Athletic Code

Student-athletes are expected to adhere to the rules set forth by the WIAA, the NTPS Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook and their respective high school handbook. In addition, student athletes must meet the following criteria to be eligible for interscholastic sports consideration:

A high school student shall be under twenty (20) years of age on September 1 for the Fall sports season, on December 1 for the Winter sports season, and March 1 for the Spring sports season. (WIAA 18.4.0).

Every student who participates in interscholastic athletics must have a current ASB card.

A student-athlete must be enrolled in five or more classes (or the equivalent) at the start of the season of the school the athlete represents. (WIAA 18.5.0)

• 2.3.1 A Running Start student is a member of the high school from which they access the Running Start program. (WIAA 18.6.0)
• 2.3.2 A private/alternative school student may participate in athletics at their public school of residence when a sport is not offered at their private/alternative school. (WIAA 18.5.2)
• 2.3.3 A home school student may participate at their resident high school in athletics by registering with the school district as a home school student. (WIAA 18.5.4)
• 2.3.4 Athletic opportunities offered by NTPS school athletic programs are intended for students currently enrolled in that specific school only. Student-athletes participating in any sports program offered/sponsored by a NTPS school must be enrolled in and be in good standing with that school. This expectation is in effect during the in-season, out-of-season and summer periods as defined by the WIAA.

2.4.1 Each high school student-athlete will pay a fee for each sport in which they participate. The fee or arrangements to pay the fee must be made prior to the student-athlete’s first contest.

2.4.2 Student-athletes who, according to NTPS records, have any outstanding school-related fines will be considered ineligible for full athletic participation until one of the following actions have been completed:

• the fine is paid in full;
• items in question have been returned or situations have been resolved;
• a payment agreement between the student/family and the school issuing the fine has been initiated; or
• the fine has been dropped by the issuing school.

Prior to the first practice of an interscholastic sport, participants must undergo a thorough physical examination and be approved for full participation by a medical authority, as defined by the WIAA. Physical examinations must be renewed after 24 consecutive months to the date. The NTPS Athletic Department strongly recommends that a new athletic physical examination is obtained each year. (WIAA 17.11.0)

• 2.5.1 All student-athletes who have been ill or injured or whose health has changed to the extent of needing a physician’s care must have the written release of a health care provider prior to re-entering competition in a given interscholastic sport. (WIAA 17.11.4)
• 2.5.2 All student-athletes and their parents will be required annually to sign and return an information sheet relating to the nature and risk of concussion or head injury. This information sheet will include the signs and symptoms of concussion/brain injury.

Student-athletes are required to have or obtain medical insurance.

A student-athlete’s parents or legal guardians shall be bona fide residents of the North Thurston Public Schools district within the designated high school attendance area (WIAA 18.10.0).

• 2.8.1 Out of district – for the first year of the school transfer, a student-athlete who attended a school outside the NTPS district is restricted to junior varsity competition in those sports in which they participated in the prior year. (WIAA 18.11.0)
• 2.8.2 In district – for the first year of the school transfer, a student-athlete who attended another school within the NTPS district is restricted to junior varsity competition in those sports in which they participated in the prior year. (WIAA 18.11.0)
• 2.8.3 Appeals – Student-athletes who wish to appeal their varsity eligibility must contact their building Athletic Director for the appropriate WIAA appeal packet. (WIAA 19.0.0)
• 2.8.4 Sport transfer in-season – a student-athlete who wishes to change from one sport to another during the same sports season must secure the approval of both coaches involved and report that change to the building Athletic Director.
• 2.8.5 Window of Transfer – A student who wishes to transfer to a school without a corresponding change of residence by their family unit and who meets all other conditions of eligibility shall have initial eligibility at the new school only during the window of transfer. The window of transfer may be accessed one (1) time during the natural break between junior high/middle school and high school.

A student shall not compete in more than one (1) interscholastic sport per season. (WIAA 18.21.0).

