Butte School District

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

3403

Extra/Co-Curricular Participation Policy

Participation in extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities is a privilege and not a right. Students who wish to participate in extracurricular and/or co-curricular opportunities made available by the School District must be willing to accept the responsibilities, as well as the benefits that are associated with extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

Butte School District No. 1 Interscholastic Activities is subject to all current rules and regulations of the Montana High School Association (MHSA) concerning eligibility, age rule, transfers, residence, awards, and student recruitment. Students will be held accountable to the policy during each of the activities in which they participate effective at the beginning of the Butte High School Activity Calendar for that particular activity.

DUE PROCESS: A parent/guardian or student who is aggrieved by the imposition of the discipline under this policy shall have the right to an appeal the Superintendent/Principal. The appeal must be requested no more than seven (7) days after notice of the violation and disciplinary consequence. At the appeal the student and parent/guardian shall be subject to questioning by the Superintendent/Principal and shall be entitled to question staff involved in the matter appealed. If the parent/guardian wishes to appeal the decision of the Superintendent/Principal, the parent/guardian must request an appeal before the Board within seven (7) day of the decision by the Superintendent/Principal. SUSPENSION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DUE PROCESS PROCEDURE.

Disciplinary Actions: An infraction of conduct rules or violations of this policy by a student, which is determined by the coach or advisor to be detrimental to the program, may result in Community Service and/or suspension.

Reporting and Investigating Violations: Rumors are not grounds for disciplinary action. However, rumors will be investigated and disciplinary action will be considered on report of a violation to the coach/advisor or vice principal/activities director. No violation should be reported unless the student(s) can be identified and a valid report of circumstances given.

Felony Offense: Any person involved in extracurricular activities, who is convicted of or pleads no contest to a felony, will be recommended to the Board for ineligibility for participation in activities for the remainder of their high school career. A student declared ineligible under this policy retains due process rights and is entitled to a hearing before the Board, at which time the Board may decide to modify the declaration of ineligibility.

Student Conduct:

1. Adhere to all team rules as explained by coach/sponsor.
2. Adhere to general student conduct rules as per the student handbook.
3. No unsportsmanlike conduct, hazing, or harassment toward opponents, officials, teammates, coaches, or spectators.
4. No stealing or malicious destruction of public or private equipment or other property.
5. Key factors warranting a dismissal from the team may include overall attitude toward the program, rules and regulations, and team standards as established by coaching staff and administration.

Curfew:

• Curfews on road trips will be determined by the coach and communicated to the team at the time of the completion of competition for the night.
• Curfew violations on road trips may result in a one-week game suspension per academic year.
• Curfew violations can result in the Student being sent home. Violations involving instances where laws are broken will result in the student automatically being sent home. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to pick up their student.

Chemical Health Policy:  Extra/Co-Curricular Activities

Butte School District No. 1 recognizes the use of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and drug paraphernalia as a significant health problem for many adolescents, resulting in negative effects on behavior, learning, and the total development of each individual. Coaches and advisors of activities have a unique opportunity to observe, confront, and assist young people.

Policy Activation and Duration:

This policy goes into effect once a student begins participation in their first high school extra-curricular/co-curricular activity and includes involvement in any school activity occurring at any time. Students will be held accountable to the policy during each of the activities in which they participate effective at the beginning of the MHSA activity calendar for that particular activity and commencing at the conclusion of the last competition for that sport or activity. Violations, however, will be cumulative from the first day of activity involvement throughout the student’s participation as a freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior until graduation from Butte School District No. 1

Note 1: In the case that one event results in multiple violations of this policy, all violations will be considered.

Prohibited Activities Part I: Drug/Alcohol Use

1. A student shall not use, have in possession, sell, or distribute alcohol, illegal substances, or drug paraphernalia at any time.
2. A student shall not abuse prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, pharmaceuticals, or utilize other dangerous substances with the intention of gaining an altered state of consciousness or enhanced performance.

 

Note 2: For the purpose of this policy, an “illegal substance” is defined by law as a “controlled substance” or “dangerous drug.” This includes prescription medication not prescribed for the person in possession of the substance. This policy is not intended to apply to the use of prescribed drugs, under a doctor’s supervision, when those drugs are used in a prescribed manner.

