title I services will be sought. Timely information and a description of the curriculum will be discussed.

• Additional parent meetings and opportunities for meetings to form will also occur in which school-specific topics pertaining to student academic achievement will be discussed. Schools will make these meetings at flexible times in order to accommodate a variety of parent working hours. At these meetings, parents will have an opportunity to review the school-wide Title 1 program and make comments.

• At parent meetings, through newsletters, through e-news, and at Open House, schools will:

• Assist parents in understanding state standards and district and state assessments in order to assist parent in improving the academic achievement of their child.

• Provide material and training to help parents work with their child to improve academic achievement.

• Describe to parents how schools educate their staff in the value and utility of reaching out to communicate with parents as equal partners in order to build ties between parents and the school.

• Coordinate parent involvement programs, to the extent possible, that encourage and support parents to be a full participant in the education of their child.

• Communicate with parents in a practical format and appropriate language.

Questions, recommendations, or suggestions about our Title I program should be directed to district administrator David Jezyk (david.jezyk@nccvt.k12.de.us).