The board recognizes the value of a program of interscholastic activities as an integral part of the total school experience for all students of the district and community. The program of interscholastic activities shall include all activities relating to competitive sport contests, games or events, or exhibitions involving individual students or teams of students of this district when such events occur between separate schools within this district or with any schools outside this district such as athletics, forensics, music, cheer, theater/drama, dance/drill teams, as well as elected or appointed officers.
The board expects that:
A. All interscholastic activities and events shall be in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and shall be available in grades 7-12. The schools of the district shall not participate in any out-of-season athletics that are not sanctioned by the WIAA. The district shall not be responsible or liable for non-school-sponsored programs or for programs that are organized, promoted or participated in by staff members without school approval. The district shall not be responsible for or control and incur liability for summer and/or out-of-season activities unless specifically sponsored by the school district. The superintendent or designee shall establish rules defining the circumstances under which school facilities may be used and under which announcements of summer sports leagues and/or clinics may be channeled to students.
B. An athletic coach must be properly trained and qualified for an assignment as described in the coach’s job description following Highline School District guidelines. It is the board’s intent to see that the selection and employment of our coaches follow all human resources practices including background check, reference checks, and performance evaluation.
C. A syllabus which outlines the skills, techniques and safety measures associated with a coaching assignment will be distributed to each coach. A coach must secure permission in advance if he/she wishes to deviate from the syllabus.
D. In-service training opportunities will be afforded each coach so that he/she is trained to attend to the health care needs of participants. Prior to a sports season, the coach will prepare a plan for handling medical emergencies at practice sessions and games, home and away.
E. Participants will be issued equipment that has been properly maintained and fitted.
F. All facilities and equipment utilized in the interscholastic activity program, whether or not the property of the district, shall be inspected on a regular basis.
G. The board recognizes that certain risks are associated with participation in interscholastic sports. While the district will strive to prevent injuries and accidents to students, each participant and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) will be required to sign a statement which indicates that the parent(s) and the student acknowledge the risks of injuries resulting from such participation and give assurance that the student will follow the instructions of the coach.
Each participant must have passed a physical examination from a medical authority licensed to perform a physical examination using district-supplied forms. The physical examination shall be valid for 24 months and may not expire during the season.
Participants who have been injured or incurred an illness serious enough to require medical care must present to school officials the school district Return to Participation Form signed by a medical authority licensed to perform a physical examination and be subsequently tested and cleared by a District Athletic Trainer before resuming participation.
H. Each student participating in interscholastic athletic activities is required to have or obtain medical insurance for expenses incurred as a result of injuries sustained while participating in the extracurricular activity. Students shall provide evidence of sufficient coverage for medical expenses or shall obtain such coverage through the insurance plan offered to all students participating in activities in the district.
Rules for interscholastic activities shall be detailed in Board Procedure 2151P. The student conduct rules therein apply year-round commencing with the first day of the first season of participation through the last day of the student’s last year in school.
Disciplinary action related to rules violations shall be included in eligibility materials distributed to students and parent(s)/guardian(s) prior to participation.
Nondiscrimination
The district will not exclude any person from participation in the interscholastic program, deny any person the benefits of such a program or otherwise discriminate against any person in any interscholastic program on the basis of the categories identified in the district’s Nondiscrimination policy.
The district will provide necessary funds for recreational and athletic activities for both sexes, although the aggregate expenditures are not required to be equal for members of each sex and expenditures for separate male and female teams are not required to be equal.
When individual students with disabilities are unable to participate in existing activities even when offered reasonable modifications and necessary accommodations, aids or services, the district may offer opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in separate or different recreational or athletic activities.
The district may operate or sponsor separate teams for members of each sex where selection for such teams is based upon competitive skill or the activity involved is a contact sport. However, when the district operates or sponsors a team in a particular sport for members of one sex but not the other, and athletic opportunities for members of the other sex have previously been limited, members of the excluded sex will be allowed to try out for the team offered. For the purposes of this policy, contact sports include boxing, wrestling, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball and other sports in which the major activity involves bodily contact.
The district will provide equal athletic opportunities for both sexes within each school for interscholastic, club or intramural athletics. In determining whether equal athletic opportunities for both sexes are being provided, the district will consider the following factors:
- Whether the selection of sports and levels of competition effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of members of both sexes;
- Provision of equipment and supplies;
- Scheduling of games and practice time, including the use of playfields, courts, gyms and pools;
- Travel and per diem allowances, if any;
- Opportunity to receive coaching and academic tutoring;
- Assignment and compensation of coaches, tutors, and game officials;
- Provision of locker rooms and practice and competitive facilities;
- Provision of medical and training facilities and services, including the availability of insurance;
- Provision of housing and dining facilities and services, if any; and
- Publicity and awards.
Annual athletic evaluation
The district will evaluate its intramural and interscholastic program in each school at least once each year to ensure that equal opportunities are available to members of both sexes with respect to participation in interscholastic and/or intramural programs. The evaluation will include consideration for the factors listed in the above paragraph, Nondiscrimination.
Student athletic interest survey
Every three years, the district will administer to each school that operates interscholastic, intramural and other athletics the survey developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to determine male and female student interest in participation in specific sports. The district will consider the survey results when planning and developing recreational and athletic activities offered by the district and when determining whether equal opportunities are available to members of both sexes.
Facilities
The district will provide separate facilities (e.g., showers, toilets, training rooms) for male and female students or schedule the facilities equitably for separate use.
Cross References:
Substance Abuse Program - Policy 2121
Nondiscrimination - Policy 3210
Student Immunization and Life Threatening Conditions - Policy 3413
Infectious Diseases Procedure - Procedure 3414P
Social Media - Policy 4309, 4309P, 4309P1
Legal References:
Liability, life, health, health care, accident, disability, salary insurance authorized - RCW 28A.400.350
Interschool athletic and other extra-curricular activities for students, regulation of - Delegation, conditions - RCW 28A.600.200
Public Warnings—School Districts - RCW 69.41.330
Student athletics—Violations—Penalty - RCW 69.41.340
Recreational and Athletic Activities - WAC 392-190-025
Management Resources:
Policy News, October 2007
Policy News, December 2014
Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: August 1984
Revised by the Board: 10.88, 06.92, 01.08, 08.09, 05.13, 3.15, 11.16
Classification: Priority