Athletic Handbook

 

2024-2025

 

 

 

 

100 N. Cedar Street, Manistique, MI. 49854

Main Office: 906-341-4300

Fax: 906-252-4603

www.manistiqueschools.org

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Superintendent:                       Dr. Kristina Hansen                x4330

High School Principal:            Lynn Marie Evans                   x4302

Athletic Director:                    Michelle LaVigne                  x4305

 

 

SCHOOL NICKNAME:                   Emeralds

SCHOOL COLORS:                         Green & White

 

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS OFFERED: (an * indicates a self- funded sport)

 

Baseball: Varsity (Boys) *

Basketball: JV & Varsity (Girls & Boys)

Cheerleading: Varsity

Cross Country: Varsity *

Football: JV and Varsity

Golf:  Varsity (Girls & Boys)

Hockey: JV and Varsity *

Softball: Varsity (Girls) *

Track: Varsity (Girls & Boys)

Swim: Varsity (Girls & Boys)

Volleyball: JV & Varsity (Girls)

Wrestling: Varsity (Boys & Girls)

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS OFFERED:

 

Basketball: 7th and 8th Grade (Boys & Girls)

Cheerleading: 7th and 8th Grade

Track: 6^th - 8th Grade (Boys and Girls)

 

 

All students who are participating in interscholastic athletics are acting as ambassadors and representatives of the school system. As such, they must be willing to conduct themselves in a fashion which reflects favorably upon not only the team, but the entire school system as well. All students and their parents should be cognizant of the fact that participating in interscholastic athletics at Manistique is a privilege and not a right. This privilege is made available to students on the condition that they comply with the athletic procedures and regulations that follow.

In order to continue our fine tradition and spirit of cooperation between the school and parents, the parent(s) of every student-athlete are required to read and sign the following rules and regulations, signifying that the parent and student understand them fully.

All rules of eligibility as prescribed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) will be adhered to. This includes:

1. A current physical examination report (given on or after April 15 of the previous school year) completed by the M.D., D.O., physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner who administers the physical examination and which finds that the athlete has passed a physical examination and is physically able to participate in athletic tryouts, practices and contests;
2. Annual completion of the Manistique High School Waiver.

1. Must be completed prior to the first Friday after practice begins for the 1^st sport an athlete will be participating in for the current school year.

3. Being under 19 years of age unless the birth date occurs on or after September 1.
4. Meeting MHSAA/MHS academic requirements of prior and current academic records (see section B).
5. Students with IEPs are held to the same standard as other students. IEPs are written for student needs that are having “adverse educational impact” and extracurricular activities are not addressed in the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education rules.
6. Middle school students who participate in Manistique Middle School athletic programs will be governed by the eligibility requirements set up for the high school students.

Academic Eligibility (per MHSAA, is composed of two parts)

1. Prior Academic Record
   1. Per MHSAA academic eligibility, a student must pass 66% (4 of 6 academic classes, including dual enrollment and online classes) in the prior semester to be eligible to compete in athletics.  A student that does not meet this requirement at the end of a semester is NOT eligible until the 61^St school day of the new semester –provided the student is passing the standard when checked on the 60^th day of the suspension.  A student who does not meet the standard can also go to summer school or complete credit recovery courses (that are school approved). Once the deficiency is made up and on the student’s transcript (showing the minimum standard was achieved), the student would be eligible.

1. Fall and Winter sports will use the 2^nd semester of the previous school year as the prior academic record.
2. Spring sports will use the 1^st semester of the current school year as the prior academic record.

B. Current academic record (if student met requirements of prior academic record)

1. Eligibility will be based on a student’s overall grade point average (G.P.A.) for the current in-person marking period courses.
2. Grade checks will occur each Monday. There will be a two week grace period at the start of a new marking period.

