No student organization shall exist which is not approved by the Board of Directors. The superintendent shall determine qualifications and regulations for student groups and make recommendations to the Board for groups seeking approval. Applications for organizing shall be relayed to the superintendent through the building principal.
Secondary and/or student-initiated curriculum-related organizations and secondary and/or student-initiated non-curriculum-related organizations are encouraged.
Curriculum-Related Organizations
It shall also be the responsibility of the principal to determine whether a student group is curriculum-related. One or more of the following questions will be answered affirmatively if the group is curriculum-related:
- Is the subject matter of the group actually taught in a regularly offered course?
- Will the subject matter of the group soon be taught in a regularly offered course?
- Does the subject matter of the group concern the body of courses as a whole?
- Is participation in the group required for a particular course?
- Does participation in the group result in academic credit?
Secondary and/or student-initiated curriculum-related student organizations, upon receiving permission from the principal, may use the school district facilities for meetings and other purposes during non-instructional time.
Non-instructional time will mean any time before the first period of the day and after the last period of the day in which any student attends class. Meetings will not interfere with the orderly conduct of the education program or other school district operations. It is within the discretion of the principal to determine whether the meetings will interfere with the orderly conduct of the education program or other school district operations. Activities relating to any part of the education program will have priority over the activities of another organization.
Employees shall be assigned to monitor approved meetings and may interact with curriculum-related organizations.
Non-curriculum-Related Organizations
Secondary and/or student-initiated, non-curriculum-related organizations shall be provided access to meeting space and school district facilities. Only students may attend and participate in meetings of non-curriculum-related groups. Such attendance shall be strictly voluntary and student-initiated. As a means of determining whether a student’s attendance is voluntary, the principal may require parental consent for the student to attend the meetings.
Employees shall be assigned to monitor approved meetings. Employees shall not participate in the meeting or assist in planning, criticizing or encouraging attendance.
Approved: November 17, 1997
Revised/Reviewed: April 22, 2024