FFE-AP: Extracurricular Participation Requirements
PHILOSOPHY
The West Fargo School District believes that participation in extracurricular activities constitutes a privilege and not a right. Learners who participate in extracurricular activities represent the learners, school district, and community on the state and national level. As such, behavior of these learners is a reflection on the entire community.
The District will enforce the requirements placed on extracurricular participants by the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA), which govern both on- and off- campus behavior. In addition, the district has established the following extracurricular participation requirements.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY
Activities affected by this policy shall include extracurricular activities as listed in the Learner handbook, including those not sponsored by NDHSAA.
TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, & OTHER DRUG USE
The use or possession of tobacco, alcohol, or any controlled substance (including prescription and synthetic drugs) as defined by North Dakota law is prohibited. Any co‐curricular participant who is in violation of the foregoing regulation shall be suspended from participation in interscholastic contests / activities including scrimmages for a minimum of six weeks in her/his activity season. He/she will not be eligible for any special awards or letters provided by the West Fargo School District for that activity season. Learners under chemical suspension may continue to practice with the team through the completion of the season. The period of suspension shall begin from the date notification is given to the Learner by the school administration. If information is withheld from the administration, the length of the suspension shall commence the day the administration is notified. For any subsequent offense during the same school year, the violator will be dropped from all further participation in co‐curricular activities at West Fargo Public Schools for the remainder of the academic/activity school year. A learner always has the right to a hearing.
A learner found in violation will be required to meet with a school counselor.
Off-Season Violations
In athletics and fine arts, a violation during the off‐season, including summer, will result in a six‐week suspension. However, since the learner is not actively participating in an activity sponsored by West Fargo Public Schools, a subsequent four‐week suspension, or two interscholastic contests / activities including scrimmages (whichever is greater) will go into effect during the learner’s next season. A learner must report on the official first day of practice and meet all team expectations and criteria or they will be dropped from the team. The learner will be ineligible for any West Fargo School District sponsored awards or letters and may not hold a leadership position for that affected activity season. A learner will not be able to join a new activity while under suspension for a second offense. Learners in other school related activities will be affected by the policies as related to possession or use of tobacco, alcohol or controlled substances if and when the date of the violation and subsequent suspension period occurs during the time of the learner’s competitive and/or performance date(s).
Multiple Violations
The following is a summary of the length of suspension for a West Fargo Public School learner found in violation of this policy:
First Offense
A learner will be suspended for a minimum of six consecutive school (activity) weeks from the time of notification of the violation. The learner may be allowed to practice and travel with their respective teams (with the approval of the coach and team). However, suspended learners will not be allowed to miss school time to travel with the team and will not be able to participate in any competitions or performances of his/her activity during the period of suspension. The learner will be ineligible for any WFPS sponsored awards or letters and may not hold a leadership position for that affected activity season. If the violation occurs in the off‐season, see off‐season policy above.
Second Offense
A learner will be suspended for a minimum of 18 consecutive weeks from the time of notification of the violation. If the second offense occurs during the same school year as the 1st offense, the suspension will be extended for the remainder of the school year or 18 additional weeks, whichever is longer. The learner may be allowed to practice and travel with their respective teams (with the approval of the coach and team). However, suspended learners will not be allowed to miss school time to travel with the team and will not be able to participate in any competitions or performances of his/her activity during the period of suspension. If following the 18‐week suspension, the suspension does not cover a minimum of six weeks or four interscholastic contests / activities including scrimmages of the learner’s affected season, the suspension will be extended until a minimum of six (activity) weeks has expired.
Third Offense
Loss of eligibility in all activities for the remainder of a learner’s high school career.
ACADEMICS
While participating in high school extracurricular activities, a learner must be enrolled in six credit-bearing courses per semester (the passing grade will be computed from the beginning of the semester or quarter). A learner who has special permission to be enrolled in less than 6 credit-bearing courses per semester must have their eligibility approved by the principal (examples: a learner taking college classes, extended illnesses, enrolled in Community High School, or the Virtual Program).
To be eligible to participate in high school extracurricular activities, learners cannot be failing more than one course and must have zero detention hours.
To be eligible to participate in middle school extracurricular activities, learners cannot be carrying a “1” in more than one course.
Learners at the middle and high school level MUST be in attendance for ALL enrolled courses on the day of a practice, competition, or contest to be able to participate. For weekend or non-school day contests, learners must have been in attendance for ALL enrolled courses on the most recent school day prior. Exceptions for medical appointments (with a note from a medical professional) and special circumstances determined by the learner’s administrator will be made as needed.
If a learner is dropped from a course as a withdraw fail (WF) or loss of credit (LC), those designations on the learner’s transcript hold the weight of an F and negatively impact learner eligibility until the learner recovers the credit or the first eligibility pull of the following semester.
Academic eligibility for a learner in high school and middle school shall be determined weekly beginning with the second week of each quarter.
High School Learners are able to become eligible throughout the week if they are able to meet the requirement of failing NO MORE than ONE course. Educators are expected to update gradebooks weekly, the evening before eligibility is pulled, and learners must plan accordingly if they expect updated grades for missing or redone assignments.
If a week has three days or less, no changes in eligibility will occur.
Learner eligibility at the beginning of the semester shall be determined by the prior semester’s grades. Learner eligibility at the beginning of the second quarter and fourth quarter shall be determined by the prior quarter’s grades. At the beginning of a quarter or semester, an ineligible learner may become eligible after two weeks have passed from the first day of the quarter or semester and the learner has been deemed academically eligible. This is when the first list will be published for the next grading period. Spring activities with contests following graduation will be governed by the eligibility list that was in effect for the last portion of the fourth quarter.
Extracurricular supervisors and administrators will monitor academic standings and notify individual learners if they become ineligible.
SUSPENSION PROCEDURE
When the principal or Activities Director, as a result of his/her investigation, concludes that a violation of this policy or NDHSAA bylaws has occurred, s/he shall issue notice to the learner of this suspension.
PERIOD OF ENFORCEMENT
This policy shall be in effect 12 months per year, including those days and months when school and extracurricular activities are not in session. It shall be in effect for all extracurricular activities including those of middle school learners.
Adopted: 01/15/74
Reviewed:
Revised: 09/09/86
08/24/87, 05/14/90,
10/24/11, 11/01/16,
08/10/23
SUSPENSION PROCEDURE
When the principal or Activities Director, as a result of his/her investigation, concludes that a violation of this policy or NDHSAA bylaws has occurred, s/he shall issue notice to the learner of this suspension.
PERIOD OF ENFORCEMENT
This policy shall be in effect 12 months per year, including those days and months when school and extracurricular activities are not in session. It shall be in effect for all extracurricular activities including those of middle school learners.
Adopted: 01/15/74
Reviewed:
Revised: 09/09/86
08/24/87, 05/14/90,
10/24/11, 11/01/16,
08/10/23