Approved Robert Redfern, President Kim Sullivan, vice President

Extracurricular Eligibility

The Board believes in providing opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities that can help enrich the student’s educational experience. At the same time, the Board believes that a student’s participation in extracurricular activities cannot come at the expense of his/her classroom academic achievement. Interruptions of instructional time in the classroom are to be minimal and absences from class to participate in extracurricular activities shall not exceed one per week per extracurricular activity (tournaments excepted)³. Additionally, a student’s participation in, and the District’s operation of, extracurricular activities shall be subject to the following policy. All students are eligible for extracurricular activities unless specifically denied eligibility on the basis of criteria outlined in this policy.

Any student who refuses to sit for a State assessment or attempts to boycott a State assessment by failing to put forth a good faith effort on the assessment as determined by the assessment administrator/proctor, or whose parents do not send their student to school on the dates the assessments are administered or scheduled as make-up days shall not be permitted to participate in any non-curriculum related extracurricular activity. The student shall remain ineligible to participate until the student takes the same or a following state mandated assessment, as applicable, or completes the required remediation for the assessment the student failed to put forth a good faith effort on. The superintendant or designee may wave this paragraph's provisions when the student’s failure was due

to exceptional or extraordinary circumstances.3 Students falling under the provisions of this paragraph shall be permitted to attend curriculum related field trips occurring during the school day. ⁴

Interscholastic Activities
Each school in the District shall post on its website its schedule of interscholastic activities, including sign-up, tryout, and participation deadlines, at least one semester in advance of those activities. A hard copy of the schedule shall be available upon request.⁵
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS: Junior High
A student promoted from the sixth to the seventh grade automatically meets scholarship requirements. A student promoted from the seventh to the eighth grade automatically meets scholarship requirements for the first semester. The second semester eighth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester, three (3) of which shall be in the core curriculum areas specified by ADE’s Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools.
The first semester ninth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester, three (3) of which shall be in the core curriculum areas specified by ADE’s Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools.

The second semester ninth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed (4) academic courses the previous semester which count toward his/her high school graduation requirements.

Ninth-grade students must meet the requirements of the senior high scholarship rule by the end of the second semester in the ninth grade in order to be eligible to participate the fall semester of their tenth- grade year.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS: Senior High
In order to remain eligible for competitive interscholastic activity, a student must have passed (4) academic courses the previous semester and either:

1) Have earned a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 from all academic courses the previous semester; or

2) If the student has passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester but does not have a 2.0 GPA the student must be enrolled and successfully participating in an SIP to maintain their competitive interscholastic extracurricular eligibility.
STUDENTS WITH AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
In order to be considered eligible to participate in competitive interscholastic activities, students with disabilities must pass at least four (4) courses per semester as required by their individual education program (IEP).
ARKANSAS ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION
In addition to the foregoing rules, the district shall abide by the rules and regulations of AAA governing interscholastic activities. AAA provides catastrophic insurance coverage for students participating in AAA governed extracurricular activities who are enrolled in school. As a matter of District policy, no student may participate in a AAA governed extracurricular activity unless he or she is enrolled in a district school, to ensure all students are eligible for AAA catastrophic insurance. ⁶
Intrascholastic Activities

AAA Governed Activities
Students participating in intrascholastic extracurricular activities that would be governed by AAA if they were to occur between students of different schools shall meet all interscholastic activity eligibility requirements to be eligible to participate in the comparable intrascholastic activity. The District will abide by the AAA Handbook for such activities to ensure District students are not disqualified from participating in interscholastic activities.⁷

Non-AAA Governed Activities
Unless made ineligible by District policies, all students shall be eligible to participate in non-AAA governed intrascholastic extracurricular activities. Intrascholastic activities designed for a particular grade(s) or course(s) shall require the student to be enrolled in the grade(s) or course(s).

NOTES:

The standards as outlined above are minimum standards and can be raised locally if desired. If your district does not offer a SIP, delete the references to it in your policy.

