Extracurricular Activities

The Charles County Board of Education extends the privilege of extracurricular activities and athletics to students who recognize their obligation to themselves, their co-participants, and their school community while striving for academic excellence

Eligibility

All student-athletes must conform to eligibility policies listed in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association Handbook (MPSSAA) (a copy of the Handbook is available in all Charles County High Schools). Student-athletes must take a minimum of four classes to be eligible to participate in athletics. The coach in each sport is responsible for determining squad membership.

Eligibility per Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) and CCPS

1. Full-Time Enrollment
   An individual must be a registered full-time student in Charles County Public Schools to participate in any extracurricular activity. A full-time student is defined as a student registered in four (4) or more courses or in an approved college or principal waiver program, except in special circumstances.

2. Academic Eligibility Policy
   Based on Superintendent's Rule Policy #6431
   (Adopted February 9, 2014; Last Revised April 17, 2018; Last Reviewed April 17, 2018; Revised August 9, 2022)

Eligibility per Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Subtitle 05, Chapter 03.02

Each local school system shall establish standards of participation which assure that students involved in interscholastic athletics are making satisfactory progress toward graduation.

Ineligibility and Appeals Process

• Any determination of ineligibility under Board Policy 6431 shall be listed on the student’s report card from the previous quarter.
   
• Appeals Process:
  1. Parents may appeal to the school principal using the Extra-Curricular Eligibility Appeal form.
  2. If denied, parents may appeal in writing to the Office of School Administration within 30 days of the principal’s decision.
  3. If denied again, a final appeal may be submitted in writing to the Board of Education within 30 days of the Office of School Administration’s decision.

The student shall remain ineligible during the appeal process unless and until the ineligibility determination is reversed.

Definition of Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are defined as any school activity that is non-credit bearing, including athletics. These activities are not directly connected to the school’s academic program.
Examples include:

• Compete with students from other schools (e.g., intramural athletics, robotics team)
• Represent the school (e.g., student government)
• Perform (e.g., school play, musical group)
• Clubs

These programs are considered an integral part of the total educational experience and often positively influence academic achievement.

Exemptions from Eligibility Policy

Activities that support specific content curriculum do not fall under the eligibility policy if the student is enrolled in the credit-bearing class.
Examples include:

• Fine and Performing Arts
• J.R.O.T.C. Drill Competitions
• Skills U.S.A
• Tutoring programs
• Mentoring programs
• Open gyms

Participation Limitations

A student shall only be eligible for participation on any interscholastic athletic team for four (4) consecutive years of participation after entering the ninth grade and eight consecutive semesters. The eight consecutive semesters are counted from the time the student first enters ninth grade in any CCPS school or any other public school, private school, charter school, parochial school, or equivalent home school setting in any jurisdiction.

Out of Season Programs

Participants in out of season programs must have current physical, parent permission, emergency medical card, and insurance forms on file in the athletic director's office.

Residency

1. Beginning July 1, 2011, students with pending housing occupancy within the school zone may enroll for academics but may not participate in athletics until the home is occupied. Students whose guardianship is pending may enroll for academics but may not participate in athletics until court documents are received by the school. Students whose custody is jointly held are ineligible until primary residency is established. Students paying tuition are ineligible for one year from the date of enrollment. High school students who transfer from out of zone at any time during the school year are ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the new school for one calendar year from the date of transfer. (Students of a CCPS employee, see Superintendent’s Rule 5126, item 6 for eligibility).
    
2. Any new transfer student or student not listed on the athletic computer program must have a transcript or report card indicating the grades and attendance for the prior semester. Students will not be cleared to try out until this guideline has been met. Students are considered ineligible until this clearance process is met.
    
3. No school personnel are to discuss transfers or guardianship arrangements with any student for the purpose of facilitating athletic participation.

Eligibility Determination Guidelines

1. Fall Activities
   Except for students promoted from eighth grade to ninth grade, students who wish to participate in fall extracurricular and/or athletic activities will need to meet eligibility requirements based on their final grade-point average at the end of the previous year.
    
2. Winter Activities
   Except for students promoted from eighth grade to ninth grade, students who wish to participate in winter extracurricular and/or athletic activities will need to meet eligibility requirements based on their first quarter grade-point average.
    
3. Spring Activities
   Students who wish to participate in spring extracurricular and/or athletic activities will need to meet eligibility requirements based on their second quarter grade-point average.
    
4. Failing Grades in Quarters 1, 2, or 3
   Except for students promoted from eighth grade to ninth grade in their first semester, if a student received a failing grade in quarters 1, 2, or 3, she/he is ineligible for the remainder of the season, for post-season play, and for the following quarter.
    
5. Summer School Recovery
   Students academically ineligible at the end of the school year due to a failing grade may regain eligibility by attending and passing any/all summer school class(es) offered that caused the student’s ineligibility.
   • Students may regain eligibility only by taking the same summer school class to improve a failing grade or the corresponding equivalent that meets graduation requirements.
   • Grade point average requirements will be recalculated after the completion of summer school.
      
6. Original Credit Courses
   Summer school classes taken for original credit do not count towards or against eligibility.
    
7. No Mid-Quarter Eligibility Changes
   Students cannot gain or regain eligibility at interim or at any time during the quarter and/or season.

Extra-curricular Activities and Athletics Requirements: High Schools

Eligibility requirements must be met for students to participate in competitions, non-curricular performances, and in activities which represent a CCPS school or district.
Activities include, but are not limited to:

Definition of Days Absent

Days absent include any absence from school for a full day or any portion of the day for any reason other than:

• Death in the immediate family (parent/guardian, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, first cousin, or household member)
• Illness of the student supported by a physician’s certificate
• Up to five parent notes per quarter (submitted within five days of the absence)
• Illness of the student sent home by the school nurse, plus 1–2 additional days with a parent’s written explanation
• Health exclusion, as determined by the school
• Court summons
• Other emergency or set of circumstances which in the judgment of the principal constitutes a good and sufficient cause for absence from school, including educational trips and college visits, as defined by Superintendent’s Rule 5122
• Work approved or sponsored by the school (per COMAR 13A.08.01.03)
• Observance of a religious holiday (per COMAR 13A.08.01.03)

The principal retains the authority to require documentation for any days absent.

Implementation Timeline

This Rule applies to eligibility determinations beginning with the second quarter of the 2015– 2016 school year and beyond.

• Any student who is absent (as defined above) for more than 4.5 days in the first quarter of the 2015–2016 school year shall be ineligible for extracurricular activities or athletics in the second quarter.
• In future determinations, absences in the previous quarter shall be the determining factor. 

Nothing in this Rule overrides other eligibility factors, including the minimum required GPA as stated in Board Policy 6431

Participation Restrictions Based on Attendance

1. If a student is absent the entire day due to illness, he/she may not practice, compete, or perform.
    
2. If a student is absent in afternoon classes, he/she may not practice, compete, or perform. 
    
3. If a student is absent in the morning, he/she must attend at least ½ of their classes to be eligible.
    
4. Students on Principal Waiver must attend a minimum of 2 hours of class to participate in that day’s activities.
    
5. Students absent for lawful reasons other than illness have no restriction on that day’s practice or game. However, the principal must approve the absence prior to participation.
    
6. Students suspended from school for any reason shall not be eligible for practice, competitions, or performance during the time of the suspension unless reinstated by the principal and they attend more than ½ of their class periods for one day. This includes in-school suspension programs.
   • A copy of the Reinstatement of Suspended Student/Athletes policy is included in the handbook.
    
7. A student may participate in interscholastic athletics only if regularly enrolled in school the previous semester.
   • The only exception to this rule would be withdrawal due to physical disability.

Practice

• Student is expected to attend all scheduled practices.
• If a situation arises that a student is unable to attend practice, the coach must be notified directly

Conduct Eligibility

Participation in athletics is a privilege and carries with it the responsibility of exhibiting good behavior.

• Students who violate rules set forth by the county, school, and coach (team expectations) could be temporarily suspended from the team or permanently dismissed from the team.
• Students permanently dismissed shall forfeit their right to any awards at the end of the season.
• Any student who is permanently dismissed from a Charles County sports/season team forfeits the right to play that sport at any other high school during that school year.

Conduct of Coaches and Players During Interscholastic Competition

• Coach Ejection
  • Must leave the game site immediately
  • Suspended for the next game played
  • Not allowed at the game site on the day/night of the next contest
  • Must complete the “NFHS Teaching and Modeling Course for Disqualification Coaches” at www.nfhslearn.com ($20 fee)
  • Certificate of completion must be filed with the athletic director
   
• Player Ejection (Flagrant Foul/Unsportsmanlike Conduct)
  • Suspended for the next game played
  • May participate in practice but not attend or represent the team at the next game
  • Must view the “NFHS Sportsmanship v2.0” video at www.nfhslearn.com under school official supervision
  • Certificate of completion must be filed with the athletic director
   
• Egregious Ejection
  • Minimum two-game suspension
  • Suspension length may increase depending on severity
  • Second egregious ejection in the same season may result in removal from the team

Egregious Behavior Includes:

1. Violent conduct (e.g., fighting, baiting opponents)
2. Vulgar/profane language, spitting, insulting/abusive gestures
3. Racial language or gestures, or personal attacks toward officials

Additional Ejection Rules:

• Ejection in the last game of the season results in disqualification from the first game of the following year/season
• Ejection from an MPSSAA playoff contest results in disqualification from the next MPSSAA contest
• Ejections are not appealable

Coaches should model good sportsmanship at all times. Player behavior is a direct reflection of coach behavior.

