ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The privilege to participate in extra and co-curricular activities is available to members
of the student body. Skills and natural ability are primary factors in determining who will
represent a school, but each school must be represented by students who are
responsible citizens, satisfactory scholars, and participants who are willing to abide by
prescribed rules and standards. This privilege and honor carries with it a great
responsibility to the school, faculty, and student body, which the participant represents.
It will be noted the rules have various purposes, such as improvement of scholarship,
encouragement of morals, protection of health, control of exploitation of youth,
elimination of unfair competition, and assurance that activities achieve purposes that
are consistent with the objectives of education.
Rules and requirements students must understand to protect their eligibility:
1.
a.
Definitions:
School Activity – School activities include, but not limited to, athletics,
cheerleading, band, choir, clubs, drama, drill team, National Honor Society, oral
interpretation, royalty candidates, student council, debate, and any other
activities students are involved in through the school district.
b.
School Activity Events – A public presentation, performance, competition, or
trip associated with participation in a school activity. Excluded from
consideration are inter/intra-squad scrimmages.
2.
Suspension Period: The suspension period for an activity rules violation begins
on the date the participant is notified of suspension by school district administration.
The suspension period for a drug conviction is for twelve calendar months from the date
of the violation. This one-year suspension may be reduced to thirty (30) calendar days
if the person participates in an assessment with a certified chemical dependency
counselor or satisfactorily completes an accredited intensive prevention or treatment
program. If the assessment indicates the need for a higher level of care, the student is
required to complete the prescribed program before becoming eligible to participate in
extra-curricular activities.
After a student receives a suspension, it becomes their responsibility to receive
counseling relative to the reason(s) for which the student was suspended. Such
counseling can be sought from the local school district counselor or if outside resource,
prior approval required. Prior to returning to activity participation, the activities director
must receive a written statement from the counselor that the suspended student has
received counseling relative to the reason(s) for which they were suspended.
Harrisburg School District’s eligibility rules will be enforced on a 12-month basis,
including days when school is not in session (for example, but not all inclusive of,
summer break, vacation days). If a participant is found to violate an eligibility rule
during the summer, the student will begin their suspension during the activity that the
student is participating at the time the infraction occurs or at the beginning of the next
activity in which the student participates. The student, if not participating in an activity at
the time of his/her suspension, must wait for the START of the next activity or activities
in which they participate to serve our the suspension, unless twelve consecutive
calendar months have passed since notification of the violation by the administrator.
State Law: Any person adjudicated, convicted, the subject of an informal adjustment or
court-approved diversion program, or the subject of a suspended imposition of sentence
or suspended adjudication of delinquency for possession, use, or distribution of
controlled drugs or substances or marijuana as defined in chapter 22-42, or for
ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise taking into the body any substances as prohibited by §
22-42-15, is ineligible to participate in any extracurricular activity at any secondary
school accredited by the Department of Education for one calendar year from the date
of adjudication, conviction, diversion, or suspended imposition of sentence. The oneyear suspension may be reduced to sixty school thirty calendar days if the person
participates in an assessment with a certified chemical dependency counselor or
completes an accredited intensive prevention or treatment program. If the assessment
indicates the need for a higher level of care, the student is required to complete the
prescribed program before becoming eligible to participate in extracurricular activities.
Upon a second adjudication, conviction, diversion, or suspended imposition of a
sentence for possession, use, or distribution of controlled drugs, substances, or
marijuana as defined in chapter 22-42, or for ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise taking into
the body any substance as prohibited by § 22-42-15, by a court of competent
jurisdiction, that person is ineligible to participate in any extracurricular activity at any
secondary school accredited by the Department of Education for one year from the date
of adjudication, conviction, diversion, or suspended imposition of sentence. The one
year suspension may be reduced to sixty calendar days if the person completes an
accredited intensive prevention or treatment program. Upon a third or subsequent
adjudication, conviction, diversion, or suspended imposition of sentence for possession,
use, or distribution of controlled drugs or substances or marijuana as defined in chapter
22-42, or for ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise taking into the body any substances as
prohibited by § 22-42-15, by a court of competent jurisdiction, that person is ineligible to
participate in any extracurricular activity at any secondary school accredited by the
Department of Education. Upon such a determination in any juvenile court proceeding
the Unified Judicial System shall give notice of that determination to the South Dakota
High School Activities Association and the chief administrator of the school in which the
person is participating in any extracurricular activity. The Unified Judicial System shall
give notice to the chief administrators of secondary schools accredited by the
Department of Education for any such determination in a court proceeding for any
person eighteen to twenty-one years of age without regard to current status in school or
involvement in extracurricular activities. The notice shall include name, date of birth, city
of residence, and offense. The chief administrator shall give notice to the South Dakota
High School Activities Association if any such person is participating in extracurricular
activities.