AAA standards allow a student to participate in an SIP for a maximum of two consecutive semesters and require the student to improve his/her GPA by at least 10% by the end of the first semester to remain eligible for the second semester. By the end of the second semester, the student must have attained a 2.0 GPA to be eligible for competitive interscholastic activities. Following one or more semesters where the student has attained a 2.0 GPA, this cycle may be repeated.
¹ The definition for interscholastic activities is effectively taken from the AAA Handbook and is the origin for the extrapolated definition of intrascholastic activities. When it comes to implementing this policy, it may be important/helpful to keep in mind that the Handbook also points out the following: Performance activities such as band, speech, drama, etc. may be viewed as competitive arenas both internally (ratings by individual schools) and externally (comparisons of individual or school ratings with a view toward determining an ultimate winner). Additionally, both inter and intra scholastic activities may be curricular if the activity is required as part of the course.
² State Board of Education Standards for Accreditation 10.05 require a policy that "shall limit and control interruptions of instructional time in the classroom and the number of absences for such activities." You could replace “one per week per extracurricular activity” with a specific number of days per semester that could also allow the student to "bank" or accumulate days in anticipation of a major event.
³ This sentence is optional but it would keep the policy from having "zero tolerance" (which we do not support) and give you latitude to accommodate instances beyond the student's control such as a car accident, serious illness, or other acts of God. If you choose to include the sentence, you may change "Superintendent" to "principal" if that would work better in your district. Be sure to align your decision for this footnote with the decision you have made on the same issue that exists in policies 4.55 and 4.56.1.
⁴ This paragraph is entirely optional. Participation in extracurricular activities is not a right, and districts may legally place conditions on a public school student’s eligibility for participation (such as testing compliance), but districts cannot deny a diploma to an otherwise qualified student or deny a student the ability to attend school. If you choose to include the paragraph, the third to the last sentence may be amended to apply to a timeline of your choice.

⁵ This paragraph is not statutorily required, but has been added to align with policy 4.56.2—EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY ELIGIBILITY FOR HOME SCHOOLED STUDENTS with the belief that such information will benefit all students.
⁶ This also applies to home schooled students and is cleverly accommodated by an adjustment to APSCN reporting outlined in Commissioner's Memo FIN-14-11.
⁷ Districts should be aware that the AAA handbook contains rules prohibiting students who participate on school sponsored teams of the various interscholastic activities from being permitted to participate in practices and competitions for the same sport during the same season of the interscholastic activity.
Cross References: 4.55—STUDENT PROMOTION AND RETENTION

4.56.1—EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES - ELEMENTARY

Legal References: State Board of Education Standards for Accreditation 10.05 and 10.06 Arkansas

Activities Association Handbook

Date Adopted: Last Revised: 08-25-14
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – ELEMENTARY 4.56.1
Definitions
“Extracurricular activities” are defined as: any school sponsored program where students from one or more schools meet, work, perform, practice under supervision outside of regular class time, or are competing for the purpose of receiving an award, rating, recognition, or criticism, or qualification for additional competition. Examples include, but are not limited to, inter/intrascholastic athletics, cheerleading, band, choral, math, or science competitions, field trips, and club activities.
“Field Trips” are when individual students or groups of students are invited to programs or events when there is no competition and the students are not interacting with each other for the purpose of planning, qualifying, or arranging for future programs or for the purpose of receiving recognition.
“Interscholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete on a school vs. school basis.
“Intrascholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete with students from within the same school.

Extracurricular Eligibility
The Board believes in providing opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities that can help enrich the student’s educational experience. At the same time, the Board believes that a student’s participation in extracurricular activities cannot come at the expense of his/her classroom academic achievement. Interruptions of instructional time in the classroom are to be minimal and absences from class to participate in extracurricular activities shall not exceed one per week per extracurricular activity¹ (tournaments or other similar events excepted with approval of the ).² All students are eligible for extracurricular activities unless specifically denied eligibility on the basis of criteria outlined in this policy.
A student may lose his/her eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities when, in the opinion of the school’s administration, the student’s participation in such an activity may adversely jeopardize his/her academic achievement. Students may also be denied permission to participate in extracurricular activities as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the administration for inappropriate behavior.³
Any student who refuses to sit for a State assessment or attempts to boycott a State assessment by failing to put forth a good faith effort on the assessment as determined by the assessment administrator/proctor, or whose parents do not send their student to school on the dates the assessments are administered or scheduled as make-up days shall not be permitted to participate in any non-curriculum related extracurricular activity. The student shall remain ineligible to participate until the student takes the same or a following state mandated assessment, as applicable, or completes the required remediation for the assessment the student failed to put forth a good faith effort on. The superintendant or designee may wave this paragraph's provisions when the student’s failure was due

to exceptional or extraordinary circumstances.⁴ Students falling under the provisions of this paragraph shall be permitted to attend curriculum related field trips occurring during the school day^{. 5}

Notes:

¹ State Board of Education Standards for Accreditation 10.05 require a policy that "shall limit and control interruptions of instructional time in the classroom and the number of absences for such activities." You could replace “one per week per extracurricular activity” with a specific number of days per semester that could also allow the student to "bank" or accumulate days in anticipation of a major event.