In order to maintain eligibility during the current semester/trimester, the student shall be full-time and maintain passing grades in a minimum of:

• 3 classes in a 4-period class schedule or the equivalent credits 
• 4 classes in a 5-period class schedule or the equivalent credits 
• 5 classes in a 6-period class schedule or the equivalent credits 
• 6 classes in a 7-period class schedule or the equivalent credits 
• 7 classes in an 8-period class schedule or the equivalent credits

Class schedule guidelines referenced above shall be the requirement of all full-time students in that school. 

RUNNING START COURSES EQUIVALENT: One 5-credit quarter course is equivalent to one (1.0) high school credit. One 3-credit semester course is equivalent to one (1.0) high school credit NOTE: Any class posted as a “W” indicates a student has withdrawn from the class and is not considered a class toward the minimum class or the equivalent credit requirements. (WIAA 18.8.0).

Students enrolled in one less class than required to be passed by other students must maintain passing grades in all classes they initially enrolled in to remain academically eligible. Seniors may not drop or withdraw from a class in order to remain eligible (WIAA 18.8.1).

NTPS student-athletes who do not meet the scholarship requirements (WIAA 18.8.0) during the previous semester will be subject to the academic interventions outlined in section 18.8.6 of the WIAA Handbook.

Grade checks will be conducted on all student-athletes in-season every three weeks by the athletic director (AD). The AD will compile a roster of student-athletes and their current grades, which will be submitted to the respective coach. The coach and/or AD will determine which academic interventions are necessary for identified student-athletes and assign these accordingly. The coach/AD will monitor and promote the pursuit of academic honors for their in-season teams.

The student-athlete and their parent/guardian will be notified via email within three (3) days of the suspension by the AD or designee. Suspension shall be managed using the following protocol:

• The student-athlete is eligible to practice, but is ineligible to participate in any interscholastic competition until the academic standard is met or exceeded.
• The student-athlete will be placed in appropriate academic interventions following an academic review.
• Practice time may be reduced to allow for additional study time.
• The student-athlete will be required to communicate directly with the Athletic Director to verify having met grade standards prior to being cleared for competitions.
• Any student-athlete who fails to meet the academic standard after two consecutive grade checks will be subject to removal from the team.

Student-athletes are expected to be present in school for every scheduled class period of the day in order to participate in a game or practice.  Exceptions, such as dental and medical appointments, school-sponsored activities, and college visits for high school seniors, must be communicated in advance through the school attendance office and to the head coach.  All exceptions are subject to approval by the Athletic Director, Dean of Students, or designee.

A student-athlete shall follow all rules established by NTPS in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook and by their school at all times while they are eligible or potentially eligible to participate in high school athletics, including, but not limited to time, such as summer breaks, vacations, and non-school days, and regardless of whether the student athlete is not currently participating in a sport. Failure to follow these rules may result in athletic discipline consequences, including, but not limited to, loss of playing time, suspension or dismissal following a review by the school’s administration.

Conviction or adjudication of any criminal acts, or being charged with criminal acts if school officials determine the conduct involved in the charge occurred, is also a violation of the Athletic Code.

All members of athletic programs at NTPS have a responsibility to use social media in a positive, appropriate manner. Items including comments, photos, images, and videos that are derogatory, demeaning, taunting or unsportsmanlike toward an opponent, team, school, community, teammate, team, and/or coaching staff are considered detrimental to the purpose of the athletic programs of NTPS. Individuals making such improper use of social media will be subject to appropriate team and/or school discipline. Comments, videos, images and photos on social media can be used as evidence of athletic code violations and lead to athletic disciplinary consequences.

Any humiliating or dangerous activity expected of a student to belong to a group, regardless of their willingness to participate, will be considered an act of hazing and will not be tolerated in the athletic programs of the NTPS. Violators will be subject to the consequences found under the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) and Harassment rules of NTPS and may also be subject to further athletic disciplinary consequences, following a review by the school’s administration.

Any athlete who self-reports a violation of the athletic code for a first violation may receive a reduced consequence for the offense following a review by the school’s administration.

