Policies, Forms & Handbooks

Participation in school activities is a privilege. School activities provide the benefits of promoting additional interests and abilities in the students during their school years and for their lifetimes.

Students who participate in extracurricular activities serve as ambassadors of the school district throughout the calendar year, whether away from school or at school. Students who wish to have the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities must conduct themselves in accordance with board policy and must refrain from activities which are illegal, immoral or unhealthy.

Students who fail to abide by this policy and the administrative regulations supporting it may be subject to disciplinary measures. The principal will keep records of violations of the good conduct rule.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop rules and regulations for school activities. Students wanting to participate in school activities must meet the requirements set out by the school district for participation in the activity.

The principal shall keep records of violation of the Good Conduct Code. It shall be the responsibility of the UCSD (Union Community School District) Board of Education to adopt rules and regulations for school activities. Students wanting to participate in school activities must meet the requirements set out by the UCSD for participation in the activity.

The activities that are affected by the Good Conduct Code are all school sponsored public events (i.e. athletic activities, plays, etc.) or events in which the student is acting as a representative of the school (including elected and honorary offices, Homecoming attendant, music contests, etc.), with the exception of direct extensions of curricular activities (i.e. winter concert, field trips, etc.), as determined by administration.

Violations of the Good Conduct Code are cumulative from completion of the eighth (8^th) grade through the summer after graduation from high school). The Good Conduct Code is in effect for twelve (12) months of the year.

Any student who, after a meeting with the Principal or Superintendent at which the student shall be confronted with the allegation, the basis of the allegation, and given an opportunity to tell the student's side, is found to have violated the school's Good Conduct Code will be deemed ineligible for a period of time, as described below. A student may lose eligibility under the Good Conduct Code for any of the following prohibited behaviors:

A. Possession, use, or purchase of tobacco/e-cigarette products, regardless of the student's age.

B. Possession, use, or purchase of alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine (having the odor of alcohol on one's breath is evidence of "use"; possession has been defined by the Iowa Supreme Court as being within reach of or in close proximity to the contraband).

C. Possession, use, purchase, or attempted sale/purchase of illegal drugs, or the unauthorized possession, use, purchase, or attempted sale/purchase of otherwise lawful drugs.

D. Engaging in any act that would be grounds for arrest or citation in the criminal or juvenile court system (excluding minor offenses such as traffic or hunting/fishing violations), regardless of whether the student was cited/arrested, convicted or adjudicated for the acts.

E. Inappropriate/offensive conduct such as assaulting staff or students, gross insubordination, serious hazing, harassment of others, threatening behavior, or intimidation, whether or not criminal charges are filed.

F. Creation or possession of any AI created pictures, video, or audio that directly involve any students or school personnel that may be used to harass, intimidate, embarrass, or otherwise cause harm.

It shall be a violation of the Good Conduct Code for a student to engage in any of the foregoing behavior even if the violation occurred out-of-season, off school grounds, or during any school break. A student will be deemed to have engaged in such behavior if the student is observed by a staff member or a law enforcement official engaging in the behavior, the student admits to engaging in the behavior, or is found to have engaged in such behavior by a preponderance of the evidence after a reasonable investigation by an administrator.

It shall be the responsibility of each head coach and activity sponsor to communicate and educate the students in his or her program regarding the expectations and consequences associated with the Good Conduct Code. This would ideally involve at least one time spent covering the Code in depth, as well as occasional update/reminder sessions.

Additionally, efforts will be made to teach all students about his or her code and the expectations and consequences in a timely manner, preferably before the end of 8^th grade, as well as throughout the school year.

When a student has been determined to be in violation of the Good Conduct Code, he or she will be faced with the following penalties:

First Violation

Ineligibility for up to 1/3 of the contests in his or her current sports season, or for the next activity event. If necessary the suspension will continue into the offender's next sport/activity season until the equivalent of 1/3 has been served.

Second Violation

The student will be declared ineligible for 2/3 of the contests in his or her current sports season, or for the next activity event.

Third Violation

A third violation of any of the provisions of this rule shall result in a student being ineligible for all activities and performances for a period of up to one calendar year (365 calendar days) from the declaration of ineligibility.

Notes:

• The period of ineligibility begins immediately upon a finding of a violation if the student is eligible for and currently engaged in an extracurricular activity. If the ineligibility is not completed during the current activity, it is carried over to the next contest or activity the student participates in.

• If the period of time between a violation and the ineligibility penalty is twelve calendar months or more, the student shall not serve an ineligibility period for the violation.

• Students, who, in an attempt to maintain their eligibility or delay their ineligibility, withhold information, lie to or mislead school officials concerning dates or details concerning arrests or violation(s) will automatically be declared ineligible for the maximum time for that violation.

• Students may not join an activity after the first day of practice for the purpose of satisfying the code requirements on ineligibility.

• Students must satisfactorily complete an activity/athletic season in which he/she serves a period of ineligibility. In other words, a student cannot go out for a sport, serve a period of ineligibility, and then quit just to satisfy the code requirements.

• If a student violates the Good Conduct Code while ineligible due to an earlier violation or academic suspension, the penalty for the subsequent offense will attach at the completion of the earlier penalty.

• There will be no academic consequences for the violation (e.g. detention, suspension, expulsion from school, or grade reduction/withholding) unless the violation of the Good Conduct Code occurred (a) on school grounds, (b) at a school event regardless of location, or (c) the violation has a direct and immediate negative impact on the efficient operation of the school despite occurring off school grounds/time.

The school administrator will make the determination if a student has violated the Good Conduct Code or deemed to be in violation of the Good Conduct Code by anyone or a combination of the following:

A. Is found guilty in a court of law.

B. Admits to violating one of the items of the Good Conduct Code.

C. Witnessed breaking one of the items in the Good Conduct Code by one or more staff members and/or law enforcement.

D. Is found in violation by the school administrator based on the evidence.

E. If the student transfers in from another school district and the student had not yet completed a period of ineligibility for a violation of a Good Conduct Code in the previous school district, the student shall be ineligible until that penalty has been served.

If the school administrator finds a student in violation of the Good Conduct Code after conferencing with him/her about an alleged violation, but the student claims innocence, the student and/or his/her legal custodian may appeal the school administrator's decision in writing within five (5) calendar days to the superintendent. If the student and/or his/her legal custodian are not satisfied with the decision of the superintendent concerning the matter, they may appeal this decision by making a written request within five (5) calendar days to the school board. The student will be ineligible during this appeal process.