Brandon Middle School Cheer Rules and Bylaws

Transcription

1 Brandon Middle School Cheer Rules and Bylaws I. QUALIFICATIONS: If a squad member is INELIGIBLE at the end of the school year, he/she will be dropped from the squad with NO Monetary Reimbursements. All squad members will be governed by the MHSAA eligibility rules involving grades. Cheerleaders must maintain a 70 (C) overall average to be considered elligibile to cheer. Once a squad member has been declared ineligible because of grades, they will still be requied to practice with the squad but they will not be allowed to cheer/perform at any school event of competition util the end of the semester and their overall average reaches a 70 (C). II. PURPOSE: Brandon Middle School Cheer Squad s primary purpose is to support athletics at the institution. The cheer squad is to lead the student body/fans to promote spirit at sporting events, including football games, school pep rallies, and other sproting events, as well as participate in regional and possibly national competitions. Each member shall demonstrate good sportsman-like conduct, maintain high standards and morals, as well as excel in cheering and academics. They should promote unity among all aspects of the school and promote effective relationships among Brandon Middle School and other schools as well as throughout the community. III. PRACTICES & GAMES: Each cheer squad member is expected to perform to his/her fullest potential the minimum cheer requirements set at tryouts at all practices, pep rallies, games & competitions and any other requirement selected by the coaches. The coaches, and/or a designated school official will supervise every practice and/or performance. During practices/performances and games, the squad will stay together as a group, will pay attention to the game and not socialize, will follow instructions given by coaches and/or captains. All practices will be closed unless specified otherwise by the coaches. The team will practice for a minimum of an hour and a half and a maximum of 3 1/2 hours three - five days a week, depending on upcoming events. When there is a competition approaching, the amount, length and frequency of practices will increase. I will provide an online calendar with all of the practice times, location, dress attire, and events for month. There might be unexpected events added to the calendar throughout the month. In this case, I will text the squad or discuss at practice and/or parents. Each cheerleader will be expected to look at calendar to keep up with upcoming events at all times. Cheerleaders will arrive at least thirty minutes before each home football game dressed in the appropriate performance attire and ready to perform. It is mandatory for each cheerleader to ride the school bus to away football games. A cheer team member will be released ONLY to a parent. Should a situation arise that a cheerleader would need to ride home with parents from a football game, it is the parent s responsibility to submit a letter to be approved by the Cheer coach requesting their child be permitted to travel back with the parent prior to the day of the game. The parent will be required to sign the cheer member out AFTER THE GAME, AT THE BUS once everything has been cleaned up and loaded back on the bus. Either the coach or cheer manager will have the sign out list. It is the parents/cheer team members responsibilty to provide transportation to and from all home games, practices, and special performances. The coaches can not provide transportation.

2 IV. SAFETY REGULATIONS: The squad will follow accepted safety guidelines provided RCSD and MHSAA. Personal physicals, emergency contact information, and health insurance policy numbers are kept by the sponsor at all times and must be current. Any change to this information during the year will need to be updated with the sponsor immediately. **ALL RETURNING CHEERLEADERS PHYSICALS ARE BEFORE CAMP. V. SUMMER CAMP: NCA camp is a MANDATORY EVENT!! We are planning on going to an NCA camp at Southern Miss that will expose the cheerleaders to more competitive atmosphere. The choreography and technique learned during the NCA camp will be used for pep rallies, football games, and other events during the year. **NCA Performance CAMP JUNE 16-19, 2015 Hattiesburg, MS (USM) VI. CHEER CHAIN OF COMMAND: 1. CHEERLEADER TO CAPTAIN 2. CAPTAIN TO SPONSOR 3. SPONSOR TO PRINCIPAL/PARENT COMMUNICATION IS A VITAL COMPONENT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MEMBERS AND SPONSOR. IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND WILL NEED TO FOLLOW THE ABOVE ORDER. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CHEERLEADER TO CONTACT THE CAPTAIN FOR ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING CHEER INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF PRACTICES. CALLING/ ING/TEXTING THE SPONSOR, UNLESS EMERGENCY, IS PROHIBITED BY ANY CHEER MEMBER AND/OR PARENT IN REGARDS TO PRACTICES, TIMES, OUTFITS, APPOINTMENTS, ETC. VII. CAPTAIN SELECTIONS: CHEERLEADERS INTERESTED IN A CAPTAIN S POSITION MUST MEET THE REQUIRED: 1. GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING 2. STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS 3. DEPENDABLE 4. KNOWLEDGABLE OF CHEERS TEAM MEMBERS WILL VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATES ANONOMOUSLY ON THE BASIS OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS, PERSONAL DISCIPLINE, TALENT LEVEL, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THE FOUR 8 TH GRADERS WITH THE MOST VOTES AND COACH APPROVAL WILL BE TEAM CAPTAINS.