Use, possession, sale, or delivery of tobacco/vapor equipment/material, alcohol/marijuana, drugs and/or possession of drug paraphernalia and/or substance purported to be drugs is prohibited. Athletes who are at a location where drugs and/or alcohol/marijuana are being used illegally must, upon learning of the presence and/or use of such substances, make immediate, and exhaustive attempts to leave the premises; failure to do so will result in disciplinary action outlined in sections 5.0.0 and 6.0.0.

Penalties for the possession, use or sale of legend drugs (drugs obtained through prescription, RCW 69.41.020-050) and controlled substances (RCW 69.50) shall be as follows (WIAA 18.26.2):

1st Violation - A participant shall be immediately ineligible for interscholastic competition in the current interscholastic sports program for the remainder of the season. Ineligibility shall continue until the next sports season in which the participant wishes to participate, unless the student-athlete accesses the assistance program outlined in B (below.)

1. In order to be eligible to participate in the next interscholastic sports season, the student-athlete shall meet with the Building Athletic Appeal Committee. This Committee is composed of: one building administrator; the building Athletic Director; one coach from a different sport/activity than the one involved; and (when possible) one counselor or other staff member. The building Athletic Director will chair the committee.
2. A student-athlete who seeks and receives help for a problem with use of legend drugs (RCW 69.41.010 identified substances) or controlled substances and controlled substance analogs (RCW 69.50.101 identified substances) shall be given the opportunity for assistance through the school and/or community agencies. In no instance shall participation in a school and/or community approved assistance program excuse a student-athlete from subsequent compliance with this regulation. However, successful utilization of such an opportunity or compliance with athletic code by the student-athlete may allow them to have eligibility re-instated in that athletic season, pending recommendation by the school eligibility authority (Building Athletic Appeal Committee).

2nd Violation - A student-athlete who again violates any provision of RCW 69.41.020 through 69.41.050 or of RCW 69.50 shall be ineligible for interscholastic competition for a period of one (1) calendar year from the date of the second violation.

3rd Violation - A student-athlete who violates for a third time RCW 69.41.020 - 69.41.050 or of RCW 69.50 shall be permanently ineligible for interscholastic competition

Use, possession, sale, or delivery of tobacco/vapor equipment/material, alcohol/marijuana, drugs and/or possession of drug paraphernalia and/or substance purported to be drugs is prohibited. Athletes who are at a location where drugs and/or alcohol/marijuana are being used illegally must, upon learning of the presence and/or use of such substances, make immediate, and exhaustive attempts to leave the premises; failure to do so will result in disciplinary action outlined in sections 5.0.0 and 6.0.0.

A violation involving tobacco/vapor equipment/material or alcohol/marijuana shall subject the student-athlete to disciplinary action as follows (WIAA 8.24.1):

• 1st Violation: Suspension of 5 participation days and a minimum of 10% of competition
• 2nd Violation: Suspension of 15 participation days; enroll and complete a smoking diversion / cessation program and a minimum of 20% of competition
• 3rd Violation: 30-day suspension or the remainder of the season (whichever is greater)

• 1st Violation: Suspension of 40 participation days and a minimum of 20% of competition.
• 2nd Violation: Suspension of 90 participation days.
• 3rd Violation: Expulsion from all athletics for one calendar year.

A student-athlete who seeks and receives help for a problem with use of alcohol /marijuana shall be given the opportunity for assistance through the school and/or community agencies. In no instance shall participation in a school and/or community approved assistance program excuse a student-athlete from subsequent compliance with this regulation. However, successful utilization of such an opportunity or compliance with athletic code by the student-athlete may allow him/her to have eligibility re-instated in that athletic season, pending recommendation by the school eligibility authority (Building Athletic Appeal Committee).

Student-athletes and parents/guardians have the right to appeal a decision which results in suspension from participation in a sport or activity due to a violation of the NTPS Athletic Code. The request for an appeal must be made in writing to the building principal, and received within three (3) school days of written notification of the sanction. Student-athletes are suspended from all participation pending the result of the appeal hearing.

7.1.1 All appeals will be reviewed by the Building Athletic Appeal Committee. This Committee is composed of: one building administrator; the building Athletic Director; one coach from a different sport/activity than the one involved; and (when possible) one counselor or other staff member. The building Athletic Director will chair the committee.

