Central Regional School Board Toughens Grade Policy for Athletics, Student Activities

If a student can meet the challenge of learning lines for the school play, master an instrumental solo or run for a touchdown, they can also reach the academic standards necessary to maintain eligibility for those activities.

That is the belief of the Central Regional Board of Education, which modified its academic standards and polices regarding extracurricular activities in time for the 2011-12 school year, which began yesterday.

“We’ve raised the bar academically at Central Regional in many areas and extracurricular activities is a part of those changes,’’ said Central Regional Superintendent Triantafillos “Tom’’ Parlapanides.

Under the revised policy, any extracurricular activity participant who fails one subject in a marking period will go on a five-week probation.

During that probation — which will be monitored by the athletic department and the coaching staff — the student will have the opportunity to meet necessary requirements and improve his or her grade, he said.

If a student fails to show improvement, he or she will then be removed from the extracurricular program for the remainder of the marking period. However, the student is eligible for extracurricular participation the following marking period, the policy states.

Parlapanides noted that among the approximate 1,000 extracurricular participants “five or six’’ are declared ineligible during the school year.

“We should have a higher standard,’’ Parlapanides said. “In many schools a student needs to fail two subjects to be ineligible, but we believe our policy is fair. With the new portals, parents and students have access to their grades all the time. So if a student is having trouble in class it shouldn’t come as a surprise.’’

Parlapanides said the Central Regional administration has been wrestling with academic standards for extracurricular participants for years.

At one point, the policy allowed no subject failures with mandatory tutoring. At another juncture, two subject failures were required for ineligibility.

“We’ve adopted a policy somewhat in the middle of where we have been previously,’’ Parlapanides said. “But our standards are still higher than what is suggested by the NJSIAA (the independent governing body that oversees interscholastic sports in New Jersey).

 “Sports and extracurricular activities are only a part of the educational experience,’’ said board Vice President Robert Ray. “No.1, first and foremost, are academics. The board wants its students to participate in school activities, but at the same time we know kids need the skills that will benefit them after high school. That is our priority.

“Athletic programs are necessary,’’ Ray added. “But they are not more important than what goes on in the classroom.’’

Parlapanides said there is “no excuse’’ for a student not to maintain participation eligibility.

The academic day ends at 1:38 p.m. and after-school activities do not begin until 2:25 p.m.

“With our teachers staying after school for tutoring at least two days a week and with extended library hours, help is available for any student who needs it,’’ Parlapanides said.  “Our teaching and coaching staff is committed to helping each student reach his or her academic goals.

“Failure is not an option at Central Regional,’’ Parlapanides said.

According to the student handbook, academic requirements for extracurricular participation are as follows:

Students with two or more failures at the end of a marking period will be ineligible to participate in any competition in sports or activity within a club, no waivers accepted.

Student with one failure at the end of a marking period will need to complete a waiver form to participate in any competition in sports or activity within a club.

Waiver requests can be picked-up in the guidance or athletic offices. All completed waivers must be submitted to the athletic office.

Upon review, students will be placed on an “academic probation period”.

Academic probation time extends from the end of a given marking period until the mid-point of the following marking period. Progress Reports or Accommodations and Deficiencies verify the half-way point, approximately five weeks, of a marking period.

At the halfway point of the marking period, students on academic probation who are passing all subject areas will be removed from probation status.

At the halfway point of the marking period, students on academic probation who are failing (overall GPA of 69 or below) in any subject be ineligible area, not just the course previously failed during the prior marking period, will for the remainder of the marking period and removed immediately from the sports team or co-curricular activity.

Waivers can only be requested at the end of a marking period. Students on academic probation can not apply for waivers if they are failing at the mid-way point.