1. Two hour block classes will count as two classes in G.P.A. calculations.

3. G.P.A Current Academic Record Levels

1. 4.0 – 2.0 (A-C): Fully eligible – no restrictions.
2. 1.99 – 1.67 (C-): Probation-students G.P.A. will be checked weekly by the Athletic Director. If G.P.A. is below 2.0:
   1. During each week after the student-athlete will attend practices but not play until their G.P.A. is raised to 2.0 or above (at a grade-check).
   2. Ineligible students may NOT attend games.
   3. All 2-hour block classes are to count double in computing GPA as well as counted as two separate classes.

c. 1.66 – 0.00 (C- to F): Ineligible for competition and practice for the week (from grade check to grade check).

i.    Ineligible students may NOT attend games.

 

Athletic Conduct

1. According to rulings by the state Board of Education, local school districts have the right to set up regulations for their athletic program for all students regardless of age.
2. Students involved in interscholastic athletics will not conduct themselves in any manner which would bring embarrassment or adverse public opinion upon the student body or the school system.
3. Regulations for athletic conduct are in effect during the time the sport is in operation both practice and regular play. Our athletic policy is year-round, starting on the first day of practice of the 6^th grade year.
4. It is the responsibility of the coaching staff to notify the Athletic Director of any alleged violation of the Code of Conduct.  It is the purpose of the coaching staff to treat every alleged offense and offender as an individual. When an offense is committed by a student-athlete that violates any tenet of this code, it shall be the responsibility of the Athletic Director, Manistique Area Schools administration, and/or the Manistique Area School Board to discipline the student appropriately. It shall be the intent of the Manistique High School athletic department and staff to safeguard the rights and interests of each individual as well as the overall interest of the team, school, and community. The disposition of each offense will be treated in a private manner within the confines of the athletic department, team, and family.
5. Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco: Only prescription drugs used by the person for whom such drugs were prescribed and used in the manner in which they were prescribed by a medical doctor are allowed. The possession, use, distribution, purchase, or sale of any of the following is prohibited in school buildings, on school buses, on all other school property, or at school-related events at any time:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Drugs
• Drug paraphernalia
• Controlled substances
• Lookalikes
• Tobacco or tobacco products
• E-cigarettes
• Vaping paraphernalia
• Any other substance which, when taken into the human body, is intended to alter mood or mental state, including any item or substance which is represented by a student to be, or is believed by a student to be, any of the foregoing, regardless of the true nature or appearance of the substance.

This prohibition includes all school-sponsored or school-related activities, whether held before or after school, in the evenings, or on weekends. It also includes a prohibition on use by a student athlete in any instance where the school can demonstrate a reasonable connection to the school program or school athletic program.

For purposes of this procedure, students who are under the influence of prohibited substances shall be treated in the same manner as though they had prohibited substances in their possession.

LEVEL 1

1. Consuming alcohol and driving
2. Illegal use/sale/possession/distribution/manufacturing of narcotics, prescription drugs, controlled substances, or “look alikes”.

1^ST – 1 Calendar (full) year suspension                      

2^nd – Permanent suspension

 LEVEL 2

1. Alcohol – consuming or being at a party where it is consumed by underage drinkers.
2. Riding with a student-driver who has consumed alcohol.
3. Use/possession/sale of tobacco/marijuana/vapes or related products.

 

 

4. Misdemeanor

 1^st – 50% suspension (of scheduled contests)

                        -Has potential to carry over into the next sport season

-Dual sport athletes would be suspended 50% for        primary and secondary

-Examples of a 50% suspension include:

            ~A student athlete’s team is eligible for postseason play/competition, but the suspension has NOT been completed.  The student athlete’s suspension continues into the postseason.

~A student athlete was suspended for 50% of the football season (9 contests), but the suspension occurred during Week 7.  The athlete would be suspended for the remaining 2 football contests and carry over the remaining percentage of suspension into the next sport.

2^nd – 1 Calendar (full) year suspension

3^rd – Permanent suspension

 

Athletic/Due Process

1. The Athletic Director, High School Principal, and Superintendent shall comprise the “administrative council” and shall collaborate on, and determine/impose, all student-athlete suspensions. It is the intent of Manistique Area Schools to have any suspension served in a sport that the student-athlete was participating in at the time of the infraction and/or the next sport for which the student-athlete would have normally participated in.