7.1.2 Upon receipt of the written request for an appeal, the Building Athletic Appeal Committee will convene within five (5) school days.

7.1.3 The student-athlete involved must attend the appeal hearing, or the appeal will not be heard. Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to attend. The student-athlete may request up to three (3) persons to speak on their behalf, and should be prepared to present all relevant additional information to the Committee.

7.1.4 The Building Athletic Appeal Committee will hear and decide the eligibility of the student-athlete based on the NTPS Athletic Code and information presented at the hearing. The student-athlete will be notified of the decision of the Building Athletic Appeal Committee in writing within 24 hours of the hearing. Copies of the decision will be provided to the parent/guardian; building principal and District Athletic Director.

7.2.1 If the student-athlete disputes the result of the building level appeal, a request for a District level appeal may be made. It must be in writing and received by the District Athletic Director within three (3) school days after written notification of the building level appeal result. The District Athletic Director will chair this committee, with one administrator from each of the comprehensive high schools as members.

7.2.2 The student-athlete involved must attend the appeal hearing, or the appeal will not be heard. Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to attend. The student-athlete may request up to three (3) persons to speak on their behalf, and should be prepared to present all relevant additional information to the Committee.

7.2.3 The final step in the appeal process is a formal, written request to the office of the Superintendent of North Thurston Public Schools. This request must present new information in writing as a basis for a review and reconsideration hearing. It must be presented within three (3) school days of the decision of the District Committee. The decision of the Superintendent or designee may be appealed to the NTPS board of directors by presenting a written grievance to the Superintendent’s office no later than two school business days' before the board’s next regular meeting. The board of directors will review during the board's next regular meeting, which is the final step at the District Level Appeal. The Board will issue its decision within ten school business days after the meeting.

Because of the nature of some sports and because of some facility limitations, it sometimes becomes necessary to limit the number of participants on a given team.

Coaches are hired by North Thurston Public Schools to manage and direct a specific athletic activity. Their responsibilities include evaluating and selecting students for teams, as well as determining the degree to which each student-athlete will participate.

Head coaches may have additional rules and regulations that they deem necessary and are not in violation of any rules and regulations of this code. Coaches must inform all of their players of additional rules and regulations, and the rules must be in writing and distributed to all participants, signed by parents/ guardians, and returned to the coach prior to the first interscholastic competition. Violation of these rules may result in team sanctions, including loss of playing time or removal from the team. Additional rules and/or regulations must first be approved by a high school’s Athletic Director.

Coaches’ decisions regarding team personnel are based on a variety of factors. Some of these include the student-athletes’ skill levels, teamwork, behavior, consistent performance, and grades. Any one, or any combination of these, plus other possible factors, are all weighed very carefully in this process.

Regardless of the subjective nature of the process and the potential for disagreement, only the coach is in a position to make selections for membership and playing time. If one were to assume any other position on this issue, a precedent would be established that NTPS would find untenable.

Each participant will be given an equal opportunity for evaluation. Substantiated emergency circumstances may require alternative opportunities for evaluation. Circumstances will be reviewed by the coach and athletic director. All freshman student athletes are to be evaluated for at least five (5) days before the specific athletic activity begins the process of involuntarily reducing numbers.

Parents/guardians having a concern(s) with a co-curricular activity are expected to follow these steps:

9.1.1 Communicate concern(s) to coach/advisor.

9.1.2 If resolution is not found during communication with coach, express concern(s) to school Athletic Director.

9.1.3 The school Athletic Director will then arrange and facilitate a meeting between the student-athlete, the student-athlete’s parent(s), and coach to resolve concern(s).

9.1.4 If resolution is not found in 9.1.3, the parent, coach, and Athletic Director will meet with the building administrator in charge of co-curricular programs to resolve the concern(s). The building administrator in charge of co-curricular programs is the final step in the resolution process.

