The opportunity to participate in the athletic program or as an elected or appointed school leader in the Northshore School District is a privilege available to all students. Because of the public nature of athletic and activities programs sponsored by the district, students choosing to participate are expected to conduct themselves at all times during their season of participation and between consecutive seasons in a manner that will reflect the high standards and ideals of their school and community. These high personal standards for conduct promote maximum achievement, safe performances, commitment to excellence in health and conditioning, and fulfill responsibilities as student leaders by setting a positive example for other students.
The expectations for being a participant in a school's athletic or activities program, including specific eligibility requirements, training rules, activities expectations and team rules shall be communicated to team/group members at the beginning of the season of participation. All program expectations and team rules shall be in writing.
If students are earning credits from a school that is not one of the District's Secondary Schools or a district alternative program, they are expected to attend all athletic individual and team practices as scheduled by the respective coaching staff. Athletic practices and competitions take precedent over conflicts with non -Northshore credit providers. Sport specific attendance policies will be followed if practices or contests are missed.
On game day, student athletes participating in the competitive sports season must attend, at least, one half of the classes assigned to them, in order to be eligible to compete in the evening’s event.
It is the highest priority that student athletes meet specific academic benchmarks toward high school graduation in order to continue competing. Student athletes who are credit deficient must confer with their counselor to develop an academic plan to retrieve credits and demonstrate ongoing evidence of meeting the plan. Students must meet the standards for interscholastic eligibility as outlined in Article 18 of the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association handbook, the KINGCO League and the Northshore School District and specific expectations of their individual school. Additionally, students will be required to earn a minimum 2.0 GPA for the previous semester in order to achieve interscholastic eligibility, (this applies to athletes only). Copies of these rules and regulations may be obtained from the school Athletic or Activities Director upon request.
Any student who is involved as an athlete or as an appointed or elected school leader who willfully performs any act that substantially interferes with or is detrimental to the orderly operation of the District's athletic or activities programs shall be subject to discipline.
As participants in athletic or activities programs, students are faced with choices. If a student's choices interfere, impede, hinder their personal or group/team performance or render the individual as unfit to serve as a representative(s) of the district's schools, they forfeit the privilege to participate.
Conduct Rules
- Athletes and/or student leaders will receive disciplinary consequences for failure to demonstrate courtesy, fairness and respect for other participants, spectators, advisors, coaches, staff members and supervisors; unsportsmanlike conduct; profanity, obscene gestures, hazing, lack of attendance; and/or damage, vandalism to school property, uniform and equipment, another school's and/or district’s property. Athletes and/or student leaders are held to all rules of conduct as listed and described in the Rights & Responsibilities Handbook Concerning Student Conduct and will receive disciplinary consequences for failure to follow reasonable requests, academic dishonesty violations, bullying, misuse of technology and/or behaviors deemed unacceptable by Northshore School District and/or the community.
- Failure to Follow Building and/or Team Rules:
Each sport/leadership/activity position will have individual team/group rules established by the head coach/advisor. The head coach/advisor shall inform the school Athletic Director/Activity Director and the student's parent(s) or guardian(s) of these specific team and/or leadership rules. When students fail to follow these rules, disciplinary consequences for their actions shall be applied.
General Rules
- Misconduct by participants in the athletic/activity program at any time, on or off campus, school related and/or non-school activities during the season of participation and between consecutive seasons of participation constitutes denial of participation. Seasons begin with the first turnout, election or appointment to a position and conclude with the season ending recognition/awards program in the individual sport or activity.
- Student Athletic and Leadership Code violations are accumulative during grades six through eighth.
Student Agreement
Any student who is involved as an athlete or as an elected or appointed school leader must adhere to the rules outlined in this code and sign the agreement pledging to do so.
Consequences for violations of the Student Athletic & Leadership Code will include any or all:
Probation is a period of time in which a student may be given time to correct deficiencies that could result in denial of participation for a given period of time or removal from the activities/group participation. (Probation does not pertain to athletes).
Denial of participation means that the student is allowed to practice but not compete or perform in games or any leadership activities.
Loss of eligibility, which may carry over to subsequent sports/activities seasons, means the student will not practice in uniform, or participate in interscholastic competition or leadership activities/groups. Per Northshore School District disciplinary code, a student on suspension from school is not eligible for any form of participation or attendance at any school activities or athletic events.
Student athletes and school leaders are held to all general rules of conduct as stated previously in the Rights & Responsibilities Handbook Concerning Student Conduct. Behaviors resulting in disciplinary action and/or loss of eligibility include but are not limited to acts of planning, organizing or communicating an activity defined as exceptional misconduct or the act of influencing others to engage in exceptional misconduct whether carried out or not.
A student athlete or school leader who forges grade checks to become eligible to participate but is determined prior to competition in their sport or activity shall be subject to the following penalty:
1st Violation - A participant shall be immediately ineligible for interscholastic competition for the remainder of the season. Ineligibility shall continue until the next sports season in which the participant wishes to participate. A participant in a leadership/activity role will be placed on probation or suspended from participation of leadership activities for no less than the remainder of the semester or up to fifty (50) school days; whichever is longer.
2nd Violation - A participant, who again violates rule d above, shall be ineligible for interscholastic competition/activity for a period of one (1) calendar year from the date of the second violation.
