Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Participation Policy
Extracurricular or co-curricular activities are supplements to the regular instructional programs and afford students opportunities for enrichment. However, participation in extracurricular and co-curricular activities is a privilege, not a right, as pursuant to Idaho Code. As representatives of their Charter School, students participating in such activities are expected to meet high standards of behavior.
General Definitions for Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Participation Policy
Unless the context otherwise requires, in this policy:
“Extracurricular Activities” means School authorized activities which take place outside of the regular school day and do not involve class credit, including (but not limited to) athletics, student groups or organizations, and community activities for which high school letters are awarded.
“Co-Curricular Activities” are School authorized activities held in conjunction with a for-credit class, but taking place outside of the regular school day including, but not limited to, debate, drama, drill team, band, or choir.
“Activity Suspension or Suspension from Extracurricular or Co-Curricular Activities” means that suspended students shall not travel, dress in uniform, or associate or participate with the team or group at its scheduled event(s). Suspended students may be allowed to participate in practices and meetings; however, the principal or designee may deem it necessary for students to be withheld from practices or meetings for the duration of the suspension.
“Controlled Substances” include (but are not limited to) opiates; opium derivatives; hallucinogenic substances, including cocaine; and cannabis and synthetic equivalents or the substances contained in the plant; any material, compound mixture, or preparation with substances having a depressant effect on the central nervous system; and stimulants.
“Drugs” include any alcohol or malt beverage, any inhalant, any tobacco product, any controlled substances, any illegal substance, any abused substance, any look-alike or counterfeit drug, any medication not approved and registered by the School authorities and/or any substance which is intended to alter mood, and/or any substance which is misrepresented and sold or distributed as a restricted or illegal drug.
“Drug Paraphernalia” is defined as any or all equipment, products, and materials of any kind which are used, intended for use, or designed for use in planting, propagating, cultivation, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, concealing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance as defined in this policy.
“Emergency Activity Suspension” is defined as imposition of an activity suspension by a principal or his or her designee prior to an informal hearing when it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the individual(s) involved and immediate action is appropriate.
“Event” is defined as a match, game, meet, or other competitive event, including regional and/or state tournaments, and competitions. “Event” is also defined as any band or choir performance(s).
“Knowingly Present” shall mean that a student attended a gathering of two or more individuals at which one or more of the attendees other than the student at issue were using or in possession of drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, drugs, pornography, alcohol, or tobacco and the student knew or reasonably should have known that such use or possession was occurring.
“Minor Infraction” shall mean a minor deviation from acceptable behavior or stated student expectations which occurs while the student is engaged in the extracurricular or co-curricular activity and which is not material or substantial. Students will be given notification of the first minor infraction. Students and parents will be given notification of the second minor infraction through a conference and will be informed that a third minor infraction may result in activity suspension.
“Major Infraction” shall mean a material or substantial deviation from acceptable behavior or stated student expectations which occurs while the student is engaged in the extracurricular or co-curricular activity, including but not limited to insubordination toward or non-compliance with the person in charge of the activity, verbal or physical abuse, hazing, fighting, and refusal of a student to identify him or herself to School personnel upon request.
“On any School premises or at any School sponsored activity, regardless of location” includes, but not is limited to buildings, facilities, and grounds on the School campus, School buses (if applicable), School parking areas; and the location of any School sponsored activity. “On any School premises or at any School sponsored activity, regardless of location” also includes instances in which the conduct occurs off the School premises but impacts a School related activity.
“Scholastic Year” is defined as the period of time beginning with the first day of the fall extracurricular and co-curricular activities season and ending with the last day of school.
“School Days” include only those days when School is in session.
Eligibility Requirements for Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Participation
To take part in any extracurricular or co-curricular activity, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA. If they do not have a 2.0, they shall be placed on probation for two weeks and can bring up their work and receive a written slip from the teacher or teachers of their passing work. If, after the probationary period, they do not have a GPA of at least 2.0, they shall not be allowed to take part in any extracurricular or co-curricular activity until they have a GPA of at least 2.0.