1. A parent/legal guardian may request in writing before the Manistique Area Schools Board of Education regarding the determination made by the Principal, Athletic Director, and Superintendent. (See Part E).
   2. A class(es) (example: substance abuse, alcohol highway safety classes, counseling, etc.) may be required in addition to the above specified consequences.
   3. Scrimmages do not count toward suspensions.

B.  Appeals Process

1.  If any student-athlete is charged with a violation of this policy he/she will be allowed due process. An appeal of disciplinary action must occur within 30 days of the notice of disciplinary action.
2. The Athletic Director, high school Principal, and Superintendent shall comprise the “administrative council” and shall collaborate on, and determine/impose, all student-athlete suspensions.
3. The Board of Education is the next and final appeal of a student-athlete suspension. A student-athlete who wishes to appeal must submit an appeal request in writing to the Board of Education, which will then determine the time and place for the appeal.
   4. The student will be notified of the penalty.
   5. The parents or legal guardian will be notified of the penalty.

C. Legal Violations -Students will be held accountable for these rules and regulations if they are in violation of a criminal statute for which the student-athlete could be confined to jail.

 

Equipment Return

1. No student shall participate in a sport until all equipment has been turned in to the coach from participation in a previous sport or a replacement cost has been paid in full.

 

Dropping a Sport

1. A student who quits a sport will be automatically suspended 20% of the season for the next sport that they participate in, if two weeks or more of the season (from the start), has elapsed.

1. If there are extenuating circumstances, the student may appeal to the administrative council. The decision of the administrative council may be appealed to the Board of Education.

 

Attendance

1. A student must be in school three hours (at least half the day) except in extenuating circumstances to participate in a game or attend a practice session unless the absence has been PREARRANGED with the proper school authorities, including the coach and Athletic Director.

1. In the event a team has a Saturday competition, athletes must be in school for a minimum of three hours (at least half the day) on Friday in order to participate in the Saturday competition.  

 

Transportation

1. Players selected to represent Manistique Area Schools at out of town games are expected to travel to and from games on a team bus, when a school bus is provided. Exceptions may be made prior to travel. A written request must be made by the parent to the coach, and this note would then be approved or unapproved by the coach, Athletic Director, and/or Principal.

 

Concussions/Head Injuries

1. A student athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems), shall be immediately removed from the practice or contest and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health care professional. In such circumstances, a student athlete shall not practice or participate in a competition until the student athlete provides the school with a written release from a physician (M.D. or D.O.) who has examined the student athlete.

1. Concussions are addressed in the MHSAA Handbook. See Regulation I, Section 3.B. Interpretation 17 and 20 in the MHSAA Concussion Protocols (p 31 of the 2023-2024 Handbook).

 

NCAA Initial Eligibility

1. Parents and students should be aware that the NCAA has specific guidelines which must be met at the high school level in order to qualify for sports scholarships to participating colleges.
2. Interested students should check their core curriculum annually with a guidance counselor to verify that they are taking the required courses.

 

Participation Fees

1. Manistique Area Schools has no participation fees for athletics, with the exception of self-funded sports.

1. Please note that participation fees for any self-funded sport (cross-country, ice hockey, baseball, & softball) are completely separate from Manistique Area Schools.

1. Fees are to be paid in full prior to the first Friday after practice begins.

 

Dual Sport

1. Athletes will be allowed to participate in no more than two (2) sports during the same season.
2. Student athletes wishing to play two (2) sports during the same season will have to designate a primary sport and secondary sport, in writing, before the season starts (prior to the first competition in either sport).
3. It is the responsibility of the Student Athlete to complete the “Two Sport Contract”, obtaining signatures from both coaches and submitting the document to the Athletic Director for final approval.
4. See the dual sport contract for full terms and conditions.