3rd Violation - A participant, who violates for a third-time rule d above, shall be permanently ineligible for interscholastic c o m p e t i t i o n /activity. A student athlete, parent, guardian or school leader who provides false information or documents to become eligible to participate and does participate shall be declared athletically ineligible for a period of one year. The one (l) calendar year penalty begins the day the determination is made that false information was provided subject to penalties outlined in WIAA Regulations 28.4.0.
A student athlete, parent, guardian or school leader who provides false information or documents to become eligible to participate and does participate shall be declared athletically ineligible for a period of one year. The one calendar year penalty begins the day the determination is made that false information was provided subject to penalties outlined in WIAA Regulations 28.4.0.
Use and/or Possession of Alcohol, Marijuana and Illegal Controlled Substances:
Possession, use, under the influence, purchase/sale agreement or intent to sell (whether completed or not), transport, distribution and/or delivery of alcohol, marijuana, controlled substances (e.g. narcotics or inhalants) and/or prescription drugs in a manner inconsistent with the prescribing order or look-a-like, drug paraphernalia or substance carrying devices (including but not limited to; vapor, hookah and e -cigarettes) is prohibited. This rule is applicable 24/7 for in-season athletes and student leaders. If a student athlete or leader finds him or herself in the presence of alcohol, marijuana and/or an illegal controlled substance the student shall take immediate action to remove him or herself from the situation. The presence of alcohol, marijuana and/or an illegal controlled substance is defined as: being at a party or gathering where alcohol, marijuana and/or an illegal controlled substance is being consumed by those under the age of 21.
Any student athlete/student leader possessing, selling/distributing, consuming and/or using any of legend drugs and controlled substances/alcohol, marijuana or sale of legend drugs (drugs obtained through prescription, RCW 69.41.020-050) and controlled substances/alcohol, marijuana (RCW 69.50) shall be subject to disciplinary actions. SEE WIAA REGULATION 18.26.0.
A participant who seeks and receives help for a problem with use of legend drugs (RCW 69.41.010 identified substances) or controlled substances, alcohol, marijuana and controlled substance analogs (RCW 69.50.101 identified substances) shall be given the opportunity for assistance through the school and/or community agencies. In no instance shall participation in a school and/or community approved assistance program excuse a student athlete or student leader from subsequent compliance with this regulation. However successful utilization of such an opportunity or compliance with athletic/leadership code by the student may allow him/her to have eligibility reinstated. Should the student or parent/guardian feel aggrieved by the imposition of discipline through the Athletic/Leadership Code, the student and/or parent(s)/guardian(s) would follow the right of review process.
Students in violations of the athletic/leadership code shall be subjected to the following disciplinary actions:
1st violation - A participant shall be immediately ineligible for interscholastic competition in the current interscholastic sports program for the remainder of the season. Ineligibility shall continue until the next sports season in which the participant wishes to participate. A participant in a leadership/activity role will be placed on probation or suspended from participation of leadership activities for no less than the remainder of the semester or up to fifty (50) school days; whichever is greater. Eligibility can only be reinstated through the right of review process.
2nd Violation - A participant who again violates any provision of RCW 69.41.020 through 69.41.050 or of RCW 69.50 shall be ineligible for interscholastic competition for a period of one calendar year from the date of the second violation. A participant in a leadership/activity role is ineligible to participate in current program for a period of one (1) calendar year.
3rd Violation - A participant who violates for a third-time RCW 69.41.020 - 69.41.050 or RCW 69.50 shall be permanently ineligible for interscholastic competition. A participant in a leadership/activity role shall be permanently ineligible to participate.
Use and/or Possession Vapes/Substance Delivering Devices
See Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for discipline action
Procedural due process for Athletic Leadership Right of Review
Consequences assigned from the Student Athletic/Leadership Code are a form of discipline. Athletic/Leadership disciplinary actions are subject to review through an informal grievance process. Requests to review consequences specifically impacting eligibility for current and/or future seasons would adhere to the following process:
Any student, parent(s) or guardian(s) who is aggrieved by the imposition of Athletic/Leadership Code corrective action shall have the right to an informal conference with the school principal or his/her designee for the purpose of resolving the grievance.
A request to review a disciplinary action must be submitted in writing to the school principal or his/her designee within two (2) school business days after notification of the corrective action. After that time, the right to any review is waived.
During such conference, the student, parent(s) or guardian(s) shall be subject to questioning by the school principal or his/her designee and shall be entitled to question school personnel involved in the matter being grieved. The review of the grievance will be conducted within two (2) school business days of receipt of a written request to have the action reviewed. The application of the assigned corrective action shall continue notwithstanding the grievance process; the student cannot participate until the grievance is resolved. The decision of the principal or his/her designee will be conveyed to the student, parent(s) or guardian(s) within two (2) school business days of concluding the conference. The outcome may result in a decision to sustain, modify or rescind the corrective action in cases of extenuating or exceptional circumstances.
Subsequent to the review with the building principal, the student, parent(s) or guardian(s), upon two school business days’ prior notice, shall have the right to present a written and/or oral grievance to the District Hearings Officer. During the hearing the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be subject to questioning by the District Hearings Officer. The decision of the District Hearings Officer to sustain, modify or rescind the corrective action will be conveyed to the student, parent(s) or guardian(s) within three (3) school business days of concluding the hearing. The District’s hearing officer shall have the final authority as to the student's participation in the interscholastic sports program or the student leader's participation.
