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SOUTHWEST JUNIOR HIGH SPIRIT SQUAD CONSTITUTION VII. SOUTHWEST JUNIOR HIGH SPIRIT SQUAD GUIDELINES Code of Law The following will make up the code of law for all spirit and support groups. Any member who breaks this code will be subject to disciplinary action. Team captains and co-captains are to consider all discussions with the coach confidential. Dance Team/Cheer Captains will be chosen by squad election. Only returning 9th grade members may fill captain positions. If an issue arises that needs discussion, please proceed in the following manner: member discuss issue with coach if member and coach alone cannot agree, member, parent, and coach will meet to come to a compromise an administrator will be asked to assist if initial discussions are not successful There shall be no decisions made or official meetings, practices, or performances held without the knowledge and/or presence of the coach. No votes or decisions will be made without the approval and presence of the coach. Members must uphold the constitution and abide by all the rules of SWJH. Failure to attend practices, meetings, games or performances; inappropriate dress; poor sportsmanship; lack of cooperation; failure to abide by school and/or team rules etc; will be cause for benching or dismissal by the coach or school officials. a. Members will be allowed excused absences from practices/games for school related functions only if notice is given in writing prior to the absence. Coaches will check grades at 5 weeks and the end of each grading period to monitor academic and conduct grades. A "U" indicates poor classroom conduct on grade reports. If a member fails to maintain the minimum grade point average of 1.8 (AAA) or has a "U" in conduct after any grading period; the member will be benched until the next grade/conduct check. If grades or conduct do not improve to meet membership standards at the end of benching period, the member will be dismissed from the squad for the remainder of the school year. Members may be dismissed for disciplinary reasons as well. Uniforms Members are responsible for returning uniforms in useable condition. The coach will set the deadline for uniform return. Returned uniforms must be cleaned and returned together in a bag with member’s name. The school and the parents will share the responsibility of providing equipment. Coaches will decide what uniforms will be worn to school and to each event. Members will wear uniform, no warm-ups, at all games. Warm-ups will be worn during the game at the direction of the coach due to weather conditions. Exceptions will be determined on an individual basis with coach decision being final. Warm-ups will be worn with skirt ON with uniform top during school. If member has pullover on, skirt may be taken off. Practices, Performances, and Games Practices will be held every day during 6th period of the school day. Additional practices will be held on a needed basis determined by the coach. Any additional practice will be held on Wednesdays. No jewelry will be worn during practices. No jewelry shall be worn when in uniform at all. This includes body piercing. (AAA) Members’ hair, touching shoulders or longer, will be worn up at practices, games, and pep rallies in a ponytail with no "whispies". Members with short hair will secure hair so that it does not lie in their eyes. (AAA) For all practices and performances, fingernails will be kept trimmed so that they do not show above the ends of the fingers when the hands are turned palm up. This includes artificial nails. (AAA) Members must dress-in and dress-out only in the locker room or bathroom for every in-school practice. Members must be dressed-out by 1:38 everyday. Members must dress-in after every in-school practice before going to next class. Members must have dance/cheer performance-ready by the day before the performance. Members may be asked to sit out a performance if the routine is not sufficiently memorized at check-off time. Members will check in with coach at every game or event by check in time. Members must be in place and ready to cheer at beginning of game, quarter, etc. Cell phones, pagers, etc. will be used if coach gives permission and must be turned off during the game. Trips/Away Games All out of town trips shall be made by school bus, unless the coach and principal make other arrangements. All members must ride the bus to and from an event. If you miss the bus, you will not be allowed to perform during the event and will be benched for the next performance. The administration and the coach will decide on all trips. These trips may be subject to change by administrator or coach. No trips will be made if there is a risk to the well being of the student. Neither Cheerleaders nor Dance Team will perform at away game halftimes. Any parent wishing to take their student home from an event must sign the student out at the game. Any parent wishing that their student ride home with another adult must sign a permission form PRIOR to the event and give it to the coach, both parties must sign the form. Cheerleaders and Dance Team members must be in all scheduled classes the entire school day of the event to cheer. Excused absences for doctor’s appointments, etc. will be allowed. Members must also be in school the entire day preceding performance for practice purposes or they cannot perform. Students will be given return times for all of the away events. Any student not picked up more than 10 minutes after return time will not be allowed to travel to the next away event or perform. UDA/UCA summer camp is considered a SWJH event and will be handled as such. Any misbehavior will be dealt with as soon as possible while attending camp or soon afterward. Because camp is attended during non-school days, demerits will not be given for misbehavior. The coach will determine a suitable consequence consisting of community service or a school improvement project to be completed before the beginning of the school year Trips to Regional/Conference Tournaments will be determined on a season-by-season basis. Squad Make-up There will be 1 squad for both Cheerleaders and Dance Team consisting of ten 8th graders and ten 9th graders on each squad. During basketball season, the squad will be divided into 2 groups that will follow a rotation schedule for games. F. Creating/Teaching Cheers/Dances Dance Team A Choreography Committee will be chosen by secret ballot after tryouts to create all dances. Each member will be given a piece of music and asked to create three 8-counts of choreography. The individual’s choreography will be voted on by the squad. The coach will break any ties. The choreography committee will consist of 6-8 members. Members of the Choreography Committee will work in pairs to create dances for each scheduled performance. Each dance must be created and taught in 8-count format. Coach may ask that certain moves be taken out at her discretion. Each dance will be scheduled for approval. Both music and dance moves must be approved by the coach before the dance will be taught to the squad. Songs must NOT be longer than two minutes. Songs CANNOT contain lyrics with suggestive or literal sexual content, inappropriate topics (drugs, violence, etc.), or curse words. Cheerleaders New cheers/stunts must be checked off by the coach three times in a row before they can be performed. Cheerleaders may only stunt to music. Demerit System Either coach may give demerits to both Cheerleaders or Dance Team for situations that arise that are in violation of the constitution or any other situation deemed inappropriate, even if not stated below. Please see attached list of demerits and values. Demerits are accumulated over the course of each semester. Demerits will begin on April 16. Please read over the demerit list and be responsible and prepared for practice! Accumulation of four demerits will result in benching of that member for one game/performance including the pep rally for that game. Accumulation of five demerits will result in member’s benching for two games/performances including any pep rallies. Accumulation of six demerits will result in one letter grade drop in student’s grade for that marking period, and a call to parents. Each additional demerit will drop the student’s grade again. The lowest possible grade received would be a D. Accumulation of seven demerits will result in probation and disciplinary action by the coach or administrator. If a member accumulates eight demerits, she will be benched for the rest of that sport’s season. Total accumulation of ten demerits will result in immediate dismissal from the squad. Any offense determined severe by coach or administrator may result in immediate benching. Coach or administrator will make this decision on an individual basis. A member may be dismissed from the squad or placed on probation if the coaches and/or administrators find just cause to do so. REMEMBER THAT THE DECISION OF THE COACH IS FINAL. |
