The opportunity to participate in interscholastic sports and/or other extracurricular activities should be considered a privilege rather thana right. Although not required by law, the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools encourage students with approved home education plans to participate in athletics and extracurricular activities at the middle school and high school.
Specifically, to participate in extracurricular activities and/or athletics, a home-educated student:
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must have a home education plan that has been approved by the superintendent or his/her designee prior to the beginning of the school year
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must reside in the Region and must be living with his/her parent(s) or legal guardian(s) in the family residence
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for participation in interscholastic athletics, must meet all eligibility requirements of MIAA including, but not limited to, rules governing transfers and academic eligibility beyond grade eight and rules governing eligibility of home educated students.
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for participation in extracurricular activities and athletics, must meet all eligibility requirements of the school, including attendance and academic requirements
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must pay required fees for participation in athletics and, if applicable, for extracurricular activities
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must pass the district’s physical examination annually, or have a family doctor perform such an examination, and must secure and present evidence of their own insurance coverage for participation in athletics
Two aspects of a student’s home education program have been identified as being important measures of academic eligibility. These are, attendance/daily completion of course work and acceptable academic performance. Students must complete their normal academic work on the day of a scheduled practice or game; and students must be doing satisfactory work in all subject areas in order to participate in extracurricular and/or athletic activities. Parents/guardians of home education students are expected to monitor these requirements.
Attendance: During the weeks when there are games or practices scheduled, the student must present that week’s Home Education form to the head coach of an athletic team. The form must be signed by the parent/guardian, thereby certifying the student’s completion of the week’s academic work. Participants in other extracurricular activities must present their signed Home Education form for the week to the club’s advisor.
Academic Performance: On a term basis, no later than three schooldays following the close of grades at the high school and middle school,the parent or guardian responsible for the home education program must submit to the Superintendent or his/her designee a progress report on work completed that term, including representative work samples and/or any other methods used for evaluating academic performance in English,mathematics, science and social studies. The Superintendent or his/her designee, with consultation from department heads, will determine whether or not the work completed that term satisfies the school’s grade level standards.
Failure of a home-educated student to adhere to requirements for participation in extra-curricular activities, or failure of a parent/guardian who has assumed responsibility for a home education program to properly monitor their son or daughter’s adherence to eligibility requirements, shall lead to the loss of the privilege to participate.
Region Voted to Approve: 8/15/06
Amherst Voted to Approve:
Pelham Voted to Approve:
Effective Date: 8/15/06