Policy 7420 – Sports and the Athletic Program

General Principles and Eligibility

Athletics are an integral part of a well-balanced educational program. The District’s interscholastic athletic program will conform with the Commissioner’s regulations, as well as the established rules of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Athletic eligibility requires that the student:

  1. Provide written parental or guardian consent. The consent form must contain information regarding mild traumatic brain injuries (concussions) and sudden cardiac arrests as specified in the Commissioner’s regulations.
  2. Have a current health examination and, if the health examination was not completed within 30 days of the start of the season, a completed and signed interval health history form is necessary in order to participate.
  3. Obtain medical clearance from the District’s Medical Director or their designee.
  4. Meet the requirements for interscholastic competition as set forth by the Commissioner’s regulations and NYSPHSAA.
  5. Comply with all District rules, codes, and standards applicable to athletic participation.

Title IX Compliance

The Board supports equal athletic opportunities for all students through interscholastic and intramural activities. To ensure equal athletic opportunities for its students, the District will consider, among other factors:

  1. Whether the selection of sports and levels of competition effectively accommodate all students’ interests and abilities;
  2. The provision of equipment and supplies;
  3. Scheduling of games and practice time;
  4. Travel costs and opportunities for travel;
  5. Assignment and compensation of coaches;
  6. The provision of locker rooms, practice facilities, and competitive facilities;
  7. Available medical and training facilities and services; and
  8. The nature and extent of support, publicity, and promotion.

      The District may consider other pertinent factors as well. Each of the factors will be assessed by comparing availability, quality, type of benefits, kind of opportunities, and form of treatment. Identical benefits, opportunities, or treatment are not required.

      The District’s Title IX Coordinator(s) will coordinate the District’s efforts to comply with its responsibilities under Title IX. The Title IX Coordinator(s) will be appropriately trained and possess comprehensive knowledge about applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and policies. To the extent possible, the District will not designate an employee whose other job duties may create a conflict of interest, such as the Athletic Director.

Booster Clubs

      The District has a responsibility under Title IX to ensure that boys’ and girls’ programs are provided with equivalent benefits, treatment, services, and opportunities regardless of their source. When determining equivalency, benefits, services, and opportunities attained through private funds—including donations, fundraising, and booster clubs—must be considered in combination with all benefits, services, and opportunities.

Athletic Placement Process for Interschool Athletic Programs (APP)

The APP is a method for evaluating students who want to participate in sports at higher or lower levels, consistent with their physical and emotional maturity, size, fitness level, and skills. The Board approves the use of the APP for students in grades no lower than seventh grade to compete on interscholastic athletic teams organized for senior high school students, and for senior high school students to compete on interscholastic athletic teams organized for students in the seventh and eighth grades. The Superintendent will implement procedures for the APP, and will direct the Athletic Director to maintain records of students who have successfully completed the APP.

Student Athletic Injuries

      The coach should ensure that any player injured while under their care receives prompt and appropriate medical attention, and that all of the medical professional’s treatment instructions are followed. The injured student has an obligation to promptly inform their coach of all injuries, even if it happens outside of school. No student will be allowed to practice or compete if there is a question whether they are in adequate physical condition. A physician’s certification may be required before an athlete is permitted to return to practice or competition.

Athletic Program–Safety

The District will take reasonable steps to minimize physical risks posed to students participating in the interscholastic athletic program by:

  1. aRequiring timely medical examinations of participants;
  2. Employing certified or licensed staff to coach all varsity, junior varsity, and modified practices and games;
  3. Providing or requiring certified or licensed officials to officiate all competitions;
  4. Ensuring that its players’ equipment is safe and operates within the applicable manufacturers’ guidelines;
  5. Ensuring that all home fields, courts, pools, tracks, and other areas where athletes practice, warm-up, or compete are safe and appropriate for use; and
  6. Providing professional development and training opportunities for all coaching staff.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

      For purposes of this policy, the following definition applies:

  1. “Athletic activities” means participation in sessions for instruction and practice in skills, attitudes, and knowledge through participation in individual, group, and team activities organized on an intramural, extramural, interschool athletic, or inclusive athletic basis to supplement regular physical education class instruction, otherwise known as extraclass periods in physical education or extraclass activities.

      The District promotes safe athletic activities and strives to prevent incidents of sudden cardiac arrest in students by:

  1. Including information developed by the Commissioner of Health on the definition of sudden cardiac arrest and signs and symptoms of pending or increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest in any document that may be required from a parent or person in parental relation for a student’s participation in interscholastic sports, including a permission or consent form;
  2. Immediately removing from athletic activities any student who displays signs or symptoms of pending or increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest;
  3. Prohibiting any student from resuming athletic activities until the student has been evaluated by and received written and signed authorization from a licensed physician and until the student has been evaluated and received clearance from the District’s Medical Director to resume athletic activities;
  4. Requiring the licensed physician’s written and signed authorization to be kept on file in the student’s permanent health record;
  5. Abiding by any limitations or restrictions concerning school attendance and athletic activities issued by the student’s treating physician;
  6. Requiring coaches of extra periods in physical education to hold a valid certification in first aid knowledge and skills including instruction in recognizing signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac arrest; and
  7. Either posting on the District website information developed by the Commissioner of Health on the definition of sudden cardiac arrest and signs and symptoms of pending or increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest or providing a reference for how to obtain this information from the webpages of NYSED and the New York State Department of Health.

 Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, 20 USC Section 1681 et seq.
34 CFR Sections 106.8, 106.41, and 106.45
45 CFR Section 86.41
Education Law Sections 305, 923, and 3208-a
8 NYCRR Sections 135.4, 135.5, 136.3, 136.5, and 136.9

NOTE:  Refer also to Policies #3420 — Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment in the District

#3421 — Title IX and Sex Discrimination
#7520 — Accidents and Medical Emergencies
#7522 — Concussion Management
#8240 — Instruction in Certain Subjects

Adopted: 4/25/01
Revised: 3/5/20
Revised: 04/22/21
Revised: 06/15/23