Athletic Policy – St. John Paul II Regional School

Click HERE to download a printable version of the St. John Paul II Athletic Policy.

ATHLETIC POLICY

St. John Paul II Regional School Mission Statement

The mission of the St. John Paul II faculty and staff is to teach children academic skills and interpersonal skills. Academic, social, and emotional well-being is fostered at St. John Paul II Regional School. We guide students toward personal responsibility and the decision-making skills that they will need to be successful. Our school is a warm, caring, and safe environment where boys and girls can work diligently, achieve academic success, and show courtesy to peers and to all school personnel. We believe that all can achieve; our job is to offer students their path to achievement.

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT JOHN PAUL II

Volleyball: Girls, fifth through eighth grade, late August to November
Basketball: Boys and girls, third through eighth grade, October to March
Cheerleading: Girls, kindergarten through eighth grade, November to March
Track and Field: Boys and girls, third through eighth grade, March to May

Registration forms can be picked up in our main office.

REGISTRATION AND FEE FOR ATHLETICS

To participate in a student sport at St. John Paul II, student athletes must maintain a grade of a C or better in all subjects.

Each student wishing to join a team for the school year will pay a $65 participation fee for each sport played. These fees are used to purchase equipment and replace uniforms among many other items related to our athletic program. Fees are to be paid before the first scheduled game. If the fee cannot be paid, please call the school office.

Also, students must also sign a St. John Paul II Catholic School Athlete Contract and submit a medical release form to the coach of the sport.

ROLES

St. John Paul II Athletic Director

The Athletic Director (AD) is appointed annually by the principal and is responsible for coordinating athletic programs. He or she will work closely with John Paul II PTA, school board, pastor and the principal. The AD will be directly accountable to the principal, the school board and the PTA. He/she will attend and make appropriate reports at all meetings when requested.

The operation of the entire school program is the responsibility of the principal, but the AD will be delegated some responsibilities in this area from time to time. Responsibilities for all fiscal matters, while split between the principal’s and the School Board Finance Committee, could be delegated to the AD.

Responsibilities

The AD will:

Follow the guidelines set forth in the St. John Paul II athletic policy
Be responsible for proper contract management related to athletic programs and events (note: all contracts and RFPs must be sent to the principal for approval prior to anything being signed including agreements for food, events, equipment, etc.)
Provide budgeting information to the School Board Finance Committee
Be responsible for scheduling all athletic events, including gyms, fields, etc., identifying conflicts early and providing a solution when a scheduling conflict occurs
Work with the coaches and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish pastor to schedule the mass celebration for each team
Will assign referees
Oversee purchase of equipment, supplies, uniforms, etc., and submit purchase requests to the principal three days prior to the order being made
Be ultimately responsible for the collection, storage and accounting for all uniforms, equipment, and supplies of the program
Meet with the coaches of a particular sport at least once a season and hold them accountable for their responsibilities
Report to the principal any behavior (by coaches or players) judged inappropriate according to Catholic school standards.
Communicate any concerns to public school officials and administrators
The AD is required to sign a copy of the attached Athletic Director/Coach Contract

The AD is encouraged to delegate responsibilities to the School Board and/or ask for assistance from the principal in identifying appropriate individuals for assistance.

St. John Paul II Coaches

Coaches serve a key role in the development of the student athlete and are expected to serve as adult role models for players. To prepare coaches for this volunteer assignment, each coach is required to attend a coaches retreat at the beginning of the school year. The half-day retreat is focused on the spirituality of sports and how it ties in to the overall experience of a Catholic educational experience.

Responsibilities

Coaches will follow the guidelines set forth in the St. John Paul II athletic policy
Coaches should have a firm familiarity and understanding of the school policies and procedures
Coaches will provide for the health and safety of their athletes encouraging the physical, mental, educational, and spiritual growth of each athlete
Each coach is directly accountable to the AD and St. John Paul II principal.
Each coach will implement the approved St. John Paul II policies and direct the overall activities of his/her team
Coaches will not make purchases using St. John Paul II or team monies or sign any contracts before first providing the AD with a check request three days in advance of purchase.
All fundraising and registration fee monies must be turned into the St. John Paul II AD with documentation for bank deposit
All fundraising and registration fee monies will be deposited within 24 hours of collection
Setup and breakdown of the gymnasium is the responsibility of the coach.
The coach will fulfill any other duties that may be assigned by the AD or principal
Coaches will ensure school or rented facilities and property are respected
Coaches will ensure equipment and uniforms are safeguarded from loss or damage and that they are returned at the end of the season
All Scholar Athletic Awards must be submitted to the principal at least three days before they are awarded

Setting the Example

Coaches set the example for our student athletes by exemplifying ethical behavior in coaching style, appearance, leadership and communication.