Extracurricular or Co-curricular Activity Suspension
The Board believes that the safety and welfare of other students may be adversely affected when students who are involved in extracurricular or co-curricular activities commit major infractions or repeated minor infractions at School or during School activities, and/or are involved in criminal conduct or drug use in any location.
At the beginning of each semester, teachers or coaches of co-curricular courses will identify for students how participation in the co-curricular activity impacts their course grade. Co-curricular students who are suspended as a result of this policy will have their co-curricular course grade affected only if the reason for the suspension was related to course work or course expectations. Students who miss a co-curricular activity because of a suspension may ask to do, or be required to do, alternative assignments or special projects to make up the missed activity.
1. Activity Suspension as a Result of a School Suspension: A student will be immediately suspended from all extracurricular and co-curricular activities when he or she receives a suspension from School, not including an in-School detention, for any reason.
Consequences:
A. The activity suspension is automatic, is for the duration of the School suspension, and runs concurrent with the School suspension; and
B. This type of activity suspension cannot be appealed.
2. Activity Suspension for Repeated Minor Infractions or a Major Infraction During an Activity: A student may be suspended from an extracurricular or co-curricular activity when he or she commits a third minor infraction, or a major infraction, while engaged in an extracurricular or co-curricular activity on any School premises or at any School-sponsored activity, regardless of location. The coach or advisor will recommend suspension to the Principal.
Consequences:
A. The incident will be reviewed pursuant to the Informal Hearing Process in Section 5 of this policy;
B. If the evidence supports the recommendation, the student may be given an activity suspension for a period of time up to and including the remainder of the season or duration of the activity in that scholastic year for that activity only; and
C. If the activity suspension exceeds nine school days, the parent/guardian may request an appeal as outlined in the Appeal Process at Section 4 of this policy.
3. Activity Suspension for Criminal Conduct or Drug Use in Any Location During the Scholastic Year: A student may be suspended from extracurricular and co-curricular activities when he or she has been arrested or it reasonably appears to the School that he or she has violated criminal law, other than infractions or minor traffic violations; or has been involved with drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, or drugs, including alcohol or tobacco, in any location, either on or off campus, during the scholastic year, in any of the following ways: attempting to secure or purchase; using, or having reasonable suspicion of having used; possession; intending or attempting to sell or distribute; selling or giving away; or being knowingly present when any of the above are used, possessed, or consumed.
Consequences:
A. Knowingly Present
I. First Violation: When a student violates the “knowingly present” prohibition in this policy for the first time during a scholastic year, the School resource officer (“SRO”), principal, or athletic director:
a. Will hold a conference with the student;
b. Will notify the student’s parent/guardian and the student of the violation;
c. May arrange a conference with the parent/guardian and the student; and
d. Will inform the student and parent/guardian of consequences for future violations of the policy.
II. Second Violation: When a student violates this “knowingly present” prohibition of this policy for the second time during a scholastic year, he or she is subject to the consequences outlined below in part 3.B “Other Violations” of the policy.
B. Other Violations
I. The incident will be reviewed pursuant to the Informal Hearing Process in Section 5 of this policy. If the evidence supports the accusation, the student may be suspended from all extracurricular and co-curricular events for a period of 21 calendar days.
II. The suspension will be reduced to a 14 calendar day period if:
a. In the case of criminal conduct, the student receives counseling which has been approved by a School counselor; or
b. In the case of drug, alcohol, or tobacco use, the student agrees to and completes
i. A drug/alcohol/tobacco assessment provided by the School (no cost) or the community (the family incurs the cost); and/or
ii. A drug/alcohol/tobacco education group, provided or facilitated by the School, and/or the community.
III. If no event is scheduled during the period of the suspension, the student will be withheld from the next scheduled event.
IV. If the student notifies School personnel (self-reports) concerning his or her criminal conduct or drug use prior to the personnel’s knowledge of the incident(s), the principal or athletic director may reduce the length of the activity suspension.
