Bylaws

GUNTER HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADER/MASCOT BY-LAWS

2008-2009

PHILOSOPHY: Cheerleaders are selected for the primary purpose of supporting ALL athletic teams. Cheerleaders will demonstrate good citizenship and moral standards as well as assume responsibility for developing school spirit. Emphasis will be on leading rather than competing.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:

1. All students will be expected to adhere to the Gunter High School Code of Conduct, the Gunter High School Extracurricular Policy, and the Gunter High School Drug Testing Policy.

2. A cheerleader who receives a grade below 70 in any academic class will be subject to the UIL No-Pass, No-Play regulation.
Exception: Students who are enrolled in classes such as Pre-AP or AP and make below a 70 (5.0 scale) in any of those classes are exempt from the eligibility ruling but cannot make below 60.

3. Upon receiving a second failing grade in any subsequent six-week period, the cheerleader member will be removed from the squad.

4. A cheerleader removed solely on basis of academics will be eligible to tryout the following year provided that he/she maintains a grade of 70 or above in all classes.

PARTICIPATION:

I. ELIGIBILITY OF TRYOUTS:

1. All students trying out for cheerleader must have an overall average of 70% for the six weeks of school prior to the scheduled tryouts.

2. All students trying out for cheerleader must attend three of the four practices prior to tryouts in order to be eligible. No exceptions.

3. All students trying out for cheerleader must be enrolled in Gunter High School or Gunter Middle School for 12 weeks prior to tryouts. (Subject to change based upon time and date of tryouts.)

4. All students trying out for cheerleader must receive a favorable teacher evaluation to be eligible to try out for cheerleader. Any student not receiving a favorable teacher rating will be excluded from tryouts.

5. All students not active in the athletic program must provide the sponsors a copy of a current physical examination.

6. The composite score of judges (70%) and the teacher evaluation (30%) will determine the cheer squad of up to 15 Varsity cheerleaders, 10 JV Blue cheerleaders, 6 JV White cheerleaders, and 1 Mascot per squad.

7. A panel of up to three qualified, professional, impartial judges from a recognized association will score the performance of the candidates. (Judges will also be present at the practices.)

8. All interested persons must attend an orientation meeting with his/her parent/guardian to be eligible to try out for cheerleader. No exceptions.

9. Freshmen and Sophomores will represent both of the JV squads. All students trying out for the Varsity cheerleading squad must have represented the Varsity or the JV squad as a cheerleader for at least one year (unless a student has moved to Gunter prior to tryouts of their junior or senior year).

10. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will represent the Varsity squad.

II. PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCES:

1. Any person not attending the scheduled practices and/or missing summer camp will result in automatic expulsion from the cheer squad; unless the absence is excused as outlined below.

2. During the school year, practices will be scheduled at the discretion of the sponsors. Missing any one practice in a given week could result in loss of performance privileges for the week, even when a doctor’s note is provided. Remember, this is a team effort and if one is not in attendance the team has to work without a full squad. (In this event, a JV alternate could be chosen to fill the absence.)

3. Practice time will be limited to a total of eight hours per school week outside the school day. This is a UIL rule for all athletes.

4. The active cheerleading season will be during all football games, home District basketball games, and playoff baseball and softball games. All other sports will be supported with locker signs and other acts of special recognition. All playoff games of any sport will be attended.

5. Vacancies on the squad prior to August 1 will be filled with alternates at the discretion of the sponsor.

III. ABSENCES

1. Excused absences are defined as absences due to personal illness (office must be notified), for religious holidays, death or serious illness in the family, or other absence excused at the discretion of the sponsor or principal. (In the event a cheerleader/mascot is absent, a note from the doctor’s office must be turned into the school office and to the sponsor.)

2. Class absences will be covered under school policy.

3. Absences from cheerleading caused by conflicts with other school activities will be excused.

4. If the cheerleader/mascot has a truancy or excessive absences, she may not be allowed to tryout for cheerleader/mascot for one (1) year.

DISCIPLINE:

PHILOSOPHY: Certain standards are necessary for the integrity and reputation of any leading organization. Cheerleaders should be leaders within the school and should set a good example at all times. Cheerleaders are expected to have and maintain character above reproach. Personal appearance and habits of which there can be no criticism are required since cheerleaders are constantly representing the school before the public. He/she is never to be seen smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, or abusing drugs of any kind. If any of the above rules are broken, cheerleaders are subject to the extracurricular policy, and/or removal from the squad. The extracurricular policy will be followed and enforced. However, the final decisions on disciplinary action will be at the sponsors’ discretion with approval of the administration.

1. Major infractions will be addressed by the school code of conduct and/or the extracurricular policy.

2. Demerits will be given on a point-by-point basis and a consequence will be assessed. When five (5) demerits are earned, a parent conference will be scheduled to discuss the issue. In the event of fifteen (15) demerits, expulsion from the team may occur, at the discretion of the sponsors.

3. If a cheerleader relinquishes his/her position on the squad at any time during the school year, he/she is ineligible to tryout for cheerleader the following year and is still responsible for any money owed on any remaining balance for that year.

4. The sponsors at their discretion will give demerits.

5. Any student receiving ISS will be given five (5) demerits and will be prohibited from cheering at the next pep rally and game.

6. In the event that a student is removed from the squad, he/she will be notified in writing in a timely manner of the reasons for the action. A conference will be offered to the parent and the student in which he/she will be given the opportunity to present his/her version of the events and evidence. If a student is removed for the purposes of AEP placement, she is not eligible to tryout for cheerleader/mascot for two (2) years.

UNIFORMS AND EXPENSES:

1. There will be a possibility of two cheer clinics throughout the season to raise funds. Other fundraisers will be planned with the approval of the principal and superintendent.

2. Each cheerleader will be responsible for purchasing his/her own uniform; this includes one basic uniform, warm-ups, socks, tights, shoes, camp wear, megaphone and pom-poms. Expenditures will be $400.00 per person. The items the cheerleader will keep will be: pom-poms, uniform, socks, tights, shoes, megaphone, and camp wear. Gunter ISD will keep warm-ups.

3.A deposit in the amount of $200.00 will be collected prior to camp and the remaining balance is due before the first football game. Another option is to divide your payments in 5 and pay $80.00 per month starting May 2008. Any person not paying the full amount prior to the first football game will not be permitted to cheer until the balance has been paid in full.