EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

The Board considers extracurricular activities to be a valuable part of the program of the school and will support these activities within the financial means of the District.

Limited Open Forum

The Board maintains a limited open forum where secondary students may meet for voluntary student-initiated activities unrelated directly to the instructional program, regardless of religious, political or philosophical content.

To provide “a fair opportunity” to students who wish to conduct a meeting, the Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Equal Access Act, will ensure that:

a) The meeting is voluntary and student-initiated;
b) There is no sponsorship of the meeting by the school, the government, or its agents or employees;
c) Employees or agents of the school or government are present at religious meetings only in a nonparticipatory capacity;
d) The meeting does not materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school; and
e) Nonschool persons may not direct, conduct, control, or regularly attend activities of student groups (20 USC Section 4071[c]).

The Board prohibits student organizations whose activities may be unlawful or may cause disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of the educational process.
Administration is responsible for establishing regulations governing the use of school facilities by student organizations.

Eligibility for Attendance

a) Students who are suspended from school on a day of an athletic game or practice session, party, school dance, or other school affair scheduled after regular school hours are not eligible for participation or attendance at such events.

b) In order for students to attend a school-sponsored function, it is necessary that students attend classes for at least one half of the school day on the day of the activity, unless otherwise excused by the building administrator. One-half of the school day is defined as follows: from 8:30 a.m. until noon or from noon until the end of the school day.

Equal Access Act, 20 United States Code (USC) Sections 4071-4074 Education Law Sections 1709 and 1709-a, 2503-a and 2554-a
Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 142
8 New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Part 172

CENSORSHIP OF SCHOOL SPONSORED STUDENT PUBLICATIONS AND ACTIVITIES

The District may exercise editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored publications and activities that are part of the educational curriculum.

SPORTS AND THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM

Athletics are an integral part of a well-balanced educational program. Therefore, the Board supports within its resources a broad sports program with equal access for both males and females, with emphasis on maximum participation, through interscholastic and intramural activity. The District will comply with recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regarding Title IX equal opportunity for males and females in the District’s total athletic program regarding any of the following factors which may be applicable:

a) The nature and extent of the sports program to be offered (including the levels of competition, such as varsity, club, etc.);
b) The provision of equipment and supplies;
c) The scheduling of games and practice time;
d) The provision of travel and per diem allowances;
e) The nature and extent of the opportunity to receive coaching and academic tutoring;
f) The assignment and compensation of coaches and tutors;
g) The provision of locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities;
h) The provision of medical and training facilities and services;
i) The provision of housing and dining facilities and services; and
j) The nature and extent of support, publicity and promotion including cheerleading, bands, published programs distributed at games, and booster club activities.

The interscholastic athletic program will conform to the regulations of the Commissioner of Education as well as the established rules of the New York State Public High Schools Athletic Association and the State Education Department.

Eligibility for interscholastic athletic competition requires that the students:

a) Provide written parental/guardian consent;
b) Pass satisfactorily the medical examination administered by the school physician/nurse practitioner or the student’s personal physician. The school physician/nurse practitioner retains final approval on all physicals performed by the student’s personal physician; and
c) Meet the requirements for interscholastic competition as set forth by the Commissioner’s regulations and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.

Booster Clubs

The District has a responsibility under Title IX to ensure that boys’ and girls’ programs are provided with equivalent benefits, treatment, services and opportunities regardless of their source. When determining equivalency, benefits, services and opportunities attained through the use of private funds (e.g., “booster clubs”), such funds are considered in combination with all benefits, services and opportunities.

Private fundraising, including student-initiated fundraising, is permissible under Title IX. Further, compliance with Title IX does not mean that teams must “share” proceeds from fundraising activities. It does, however, place a responsibility on the District to ensure that benefits, services, treatment and opportunities overall, regardless of funding sources, are equivalent for male and female athletes.

In accordance with OCR, in order for the District to be in continuing compliance with Title IX requirements, the District must assure that services, benefits and opportunities in its athletic programs are provided on an equivalent basis to both boys and girls, including those services, benefits and opportunities that are provided through the use of outside financial assistance such as donations, fundraising by coaches, and booster clubs.

Selection/Classification Process

The Board approves the use of the selection/classification process for all secondary school interscholastic team members. The Board directs the Superintendent to implement the procedures and maintain a file of those students deemed eligible as a result of those procedures.

Student Athletic Injuries

No student should be allowed to practice or play in an athletic contest if he or she is suffering from an injury. The diagnosis of and prescription of treatment for injuries is strictly a medical matter and should under no circumstances be considered within the province of the coach. A coach’s responsibility is to see that injured players are given prompt and competent medical attention, and that all details of a doctor’s instructions concerning the student’s functioning as a team member are carried out. No student will be allowed to practice or compete if there is a question whether he or she is in adequate physical condition.

