IGDJ - Interscholastic Athletics

The Board recognizes the integral role interscholastic activities play in the character development and general enhancement of the education of its students. Accordingly, administrators, coaches, student participants, and others associated with the district’s high school activities programs and events[1] shall conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the letter and spirit of policies, rules, and regulations of the district and of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) and the fundamental values of sportsmanship. Each will be held accountable for their actions.

The district shall allow homeschooled students that reside in the district, students eligible to attend school and enrolled in a district- or ESD-provided General Education Development (GED) program that reside in the district, and students attending a public charter school that reside in the district to participate in available interscholastic activities when the requirements found in Oregon law are met.

Interscholastic activities when provided by the district will comply with Title IX and other nondiscrimination laws.

District employees, students, parents, alumni, and activity volunteers are prohibited from inducing or attempting to induce a student to attend a district school for interscholastic activity eligibility or participation. The principal, activities director, and coaches are each responsible for ensuring student participants meet all district and OSAA eligibility requirements. The principal is responsible for ensuring accurate certification regarding the eligibility of participating students and for verifying that athletic directors, coaches of sports, and activity advisors have all required certifications prior to assuming their duties. The principal shall ensure that a program is in place to effectively evaluate the performance of all coaches and activity advisors under their supervision.

Volunteers may be approved to assist with district activities with prior approval from the principal.

The principal shall investigate all allegations of district student ineligibility, staff recruitment violations or other student or staff conduct that may violate Board policies, administrative regulations, and/or OSAA rules and regulations. The principal shall notify the superintendent of conduct that violates the terms of this policy and report to the OSAA as required.

An employee determined to have violated rules and regulations of the OSAA will be subject to discipline, up to and including, dismissal. A student in violation of the OSAA rules and regulations will be subject to discipline, up to and including, dismissal from an interscholastic activity or program, suspension and/or expulsion from school. Volunteers in violation of the OSAA rules and regulations shall be subject to discipline, up to and including, removal from district programs and activities and such other sanctions as may be deemed appropriate by the district.

Employees, volunteers, or students in violation of OSAA rules and/or regulations may be required to remunerate the district in the event of fines assessed by OSAA as a result of their actions.
The superintendent will develop procedures, as necessary, to implement this policy, including a process to ensure that all district rules governing the conduct of students, staff, and volunteers engaged in district activities are regularly reviewed and updated.

END OF POLICY

1 This applies to only OSAA-sanctioned activities and events.

Legal Reference(s)