Once a student enters the 7th grade, he/she has two consecutive years of eligibility. The student must be approved by the principal to represent his/her school for each athletic contest. It is the right of the principal to deny such participation.
A student is eligible under the following conditions:
Attendance
He/she must be in regular attendance and present the day of the contest. A student on outside suspension shall be ineligible from the time of the infraction until the time of reinstatement.
Academics
A student will become academically eligible upon his or her promotion to the 7th grade. There after the student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for each grading period and pass five subjects (or six for students taking seven subjects) to remain eligible during the seventh grade year.
An eighth grade student must pass five (5) subjects (or six for students taking seven subjects) and maintain a 2.0 GPA for each individual nine (9) week period. For the first nine (9) weeks the eighth grade student's eligibility is based on the entire previous school year's cumulative average. Two (2) credits may be made up or replaced by attending a summer school. When repeating a subject the higher of the two grades shall count and only one attempt will be used in the calculation of the GPA.
The report card will determine eligibility at the end of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd nine week grading period. (Eligibility will be determined the day report cards are issued.) It shall be the duty of the principal to have each child's record checked at the end of each nine weeks. A student's eligibility is determined by the previous 9 weeks grades. The student will become eligible or ineligible on the day that report cards are issued Grade recovery will not affect the student's eligibility until the day report cards are issued for the next nine week period.
Age
He or she may not participate if the age of fifteen (15) is reached prior to September 1.
Discipline
Any student who has been to Mattie V. Rutherford, the alternative school, or has participated in an abuse program for possession of drugs or alcohol cannot participate on any athletic team for the remainder of the school year.
Students who have been charged with a Class III offense during the course of the season from day 1 of tryouts can no longer participate in that sport, but are eligible for sports in the future.
Any athlete who receives out-of-school suspension twice during the course of a season (from day 1 of tryouts) can no longer participate in that sport.
New Students
A newly enrolled student must be added to the team's roster within 10 days of his or her enrollment at their new school. Players, excluding newly enrolled students, may be added to the team after the season has started provided they practiced with the team from the first day of tryouts throughout the season until such time they are added to the roster. Every effort will be made when possible to revise schedules so no games are played before report cards come out.
Ineligible Students at Games
An ineligible student shall not be allowed on the player's bench, in the team box or on the field of play, or in athletic uniform during an athletic contest. The appearance of an ineligible student's name on a game eligibility list shall be considered as evidence that he/she was to be on the bench during that game.Transfer Student
A transfer student may represent the school to which he/she transfers provided his/her transfer record has been received by the principal of the school to which he/she has transferred provided he/she meets all eligibility requirements. NOTE: Transfer record refers to an official written transcript signed by the principal or his/her authorized representative of the school from which the student transferred.
A student properly assigned by the Duval County School Board to a school (special assignment) shall be immediately eligible provided he/she meets all other eligibility requirements.