3 VIII. EXPECTED BEHAVIORS & STANDARDS: All members are to follow the RCSD handbook in regards to the policies of behavior and tolerance for students of Brandon Middle School. 1. No dyes, colors, feathers, or streaked hair will be allowed except when permitted by the sponsor. Hair is to be worn up at all times. 2. No jewelry will be worn at practice, games, or competitions. Body piercings ARE NOT allowed anytime a cheerleader is in uniform which includes practice and performance attire. 3. All cheerleaders will be dressed in the same performance wear for each event. Performance attire will be decided by the coaches. 4. The use of alcohol, tobacco or any illegal drug is a zero tolerance statute at BMS. See RCSD handbook. The use of profanity can lead to disciplinary actions in accordance with BMS policy. 5. Regular attendance at school is required. The school rules for participation in an event will be enforced. If a cheerleader is sick, the cheerleader or the parent must notify the sponsor immediately. If possible, he/she will then be expected to attend practice and observe in case any changes are made. Upon returning to practice, a doctor s excuse and/or an excuse slip from the office are required for you to be able just to observe practices and/or to participate in practices. If a cheerleader is injured/sick the sponsor needs to be notified immediately and a doctor s note needs to state when she is released to continue practicing. INJURED OR SICK, UNLESS NOTED BY A DOCTOR, CHEERLEADERS MUST STILL TRY TO ATTEND PRACTICE! 6. Absence from any cheer activity will not be tolerated. The following excuses will be accepted: personal illness or accident (doctor s excuse), death or extreme illness in the family, and school activity with the advance permission of the sponsor. Extracurricular activities are NOT valid excuses unless they are school related activities. No one will be allowed to miss during the two weeks prior to competition. Any practice missed during this period will count as unexcused absences and the cheerleader will sit out of the performance. No cheerleader will be allowed to miss a practice before pep rally. If this practice is missed, the absence will count as unexcused and the cheerleader will not perform at the pep rally. 7. Parents have a 10-minute grace period for picking up cheer members after scheduled practices and events. 8. All Social Media accounts will be closely monitored in regards to photographed behavior, language, and/or harassment of a team member or another student. Cheerleaders ARE NOT permitted to upload photos displaying any BMS Cheer apparel to include performance wear and camp wear unless followed by the coach on instagram. In the discovery of inappropriate photographed behavior, foul language, or harassment, the material will be printed and used for immediate dismissal of the team. Inappropriate photographed behavior includes: smoking, drinking, participation in drug use, distribution of drug, or sexually explicit and /or suggestive poses. Cheer apparel are also not to be loaned out to anyone other than cheerleaders. ANYONE wearing BMS cheer apparel represents our squad and school. 9. No food, candy or GUM will be allowed on the field or court during a game or pep rally. There will be a break at halftime of all games and that is when the cheerleadres are allowed to eat. All cheerleaders must be back to the field/court and ready to cheer with 1:00 minute left in the half. 10. If a cheerleader resigns form the squad for any reason, other than medical or family emergency, they will not be allowed to tryout for the following year. Also, if a cheerleader owes any balance for the previous year, the cheerleader will not be allowed to tryout for the upcoming year. IX. COMPETITIONS: BMS Cheerleaders will participate in the Pearl Open Invitational Dance Competition in October, and the MHSAA State Cheer Competitions in November and any other competition that the

