WHS  Extracurricular Code of Conduct

A student participating in the athletic or activity program at Westmont High School will be subject to disciplinary action if he or she violates the Extra-Curricular Activities Code of Conduct.  Anonymous reports of Code violations will be investigated by District administrators.  Students not currently involved in extra-curricular activities at the time of an investigation will have the results of any such investigation entered into the violation record.  Should such a student later become involved in the extra-curricular program, additional violations will be treated cumulatively.

Violations will be treated cumulatively, with disciplinary penalties increasing with subsequent violations.  The student shall not:

  • use a beverage containing alcohol (except for religious purposes, culinary course work or the use of containers or packaging as props for theater);
  • use tobacco or electronic cigarettes in any form;
  • use, possess, buy, sell, barter, or distribute any illegal substance (including mood-altering and performance-enhancing drugs or chemicals) or paraphernalia;
  • use, possess, buy, sell, barter, or distribute any object that is or could be considered a weapon or any item that is denominated as a “look-alike”  weapon (except that this prohibition does not prohibit legal use of weapons in cooking and in sports, such as archery, martial arts practice, target shooting, hunting, and skeet);
  • be present at a party or other gathering and/or ride in a vehicle where alcoholic beverages and/or controlled substances are being consumed by minors;
  • act in an unsportsmanlike manner;
  • substantial vandalism or theft;
  • haze other students;
  • violate the written rules for the activity or sport;
  • behave in a manner which is detrimental to the good of the group or organization;
  • falsify any of the information contained on any permit or permission form required by the activity or sport;
  • fighting;
  • bullying/harassment/intimidation;
  • gross misconduct that causes a major disruption to the safe operation of the school.
  • accumulate excessive absences from a class, as defined as 4 or more unexcused absences or 12 total absences from a class in a given semester (except for school related activities).
  • refusal to perform a breathalyzer or other sobriety test at school sponsored events.

Statute of limitations and related issues:  

  • No violation brought to the attention of the administration more than one calendar year after its occurrence will be considered under this policy;
  • No violation which occurred prior to a student’s documented first violation will be considered under this policy as a subsequent (e.g. second, third, etc) violation.  Only violations that occurred subsequent to a first violation will be considered as such for the purposes of this policy.

Due Process Procedures

Students who are accused of violating the District Code of Conduct for Extra-Curricular Activities are entitled to the following due process:

  • The administrator may interview material witnesses or others with evidence concerning the case.
  • Upon conclusion of the investigation, the student and parent or guardian will be informed of the pending violation by the appropriate administrator.  The parent or guardian and student will be notified of the student’s right to respond to the charges, including the right to offer to the appropriate administrator any additional information to be considered.
  • If the administrator finds, after reviewing the evidence, that the violation occurred, he/she will impose sanctions on the student, as follows:

(NOTE:  Students involved in multiple activities will be required to serve equivalent suspensions for each activity.  A suspension may carry over from season to season and/or year to year.  The consequences may exceed the minimum guidelines below due to the egregious nature of the infraction.)

First violation:

  • A suspension of one-sixth of performances, activities, or competitions (or the equivalent time period);
  • The student will be required to practice with the group, regardless of the violation (unless suspended from school by the Deans);
  • The suspension for a first violation may be eliminated if the student participates in and completes a school-approved reduction program.

Second violation:

  • A suspension of one-third of performances, activities, or competitions during this period;
  • The student may be required to practice with the group;
  • The student may reduce by 50% the suspension if he or she participates in and completes a school-approved reduction program.

Third violation:

  • A suspension of one-half of performances, activities, or competitions during this period;
  • The student may be required to practice with the group;
  • The student may reduce by 50% the suspension if he or she participates in and completes a school-approved reduction program.

Fourth violation:

  • A suspension for the entire season or equivalent time period;
  • The student may be required to practice with the group;
  • Students may reduce by 50% the suspension if he or she participates in and completes a school-approved reduction program.

Fifth violation:

  • A suspension from all extra-curricular activities for one calendar year;
  • Students may reduce by 50% their suspension if they choose to participate in and complete a school-approved reduction program.

Sixth violation:

  • A suspension from all extra-curricular activities and athletics for the remainder of the student’s high school career;
  • No reduction of the suspension is available upon a sixth violation.

Students will be required to serve any suspensions immediately, or at the start of a competition of the next athletic or activity season.  

  • The penalty will be reduced by one week for students who self-report a violation of the Code of Conduct.  (This reduction may be applied to any single violation, including and beyond the first.)
  • Students who self-report may earn back the privilege of competing in one contest that otherwise would have been part of the student’s suspension. (This reduction may be applied to any single violation, including and beyond the first.)

Students shall have the opportunity to appeal the finding of a Code of Conduct violation to a Code of Conduct Review Board, but shall not review the length of the sanctions imposed as the result of such a finding.  A parent has the right to accompany a student during the student’s appearance before the Review Board.  The Code of Conduct Review Board shall be composed of the following, all appointed by the Building Principal:

  • Three administrators, and none of which shall be the administrator(s) responsible for the initial determination of a Code of Conduct violation;
  • One athletic head coach or activity sponsor, who shall not supervise or coach the student in question.

The Code of Conduct Review Board will make a written report of its decision and rationale.  The decision of this Review Board is final, except where the sanction removes the student from sports and activities for one year or more.  In these cases, the student may appeal the decision to the Building Principal.

 

The above document is enforced 24/7/365.

District 201 Board of Education Approved

Spring/2015