V. On the occasion of a subsequent infraction during a scholastic year, and if the evidence supports the accusation, the principal or athletic director will bar the student from any form of extracurricular or co-curricular activity for the balance of the scholastic year.
VI. All students who receive an activity suspension for criminal conduct or drug use shall be reported to the Executive Director or designee and, if applicable, to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
VII. The parent/guardian may request an appeal as outlined in the Appeal Process at Section VII of this policy, with either a first or second offense.
4. Infractions Which Occur on Out-of-School Trips: During an out-of-School trip, if the authorized person in charge of the activity determines that a student should be sent home early because of criminal conduct, drug use, or a major infraction, the authorized person will notify the parent/guardian, and ask him or her to take charge of the return of the student. The parent/guardian will assume any expenses incurred for the return of the student.
5. Informal Hearing Process: Prior to giving an activity suspension to a student, the principal or athletic director shall grant the student an informal hearing on the reasons for the activity suspension and the opportunity to challenge those reasons unless an emergency activity suspension is necessary. If an emergency activity suspension is necessary, an informal hearing will be held as soon as possible after the emergency ceases to exist.
6. Student travel to or from an extracurricular or co-curricular activity: Unless other travel arrangements are authorized, students will board the bus at the School and will return to the point of origin in the bus. There will be no stops along the designated route to pick up or discharge students. The only variation allowed in this regulation is the release of students to parents in a face-to-face situation at the close of the activity before buses begin the return trip. Such release will require a signed, dated note from the parent. The activity must provide at least one instructor, coach, or adult sponsor for each bus on a special trip. The bus driver will be responsible for the safe operation of the bus. The sponsor will be responsible for supervision of students and enforcement of bus rules. Any adult designated by the principal as a sponsor will have such authority. Students must follow all school bus rules with this exception: Food and drink not in glass containers will be allowed on the bus with permission of the principal. However, any debris must be cleaned up at the end of the trip and before students leave the bus. If a student causes a disruption or hazard on the bus, a hearing will be held with the principal, driver, instructor, coach, adult sponsor, parent/guardian, and student. The driver, instructor/coach/adult sponsor, parent/guardian, and the student will have the opportunity to share with the principal their perceptions of the problem. If the principal finds that there has been an infraction of bus rules, he will take the following action:
A. On the first infraction, the student will be warned that following any further infraction he or she will be declared ineligible for transportation to the extracurricular or co-curricular activities for one event;
B. On the second infraction during a semester, the student will be declared ineligible for transportation to the extracurricular or co-curricular activity for two events; and
C. On the third infraction during a semester, the student will be declared ineligible for transportation to the extracurricular or co-curricular activities for the remainder of the semester.
Based on the severity of the problem as it relates to respect and safety for others, the principal may bypass step #1 and/or step #2 above and immediately declare the student ineligible for transportation for two weeks or for the remainder of the semester.
7. Appeal Process:
A. This appeal process may be used by students and their parent/guardian only in those instances where an activity suspension or transportation to extracurricular or co-curricular activities exceeds nine school days.
B. The parent/guardian must request an appeal in writing within two school days from the notification of the activity suspension decision.
C. The Executive Director will appoint a three member panel composed of certificated staff members who have not been involved in the disciplinary action in question. The hearing panel will notify the student and the parent/guardian of the date, location, and time of the hearing; the student will have an opportunity to present additional evidence regarding the circumstances of the suspension or reasons to reduce the length thereof. The appeal must be scheduled within five school days of the request.
D. If the panel determines that the evidence reviewed at the appeal supports the suspension, the suspension of the student from extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities shall be continued.
E. The student and the parent/guardian will be notified in writing of the panel’s findings and determination with respect to the student suspension from extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities within two school days of the panel’s decision.
F. The panel’s determination is final, and is not appealable to the Executive Director or Board of Directors.
Legal Reference:
I.C. § 33-512(12) Governance of Schools
Policy History
Adopted on: June 14, 2021
Revised on:
Reviewed on: