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Changes made to Platteville High School activity code
Theres consequences, but were not going to let kids fall by the wayside
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The 2013–14 school year has already started in the eyes of fall sport athletes.

Those who run afoul of the Platteville High School activity code will find academic violations treated slightly differently this school year.

The intent of the changes is to work closer with students so they can rectify academic problems and resume participating in extracurricular activities, including athletics. The code also has expanded the concept of athletic seasons to include time in which non-athletic activities are conducted during a school year.

“Academically, we didn’t change a whole lot,” said PHS activities director Alan Minter. “There’s consequences, but we’re not going to let kids fall by the wayside.”

New provisions of the activity code replace the former nine-week suspension for failing grades.

For students with one F, a Student Improvement Plan is developed among the athletic coach or activity advisor, teacher and student to improve grades.

“We don’t want them to fend for themselves; we monitor their progress,” said Minter.

Students with two or more Fs are placed on a 15-day academic suspension, but, said Minter, “were going to keep working with them and keep after them.” If the student completes an SIP, conditional eligibility will be granted after the 15-day suspension.

Students, not just those in athletics or other activities, can participate in a study table weekdays from 7:15 to 8 a.m.

Changes also were made to the activity code in the area of personal conduct violations. Penalties now will be assessed for three new violations — participation in any form of harassment, use of performance-enhancing substances that were not prescribed for a medical issue, and hosting a gathering where drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, are available and being used illegally. The latter violation automatically counts as a second violation, including a suspension from two-thirds of an activity’s events.

Another new provision is that while penalties include suspension from activities for one-third of events — athletic seasons, for instance — for first violations and two-thirds of events for second offenses, the student must continue to participate in the activity. Student–athletes, for instance, would be required to participate in practice, but not be allowed to play in games.

The penalty for third violations is suspension from all activities for a calendar year. The student is required to apply to the PHS principal to be reinstated.

One violation can be removed from a student’s record if the student receives no other violations for one calendar year. Penalties are also reduced for students who report their own violations the day after a violation if it occurs during the week, or within 48 hours of a weekend violation, unless a police citation is issued.

Students are required to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment if the student violates the possession or consumption rule a second time.

Penalties also include losing the ability to receive school honors — including athletic team awards or being a team captain, being named to prom or Homecoming court, or being a graduation speaker — for one calendar year.