Students will exhibit satisfactory conduct in order to retain eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities in Highlands County Public Schools. Students attending an Alternative School cannot participate in extracurricular activities.

• In-School Suspension - Students may not participate or attend extracurricular game or practice activities during in-school suspension.

• Corporal Punishment - Students may not participate in or attend any school sponsored activity the day they receive corporal punishment.

• Out-of-School Suspension - Students assigned to out of school suspension shall be excluded from participating or attending all extracurricular activities from the start date of OSS until completion of the disciplinary action, and the student has attended a regular school day. For the purpose of continuity, suspension shall begin the day the referral is finalized and the consequences issued by the appropriate administrator.

Students entering a Highlands County Public School from another school district, charter, or private school must complete any disciplinary actions from the previous school district before the student is eligible to participate in any interscholastic school activity within Highlands County Public Schools.

SPECIAL NOTE:

If a player quits or is dismissed for disciplinary reasons from a team, he/she shall not be permitted to try out for the next season's sport at the same school until the season ends in the initial sport from which the athlete quits. For example: Quits football to try out for basketball. A season is defined as the first day of practice through the school's last FHSAA play-off game. (Sideline cheer Included.)

The following includes a list of examples, such as, but not limited to, which may be considered for exclusion as eligibility standards to participate in extracurricular interscholastic activities:

• School attendance policy that may prevent a student from participating

• Alcohol/drug related behavior

• School/classroom discipline issues

• Principal discretion

• Social media issues

• Bullying

• Sportsmanship

• Dress code policy

• Four year limit of eligibility

• Age limit – 19 years, 9 months (seniors) or 19 years on or after Sept. 1st (all others)

• Physical evaluation (EL2) and Consent and Release from Liability Certificate (EL3)

• Any other district policy which would remove or prevent a student from participating in

  extracurricular activities.

Academic Requirements: 2.0 grade point average required for academic eligibility. A high school student must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 unweighted scale, or its equivalent, at the conclusion of each semester to be academically eligible during the next semester (s. 1006.15 (3)(a)1, Florida Statutes). Final grades previously earned by the student from another school shall not be converted using the scale in calculating GPA. The grades from all courses required for graduation that a student takes, including those taken by the student before he/she begins high school, must be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA at the conclusion of each semester. For public school students, this includes the courses listed in s. 1003.4282, Florida Statues. Academic eligibility/ineligibility is for one semester. A student who is academically eligible at the beginning of a semester will continue to be academically eligible for that entire semester.

Likewise, a student who is academically ineligible at the beginning of a semester will continue to be academically ineligible for that entire semester, except as provided in by-law 9.4.5.1.2. The student’s academic eligibility for each successive semester will depend upon his/her cumulative GPA at the conclusion of the previous semester. 9.4.1.3 Attendance during previous two consecutive semester required. A student cannot be academically eligible if he/she has not attended school and received grades for all courses taken during the previous two consecutive semesters. (FHSAA ByLaws.) All district high schools shall be members of the Florida High School Athletic Association Inc. (FHSAA) and shall be governed by the rules and regulations adopted by FHSAA. Students who participate in athletics shall meet eligibility requirements by FHSAA and the school board.

Special Note: Athletic Student Transfer Eligibility

A student who transfers is immediately eligible as long as all other eligibility requirements are met. Students may not participate in the same sport in the same year at more than one school (unless one of the exceptions are met):

1. Children of active duty military whose move resulted from military orders

2. Children relocated due to foster care placement or McKinney-Vento Act

3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation, or serious illness or death of custodial parent

4. Good cause policy in district or charger (district placement)

   1. Special assignment by Regional Superintendent, School Office, or Office of School Culture and Climate

   2. Move to a new residence following the marriage of the student. The student immediately establishes a new residence that makes it necessary to attend a different school

   3. Reassignment by District School Board or Charter School Board

   4. Transfer of school within the first 20 days -i.e.: acceptance into a previously applied for magnet program

   5. Any athletic appeal which will require the office of Athletics Review Committee to intervene and make decision on a case led by the Senior Coordinator of Athletics. All decisions will be given within 10 school days from the date of the appeal

   6. Affidavit of residency will require county athletic director approval

   7. Academy transfer before the season begins