Activities Management Washington County School District - Adopted 8-79; Revised 5-13-14; Revised 12-09-14; Revised 9-13-16; Revised 3-10-20
1. Purpose:
1.1. The Board of Education encourages students to participate in a variety of athletic and extracurricular activities, and recognizes the many benefits to students who engage in such activities. Participation in athletics and other extracurricular activities is a privilege. There is no constitutional right to participate in such activities, nor are there any life, liberty, or property interests associated therewith.
In order to participate in activities sponsored by the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA), a student must meet eligibility requirements with regards to attendance, behavior, residency, scholastic performance, and other applicable criteria. Washington County School District accepts and supports the constitution, bylaws, regulations, guidelines, and standards established by UHSAA in relation to eligibility for participation. School principals, athletic directors, coaches/advisors, parents, teachers, and all other employees of the schools share in the responsibility of insuring that students meet the expected standards for participation.
Each school, with approval of the principal, may also establish eligibility requirements for participation in activities not sponsored by UHSAA. The cheerleading and student council programs at each school are governed by each school's student constitution and bylaws and not by UHSAA. Eligibility expectations for those programs must be clearly outlined for students and their parents/legal guardians in a disclosure document.
When student athletes in secondary schools transfer schools, athletic eligibility standards established by UHSAA must be satisfied. Violation of these standards may bring about severe sanctions for a student, a coach, a team/program, and/or the school. The Board of Education desires that transferring student athletes meet all UHSAA transfer and eligibility requirements.
1.2. To establish guidelines for student sports/activity program(s).
2. Policy:
2.1. All schools with grades above the sixth are encouraged to develop, promote and execute a reasonable intramural program.
2.2. Washington County School District sponsors only grades 9-12 sports/activities. Students below the 9th grade are not allowed to participate under any circumstance in UHSAA sponsored activities.
2.3. The District may sponsor the following sports at the ninth grade level: football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball. Freshman, however, may compete on high school teams at the discretion of the head coach of each sport.
2.4. All students who participate in District sponsored sports/activities are required to have accident insurance. The District does not carry nor provide accident insurance on students. Each high school principal or designee, is required to verify that all athletes are covered by accident insurance prior to participation.
2.5. The principal or designee must verify that all coaches, regardless if they are paid or volunteer, complete: (1) Fingerprint and background check; (2) Hands-on CPR and First Aid training; (3) the NFHS Concussion Management Course; (4) Review and sign the WCSD Coaches Code of Conduct prior to any coaching.
2.6. The principal or designee must verify that all coaches/advisors complete the NFHS "Fundamentals of Coaching" course. (see nfhslearn.com)
3. Procedure:
3.1. Eligibility Requirements: In order for students to be eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities, in the Washington County School District, students must meet the minimum eligibility requirements established by the Utah High School Activities Association.
3.1.1. A. To be eligible to participate in UHSAA sanctioned activities, a student:
1. Must be a full-time student in the school he or she intends to represent, or otherwise comply with all Utah State Board of Education dual enrollment requirements;
2. Cannot fail more than one subject in the preceding grading period (for purposes of this rule, a failure in a multi-period subject shall be counted as the number of failures equal to the number of periods in the class); and,
3. Must have obtained a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 based on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent, in the preceding grading period.
a. A student who has failed to meet the minimum requirements set forth shall be ineligible for participation in UHSAA activities throughout the next grading period, provided however, that deficiencies in the final grading period of the school year may be made up prior to the first term of the succeeding year by any method acceptable to the school district or the member private school. Deficiencies must be made up in the same subject area.
b. The scholastic regulations apply to students who are entering high school for the first time. They also apply to any ninth grade student at a junior high or middle school who has established eligibility at a member high school as provided in these by-laws.
c. Eligibility under this rule is determined when grades are posted. Grades are "posted" when the school registrar enters all grades electronically and are available to students, parents and teachers. In no case may the posting date be more than five (5) school days following the last day of the grading period. Grade changes after the posting date cannot restore lost eligibility, except for a documented clerical error.
d. These scholastic regulations are the minimum required for participation in Association activities. Nothing in this rule shall prevent local boards of education or governing boards of charter or private schools from establishing standards, related with grades, that exceed those of the UHSAA.
4. Prior to participating in any UHSAA sponsored activities, each student and parent must complete the UHSAA tryout checklist form. The completed form must be signed and submitted to the coach or athletic director. The form will be provided to the student and parent by the school.
5. All students are required to have an annual physical prior to participating in all UHSAA sponsored athletic activities.
3.2.1. Individual schools, with approval of the school principal, may establish the GPA requirement to be met for cheerleading, student council, clubs, and other events and activities not sponsored by UHSAA. Any other exceptions to this policy for those activities must be approved by the school principal and must be clearly identified in the team, club, or group disclosure statement.
3.2.2. Non-Athletic Travel - See policy 7020
3.3. If a student is truant the week of an activity, he/she will not be eligible to compete in extra-curricular activities that week.
3.4. No student shall be permitted to participate in extra-curricular activities without the written consent of the student's parent or guardian.
3.5. Non-Approved Activities
3.5.1. All activities that present inherent risks to staff or students must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by District Risk Management.
3.5.2. Utah State Risk Management has excluded several activities from coverage. The following activities must be approved by WCSD Executive Administration prior to engagement:
•. The use of trampolines unless supervised by a trained instructor as part of a District program.
• The use of fireworks unless permits have been obtained, and the fireworks and pyrotechnics are handled by a licensed operator carrying sufficient liability insurance to cover the work being performed.
