27. Athletic Eligibility
(Refer to BOE policy IDFA-R and USD 253 Athletic Handbook)
Emporia Middle School adheres to the eligibility rules of the Kansas State High School Athletic Association. All students engaged in activities covered by appropriate KSHSAA rules shall provide the building principal with proof of a physical examination in accordance with a KSHSAA-approved provider and guidelines.
In order for a student to be eligible for an interscholastic team, he/she must have passed five units of credit the previous semester and be a student in good standing.
Academic eligibility will be checked every other Friday and a report made to the administration if the student has an F in any classes. If a student is on the ineligible list, he/she may not participate in activities or leave school for any activity-related reason. Students on the list become “officially” ineligible on Wednesday after the report date. Student athletes can work themselves off the ineligible list at any time during the two-week period by:
● Completing missing assignments.
● Attending Homework Help for one hour each day until they become eligible. Students are expected to report to practice after Homework Help.
Students must obtain a note from the teacher once they are passing the class with a grade of D or better. Notes must be submitted to the office prior to 3:35 p.m. to be considered eligible for a game or practice on the NEXT school day. Students are held responsible for only the classes that are on the Friday ineligibility list. Coaches will notify student athletes when they are ineligible and will help get students to Homework Help to improve their grades.
Attendance is expected at school, team practices and contests. Daily school attendance should be at or above 90 percent. Failure to reach a 90 percent attendance rate may result in ineligibility or probationary status. A student must attend the entire day of school on the day of an event or practice in order to participate in or attend the event or practice. The only exception is an absence due to an emergency or unavoidable circumstance other than illness, verified by the parent and approved by the administration.
If a student athlete receives an office referral or fails to dress and participate in PE, he/she will not participate in the next athletic event. The student may participate in practice if approved by the coach and administrator. After a game is played, the student is again eligible to participate unless another violation occurs.
If a student is assigned an in-school or out-of-school suspension, he/she may not participate in practices or competitions until the ISS or OSS is complete. If a student is assigned a detention and fails to serve the consequence when assigned, the student is ineligible until the detention is served.
When a student reaches two office referrals, his/her good standing will be reviewed by the administration. The review may result in ineligibility or probationary status.
Any question or dispute of eligibility may be appealed to an administrator. A conference will be held with the teacher, the student, a parent or guardian if possible, and an administrator in attendance. The decision of the administrator will be final. A student will be deemed ineligible during the appeal process.
Kansas State High School Activity Association Rule 52 (Sportsmanship)