Athletics
ATHLETICS
Middle school athletics are governed by policies from the North Carolina Department of Instruction (NCDPI), the Davidson County Middle School Conference (DCMSC) and the Davidson County Schools Board of Education.
ELIGIBILITY
A student upon entering the sixth (6th) grade begins his/her process for obtaining eligibility to compete on seventh (7th) grade athletic teams. [For South Davidson a student upon entering the fifth (5th) grade begins his/her process for obtaining eligibility to compete on sixth (6th) grade athletic teams-except football.] This is a conference regulation with mandates a higher eligibility standard than reflected in state guidelines.
A student shall not participate on a seventh (7th) or eighth (8th) grade team if the student becomes 15 years of age on or before August 31 of that year.
A student who is not academically eligible at the beginning of a semester period is not eligible at any time during that semester. (Exception: A student who receives an “incomplete” in a course which causes him/her not to meet minimum scholastic requirements is ineligible until the course is satisfactorily made up and eligibility is restored.)
No student may be eligible to participate at the middle school level for more than four (4) consecutive semesters beginning with the student’s entry into seventh (7th) grade.
Davidson County Schools Board of Education Policy 6.5 requires a student (1) to receive a final grade of 60 or higher in Language Arts AND Mathematics courses and (2) to receive a final grade of 60 in social studies OR science courses (to pass 3 of 4 courses) in which he/she was enrolled during the previous semester in order to be eligible for participation for athletics during the current semester. At the end of the academic year, students must meet promotion standards to be eligible for participation in athletics for the fall semester of the next school year. It is important to note that administrative promotion (promotion to the next grade regardless of meeting standards) is not the same as meeting promotion standards (outlined above). This is a district regulation which mandates a higher standard than reflected in state guidelines.
STUDENT CONDUCT
A student found guilty of misconduct may be (1) reprimanded, (2) placed on probation or (3) suspended from participation in a sport or sports for a period of time. If a team member not participating in the game comes onto the playing surface during an event or immediately thereafter to engage in conflict, that team shall be placed on probation and may not participate until a decision is rendered by the conference.
ATTENDANCE
A student must have no more than 8 absences in the semester prior to the season in order to be eligible. Fall eligibility is based on the 3rd and 4th quarters from the previous spring, and spring eligibility is based on 1st and 2nd quarters from the current academic year. If absences have been formally waived by the principal, these shall not count toward the total number of absences for eligibility purposes.
PHYSICALS
A student must have a current physical within the last 395 days to be eligible for participation.
SPORTSMANSHIP
Parents and students in DCS must sign a Student Athletic Participation form and adhere to the conditions of that form in order for the student to maintain athletic eligibility.
SAFETY
Parents and students must sign a Gfeller-Waller Concussion Information form and adhere to the conditions of that form to remain eligible.
RESIDENCY
Parents and students must sign a Residency Verification Form and adhere to the conditions of that form to remain eligible. Students and their custodial parents must be domiciled within the attendance zone of the school for which the student-athlete is participating. Failure to adhere to the residency rule renders a student-athlete ineligible and results in the team forfeiting games during which that student-athlete was a member of the team.
INELIGIBLE PLAYER
Any school that uses an ineligible player in any contest is required to immediately dismiss the player from the team and forfeit all games for which the ineligible player participated.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY
Any student who violates the DCS Board of Education policy on Narcotics, Alcoholic Beverages and Stimulant Drugs (Including Drug Paraphernalia) and Other Prohibited Substances and is subsequently suspended as prescribed and will forfeit all rights to participate in the athletic program or extra-curricular activities program as set forth in the policy.
Additionally, if while off school grounds, and/or while not under the supervision of school personnel a student is arrested, receives a criminal citation, or other similar type charge, including but not limited to alleged to be delinquent, that would constitute a violation of this policy if committed while on school grounds, that student shall be disqualified from athletic and extra-curricular activities participation for the time set forth herein.
See Davidson County Board of Education Policy 6.11 Rule 6 for more information
ATTENDANCE WAIVER REQUESTS (Policy 6.4.1)
Students are expected not to exceed the maximum number of absences in a semester/year in order to earn course credit
and/or to be promoted. Typically, the number of allowable absences will accommodate student needs related to illness, injury,
appointments, and other routine matters which may require a student to miss part of or all of an instructional day. When the
student’s absences exceed the allowable number of days, the student, parent, or guardian may apply to the principal for a
waiver for lawful absences due to extenuating circumstances.
The principal may grant a waiver of absences for the following circumstances:
1. Hospitalization or extended illness for which documentation of the dates of hospitalization or absences related to an
illness identified in the student’s school care plan;
2. Court or administrative proceedings for which the student is subpoenaed or serving as a witness;
3. Observance of an established religious holiday not incorporated into the school calendar for which the student has
received prior approval from the principal;
4. Death in the immediate family (considered to be parent, sibling, or grandparent) which should not exceed three (3)
days;
5. College visitation or military days not to exceed two days each year during a student’s 11th grade year and during a
student’s 12th grade year.
This request must be submitted in writing on the Davidson County Schools Attendance Waiver Request form and must be
submitted to the principal during the same semester in which the absence(s) occurs. Appropriate documentation as suggested
on the Davidson County Schools Attendance Waiver Request is required. In the event the absence(s) occur at the end of the
semester, said waiver request must be submitted within five (5) days of the absence(s).
Because the intent of the attendance waiver option is to ensure students do not lose course credit or face retention for
absences due to extenuating circumstances, principals will not consider waiving absences that meet the criteria outlined above
if the student has not yet exceeded the allowable number of absences for the semester/year.