Ed-Co Good Conduct

It is the belief of the Ed-Co Community School District that students should conduct themselves as good citizens and good students if they desire to represent the school in any activity sponsored by our school.  Not only is it a privilege and an honor to be able to participate and represent Ed-Co Community School in co-curricular activities, but students should realize that they serve as models to many people and that their behavior and attitude have an important impact on themselves and others.  In short, directly and indirectly, the conduct of students reflects on the standards, attitudes, and philosophy of our school.

A student whose habits and conduct in and out of school, during both the school year and summer months, are not consistent with the ideals, principles, and standards of the Ed-Co Community School District may be declared ineligible for participation in student activity programs.  Student activities are defined as all activities, other than regularly scheduled classes that are approved by the school. This includes any student involvement in public performance, competitions, or attendance as a representative of a specific organization or the school in general.  Student activities shall be all inclusive with reference to athletics, cheerleading, student government, publications, music, drama, and speech.  FFA, FBLA, and NHS will develop their own Code of Conduct. 

Good Conduct

The following conduct may lead to ineligibility:

                 a.  Admitting to or being found guilty of a crime or delinquency, as found in the Iowa Criminal Code, except for such things as minor traffic violations.

                 b.  Admitting to or found guilty of consumption, possession, acquiring, delivering, or transporting of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or illegal drugs.

Determination of Violation

A student is said to have violated the Code of Conduct if:

            a.  Found so by a court of law, or did not challenge the finding of Juvenile Court Services.

            b.  He/she admits to violating one of the standards.

            c.  Witnessed breaking one of the standards by one or more staff members.

A coach, advisor, or administrator will call in a student if information comes via the "rumor route." 

Ineligibility

First Offense

                 1.  If the student admits within 3 school days of the violation to school officials, ineligibility will be a minimum of the next two (2) performance days. 

                 2.  Students who are guilty but do not admit to the violation will be ineligible for six (6) performance days or three (3) performance days and be required to attend three (3) counseling sessions (with a parent) conducted by a school approved counselor.  The type of counseling session will depend upon the nature of the violation.  The cost of the counseling, if any, will be borne by the violator.

Second Accumulated Offense

                 1.  If the student admits within three (3) school days of the violation to school officials, ineligibility will be a minimum of six (6) performances days or four (4) performance days  (and be required to attend two (2) counseling sessions, with a parent, conducted by a school approved counselor as outlined above.)

                 2.  Students who do not confess will be ineligible from performances for a minimum of twelve (12) calendar months or be required to attend twelve (12) approved counseling sessions (with a parent) as outlined above.

Third Accumulated Offense

                 1.  Ineligible in all extracurricular activities for the remainder of their high school career.  After twelve (12) calendar months they may appeal to the school board for reinstatement.

NOTE:  In all cases where counseling is involved the student will remain ineligible until all counseling sessions are completed.

Notes and Explanations

A.  If twelve months have elapsed since the date of the first or second violation, the next violation will carry the same ineligibility as a first violation.

B.  A student who is ineligible must practice, but will not compete inter scholastically with respective groups.  He/she may travel with the team or group to attend the performance providing he/she does not miss any portion of the school day.

C.  A student who is in violation of eligibility rules will not be allowed to enter an extracurricular activity already in progress. It is a violation of the intent of the Code of Conduct for an athlete to participate in a sport simply to serve the ineligibility punishment. Athletes must complete the season in the sport to be credited with serving the punishment.

D.  Because of the limited numbers of performances in vocal music, speech, and drama.  The maximum performances a student will be ineligible for will be (1) one for the first offense and (3) three for the second offense.  Ineligible music students will be given the opportunity to do extra credit so that his/her grade will not be lowered.

E.   Decisions on interpretation of policy, culpability, and punishment will be made by a faculty committee.  A meeting will be convened by the principal when the investigation of the incident is completed.  The committee will be ocmposed of the principal, a coach or activity director, and three faculty members.  Decisions will be made by majority vote.

F.   Students who move or transfer into the Edgewood-Colesburg District and were ineligible because of a violation of their previous school's Good Conduct Policy, will also be ineligible at Ed-Co.  The student will be held out for the length of time he/she would have served at his/her previous school.

Due Process

1.  Prior to being declared ineligible, a hearing shall be held with the student and principal at which time the student and parents will be given oral and written notice of what he or she is accused of doing and an explanation of the evidence.  The student will be given an opportunity to present his/her side of the story.

