Parent Handbook/Athletic Policies

Parent Handbook

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Athletic Eligibility

In order for any student to be a member of an athletic team, s/he must meet the following requirements:

NC State Eligibility Rules

Students are only eligible to participate in middle school athletics for (4) semesters beginning with their 1st entrance into 7th grade.

• Student-athletes must attend school for at least 85% of all school days during the previous semester.

• No middle school athlete may turn 15 years old prior to August 31st of the current school year.

• Any athlete who fails 2 or more classes during the previous 9 weeks is ineligible to participate.

VSMS Academic Eligibility

Valley Springs Middle School maintains a strong focus on developing student-athletes who perform well, both academically and behaviorally. As such, VSMS subscribes to requiring higher academic and behavioral expectations than those set forth by North Carolina and the French Broad Middle School Conference.

• It is the expectation that all VSMS student-athletes will conduct themselves with the utmost respect and responsibility – both in the classroom and on the playing field. We believe that our athletes should be positive role models and leaders within our school and the community at-large. In order to achieve these statures, student-athletes must maintain high academic averages and avoid the pitfalls of behavioral troubles.

VSMS students are ineligible to participate in athletics when s/he:

• Student/Athlete has received one F in a class and teacher did not sign the Consent for Player to Participate Form.

• Consent for Player to Participate Form:

  • Teacher must sign this form to allow participation.

    • Document will be signed if effort is given in class.

    • Student/Athlete has good attendance record.

    • Student/Athlete grade is trending, and effort is given to improve grade. 

• Teacher will not sign document if...

  • Student/Athlete has poor attendance to class. 

  • Student/Athlete has done little to no work. 

  • Student/Athlete has shown little to no effort to improve grade. 

• Fails (2) or more classes on the most recent REPORT CARD, including the 4th 9 weeks of the previous school year – even if the student was promoted.

  • This includes participating in team try-outs.

In- Season Academic Eligibilty 

• Has (1) failing grade in ANY class (Core & UA) on an in-season REPORT CARD.

  • These students will be removed from the team.

• Has ANY failing grades on his/her MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORT.

• Students who do not pass ALL classes on progress reports will be put on probation for (1) week.

  • Probation MUST include missing (2) games if the team plays twice per week. (1) game must be missed if team plays only once per week.

  • During the probation period, the student will not be eligible for any athletic participation.

  • During the probation period, the student will work to improve his/her grades.

  • The student is not eligible to participate until the probation period is completed.

  • The student MUST be passing ALL classes (Core & UA) at the conclusion of the 1-week probation or s/he will be removed from the team.

  •  *Coach’s Decision: All coaches have the autonomy to increase team standards for academics beyond what is set forth by Valley Springs Middle School.

VSMS Behavior Eligibility

Any player who receives OSS will be removed from the team for the remainder of the season.

ISS: Each coach can increase a student athlete’s consequence due to a disciplinary infraction.

• 1st ISS assignment: Any athlete that receives their first in school suspension (ISS) will be suspended from practice and/or a game held on the day ISS is served

• 2nd ISS assignment: A second assignment of ISS will result in a week’s suspension from the athletic team. Coach, Principal, and Athletic Director hold a parent meeting to discuss possible student consequence(s).

• 3rd ISS assignment: Additional assignments of ISS beyond two will result in removal from their sports team for the duration of the season. 

• *Coach’s Decision: All coaches have the autonomy to increase team standards for behavior beyond what is set forth by Valley Springs Middle School.

Participation

BCS middle schools are members of the French Broad Middle School Athletic Conference. This conference includes the following middle schools – A.C. Reynolds Middle School, Asheville Middle School, Cane Creek Middle School, Charles D. Owen Middle School, Clyde A. Erwin Middle School, Enka Middle School, North Buncombe Middle School, and Valley Springs Middle School.

Tryouts

Coaches will conduct tryouts for each sport at the beginning of each season.

• Students who try out and do not make an athletic team are encouraged to participate in outside sports activities to continue to develop athletic skills. Continued hard work and participation may make students even better players than some of those who were selected for athletic teams.

Physical Examination - Student Athletic Packets - Insurance

• Each athlete, including cheerleaders, must have a physical examination by a doctor before s/he will be allowed to participate in tryouts. The physical examination is only valid for one year from the date of the physical.  

FamilyID must be completed.

Transportation Fee

A $40.00, one-time fee is charged to all student-athletes during each school year to help cover the cost of transportation to athletic events. Because the fee is paid only once, students who participate in two or more sports pay the transportation fee at the time they first participate in a school sport each school year.

Student Athlete Expectations

• All student-athletes represent Buncombe County Schools, as well as each of their respective schools. Therefore, the actions of each student-athlete, both in and outside of school, must positively reflect on the school district and the school community.

• While at school, student-athletes are expected to set positive examples for the rest of the student body. All student-athletes are expected to follow school rules at all times. In the event that a student-athlete does not adhere to expectations, s/he will not represent Valley Springs Middle School in any athletic events.