Participation in athletic programs in Bloomfield Hills Schools is considered an honor and a privilege that entails an obligation by students to an individual school, the District and the community. This Code is in effect year round (12 months) and participants are expected to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner at all times, including functions that occur outside of school.

The Bloomfield Hills Schools Athletic Code of Conduct has been developed and implemented to provide a common set of rules for all students participating in athletics. The Athletic Code of Conduct deals with specific violations that should be applied within every program; however, the code is not intended to be all-inclusive. If no penalty is listed in the code, the coach has the authority to determine the penalty (consistent with the philosophy of the code).

All Bloomfield Hills students are governed by the Uniform Code of Student Conduct. In addition, student-athletes are further governed by the rules and regulations of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), National Federation, league rules and specific team rules. Some commonly used MHSAA regulations are listed below. This list is a partial list and not intended to cover all MHSAA regulations.

MHSAA REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETES (PARTIAL LIST NOT INTENDED TO BE ALL-INCLUSIVE)

A. Enrollment – To be eligible for interscholastic athletics, a student must be enrolled in a high school not later than the fourth Friday after Labor Day (first semester) or the fourth Friday of February (second semester). The student must reside in the school service area in which he/she attends school unless he/she has received prior District and MHSAA approval to compete in a different school.

B. Age – A student who competes in any interscholastic athletic contests must be under nineteen (19) years of age, except that a student whose nineteenth (19th) birthday occurs on or after September 1 of a current school year is eligible for the balance of that school year.

C. Physical Examination/Parent Approval – No student shall be eligible to represent a high school for whom there is not on file in the offices of the principal or athletic director of that school, a statement for the current school year certifying that the student has passed a physical examination and is physically able to compete in athletic tryouts, practices, and contests. The physical examination must take place April 15 or later to be used for the current school year. The student SHALL NOT PARTICIPATE in any practice sessions or contests until the completed form has been turned in to the building athletic coordinator or trainer.

D. Seasons of Competition/Semesters of Enrollment – A student, once enrolled in grade 9, shall be allowed to compete in only four first semesters and four second semesters. A student shall not compete in athletics who has been enrolled in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, for more than eight semesters. The seventh and eighth semesters must be consecutive.

E. Awards - A student may accept, for participation in athletics, a symbolic or merchandise award which does not have a fair market value or cost in excess of $25. Awards for athletic participation in the form of cash, merchandise certificates, or any other type of negotiable documents are never allowed.

F. Maintaining Amateur Status – Eligibility for interscholastic athletics at MHSAA member schools is limited to amateurs, meaning those student-athletes who have not received gifts of material or money and have not received other valuable considerations, including special considerations for loans, because of athletic performance or potential. Treatment of or privileges received by athletes or their families that are not provided or available to all students violate the principles of amateurism in interscholastic athletics. Gifts or loans to family members, based on the student’s athletic performance or potential, are treated as gifts or loans to the student and violate that student’s amateur status.

G. Limited Team Membership - A student who, after practicing with (including tryouts) or participating in an athletic contest or scrimmage as a member of a high school athletic team, participates in any athletic competition not sponsored by his/her school in the same sport during the same season, shall become ineligible for a minimum of the next three (3) days of competition and a maximum of the remainder of that season in that school year (unless otherwise specified in the MHSAA Handbook).

H. Transfers – A student enrolled in grades 9 through 12 who transfers from one high school or junior high/middle school to another high school is ineligible to participate in an interscholastic athletic contest or scrimmage for 1 full semester in the school to which the student transfers (unless the student qualifies under one or more of the exceptions listed in the MHSAA Handbook).

DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETES

A. Academic Eligibility - To be academically eligible to participate, a student shall have successfully passed at least four classes the previous semester, of which at least three classes must be a grade of C or better. If the student is ineligible based on the previous semester final grades, the student will be ineligible for participation FOR THE COMPLETE SUCCEEDING SEMESTER.

ADDITIONALLY, for a student to maintain academic eligibility during a semester he/she must successfully be passing at least four classes with a grade of C or better in at least three of the classes. Academic eligibility will be checked each marking period (including progress reports). If the student is not meeting the standard, the student will be ineligible for competition/participation until the standard is met, a period of not less than one calendar week. The athletic coordinator reserves the right to review a student’s grades throughout the semester. If a student is found to be at risk of failing, the athletic coordinator may impose restrictions/interventions to ensure academic success. Deficiencies, including incompletes and failures from a previous semester may be made up during a subsequent semester, summer session, night school, or by tutoring. Eligibility may be reinstated when the school accepts the credit.

B. Student Attendance the day of competition - Students are to attend school during the total school day if they plan to participate in an athletic contest during the same day or evening. If there is a situation in which the student cannot attend school the day of a contest and normally would receive an excused absence with the exception of illness, the student will be allowed to participate in the contest upon approval of the building principal or designee.

