for 2007-2008 School Year

While a student has a legal right to attend school, the courts have held that the same right does not extend to participating in athletics. As a result, when a student elects to partici­pate in a co-curricular activity, he/she is agreeing to abide by the standards of conduct established for that activity. Therefore, it is vitally important for both the student and the student’s parents to carefully review the expected standards of conduct established in an athletic code or any special rules established by the coach/sponsor for the given activ­ity. And, if for whatever reason the student feels that he/she cannot abide by such, then the student should not elect to engage in the activity.

Above all else, it is important to remember that when a student-athlete chooses to violate an activity’s rules, it is the athlete who has violated his/her own oath of participation.

Galesburg Schools are members in good standing of the Illinois High School Association (JHSA) and the Illinois Elementary School Association (JESA) and adhere to the IHSA/ IESA constitution and by-laws. Galesburg Schools may impose standards and expecta­tions which exceed those required by the IHSA and IESA.

Eligibility

Eligibility is designed to create a standard of achievement for students involved in extracurricular and athletic activities. Galesburg High School requires more than IHSA minimum standards in number of passing credits required and grade point average required. In addition, students’ aca­demic achievement must demonstrate at certain points in their high school career that they are on track for graduation. Academic achievement is an expectation for those who exercise their privi­lege to participate in extracurricular and athletic activities. Tutorial services are available to all students at GHS and required for those needing assistance in achieving the eligibility requirements of this code.

All students must be enrolled in four (4) blocks.

I.  All students must pass three (3) blocks on a weekly check. Students not passing 3 blocks on a weekly basis:

a. will be ineligible to participate in interscholastic activities for the following week (Monday - Saturday); and

b. will be required to participate in a tutorial program approved by the coach and athletic director.

c. students ineligible for four consecutive weeks are dropped from the team.

d. eligibility is not cumulative season-to-season.

Students must also pass three blocks each term to be eligible to participate in the next term’s activities. A minimum of two blocks must be taken at Galesburg High School. The equivalent of a three-semester hour college course may be substituted for a third and/or fourth block. The college course must be taken for high school credit and pre-approved by the high school administration. The course may be taken for a regular grade counted on the high school GPA, or pass/ fail grade which does not count in the high school GPA. Students who do not pass three blocks for the fourth term may use summer school as an extension of the fourth term.

II. Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students must have a minimum GPA of 1.75 at the end of each term. Grades are cumulative dur­ing the grading period and are based on what grade a student would receive if transferring to another school. Students not having a 1.75 GPA will be ineligible for the next term, but may become eligible if the GPA is raised at midterm.

In order to be eligible with a 1.75 GPA, you must have a of 7 grade points. To calculate grade points, A=4 points, B=3 points, C=2 points, and D=1 point.

III. Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students must be on track for graduation at the beginning of each school year, as de­fined by the following:

Credits needed for graduation = 28
Start of Sophomore Year = 6
Start of Junior Year = 13
Start of Senior Year = 20

Students not on track for graduation will become eligible during the school year if they achieve enough credits to be back on track for graduation. Seniors will be checked each term to determine if they are on track for graduation.

A student with any failing grades must participate in a required tutorial program approved by the coach and Athletic Director.

An athlete who is ineligible for three (3) consecutive weeks is also ineligible to practice in the following week. An athlete who is ineligible for a fourth consecutive week shall be dropped from the team.

The responsibility for counting credits, maintaining grade point average, meeting graduation requirements and all other eligibility requirements specifically outlined in the extracur­ricular code rests with the student and their parents/guardians.

Behavioral Expectations:

Covers a Galesburg High School Athlete year round, in or out of school.

Athletes Must Refrain From:

·   Any violation of IHSA, rules or regulations

·   Possession/use/distribution/sale of drugs or drug paraphernalia including all controlled substances, look-alikes, alcoholic beverages, illegal weapons, ammunition, explosives or look-alikes. 

·   Inappropriate use of cellular phones or electronic devices when participating in extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

·   Hazing or Sexual Harassment

·   Violation of administration-approved rules and regulations for a particular sport as determined by the Head Coach and acknowledged by the student athletes and their parent/guardian.

·   Commission of a criminal act defined as a Felony or Class A Misdemeanor which involves striking another individual, taking or destruction of another person’s property or other violent acts against any person. A hearing for review of evidence will be conducted by the Athletic Director.

Disciplinary Responses:

Each violation for drug/alcohol related offenses requires mandatory participation in a school-sanctioned abuse/counseling program (at student’s expense) in order to maintain eligibility.

Students who are ineligible for academic or code violations may not be in uniform in public during the period of ineligibility.

Violation of Behavioral Expectations will result in the following:

·   First Offense—Suspension from one-third (1/3) of contests for current or upcoming season with unfulfilled fraction to carry over to the next sport season when necessary and in compliance with all other provisions of the Athletic Code of Conduct.

·   Second Offense—Suspension from two-thirds (2/3) of contests for current or upcoming sport season with unfulfilled fraction to carry over to the next sport season when necessary and in compliance with all other provisions of the Athletic Code of Conduct.

·   Additional Offenses—Suspension for one calendar year from participation in athletic contests.

Note: Students who have/had a case in Teen Court are still subject to the terms and conditions of the Year Round Athletic Code section of the Secondary Code of Student Conduct.

Governing Regulations

· Violations of the Code of Conduct directly impacts student status under the Athletic Code.

· The number of offenses are cumulative throughout the high school or junior high/middle school career.

·   Suspensions may carry over from one school year to the next.

·Junior high/middle school code violations do not carry over to the high school, unless the penalty for the code violation was not served in District #205 or other school setting.

· If a violation occurs during the season or post-season play, the penalty will be enforced during that particular sport and may carry over into the next sport in which the student is a participant.

· Violations occurring prior to the start of a season will be enforced during the next sport season in which the student is allowed to participate.

· Athletes are not allowed to participate in a sport for the purpose of serving a suspension in that sport rather than one where the student has a record of consistent participation.

·   Penalties for violations are to be enforced in conjunction with the athlete’s record of participation. It is recognized that freshmen and sophomores may not have established a consistent record of participation.

·   Suspensions are successfully completed only when the season in which the suspension is served is also successfully completed.

·   All cases are decided within the Code and at the discretion of the Athletic Director.

·  If a violation occurs at the time a student is injured or ineligible, the suspension will start when the student returns to practice or is academically eligible.

·   An athlete suspended from school (ISSP, OSSP) is not able to participate until the full length of the suspension has been served.

Due Process

·   Students alleged to be in violation of the Athletic Code will be afforded due process of law within the athletic department.

· An appeal of the Athletic Director’s decision can be made with a written request for review to the Superintendent within five days of the initial decision. The Superintendent shall review all pertinent information and communicate the decision in writing within ten days of receipt of the request for review. The decision of the Superintendent is final. The student is not allowed to participate during the appeal process. 

Voluntary Admission of Substance Abuse

Voluntary admission, in writing, by a student or their legal guardian of an infraction involving substance abuse will not result in a suspension of participation in activities, but will count as a first offense.

The purpose of this language is two-fold:

·   to encourage the student who believes he/she has a substance abuse problem to seek help in dealing with that problem.

·   to encourage students who have committed a substance abuse infraction to admit their mis­take and recognize they made a poor choice.

Once knowledge of violation becomes known to the school or police, it is too late to use the voluntary admission policy. The provision may be used only once during a student’s extracur­ricular or athletic career in District #205.

Transportation

The transportation code applies in all situations involving athletic events. When necessary, students may be released to ride with parents or guardians only.