The Johnson Creek Jr./Sr. High School Athletic Code has been developed with the intention of serving the best interests of the individual athlete, the school and community. This code applies to all students representing Johnson Creek in interscholastic athletic competition, cheerleading, and dance, and will be in effect for their entire high school career on a year-round basis.
REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO PARTICIPATION:
1. Students and parents of students who will be participating in athletics for the first time at the Johnson Creek Jr. High School must attend a meeting at the beginning of the school year to discuss and sign the athletic code. Students and parents of students who will be participating in athletics for the first time at the Johnson Creek High School must attend a meeting at the beginning of the school year to discuss and sign the athletic code. If neither parent nor a legal guardian can attend, he/she must contact, in person, the principal, athletic director, or head coach of the sport involved before a student will e allowed to practice or participate in competition. In addition, coaches will review the code with the athletes at the beginning of each season.
These contacts will verify the athletes' and parents' understanding of the code and allow the athletes to participate if the signed code is turned in prior to the first contest.
1. All athletes are required to have a new athletic code signed at the beginning of each school year prior to beginning participation.
2. All athletes/ parents must purchase school offered insurance or sign an insurance waiver before participating.
3. All athletes must turn in WIAA examination and permit cards and a parent permission card before practicing. Students are required to have a physical exam by their doctor, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant every other year.
4. All athletes must pay the athletic participation fee for each season before competing.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:
1. A student must maintain passing grades in all classes. Fourth quarter grades are carried over to the next school year.
a) Students who attend summer school to remediate a failing grade must have prior approval from the high school principal. Courses may be remediated for athletic eligibility purposes and must be in certified and approved educational programs.
2. Eligibility shall be based upon all subjects for which credit is given. Incomplete grades are recorded as Fs if not completed within two (2) weeks unless serious personal problems prevail. This is to be determined by the principal.
3. Any student receiving a failing (F) grade will be ineligible for a period equal to at least one fourth of the regularly scheduled season. Such ineligibility shall also be for at least the minimum total contests required by the WIAA in a given sport. An athlete must be designated at a participation level (varsity, JV, freshman) to serve all penalties. An athlete may not compete at any level during the suspension period.
a) At the completion of the suspension period, an athlete may become eligible if a passing grade exists and is maintained in all classes.
b) Prior to completion of the suspension period, an ineligible athlete must turn in to the athletic director an eligibility card which will include the names of all classes in which he/she is currently enrolled along with current grades and signatures of the teacher before he/she can become eligible to participate. The athlete must continue to turn in the eligibility sheet at three-week intervals until the end of the grading period.
EQUIPMENT OBLIGATIONS:
1. It is expected that athletes will take excellent care of their equipment.
a) Each athlete is responsible for the school equipment issued. The athlete is financially responsible for all lost, misplaced or stolen equipment that originally was issued to him/her.
b) Each athlete will be responsible for the return of the original equipment issued. Substitutions will not be allowed.
c) No school athletic equipment is to be worn during any physical education classes or any other period of exercise outside the time required for practice session and/or game situations unless so authorized.
d) Student athletes and their parents are asked to see that any school athletic equipment be returned to the school as soon as possible.
2. An athlete will not be allowed to participate in another sport until he/she has either turned in or paid for all missing or damaged equipment.
3. Any uncollected fines will eventually be treated as regular school fines.
ATHLETIC CONDUCT CODE
Those who participate in interscholastic athletics are especially visible representatives of the school and its standards, and serve as role models for youngsters. For these reasons, a high level of conduct, in and out of school is required of them.
Athletes who fail to abide by the law and the policies of the Johnson Creek Schools by using or possessing alcohol or tobacco, using/possessing or buying or selling illegal controlled substances, or who fail to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the law or standards of behavior expected of representatives of Johnson Creek High School are subject to athletic penalties and/or suspensions. These rules are in effect and reportable twelve months a year.
