FOR
Article Type: Online Journal Article
Article Title:
Should grade point average be a factor in playing sports
Authors:
Emily GIbbons
Journal Title: Daily American
Volume: 3
Issue: 6
Published: December 15, 2010
Pages:
Database: NCWiseOWL
Date Accessed:
February 18, 2015
URL: http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2010-12-15/entertainment/29170490_1_student-athletes-schoolperformance-grade-requirements
Shade 

 Being a student athlete is a great thing in high school, although many people believe that the student part does not matter.
In my opinion, academics come first. If a student wants to be an athlete during her high school career, getting good grades should be a requirement. In most cases, sports don’t get a student into college, but good grades do.
If a student’s grades aren’t up to par, her college dreams can disappear. Even if students get a scholarship opportunity for a sport, they still have to meet the grade requirements.
By BREA NERI
Windber 

 I believe grade point average should be a factor in playing sports.
My former volleyball coach used to always stress to my teammates and I the importance of how we are “student athletes.” It is no coincidence that the word student comes first, either.
I think it is proper for teachers and coaches to check grades weekly to determine whether students are academically eligible or not. It keeps the emphasis were it needs to be —on academics. For students who choose to participate in a sport, it forces them to prioritize, balance their time between the sport and their schoolwork and maintain their grades.
Being a high school athlete myself, I do believe there are many benefits to participating in a high school sport. Personally, however,
I think academics and getting a proper education are far more important that participating in any sport.
By JEN JOHNSON
Rockwood 

 High school is not only a place for education, but is also a place for students to participate in various sports. Most students who do participate in sports are just as active in the classroom. Some students, however, are more apt to athletics than school work. This can become a problem when students’ performance in the classroom is below par.
Grade point average should be a factor in sport eligibility. School performance is more important in the long run than athletic ability. The majority of high school athletes will not go on to play sports in college or in a professional setting.
The work that they do in the classroom, however, will carry on throughout their life when applying for higher education and jobs. By making grade point average a factor in sports eligibility, students have an incentive to perform in the classroom and maintain their grades to some degree.
Students performing in sports should be held accountable for their grade point average if they want to continue playing. Academic success is more important in the long run than athletic ability. By making grade point average a factor in eligibility, students are given an incentive to do better in class which is always beneficial. Overall, making grade point average a factor in playing high school sports is a good idea.
By JULIE DAY
Berlin 

 Throughout students’ high school careers, a balance between academics and extracurricular interests is crucial to becoming a well-rounded individual who can succeed in the many possible career and educational opportunities after graduation. That is why, to me, a student’s high school grade point average is just as important as any athletic title.
A minimum GPA should be required for students to continue playing on extracurricular sports teams. The main purpose of attending high school is to receive an education and it is a privilege that students can participate in activities outside the classroom.
If the main goal of going to school is to learn, then how is it conceivable to ignore GPA and put all efforts into sports? A common balance must be found between the two, and monitoring GPA is an exceptional way to do so.
By DANIELLE
DIEHL

Salisbury 

 A student’s grade point average should determine whether or not she can participate in sports.
Athletes seem to get off too easily just because they play sports. The media has created an image that high school athletes are lazy, get away with bad grades and aren’t very smart.
However, if more young sports participants were to do well in school, this could change that perception. More young students would also feel inclined to do well in school if that’s how the media portrayed them.
By TYLER
SANNER 

 SCTC
Grades should affect whether a student is permitted to play a sport. Kids attend school to get an education, not to participate in sports.
If a student goes through class sleeping and not paying attention and flunks out, then he should not be permitted to participate in the sport he enjoys.
It is understandable that some students struggle; not everyone can be a straight-A student. If a student wants to be in a sport badly enough, he can participate in tutoring. Ultimately, grades should come first.
By LIZ HELMICK
Somerset 

 Does how well a student performs in the classroom affect how well he or she can perform on a playing field? Absolutely not. Grade point average should not be factored into sports.
Throughout my high school career, I have seen numerous students struggle in classes but excel in sports. It is unfair to tell a student just because she cannot pass a vocabulary test, she cannot score some points in a soccer game.
It is necessary to have a number of people with diverse talents than to have a large group of individuals who are all good at the same thing. Grade point average should not be factored into an athlete's ability to play a sport.
By SHELBIE SLADE
Shanksville 

