Academic success and sports eligibility was discussed at the Highland School Board meeting June 12.

Incoming Dean of Students Bill Zywiec presented his proposed changes to the sports eligibility policy. The current high school policy states that grades to determine eligibility will be taken directly from the quarter report cards and applied to the next quarter. Zywiec describes how the current policy is a detriment to students, “If you’re at 50% after week one it’s probably one assignment. 45% after 17 weeks it’s going to be 20 or 30 assignments and the teacher would catch that, and you’re going to see that on parent conferences you’re going to see that on Power School. But if kids are allowed to participate with those grades and there’s no penalty for that, the penalty’s going to be at the end when they don’t get the credit and they’re behind on credits and they’re not going to graduate on time.”

Zywiec’s proposed policy states he will review athletes’ grades every Friday starting the third week of each semester. If the student has a failing grade they will be placed on academic probation. The first week they’re on probation they will still get to participate in their activity. If the student is still failing after the first week of probation they will only be allowed to practice. Highland also wants to streamline the middle school and high school eligibility policies into one policy.