²Fill in the blank with the position of the person you wish to make responsible for the decision,

e.g. principal or superintendent.

³ Make sure your student handbook matches this language.
⁴ This sentence is optional but it would keep the policy from having "zero tolerance" (which we do not support) and give you latitude to accommodate instances beyond the student's or parent's control such as a car accident, serious illness, or other acts of God. If you choose to include the sentence, you may change "Superintendent" to "principal" if that would work better in your district. Be sure to align your decision for this footnote with the decision you have made on the same issue that exists in policies 4.55 and 4.56.

⁵ This paragraph is entirely optional. Participation in extracurricular activities is not a right, and districts may legally place conditions on a public school student’s eligibility for participation (such as testing compliance), but districts cannot deny a diploma to an otherwise qualified student or deny a student the ability to attend school. If you choose to include the paragraph, the third to the last sentence may be amended to apply to a timeline of your choice.
Cross References: 4.55—STUDENT PROMOTION AND RETENTION

4.56—EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Legal Reference: State Board of Education Standards for Accreditation 10.05 and 10.06
Date Adopted: Last Revised: 08-25-14
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY ELIGIBILITY FOR HOME SCHOOLED STUDENTS 4.56.2
Home-schooled student means a student legally enrolled in an Arkansas home school and who meets or has met the criteria for being a home-schooled student, as established by A.C.A. § 6-15-503.
Interscholastic activity means an activity between schools subject to regulations of the Arkansas Activities Association that is outside the regular curriculum of the school district, such as an athletic activity, fine arts program, or a special interest group or club.
Each school in the District shall post on its website its schedule of interscholastic activities, including sign-up, tryout, and participation deadlines, at least one semester in advance of those activities. A hard copy of the schedule shall be available upon request.¹
Home-schooled students whose parents or guardians are legal residents of the school district will be permitted to pursue participation in an interscholastic activity in the student's resident school zone2 as permitted by this policy. Although not guaranteed participation in an interscholastic activity, home- school students who meet the provisions of this policy, AAA Rules, and applicable Arkansas statutes shall have an equal opportunity to try out and participate in an interscholastic activities without discrimination.
To be eligible to try out and participate in interscholastic activities, the student or the parent of a student shall mail or hand deliver the student's request to participate to the student's school's principal before the signup, tryout or participation deadline established for traditional students. Additionally, the student shall demonstrate academic eligibility by obtaining a minimum test score of the 30th percentile or better in the previous 12 months on the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Tenth Edition; another nationally recognized norm-referenced test; or a minimum score on a test approved by the State Board of Education.

A student who meets the requirements for eligibility to participate in an interscholastic activity is required to register for no more than one course3 in the District's school where the student is intending to participate in an interscholastic activity.

The student shall regularly attend the class in which the student is registered beginning no later than the eleventh (11th) day of the semester in which the student's interscholastic activity participation is desired. The student must attend the practices for the interscholastic activity to the same extent as is required of traditional students.
A home-schooled student who has met the try out criteria; and who has been selected to participate in the interscholastic activity shall meet the following criteria that also apply to traditional students enrolled in the school:

• standards of behavior and codes of conduct;

• attend the practices for the interscholastic activity to the same extent as is required of traditional students;

• required drug testing; 4

• permission slips, waivers, physical exams; and

• participation or activity fees.

Students who participate in extracurricular or athletic activities under this policy will be transported to and from the interscholastic activities on the same basis as other students are transported.
A student who withdraws from an Arkansas Activities Association member school to be home-schooled shall not participate in an interscholastic activity in the resident school district for a minimum of three hundred sixty-five days after the student withdraws from the member school.
Notes:

¹ This paragraph is not statutorily required, but without advance determination of the timelines, there will be no way for a parent to know when, or even for what semester, they will have to make their application to the district. Such information will benefit all students.