C. Traveling to and from away athletic contests - Any student traveling to an away athletic contest as a member of a team, on school-owned or chartered mode of transportation or other approved vehicles, shall return to the home school on the same vehicle after the contest is over. The only exception is if a parent or guardian submits a written request to the principal, athletic coordinator, or their designee and receives approval to take their student home from the contest. Students will only be released to their parents or guardians or parents of other students as designees.

D. Attendance at Practice Sessions or Athletic Contests - Attendance at practice sessions is necessary to prepare athletes physically and mentally for athletic contests. Team members shall be at ALL PRACTICE SESSIONS AND SCHEDULED ATHLETIC CONTESTS. There are situations when it is impossible for a participant to attend due to illness, injury, religious classes or days of recognized religious observances. The participant shall make PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS with the coach for an excused absence. The excused day must be the same each week except under special circumstances as approved by the building principal or designee.

Required practices will not be held from the day following the close of school for Winter Recess (December) until the first school day after New Years; Mid-Winter Recess (February) for all teams with the exception of those teams who have scheduled contests during this time period; and Spring Recess (March or April) from Friday through the following week when school begins on Monday. Students not attending practices or scheduled athletic contests outside of these dates for reason of PERSONAL VACATION OR PERSONAL BUSINESS will be considered unexcused.

Students wishing to participate in more than one sport or cocurricular program, within the same season, must make prior arrangements with the appropriate program sponsors and/or coaches and/or building athletic coordinator to resolve any potential participation conflicts.

E. Summer and Off-Season Programs - A wide variety of sports, clinics, and training programs are offered to students during the summer months and off-season by colleges, organizations, or individual coaches. Since these programs are held in the summer and off season and are VOLUNTARY, in no way shall a student be required to enroll in these programs as a condition for membership or placement on the athletic team for the succeeding school year or sport season.

CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS

Enforcement of this section will take place year round and shall involve violations of this Code that occur outside of regular school functions.

A. Substance Use - Students participating in athletic programs are prohibited from the use, possession, or transmittal of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, or any drug substance not prescribed to the student by a doctor. Excellent physical and mental condition is necessary for high performance as well as to protect the personal health and safety of the participant.

B. Conduct - Students are expected to demonstrate the highest level of conduct at all times. All students participating in athletic programs are to display personal control under practice, contest, and spectator conditions toward their teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, and other spectators. Failure to follow conduct standards of the District will result in disciplinary action as specified below.

CONDUCT CONSEQUENCES

Sanctions for violating the Athletic Code of Conduct are set forth below. In the event that the Code or other school policies do not cover the situations that arise, the administration reserves the right to establish such rules, conditions, and penalties to respond effectively to unanticipated or unique circumstances. A single violation may be deemed severe enough by school administration as to warrant the enforcement of a single violation as if it were a second or third violation. The building principal and/or his/her designee may suspend or exclude a student from participation in a program.

A. First Offense – After confirmation of a violation (by the student, their parent/guardian, or a school official), the student will not be allowed to participate in athletics for 20% of the regular season contests. If less than 20% of the regular season remains, the suspension will carryover to any post season contests in that sport. If the student is unable to complete the suspension within the current sport season, the suspension will be prorated into the next sport in which the student participates and completes the season in good standing, even though it may carry over into the next school year.

B. Second Offense – After confirmation of a second violation (by the student, their parent/guardian, or a school official), the student will not be allowed to participate in athletics for 50% of the regular season contests. If less than 50% of the regular season remains, the suspension will carryover to any post season contests in that sport. If the student is unable to complete the suspension within the current sport season, the suspension will be prorated into the next sport in which the student participates and completes the season in good standing, even though it may carry over into the next school year.

C. Third Offense – After confirmation of a third violation, the student will be dismissed from that team and be excluded from all athletic participation for one calendar year.

APPEAL PROCEDURES

Appeals of any section of this Code must be in writing and initiated by a student or their parents/guardians. Appeals must first be directed to the building principal.

1. A request for an appeal shall be made within three (3) days of the date action was taken and must be made in writing stating the adjustments being requested and the reasons therefore.

2. The student and/or the student’s parents/guardians and affected teachers or coaches have a right to be present at all review hearings and must be notified in advance of the time and place. Both the affected student and the administration have a right to present witnesses at all review hearings.

3. Based on review of the appeal, the building principal will adjust, revoke, or sustain the action.

4. The building principal shall decide the activities in which the student shall be permitted to participate pending the outcome of the appeal.

5. In cases where action was taken directly by the principal and/or cases where dissatisfaction exists with the results of the review hearing by the principal, an appeal may be made within three (3) days in writing to the Executive Director of Instruction of that building. The review hearing must be held within three (3) days of receipt of the appeal.

6. The student and/or parents/guardians will be notified of the results of the appeal within 24 hours. Revised: July 11, 2007