The intent of this code is to provide meaningful consequences to those who choose to violate their pledge.
LEVEL OF OFFENSES
A. Use or possession of tobacco or any tobacco products.
B. Illegal possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
C. Use or possession of performance enhancing drugs/substances
D. Illegal use, possession of, or trafficking in drugs.
E. Attending, hosting, sponsoring, organizing, or otherwise arranging a teen gathering at which alcohol or drugs were consumed, offered, or otherwise used.
F. Vandalism, theft, or malicious destruction of any school or individual's equipment or other property, or other misdemeanor or felony criminal action.
G. Repeated violation of any Level B offenses within a school year.
Discipline and procedure for a Level A Offense
COMPLAINT PROCESS
1. Upon being informed of an alleged violation, the high school principal will require the violation in writing on the required form. Upon receipt of the written complaint, the high school principal and the athletic director will review all information. If the charging document does not contain the required information, the high school principal shall refuse to accept the complaint and shall inform the complainant as to the information that is required. Resubmission of required information by the complainant must take place within 48 hours. If less than 72 hours have passed since the alleged violation, the principal will wait until that time has passed for further action. This is to allow the student the opportunity to refer him/herself.
2. The written complaint must be completed by a person who is not a high school student, is at least 18 years old, and has first-hand knowledge of the offense. The complaint must contain a description of the alleged violation, including date, approximate time, and locations. The complaint must be signed. The complainant must be willing to be reached for confirmation.
a) In the case of information coming to the high school principal through a police report or through the newspaper, the complaint form will be completed and signed by the principal or athletic director.
3. Upon completion of a proper written complaint, and the 72-hour period (if necessary), the principal will give the student (with parental presence encouraged), the opportunity to answer to the complaint. If, in the judgment of the principal, the complaint stands, then the principal will invoke the consequences indicated in this code immediately. The principal will indicate to the student and his/her parents their right to an appeal with the athletic council.
4. The complaint process will be handled in a confidential manner by the principal and the athletic director or their designee.
APPEAL PROCESS
The student has the right to a hearing with the athletic council. The athletic council will consist of the elementary principal, the athletic director , and the superintendent. If the student wishes to have a hearing with the athletic council, he/she is required to request this hearing in writing and submit the request within 48 hour of the previous meeting with the principal. The hearing will be conducted within 7 days of the reques. The student is required to attend his/her own hearing with an adult of his/her own choosing. The parents or legal guardian of the student are strongly encouraged to be present.
The following procedures shall be followed in all cases when the student/athlete denies the complaint and requests a hearing before the athletic council:
a) The athletic council will conduct the hearing.
b) The complainant will be permitted to present testimony in support of the complaint.
c) The student/athlete will be permitted to present evidence and witnesses in his/her defense.
d) At the conclusion of testimony, the complaint and the student or his/her representative may present a brief closing argument if they choose to do so.
e) At the conclusion of testimony and closing argument, the athletic council will immediately meet in executive session to decide whether a violation has in fact occured. I it is determined that a violation has occurred, the suspensions indicated in this code will be applied to the student. If it is determined that a violation has not occurred, the suspension will be terminated and the student will be allowed to participate.
f) The written decision of the Athletic Council will be delivered to the student within 72 hours of the Athletic Council's decision. Accompanying the written decision will be a written notice advising the student of his/her appeal rights.
g) Appeal of the decision of the Athletic Council may be made to the Board of Education, provided that notice in writing of such appeal specifying the reason(s) why such decision should be overruled or modified is given to the district administrator or his/her designee within 48 hours after the student received written notice of the athletic council's decision. The suspension, invoked by the principal remains in effect until the appeal is acted upon by the board. The student is required to be present at the appeal hearing with the board.
Consequences for Violations
FIRST OFFENSE SELF-REFERAL ONLY
1. Following a Level A Offense, an athlete must turn him/herself in within 72 hour of the offense. The athlete must indicate in writing what the offense is. This written self-referral is to be completed, dated, and signed by the student and turned into the principal.
a) If another person turns in a n athlete for a level A offense, an athlete may have 72 hours from the time of offense to turn him/herself in.
