Students planning to participate in sports, theater productions, clubs, and other school-based activities had better keep their other school expectations in mind.

A Warren County School District policy change approved by the school board strengthens the connections between academic performance, behavior, and absenteeism, and eligibility for co-curricular activities.

A student who is failing any two courses is ineligible.

“Students who participate in co-curricular activities must meet minimum academic requirements to maintain their eligibility,” according to policy 10495. “An eligibility report will generally be prepared during each week of the school year which school is in session.”

“If an eligibility report indicates a student is failing any two courses, regardless of the credit value of a course, the student shall be ineligible to participate until such time as a subsequent eligibility report is prepared and establishes that the student is no longer failing two courses.”

Violations of the discipline code may also result in ineligibility.

“Any student suspended or expelled from school shall also be automatically excluded from participating in all school or co-curricular activities for the duration of the school suspension or expulsion.”

Those placed in the alternative education program are also automatically excluded.

Students who commit other conduct violations “may be excluded from participating… at the discretion of the building principal,” according to the policy.

With regard to absences, there are absences that are allowable, but, in general, if a student misses 20 days in a semester, that student is ineligible to participate.

The board points to language in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (PIAA) bylaws:

“A student who has been absent from school during a semester for a total of 20 or more school days, is ineligible to participate in an inter-school practice, scrimmage, or contest until the student has been in attendance for a total of 45 school days following the student’s 20th day of absence.”

The policy does not differentiate between athletics and other co-curricular activities.

More stringent rules may be put in place by the leaders, coaches, advisors, of individual programs, with authorization from the building principal, according to the policy. If that is the case, participants and their families are to be notified in writing.