Disciplinary Action:

Students are encouraged to self-report violations to an administrator at the earliest opportunity following a violation. Self-reporting of violations that do not include legal charges will result in discretionary discipline by administration and coaches.  In the case of self-reporting without legal charges students will be placed back at step one after one calendar year. In the case of self-reporting of a FIRST violation that results in legal charges, administrators retain the option to reduce the suspension based on overall student conduct record and circumstances of the violation, but students cannot go back to step one after a calendar year. If a student is found guilty of lying during the course of the investigation or fails to report an MIP by the next scheduled activity or school day, consequences may be doubled.

VIOLATIONS CONFIRMED BY ADMISSION OF GUILT (SELF-REPORTING)

• FIRST VIOLATION Only: Suspension from an activity, for a period of seven (7) calendar days or 1/10 or regularly scheduled games, whichever is shorter.

VIOLATIONS CONFIRMED BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WILL RESULT IN:

• FIRST VIOLATION: Suspension from all activities for a period of fourteen (14) calendar days or one fifth (1/5) of the regular season scheduled games, whichever is longer. If the suspension is not fulfilled by the last regular season game, the athlete does not finish the season in good standing so they lose their ability to letter.

Requirements for Reinstatement:

1. Students and parents will be encouraged to complete a substance abuse awareness class.
2. Attendance in good standing at activity practice during time of suspension.
3. Completion of a team/activity service project to be determined by Head Coach/Administrator.

• SECOND VIOLATION: Suspension from all activities for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days or two-thirds (2/3) of the regular season scheduled games, whichever is longer. If the suspension is not fulfilled by the last regular season game, the suspension carries over into the student’s next activity or athletic season. Requirements for Reinstatement:

1. Students and parents will be encouraged to complete a substance abuse awareness class.
2. Attendance in good standing at activity practice during time of competition suspension.
3. Completion of a team/activity service project to be determined by Head Coach/Administrator.

• THIRD VIOLATION: Administration will bring the student to the Board with the recommendation of removal from all activities for the remainder of the student’s high school career. The board will review the violation and take action.

Prohibited Activities Part II: Tobacco

A student shall not use, have in possession, sell, or distribute tobacco on school property, during school activities, or be in violation of state law by being a minor under the age of eighteen (18) in possession of tobacco.

Prohibited Activities Part III:

Gathering Violation

A student shall not knowingly attend gatherings or functions where prohibited substances or chemicals are being used illegally. A student who unknowingly attends a gathering or function where prohibited substances or chemicals are being illegally used must leave that gathering or function as soon as he or she knows, or reasonably should know that prohibited substances are being used illegally.

Discretion will be used by school authorities in enforcing Prohibited Activities Part III: Gathering Violation. Students WILL NOT be found in violation of Prohibited Activities Part III: Gathering Violation if they are with their parent/guardian and their parent/guardian possesses or consumes alcohol or is an establishment which sells alcohol, and it can reasonably be assumed that the staff of the establishment does not sell alcohol to underage persons and no underage drinkers are present. However, the presence of students at locations where alcohol is possessed or being consumed by underage persons will be subject to this policy regardless of the presence of other adults. Other situations which arise under this policy will be considered on an individual basis.

Note 4: The term “not remaining at” means that students MUST make every effort to leave a location where underage persons are in possession of or are consuming drugs or alcohol, or where evidence of such activity is present. The Board has established this portion of the policy to deter student athletes/activity participants from being present where individuals are in possession of or consuming dangerous drugs, and/or individuals under the age of twenty-one (21) are in possession of and/or consuming alcohol.

Students are encouraged to self-report violations to an administrator within 48 hours of the gathering or the first hour of the next regularly scheduled school day in the case of a school break. In the case of a first violation ONLY, if a student self-reports a violation, administrators retain the option to reduce suspension based on overall student conduct record and circumstances of the violation. If a student is found guilty of lying during the course of the investigation, consequences may be doubled.

Disciplinary Actions for Prohibited Activities Part II and Part III:

FIRST VIOLATION: After confirmation of the first violation, the student will lose eligibility, excluding practice, for the next week of competition.

SECOND VIOLATION:  The student shall lose eligibility for the next two consecutive weeks.

THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT VIOLATIONS: The student shall lose six consecutive weeks of eligibility.

Legal References:

 

Policy History: