The Board believes school activities promote additional interests and abilities in the students during their school years and for their lifetime. School activities may also contribute to the students’ mental and physical growth as well as provide interaction in group activities. Participation in school activities is a privilege, and students should have an opportunity to participate in and reap the benefits of them.
All student activities affiliated with the school must be under the direction of school personnel. Student activity events must be approved by the superintendent unless they involve unusual travel expense, in which case the board will take action. The events must not disrupt the education program or other school district operations.
Every student shall be encouraged to participate in at least one school-sponsored activity or contest. Any eligible student may elect to participate in the extra-curricular activities of the student’s choice. No coercion shall be used to force a student to participate in an activity. A student shall not be required to participate in one activity in order to be eligible to participate in another activity.
Students will have an opportunity to participate in a school activity unless the activity is not offered or the student cannot participate for disciplinary reasons, including behavioral and academic ineligibility. All students will have a comparable opportunity to participate in student activities. However, comparable opportunity does not guarantee boys and girls will be allowed to play on each other’s athletic teams when there are athletic activities available that will allow both boys and girls to reap the benefits of school activities.
Students wanting to participate in school activities must meet the requirements set out by the school district for participation in the activity. No student shall participate in an athletic practice or contest without filing a doctor’s certificate of good health.
A student participating in interscholastic athletics shall provide evidence of suitable accident insurance, with medical and hospital benefits, before he/she begins practice. The school will make available to each student an insurance program via an insurance company licensed to provide insurance coverage in Iowa. Student participation in this program is voluntary. However, a student who participates in interscholastic athletics shall be adequately insured. Failure of an athlete to carry school insurance will require a written statement signed by guardian or parent relieving the school district of any and all responsibility due to an injury or death as a direct consequence of interscholastic athletics. Athlete, as defined here, means all students who participate in interscholastic athletics.
(December 21, 1987, March 15, 2010; March 21, 2011; January 19, 2015; August 19, 2019)