Upon placement of the person in an informal adjustment or court-approved diversion
program, the state's attorney who placed the person in that program shall give notice of
that placement to the South Dakota High School Activities Association and chief
administrator of the school in which the person is participating in any extracurricular
activity.
As used in this section, the term, extracurricular activity, means any activity sanctioned
by the South Dakota High School Activities Association. Students are ineligible to
participate in activity events, competitions, and performances, but a local school district
may allow a student to participate in practices.
No local school board may impose a lesser consequence than those established in §
13-32-9, but a local school district may adopt a policy, by local school board action, with
more strict consequences to meet the needs of the district.
A suspension for a first offense shall make the student ineligible for a minimum of two
South Dakota High School Activities Association sanctioned events. A suspension for a
second offense shall make the student ineligible for a minimum of six South Dakota
High School Activities Association sanctioned events. To count toward the minimum
number of events the student must participate in the entire activity season and may not
drop out or quit the activity to avoid suspension.
The suspension time period during which a student is ineligible is based upon the South
Dakota High School Activities Association activity year. The time period of suspension
shall begin on the day of the first allowable South Dakota High School Activities
Association sanctioned event through midnight of the last day of the South Dakota High
School Activities Association sanctioned event of the school year in which the
suspension occurred. A suspension that is not completed by the student during one
activity year shall carry over to the next activity year.
A suspension begins at 12:00 a.m. on the day following the notification of a school
administrator that a student has been adjudicated, convicted, the subject of an informal
adjustment or court approved diversion program, or the subject of a suspended
imposition of a sentence or a suspended adjudication of delinquency for possession,
use, or distribution of controlled drugs, substances, or marijuana as defined in chapter
22-42, or for ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise taking into the body any substance
prohibited by § 22-42-15, or at 12:00 a.m. on the first day of the activity year, whichever
occurs first.
3.
a.
b.
Infractions/Penalties
Eligibility Rule Infractions: An infraction will occur if the participant is involved
in the possession, sale, use, or distribution of tobacco, alcohol, or other
controlled or mood altering substances, or crimes against persons or property.
Eligibility Rule Penalty: For participants violating these standards, the following
penalties will be enforced:
1st Violation: The participant will be suspended for two (2) consecutive calendar
weeks or two (2) consecutive activity events, whichever is the greater length.
2nd Violation: The participant will be suspended for six (6) consecutive calendar
weeks or six (6) consecutives activity events, whichever is the greater length.
3rd Violation: The participant will be suspended from all school activities and
positions of leadership for a period of 12 calendar months.
NOTE: Participants’ participation in practice during their suspension will be at the
discretion of school administration and coaching/advising staff. Travel with the group to
and from activities will be at the discretion of the activities director and coach/advisor.
4.
Clean Record Provision: Students who have one or two violations and then
remain violation free for 12 consecutive months start over with a clean record. This
opportunity will apply only once during a student’s 7-12 school career. This provision
does not apply to drug convictions. See Section III.
5.
Process: The following actions will be taken prior to suspending the participant:
a.
At least two of the following: Coach/supervisor/administrator/AD will meet with
The participant and inform them of a possible violation and will inform the
parents/guardians of their child’s possible violation
The possible violation suspension will be reviewed by the
coach/supervisor/administrator/AD
The participant and parents/guardians will be informed of the final decision.
b.
c.