4 coaches deem appropriate; if the team wins a bid to the National Cheerleading Competition, the team/parents/coach/ will VOTE on whether to compete or not. If the vote for is yes, the cheerleader/parent are responsible for their balance and MUST BE PAID IN FULL IN ORDER TO COMPETE! IF NOT PAID IN FULL AT TIME OF LAST DEPOSIT DUE, ALL OTHER MONEYS ARE FORFEITED TO THE CHEER ACCOUNT. X. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AND FUNDRAISING: Each cheerleader will be responsible for his/her own financial obligation. We will have 2 fundraiser for the cheerleaders to help with uniform cost at the beginning of the season. All other fundraisers are team fundraisers. 1. Cheerleading Girls are responsible for the payment of the following: Camp/practice clothes Camp participation Performance attire (Uniform, practice outfit, shoes, poms, etc) $80 monthly gym fee ***NOTE: Any cheerleader who owes a balance at the time of performance will not be allowed to perform and must sit out the pep rally/football game/practice until balance is paid in full. Camp clothes and camp participation must be paid by May 20, We will set a payment schedule that will be divided into 4 payments, beginning March 1, The cost will be estimated to be around $1350. **Gym payments are due from each cheerleader by the middle of the month, usually around the 15 th. **ALL FUNDRAISERS ARE MANDATORY FOR EACH GIRL AND PARENT! Any items not sold for a fundraising activity by a BMS cheerleader must be paid for by that member. The coaches will decide which fundraisers would be most beneficial for the team. The funds from these events will be used for spirit items for the school, paper, paints, extra cheer apparel, signs, etc) XI. DISCIPLINARY ACTION POLICY: ZERO TOLERANCE RESULTING IN AUTOMATIC DISMISSAL: a. Any use/possession/distribution of drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol in or out of Brandon Middle School; also to include being intoxicated or using drugs/alcohol while performing (including practices), representing, or attending a Rankin County School District function. b. Photos and/or postings displayed on Twitter/Facebook/InstaGram indicating the use/possession of cigarettes, drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, while in or out of cheer performance attire; also to include harrassing/bullying of other students, and posts with lewd or suggestive language. c. Fighting and/or harassing another team member or student in or out of cheer attire in the Rankin County School District. d. Absence from summer camp without any notification to the sponsor. e. Suspension from Brandon Middle School. f. Not maintaining a combined 70 or above GPA in required core classes. **Please note that any activity in the community/school such as the use of cigarettes or any other action that may represent the squad/school in a negative manner and/or lead to arrest of a cheerleader will result in disciplinary actions from the Cheer Coaches and/or Administration. This too can result in suspension or dismissal from the cheer squad. XII. 5 Demerits POLICY REMOVAL FROM PRACTICE Any cheerleader who does not reflect individual accountability, responsibility, and

5 or discipline for himself/herself and team will be asked to leave practice and noted as an unexcused absence. The cheerleader will be allowed 2 OTI (Opportunity for Improvement) for #1 & #2 below before moving to strikes. #3-5 will be strikes only. OTI s are running to make up for the infraction. The cheerleader is only allowed 2 OTI and then will move to strikes. The cheerleader will be documented of the infraction, a note written to his/her parents that must be signed and returned, and he/she will have to leave the practice area until the next scheduled practice time (if deemed necessary by coach). It will be his/her responsibility to learn any missed choreography for the next scheduled practice. If he/she has not learned the missed choreography before the next scheduled practice, he/she will sit out of that performance event. This documentation will be kept in the cheerleader s information folder. **A total of 15 demerits practices/performances will result in dismissal from the cheer squad with no refund in payments. Listed below are reasons for an unexcused practice removal: 1. Wrong practice attire. 2. Not having required items for practice (proper shoes/poms/etc) 3. Over 15 minutes late to practice or scheduled event with out notifying sponsor. 4. Disrepectful behavior (rude comments, gestures, shouting, aggressive behavior, social media postings to include pictures/texts) to or about another cheer member, choreographer, or sponsor. 5. Two practices late for gym payment. 6. Less than a days notice to miss a scheduled practice/performance due to other obligation (other BMS activities, church, etc) 7. Disrepectful behavior to any faculty member at BMS, an ISS write up, and/or altercation with another student at BMS or in Rankin County School District. Fundraisers: (This will go to help offset cheerleaders cost.) Rankin County Ledger *Roll Papers Earn $400 total $250 Raffle *$5 tickets * Two ticket sells from each cheerleader will go back into the fund to replace the $250. Every ticket sold after that will go the individual cheerleader. For example, if your child sells 30 tickets, then $140 goes toward your child. T-shirt Sales and Tattoo Sales (This will go to the cheer account to buy items needed throughout the year.) REMIND 101 If I need to send a reminder, I will use Remind 101, which is a text message system. To sign up: Text In the message part Press send. ***This will automatically add you to my Cheer class and you will receive any text message reminders from me.

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