 Grade point average should continue to be a factor in eligibility for sports. If a student participates in a sport for any school, they are recognized as a student athlete.
Student comes first in the label, because it is the primary word in that phrase. Academics should be the priority in today’s schools.
Attending high school is not about the athletics but is about giving students an education and preparing them for future endeavors. Yes, athletics teach valuable lessons such as sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication, and physical fitness.
However, a good education is more beneficial to students because 99 percent of students never go on to have successful athletic careers. Sports are a privilege given to students and an opportunity that I feel should be revoked if a student’s grades are deficient.
By BRITTANY
HOOVER

FOR
Title:
Students retaining information key to year-round schools
Author:
Sonny Long
Document Type:
Newspaper Article
Date Electronically Published:
July 15, 2010
Newspaper Title:
The Chicago Times
URL: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/src/delivery?sid=4397478f-baad-4965-b282-
2f08e513d254%40sessionmgr4002&vid=5&hid=128
Date accessed:
February 18, 2015
Pro: Students retaining information key to year-round schools
Sonny Long
Jun. 8--Debbey Hartman thinks students benefit from going to school year round.
"I love year-round school for our kids," said the second-grade teacher at O'Connor Elementary
School, that will be the Victoria school district's only year-round campus in 2009-10.
Hartman sees the main advantage of going to school year round as retention.
"There are no big gaps in between learning," she said. "The students simply remember what they've learned better than they do with a long summer break."
Others agree.
Jessica Hall's son will attend pre-kindergarten at O'Connor in the fall. "It's good education-wise so the kids don't forget what they've learned. It's also an advantage for working parents as far as not having to pay for child care in the summer," she said.
Area Administrators Weigh In
The term year-round school confuses some, but students are actually in the classroom the same amount of time, 180 days, no matter the type of scheduling. Year-round schools have shorter breaks between each term. The number of days of school is actually based on an agrarian concept created to ensure children were home to help their parents harvest crops.
"Ninety-five percent of our students don't know what working on a farm is," said Cuero school district superintendent Henry Lind. "I would be in favor of year-round school if, and only if, all schools were on the same schedule. I think year-round schooling may soon be a part of the
Texas Education Agency's direction from the legislature."
Lind sees the positives of year-round schooling as school schedules better matching parents'

work schedules and less loss of information as compared to the three-month information loss students suffer on the current calendar.
Goliad superintendent Sam Atwood is also a proponent of year-round schooling.
"I realize I am in the minority regarding this topic, but I am very much in favor of year-round schools," Atwood said. "I believe it would be beneficial for student learning. It would be a much better setting for students who need structure and organization in their lives. There are many different ways in which such a schedule can be adapted to meet local needs. It is a waste of space and energy to have building sit idle for two and a half months."
The Tuloso-Midway school district in Corpus Christi has been year-round for about 17 years.
High school principal Ann Bartosh thinks the community would be upset if schools went back to traditional scheduling, she said.
"The advantages are remediation during breaks, better retention through summer, and less burnout on teachers and students," Bartosh said.
The National Picture
A Duke University study suggests kids attending year-round schools are at a slight advantage because they don't forget what they learned during the long summer break, according to the
Web site Public School Review.
"The longer students are away from material, the more forgetting occurs," said Charles
Ballinger, executive director emeritus of the National Association for Year-Round Education in
San Diego.
The shorter breaks, as opposed to one long summer break, also provide both students and teachers with time to relax and regroup, according to the Associated Content Web site.Teachers who work for year-round schools say that it gives them a break when they are on the verge of a meltdown. Studies have shown that year-round schools have a lower staff turnover rate.
And during the breaks, many teachers offer "mini-summer school" lessons, where struggling students can come into the school to get help during their time off. For students with special needs, or for students struggling in a particular area, quick interventions such as these can help keep all students on the same pace.The Duke study indicated that in about 60 to 65 percent of comparisons, kids on a year-round calendar do better.