• Academic Ineligibility: not enrolled in the equivalent of five classes during a season; not passing the equivalent of five of six classes during a season.
• Academic Ineligibility Hearing: a student-athlete who has been suspended from a team due to continued academic ineligibility may make a written request for a hearing to the building Athletic Director with the Building Athletic Appeal Committee.
• Academic Probation: a period of monitoring student academic progress, while still being eligible to compete.
• Appeal (building level): an opportunity for a student-athlete and parent/guardian to meet with the Building Athletic Appeal Committee to appeal a suspension from a team.
• Appeal (district level): a disputed building level appeal may be heard at the district level by a committee chaired by the district’s Director of Athletics.
• Building Athletic Appeal Committee: Hears athletic appeals at the building level. The committee consists of: one building administrator, the building Athletic Director, one coach for a sport or activity other than the one in question, and (when possible) one counselor or another staff member.
• Controlled Substances: a drug, substance or immediate precursor included in (RCW 69.50.101) (d).
• Expulsion: The exclusion from athletic participation for the remainder of the current school year (minimum) and up to exclusion from all athletic participation for the remainder of the student’s high school career.
• Family Unit: the adult(s) who has/have had legal custody or legal guardianship of the student-athlete for a period of at least one (1) year and with whom the student resides.
• Grade Checks: regular monitoring of a student-athlete’s grades by the building Athletic Director and/or head coach of the sport during a season. It may also be done to monitor a student-athlete’s grades in the semester prior to participation to help determine eligibility.
• Hardship: extenuating circumstances beyond the student-athlete’s, or where applicable, the parent’s or legal guardian’s control, that are deemed to have significantly influenced or contributed to the cause of the student-athlete’s non-compliance to the eligibility regulation(s) involved.
• Hazing: Any humiliating or dangerous activity expected of a student-athlete to belong to a group regardless of their willingness to participate.
• Interscholastic competition: practice, scrimmage and/or competition with another team or school during the regular or post season.
• Legend Drugs: any drugs which are required by state law or regulation of the state board of pharmacy to be dispensed on prescription only or are restricted to use by practitioners only.
• Participation: As defined by the WIAA participation schedule. If the conclusion of a season occurs during a suspension period, the remainder of the suspension will carry over into the next sports season in which the student-athlete participates.
• Participation Day: any day of a regularly scheduled practice or game. Non-practice days (Sundays, certain holidays) are not counted as participation days.
• Participation Fee: a fee charged to each student-athlete who participates in a school sports program. High school student-athletes are assessed a participation fee in each of the three sports seasons in which they participate.
• Regular member (student): a student is a regular member of a school if they are enrolled half-time or more, exclusive of interscholastic activities.
• Residence: The place where the family unit has established its home and/or the place where the student-athlete is habitually present and to which, when departing, the student-athlete intends to return.
• Residence rule: In order to be eligible to participate and/or represent a WIAA member school in an interscholastic contest, the student-athlete must be residing within the boundaries of that school district and designated attendance area of the school.
• Season: from the first day of practice to the completion of the sport’s culminating activity/awards event.
• Season limitations: after entering or being eligible to enter the ninth grade, a student-athlete shall have four (4) consecutive years of interscholastic eligibility.
• Social Media: the collective of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration.
• Suspension: period of time that a student is making up academic progress, while not being eligible to compete but may participate in practice.
• Transferring students: after registering with and/or attending a middle level or high school, students changing enrollment to/from one school district to another school district or from one high school to another high school within a multiple high school district shall be considered a transferring student.
• Tobacco/vapor equipment/material: any kind of pipe, cigar, cigarette, e-cigarette, or any other smoking or vapor equipment or material including chew and sniff tobacco products.
• WIAA: Washington Interscholastic Activities Association; the governing body for all interscholastic activities in the state for member schools. All high schools in the North Thurston Public Schools are members of the WIAA and are governed by its rules and regulations.

North Thurston Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Officer: executivedirectorHR@nthurston.k12.wa.us, 360-412-4453; Section 504 Coordinator: 504@nthurston.k12.wa.us, 360-412-4465. Address for both: 305 College Street NE, Lacey, WA 98516.