There have been quite a few students who have failed a class during the last term.  Some of these students are involved in extracurriculars.  School administrators have tried to find a solution to this problem, but nothing has worked.  While they try to solve the issue of reducing failures, they can first target the those who stop working after their sport or extracurricular activity is over.  Finding a way to keep these students’ grades up all throughout the school year can be the first step to reduce the amount of students failing.

In the Co-Curricular Description Handbook, a student will only be ineligible to for participation if he or she has a failing grade from the latest grading period.  The only consequence is a minimum of 15 school days where they can not be involved in the activity.  They may practice or come to meetings if the coach or adviser allows it.  This motivates those involved in extracurriculars to keep their grades up so they can continue to participate.   All of these students know this rule and do their best to keep their grades up.  However, some students stop putting effort into getting decent grades after their sport or activity is over or they do their best to get a D-, but no more.  That’s a problem, too. There are some athletes and nonathletes who do not feel that grades are important.  The big factor for students is motivation.  For these students, sports or a club is a motivation to get good grades.  While there are other students who are not involved in sports or any other extracurriculars and have no motivation to achieve decent grades, there can be something done to ensure that those involved in extracurricular activities maintain good grades throughout the school year.   One possible way to ensure that they keep up their grades would be to require that if they earned any failing grade during the previous term or current term, they would be ineligible to engage in.  The current consequence does not seem strong enough.  There should be more consequences for those who have a failing grade other than not being able to participate.  

Setting limitations may help motivate athletes and other students involved in activities  to keep their grades up and increase academic achievement.  Coach Jared Johnson does this with his athletes by requiring a C minimum in every class.  If his players fall short, then they can’t play.  This is a great way to make sure that students who are barely passing with a D don’t get to compete.  If each coach and adviser set limitations on the minimum grade level throughout the school year, then it may help to increase academic achievement.

You must realize that academics are important.  Getting into the college you love will be tough when your grades come up short.  Making sure that students involved in extracurricular activities maintain good grades can be the first step towards reducing the amount of failures that the school administration is so desperately trying to change.  By first getting these students to realize the importance of grades, students who have no motivation can be targeted next.