District proposes athletic handbook and student conduct changes addressing eligibility, dual participation and spectator conduct

Associate Superintendent Luis Alvarez briefed the board on proposed revisions to the athletic handbook and district behavior and discipline policies affecting student-athletes, coaches and spectators.

Alvarez said the handbook changes under consideration include: clarifying that an athlete must not have an F on their grade report to be eligible; requiring exiting and entering coaches plus both athletic directors to approve an eighth-grade student's move to high-school competition only after the eighth-grade season has fully concluded; and allowing online or dual-credit classes to count toward eligibility when a grade is assigned.

"None of our student athletes can have an F," Alvarez said, summarizing a change aligning district policy with NMAA eligibility guidance.

On dual participation, Alvarez said the district will require student-athletes who plan to participate in multiple school-sponsored activities to verify practice and competition schedules in advance with coaches and the athletic director to avoid missed practices and scheduling conflicts.

Alvarez also described rules to apply the discipline matrix of the school where an out-of-district student participates (for example, students from area charter or private schools who join district teams), and explained proposed procedures for parental unsportsmanlike conduct at events. Under the draft approach, a first unsportsmanlike incident would lead to a warning and mandatory completion of an online educational course; a second incident would trigger a seasonal suspension from attending that activity as a spectator; a third would prompt longer-term bans following athletic director recommendations. Examples of sanctionable behavior include field intrusion, physical altercations, sustained derogatory chants and repeated verbal attacks on coaches or officials.

Board members and the superintendent framed the policy as an effort to protect students and coaches and to retain officials; Hawkins noted similar measures in other districts and emphasized modeling appropriate behavior for students.

Alvarez said the changes emerged from working with athletic directors and parents and that the board would be asked to approve the handbook revisions in a future action item once final language and forms (such as a dual-participation sign-off) are prepared.