All coaches will demonstrate Christian living and good sportsmanship and will respect the needs of other coaches and the athletes
Disputes with officials should be conducted in a professional, respectful, and calm manner
Every practice and game will begin with a prayer and end with a prayer, no exceptions; coaches are encouraged to designate a particular player or players to lead the prayer
Each team is to attend one mass together, scheduled by the AD, during the season of the sport in uniform or jersey; attendance should be encouraged and emphasized
Coaches will publicly shake hands with opposing coaches and will have their players shake hands with opponents before or after a game
Coaches will require appropriate conduct from each athlete at all times
Coaches will be discrete when reprimanding athletes in front of spectators and his or her peers
Coaches will behave with courtesy at all times and will not be physically or verbally abusive
All written communication to parents, students or colleagues must be submitted to the advancement director, before it is distributed, no exceptions
Any written or verbal communication which is offensive or denigrating to St. John Paul II, its parents, students or colleagues will not be tolerated

Eligibility for Coaching

All coaches MUST undergo fingerprinting and background checks and complete the CAP training course according to the diocesan guidelines
One time fees for fingerprinting and background checks are the responsibility of the coaches
All coaches must participate in the coaches’ retreat hosted by the school
Each coach is required to sign a copy of the attached Coach Contract

The selection and removal of coaches is the responsibility of the AD and St. John Paul II principal. A coach can be removed for any violation of the Coach’s Contract or the St. John Paul II School Athletic Policy.

St. John Paul II Parents

For St. John Paul II Catholic School students to grow in their faith in God and achieve academic excellence it is important that our students’ parents be involved in the student’s education. The school seeks parent help with school activities and school fundraising activities. Even though it is desired that each parent volunteer to the school out of a willingness to further their student’s education, the school asks that each parent complete at least two bingo events and one athletic fundraising event for each child enrolled in a sport.

Guidelines for Parent Volunteering

Parents who sign up to volunteer for an event should be sure they are available to attend
In case of emergency, it is up to the parent to find a replacement and communicate that to the coach or an event contact at least 24 hours in advance
Parents set the example for our students; please wear appropriate attire and exhibit professional behavior during volunteer events
Each parent is asked to complete at least two bingo events per year and one athletic fundraising event for each child enrolled in a sport
Parents are encouraged to sign up for other volunteer events outside of the sports-sponsored fund-raisers such as Scrip sales, PTA events, lunch assistance and bingo; contact the advancement director at the school office, for information
A parent/guardian must sign a copy of the Parent Contract before the first practice

St. John Paul II Student Athletes

Students must meet the following to be eligible for participation in the St. John Paul II Athletic Program:

Student athletes must maintain a grade of “C” or better in all subjects
Students will pay for any lost or mistreated equipment
Students absent on the day of the scheduled sports event or practice may not participate in the event or practice; a student absent on Friday may participate in an event on Saturday
Once rostered, a student may not quit one sport to join another which is running concurrently. A student is considered rostered if he or she attends the first two scheduled practices. The student who elects not to participate must inform the coach prior to the third scheduled practice.
All athletes are expected to represent themselves and St. John Paul II in a courteous manner
Every practice and game will begin with a prayer and end with a prayer, no exceptions
Each student will attend one mass in uniform or jersey with his/her team during the season

St. JOHN PAUL II FACILITIES POLICY

St. John Paul II School Board recognizes campus facilities are a valuable resource of St. John Paul II Regional School and are to be enjoyed and equally available for all school athletic activities. The principal, in conjunction with the AD, shall establish a uniform procedure for handling and scheduling use of facilities by such groups. However, the principal has authority to grant or deny all requests for facility usage.

Some additional guidelines on use of facilities:

All requests to use facilities for athletics must be presented in writing to the AD with priority given to the sport or activity in season
Participants are to be supervised by coaches at all times while on school property
All activities will be terminated by 9 p.m.
Equipment and supplies are not to be removed from the premises
Each activitie ‘s coach will accept full responsibility for damage or loss of such equipment
All activity clean up will be responsibility of the coach and/or the AD
Smoking on school grounds is prohibited at all times
No one may bring alcoholic beverages onto school grounds
All use shall comply with state and local fire, health, safety and police regulations
All participants and spectators shall abide by rules of conduct in the coach, parent and student-athlete contracts
Facilities will not be available for use on Sundays before 1 p.m., nor will they be available on days closed for emergencies or inclement weather
To allow for the after-school program, facilities are not available before 6 p.m. on weeknights

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising is an essential part in keeping our athletic program going. These guidelines are a means to ensure fundraisers provide a rewarding experience for our volunteers and student athletes.

Planning a Fundraiser

All fundraising event proposals shall be submitted to the advancement director, for St. John Paul II Regional School
Teams shall limit their fundraising efforts to their respective season as to not compete with fellow school teams fundraising events

Process for handling finances

All funds raised will be counted by a volunteer and an event contact person (board member, coach, AD) immediately following the event
Money will be inserted into money envelope with the amount earned included
Money will be given immediately to the office of the principal; at off-site locations, money will be given to the event contact person to be dropped at the office of the principal within 24 hours
The principal is responsible for depositing the funds into the appropriate account or delegating the responsibility for depositing funds

Spending our Fundraising Dollars

Coaches must submit a check request to the AD prior to contract being signed. The check request form is available of the Athletics Form page. All requests must be presented to the AD and then the principal a minimum of three days in advance. The principal shall have authorization on day-to-day check requests for league fees, refunds, referees, bulk snacks, etc. The School Board’s Finance Committee and school pastor will review requests for end of season events such as parties, banquets, etc., and surplus monies. The principal, from time to time, may consult the board on spending requests should its approval be needed.