• Athletic/Activity Guidelines
     
    The Board of School Directors of Great Valley School District delegate to the athletic team coaches described in Policy #249, Delegation of Authority to Athletic Team Coaches, the power and authority to suspend participation in the sponsored activity of any student found to have violated any reasonable rule of conduct or deportment of which the student is given prior notice by the athletic coach.

    Athletes should be aware of regulations from three (3) sources: Student-Parent Handbook, Coaches' Rules, and the Discipline Code. Each player and parent or guardian should read these guidelines and return a signed response sheet to the coach.

    RULES AND REGULATIONS REGARDING SUBSTANCE/TOBACCO/ALCOHOL USE

    Athletes are in training the year round, and proper conditioning and care of an athlete’s body require much time and commitment whether in season or out.  Athletes should not be involved with or consume tobacco, alcohol, or illegal chemical substances as they damage health, impair performance and lessen the athlete’s contribution to the team.  There is an element of risk associated with all athletic competition, and we cannot insure that participants will remain free of injury.

    The following rules apply to all athletes during the athletic year – which is from the first day of practice in August until the last day of school in June.

     

    1.     Tobacco:       Refer to Student-Parent Handbook concerning Student Smoking Policy #223.

    First Offense:      Suspension from athletic competition for one to ten (10) school days.  Athletes may participate in team practices during this time period with approval from the Athletic Director.

    Second Offense: Dismissal from the team.

     

     

    2.     Substance/Alcohol Abuse (At A Non-School Event):

            The following rules, regulations, and guidelines shall be used by all School District personnel when situations involve students’ unlawful use, abuse, sale, distribution, and/or possession of drugs, alcohol, or any mood altering substance or paraphernalia.

    ·         Drug/Mood Altering Substance or Alcohol:   Alcohol, drugs, narcotics, and/or other health endangering compounds include but are not limited to alcohol, alcoholic beverages, tranquilizers, amphetamines, synthetic opiates, marijuana, LSD, and other hallucinogens, glue solvent-containing substances, and “look-alike” drugs.

     

    ·         Drug Paraphernalia:   Means all equipment, products, and materials of any kind which are used, intended for use, or designed for use in planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, concealing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance in violation of this act.

     

    Athletes who consume, possess, or constructively possess alcohol or drugs or drug paraphernalia will be disciplined as follows:

     

    ·         First Offense: Suspension from athletic competition & practice for up to twenty (20) school days and referral to the STAR Team.  After the fifth day and with approval from the STAR Team, an athlete will return to practice.

    ·         Second Offense: Athletes will be suspended from all athletic activities for the remainder of that season and the next two sports seasons.

     

    3.    Substance/Alcohol Abuse (At School or At A School Event):

     

    Athletes who consume, possess, or constructively possess alcohol or drugs or drug paraphernalia will be disciplined as follows:

     

    ·         First Offense: 10 days out-of-school suspension concurrent to 20 days of no extra-curricular activities and referral to the STAR Team.

    ·         Second Offense: 10 days out-of-school suspension concurrent to 20 days of no extra-curricular activities and suspension from all athletic activities for the remainder of that season and the next two sports seasons.

     

     

     

    Public Law 91-513 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (Federal Law).  The Controlled Substance Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act of April 14, 1972 (P.L. 233, No. 64) and Amendments.

    This policy is violated when any pupil involved in school related athletics uses anabolic steroids, except for valid medical purposes.

     

    Offenses are cumulative.  For example, a student can commit a first offense in 9th grade and a second offense in 12th grade. Any in-school or out-of-school may result in the first offense.  The second offense in-school or out-of-school results in a two-season suspension.

     

     

    Special Notes

    ·         An athlete who has an out of season infraction may begin practice for the next season only with the approval of the Athletic Director.

    ·         If an athlete is dismissed from a team, he or she may not join another team, participate in intramurals or weight training during that season.

    ·         If an athlete is disciplined for a conduct, tobacco or substance abuse violation, he or she is not eligible for an athletic award in that sport or any outstanding athletic awards in the school year which the incident occurred.

    ·         Athletes may also be subject to their coach’s rules which may result in dismissal from the team. Such a rule will be supported by the Athletic Office and is not subject to appeal.

     

    Any student who voluntarily admits chemical use/abuse and/or dependency to any Great Valley School District staff member will temporarily not participate in any school sponsored club, activity, or athletic team until professional assessment of the chemical dependency is complete.  If the student is an athlete, he/she will be reinstated as an athletic participant when evaluation and his/her program indicate he/she can safely and appropriately participate.