2.  Following the decision, the student and/or his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be given three (3) school days to file an appeal with the Superintendent.  The appeal shall be heard by said Superintendent at the earliest feasible opportunity, but no later than seven (7) days following the filing of the appeal.

       a.  An appeal of the decision of the Superintendent may be made to the Board of Education.  The appeal must be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Education within three (3) days of receipts of the Superintendent's decision.  The Board will hear the appeal no later than the next regularly scheduled meeting, in closed session, except that the student and/or parent(s)/guardian(s) request that the hearing be in public session.  Formal action by the Board must be taken in an open meeting.

       b.  The student may be represented by legal counsel during any or all phases of the appeal procedure.

Ed-Co Academic Eligibility

(Athletics and cheerleading)

• All contestants must be under 20 years of age.
• Must meet all state transfer and open enrollment regulations.
• High school students must pass all classes in order to remain eligible.
• If not passing one or more classes at the end of a quarter, the student becomes ineligible for a period of 20 consecutive school days (beginning with the first legal playing date) in the next sport in which the student is a “bona fide participant”. If baseball or softball are the next sport in which a student is to participate, the period of ineligibility will be for 4 consecutive weeks, beginning on the first legal playing date.

(A bona fide participant is a student who participated in that activity the year prior. This would only apply to students in grades 10-12.)

If a student is not a bona fide participant, they will be eligible. For example, during their freshman year, a student participates only in volleyball. During their sophomore year, she fails a class at the end of the 2^nd quarter. She may elect to participate in track and softball, but would not be ineligible until volleyball the following year because that is the sport in which she was a bona fide participant.

• Students must participate in a full season in order for them to be considered bona fide participants, or to have the ineligibility take effect. For example, if a student finds that they failed a class during the second quarter then joins the basketball team, they would not serve their 20 days of ineligibility at that time. Likewise, if a student was out for basketball, served their 20 day period and then quit prior to the end of the season, it would be treated as if that ineligibility was not served.
• If a student becomes ineligible during a season, the period of ineligibility will take effect immediately. If 20 days are not served, the remaining time will be carried over into the next season in which they are considered a bona fide participant.
• Except in the case of baseball or softball, 20 days are only days in which school is in session. Vacation periods, weekends, school in-service days, or snow days do not count towards the 20 days. Partial school days (early dismissals) do count towards the 20.
• The 20 days will commence on the day after grades are issued, which is not the same as the end of the grading period. It will likely be a few days after the quarter ends. Students and their parents will be notified.
• If one calendar year expires following a failing grade (with no other Fs in the interim), students are considered eligible without serving the 20 days. For example, if a student receives an F at the end of the third quarter during their freshman year, but does not fail another class or participate in anything until their junior year, they are eligible without serving the 20 days.
• Students will be expected to practice, but may not dress for performances at any level during their period of ineligibility.
• No student is academically ineligible upon entering ninth grade. Also, since 9^th graders will be participating in high school sports for the first time, there is no bona fide participant stipulation.
• Students who received an “I” for incomplete work will be considered to have failed that class and the policy will be implemented. If, however, the work is made up and the grade becomes a passing grade, the student will be reinstated immediately.
• Special education students or students covered by a Section 504 plan shall not be denied eligibility on the basis of scholarship if the student is making adequate progress, as determined by the IEP team, towards their goals and objectives on the student’s IEP or accommodation plan.

Speech, Music, FBLA, FFA, and Student Council

• In these activities, the period of ineligibility will be for a period of 30 consecutive school days, commencing when the grades are received in the office. It is quite possible that this may or may not coincide with athletic ineligibility.
• Only non-graded activities are affected by this rule. For example, if a student receives a grade for concert participation, they will not be excluded from that event. They will be excluded from competitive or honorary events (state or conference music or speech performances, contests, or festivals, for example).
• Students who participate in music, speech, FFA, FBLA, or student council, in addition to athletics, may have to serve two periods of ineligibility, depending upon individual circumstances.

For athletic, speech, music, FBLA, FFA, and Student Council, the period of ineligibility will be extended 10 days for each quarter in which at least one F is received, and the initial 20 days has not been served. For example, if a student participates in volleyball only and she fails a class at the end of the second quarter, she would face a 20-day period of ineligibility during the next volleyball season. If, however, she fails one or more classes during the third or fourth quarters, 10 days will be added to the original 20, so that her period of ineligibility will be 30 days. If she failed a class in the third and fourth quarters, 20 days would be added.

Multiple failures in any one quarter do not affect the number of days of ineligibility. A student who fails 3 courses in the same quarter will serve the same period of ineligibility as a student who fails one course.