² Only include "or their applicable attendance zone's school" if your district has more than one school per grade configuration.

³ You can only require one course, but a district may permit a student to register for more than one course.

⁴ Include "drug testing" only if your district conducts such tests.
Legal References: A.C.A. § 6-15-509

Arkansas Activities Association Handbook

Date Adopted: Last Revised: 08-25-14

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSPHY 5.1
The Danville School District assumes the responsibility of providing students attending its schools a high quality education that challenges each student to achieve to their maximum potential. The district shall endeavor to create the environment within the schools necessary to attain this goal. The creation of the necessary climate shall be based on the following core beliefs:
1. The Danville School District’s vision statement will be developed with input from students, parents, business leaders, and other community members.

2. All students can be successful learners.

3. Students learn at different rates and in different ways.

4. A primary goal shall be to give students the skills they need to be life-long learners.

5. The education of all citizens is basic to our community’s well-being.

6. Student achievement is affected positively by the involvement of parents and the community in the schools.

7. The district is responsible for helping cultivate good citizenship skills in its students.

8. Students reflect the moral and ethical values of their environment.

9. All people have a right to a safe environment.

10. Each person is responsible for his/her own actions.

11. Innovation involves taking risks.

12. Schools are responsible for creating the conditions that promote success.

13. Each person is entitled to retain his/her dignity.

14. All people have the right to be treated with respect and the responsibility to treat others respectfully.

15. For teachers to succeed in cultivating high student achievement, they need to be given the materials, training, and environment necessary to produce such results.
Date Adopted: Last Revised:
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 5.26
The District shall provide an eligible alternative learning environment (ALE) for each eligible ALE student enrolled in a District school. The ALE shall be part of an intervention program designed to provide guidance, counseling, and academic support to students who are experiencing emotional, social, or academic problems. Placement of a student in an ALE shall not be punitive in nature.
The superintendent or designee shall appoint an Alternative Education Placement Team which shall have the responsibility of determining student placement in the ALE. A student may be enrolled in an ALE only on the referral of the Alternative Education Placement Team. The team's placement decision is final and may not be appealed.¹
The team is to be comprised of the following:
• a school counselor from the referring school;

• the ALE administrator and/or ALE teacher;

• the building principal or assistant principal from the referring school;

• a parent or legal guardian (if they choose to participate);

O The District shall document its efforts to contact the student's parent or guardian to schedule a meeting or a phone call for a placement meeting at the parent or guardian’s convenience, and maintain such documentation in the student’s Student Action Plan (SAP).
• LEA special education/504 representative (if applicable);

• at least one (1) of the student's regular classroom teacher(s); and

• if the District so chooses, the student.
Students who are placed in the ALE shall exhibit at least two of the following characteristics a through l:
a) Disruptive behavior;

b) Dropping out from school;

c) Personal or family problems or situations;

d) Recurring absenteeism;

For the purposes of the ALE, personal or family problems or situations are conditions that negatively affect the student’s academic and social progress. These may include, but are not limited to:

e) Ongoing, persistent lack of attaining proficiency levels in literacy and mathematics

f) Abuse: physical, mental, or sexual;

g) Frequent relocation of residency;

h) Homelessness;

i) Inadequate emotional support;

j) Mental/physical health problems;

k) Pregnancy; or

l) Single parenting.
No later than five (5) school days after a student begins alternative education interventions, the Alternative Education Placement Team shall develop a signed agreement between the ALE, the parent or legal guardian (if they choose to participate), and the student, outlining the responsibility of the ALE, parent or legal guardian, and the student to provide assurance that the plan for each student is successful.
No later than one (1) week after a student begins alternative education interventions, the Alternative Education Placement Team shall assess the student’s current functioning abilities and all relevant social, emotional, academic, career, and behavioral information and develop an SAP outlining the intervention services to be provided to the student that is in compliance with the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Rules. The SAP may be revised from time to time by the ALE placement team and a positive behavior or transitional plan shall be developed and added to the SAP prior to a student’s return to the regular educational environment.
The district’s ALE program shall follow class size, staffing, curriculum, and expenditure requirements identified in the ADE Rules.