A physician’s certificate may be required before an athlete is permitted to return to practice or competition.

Athletic Program – Safety

The District will take reasonable steps to see that physical risks to students participating in the interscholastic athletic program will be kept at a minimum by: 

a) Requiring medical examinations of participants;
b) Obtaining appropriately certified and/or licensed officials to coach all varsity, junior varsity, and modified games; and
c) Ensuring that equipment is both safe and operative within approved guidelines.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 United States Code (USC) Section 1681 et seq. 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 86
8 New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Section 135

CONTESTS FOR STUDENTS, STUDENT AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Contests for Students

Distribution of educational material, essay contests, and poster contests must be approved in advance by the building principals if the sponsoring organization wishes to involve students in the project on school time. Samples of informational material should accompany the request. Upon the judgment of the principal, the request may be forwarded to the Superintendent and the Board for approval.

Student Awards and Scholarships

The District may obtain and award to its students awards and scholarships. The Board, having been entrusted by law, will hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests and legacies given or bequeathed to the Pine Bush Central School District and will apply the same and/or their interest and proceeds according to the instruction of the donors and according to the procedures established by the administration.

Education Law Sections 1604(30), 1709(12-a) and 2503(1)

FUND RAISING BY STUDENTS

Fundraising projects in which students sell merchandise, provide services, or in other ways solicit money for school activities may be sponsored by school organizations with the express approval of the building principal. Any such plan will have a clearly defined purpose and, in general, will contribute to the educational experience of students and will not conflict with instructional programs or state mandates. Fundraising activities away from school property will be held to a minimum. All participation will be voluntary.

Door to door sales projects undertaken by any organization using the Pine Bush Central School District name will require previous approval of the Board. Profits will be used to enhance school programs by providing money for expenditures not normally funded by the District.

Employees are cautioned against giving the impression to students that the purpose of selling items or paying a fee is to defray a portion of the District’s educational program. At no time should a student’s participation in an educational activity include such sales or fees. In addition, it is imperative that employees not deposit the proceeds of any legitimate sales activity in their own personal accounts. These activities may jeopardize a student’s right to participate in the educational program on a tuition and/or fee-free basis. Further, employees engaged in such activities may be held personally liable.

New York State Constitution, Article 8, Section 1
Education Law Section 414
8 New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Section 19.6

CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED PRAYER IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

In accordance with the most recent Guidance Document issued by the U.S. Department of Education implementing the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Board affirms the responsibilities of the District, consistent with applicable statutory/case law pertaining to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, to allow students and staff to engage in constitutionally protected prayer within the District schools.

Accordingly, no Board policy will prevent, or otherwise deny participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in District schools, consistent with the Guidance Document and applicable law as enumerated above.

The Board rescinds any other policy that may be inconsistent with the mandates of this policy, which will supersede any and all Board policies to the contrary.

United States Constitution, First Amendment
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,
Section 9524
Equal Access Act, 20 United States Code (USC) Sections 4071-4074

BAND INSTRUMENTS

a) All instrumental music students will be expected to own or rent their instrument — particularly the common and less expensive instruments (flute, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone etc.).
b) Students will not be required to own or rent the less common and more expensive instruments. Instruments in this category are as follows: oboe, bassoon, tuba, French horn, trombone, baritone horn, tenor and baritone saxophones, bass trombone and percussion instruments. School-owned instruments in this classification will be disbursed upon decisions by the instrumental music staff. Decisions will be dependent upon the individual student’s talent and merit and the need for a balanced instrumentation at each grade level.
c) Students and parents/legal guardians will assume responsibility for proper care of school-owned instruments and will pay for damages to same.
d) The District will only transport, on its vehicles, those instruments whose size conforms with all existing laws regulating District transportation.

STUDENT PARKING

It is the intent of this policy to control parking by high school students, and the operation of’ automobiles by such students, during regular school days, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Students wishing to drive motor vehicles to school and to park on school property must make application to the building principal on a form provided by the District. building principals will issue a parking sticker that must be affixed visibly on the specific automobile described on the application. No fees will be charged.

Building principals will further designate student parking areas in each parking lot. Unauthorized vehicles or vehicles that do not display the appropriate parking sticker will be subject to removal at the expense of the owner.

Signs will be posted in each parking lot, advising student drivers that unauthorized vehicles are subject to removal. It is further directed that parking privileges may be revoked at any time by the building principal.

The Board hereby adopts this policy as an accommodation for those who feel they must drive to school; the District continues to encourage all students to ride to and from school on school-furnished transportation. The District rejects any and all responsibility for students who operate personally-owned automobiles.