Reinstatement of Suspended Students

Suspension Guidelines:

1. Once suspended by the principal for violation of school rules, the student is automatically suspended from all school activities pending reinstatement. 
2. The student will serve the suspension length as determined by the principal.
3. After serving the suspension, the student may be reinstated to school by the principal if all conditions are met.
4. Before returning to the team, the student must meet with the principal (or designee) and the athletic director/club sponsor. The parent and sponsor may also be included.
5. If a second suspension occurs during the same sport season, the student will not be reinstated to the team after returning to school.
    

Hazing, Assault, and Harassment

Charles County Public Schools does not condone or allow any verbal, written, or physical assaults or harassment in any form, including hazing or similar activities. Any activities that humiliate, tease, harass, injure, or potentially injure as part of a ritual of belonging to any club, team, gang, or group are strictly forbidden in any form.

Any student who is exposed to an assault, harassment, or hazing, or suspects that such activities are occurring, should immediately report the matter to a coach, teacher, or administrator.
 

Substance Abuse

The Charles County Board of Education policies concerning substance abuse are outlined in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook. Violations of the Substance Abuse Policy will be handled according to the discipline matrix already in place.

• Students may not use or possess drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
• Students may not distribute or use any over-the-counter prescription drugs or dietary and nutritional supplements for the purpose of enhancing performance.
• Failure to comply with the Student Code of Conduct may result in dismissal from sports teams.

Outside Team Membership

Students, while participating on a school team, are permitted to participate in the same sport outside of school during the sports season. Such participation must meet the following criteria:

1. The outside participation may not conflict with the sports schedule of the school, including district, regional, and state championship play. (Sports schedules include games and practices.) 
2. A student who elects to participate on an outside team and does not participate on the school team during the designated sport’s season is ineligible to represent his/her school in all meets and games that determine a county, district, regional, or state championship.

• The tryout/selection period will be a minimum of three days commencing with the first day of practice. Any student who joins the team on/after the three-day tryout/selection period is not guaranteed three days before final team selection.
   
• A student must be on the roster for seven calendar days before participating in outside competition.
   
• Any student who has been cut from an athletic team will meet privately with each coach. The coach will discuss with the student why he/she was cut from the team and ways to improve to be better prepared for the following year's try-out.
   
• A student being shifted from a junior varsity team to a varsity team and vice versa, may not in a week or a season play in a number of games to exceed the maximum allowed for a varsity team in a sport, in a week or in a season; nor may he or she play in more than one game on one day, i.e., he or she may not play in a varsity and junior varsity game on the same day. Likewise, a freshman to junior varsity.
   
• Twelfth grade students may not participate on a junior varsity or freshman team. It is recommended that eleventh grade students participate on the varsity team. Tenth grade students are prohibited from playing freshman sports. Freshmen repeating the 9th grade are not eligible to participate on a freshman team.
   
• Any student-athlete who quits a team, or is dismissed from a team, after the first contest will not be cleared to participate in off-season workouts with another sports team until the previous sport’s regular season has been completed.
   
• Students who wish to play two sports during the same season may do so under the following guidelines:
  1. The student must have the signed approval of both coaches, the student, and the parent, and on file with the athletic director.
  2. Upon granting approval, the approval coaches must develop a practice schedule suitable to the situation.
  3. The student must list one sport as the primary sport, in order to avoid problems and confusion if rescheduling, playoffs, or other reasons cause a conflict.
      
• Upon the official start of the sports season, and at the conclusion of one calendar week thereafter, all applicable tryout opportunities will close, cuts will be made as appropriate, and the roster set. Students are responsible for contacting the Athletic Director or Head Coach of the sport in question if there are any questions about the specific dates of the tryouts. No additions to the team will be accepted once final cuts have been made. Any special consideration otherwise, will be subject to final approval by the Athletic Director and the Head Coach of the sport in question.