2. In the case of an alcohol, drug, or tobacco related offense, the athlete will miss two (2) athletic contests (games) unless she/he arranges to participate in a recognized assessment /education program. If the student participates in an assessment/education program, the penalty will be reduced to one (1) athletic contest. All students will be encouraged to participate in an assessment/education program. An athlete must be designated at a participation level (varsity, JV, freshman) to serve all penalties. An athlete may not participate at any level during a suspension.
a) If the offense involves other criminal behavior, the student will miss two (2) contests.
FIRST OFFENSE (IN WHICH STUDENT DOES NOT TURN SELF IN WITHIN 72 HOURS)
1. In the case of an alcohol, drug, or tobacco related offense, the athlete will miss three (3) athletic contests (games) unless he/he arranges to participate in a recognized assessment/education program. If the student participates in an assessment/education program, the penalty will be reduced to two (2) athletic contests. All students will be encouraged to participate in an assessment/education program. An athlete must be designated at a participation level (varsity, JV, freshman) to serve all penalties.
a) If the offense involves other criminal behavior, the student will miss three (3) contests.
SECOND OFFENSE CONSEQUENCES
1. There is no reduction in penalty for self-referral after the first offense within a calendar year.
2. In the case of alcohol, drug, or tobacco related offense, the athletes will miss six (6) athletic contests (games) unless she/he arranges to participate in a recognized assessment/education program. If the student participates in an assessment/education program, the penalty will be reduced to five (5) athletic contests. All students will be encouraged to participate in an assessment/education program. An athlete must be designated at a participation level (varsity, JV, freshman) to serve all penalties.
a) If the offense involves other criminal behavior, the student will miss six (6) contests.
THIRD OFFENSE CONSEQUECES
1. In the case of a third offense, the student will be suspended from athletic participation for a calendar year starting from the date of offense on the written complaint form.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
1. " Assessment/Education" programs will be administered through the Johnson Creek School District Alcohol and Other Drug Awareness (AODA) programming or by outside agencies in cooperation with the JC Schools, or at the student's expense through a recognized organization.
2. Suspension from a partial athletic season will carry over to a succeeding season in which the athlete hopes to participate so that the requirement of suspension is met. All seasons must be completed to fulfill penalties of suspension.
3. During any period of suspension, the athlete must attend and participate in all practices unless excused by the coach.
4. Eligibility to play in tournament contests will follow WIAA regulations.
5. A violation will be considered a "first offense" if a full calendar year has passed since the last violation (Violation date indicated on written complaint.)
LEVEL B OFFENSES:
A. Insubordination or disrespect to any school personnel.
B. Failure to attend all classes on the day of each athletic contest or practice unless the absence is (1) the result of participation in a school-sponsored activity away from school campus; (2) the absence has been pre-approved by the high school principal or his/her designee; and/or (3) a written medical release has been obtained from a physical prior to the athletic contest or practice.
C. Failure to travel to and from out-of-town contests with the squad unless prior written arrangements have been made for the athlete to ride with his/her parents. Parents are required to present the coach a written request to transport their child home form an out-of-town event. The coach will release the athlete to his/her parents at the event.
D. Harassment of any kind, fighting, or profanity.
E. Any other offense which may not be deemed a LEVEL A offense as listed previously in this code.
CONSEQUESES FOR LEVEL BE OFFENSES:
1. In the event of a Level B offense, the principal may revoke the offender's privilege to participate in athletic contests for a maximum seven days.
2. Repeated offenses in this category are escalated to Level A.
This Athletic Code cannot address all circumstances that may arise governing participation of student athletes. It is therefore stated that the School Board of Johnson Creek remains as the final decision maker regarding all athletic participation.
Adopted: (4/9/07)
