Sunday, December 9, 2012

Updated 11/17/2013: Concussion Law, Anti-Bullying & Harassment Law, Heat Acclimation and Wellness, CPR Certifications, Sports First Aid: Is Your Child Athlete Safe?


NJSIAA - 2013 - 2014 Handbook for Officials
Did the recent NJ  NCLB waivers give school districts the go ahead to break with laws that protect the children (18A and 6A)? Why are some school districts proceeding as if there is no law? Do the power brokers and politicians understand the Pandora's Box that has been thrown open? Who may safely ignore the laws? May we have a list of those allowed? Are the poor protected? Do special needs parents realize the danger? Do mothers all over the country understand the dangers that loom in the future if there are no checks and balances? More, proper and precise oversight is needed, not less. Our sons and our daughters are in danger when the law is sucked down wormholes into the sand of indifference. Parents must stand up for the law as if the very lives of their children depend on it, because they do.

It is our hope that the following information may help parents learn to protect their children as they push them to participate in Athletics. Do not continue to allow others to gain notoriety and profit on the energy, well being and life of your children. It is time to take responsibility for what happens once your children have been entrusted to the coaches in this country. Know what you are sending your children into before signing them over to persons who may not care to train themselves to protect the children of others.

Englewood's
Head Volunteer Paraprofessional Football Coach (page 14 of 17) We are watching this situation and are wondering why northjersey.com does not seem to be aware of whom the Head Football Coach is in Englewood, NJ.

NATIONAL FEDERATION BY LAWS: NJSIAA - 2013 - 2014
Page 80 PROCEDURE – “COACHES” APPOINTED TO ACCOMPANY TEAMS OR INDIVIDUALS TO NJSIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS 
Member schools are reminded that a team or an individual is not permitted to compete in NJSIAA Championship events unless a properly appointed “coach” is present, and was present at six (6) practices prior to the event. When making these assignments, a public school must be aware of the provisions of the New Jersey Administrative Code, Section 6A:9-5.19, entitled “Athletics Personnel,” which mandates the requirements which a board of education must follow when appointing individuals in a coaching capacity. The practice of having a parent, a private instructor, or other adults accompany a student-athlete as the coach is a violation of this provision. Your county superintendent will be able to confirm the certification or lack thereof of the individual you are assigning. A properly appointed coach will thereafter be subject to the Rules and Regulations, Rule 2, Section 11 - Out-of-Season Practice. 

IF A PROPERLY QUALIFIED AND CERTIFIED APPOINTMENT CANNOT BE MADE, THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOT ENTER THE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL IN AN NJSIAA EVENT. 
Such appointments must be approved by the Board of Education; neither the NJSIAA nor the meet director has the authority or the responsibility for enforcement of this statute, sole jurisdiction rests with the Department of Education, and, therefore, a Principal’s signature on the entry form certifies that the coach/certified faculty member has been appointed by the Board of Education within the provisions of Title 6 Education.

STATE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFICATION OF COACHES 
The New Jersey Administrative Code sets forth qualifications for the coaching of public school pupils. These qualifications are found at NJ.A.C. 6A:9-5.19, (pages 72-73) as follows:

 (a) Any teaching staff member in the employ of a district board of education shall be permitted to organize public school pupils for purposes of coaching or for conducting games, events or contests in physical education or athletics. 
(b) School districts shall be permitted to employ any holder of a New Jersey teaching certificate to work in the interscholastic athletic program provided that the position has been advertised. 
(c) In the event there is no qualified and certified applicant, the holder of a county substitute credential pursuant to NJ.A.C. 6A:9-6.5 (page 79) is authorized to serve as an athletic coach in the district in which he or she is employed for a designated sports season, provided that 
1. The district chief school administrator demonstrates to the county superintendent that 
i. The vacant coaching position had been advertised; and 
ii. There was no qualified applicant based on the written standards of the district board of education 
2. The district chief school administrator provides a letter to the county superintendent attesting to the prospective employee’s knowledge and experience in the sport in which he or she will coach; and
3. The district board of education obtains the county superintendent’s approval prior to employment. The 20-day limitation noted in NJ.A.C. 6A:9-6.5(b) (page 79) shall not apply to such coaching situations.

NJSIAA COACHING CERTIFICATION AND REGULATIONS
A person shall be eligible to coach in any interscholastic contest, provided the person satisfies all of the conditions listed below (For the purposes of this section, “coach” shall mean all persons who coach an interscholastic high school athletic team in any way, whether for pay or as a volunteer at the varsity, junior varsity and/or freshman level – ninth grade through twelve grade).  
In addition to State Department of Education Regulations, the following regulations must be adhered to:
1. The person’s appointment as coach must be approved by the local educational agency responsible for the member school at which the person coaches. 2. All new coaches will have 120 days after being hired to register for the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching  (Blended Version) course. Upon completion of the classroom components, coaches will have sixty (60)  days to complete the remaining four (4) components. A certificate of course completion must be submitted to respective athletic supervisors by June 30th to be eligible to coach at an NJSIAA member school for the subsequent school year.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY A COACH TAKE THE NFHS FUNDMENTALS of COACHING COURSE COMPLETELY ON-LINE (the on-line version does NOT contain the specific NJSIAA component).

3. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, all new coaches will have one year after being hired to successfully complete a course in “Sports First Aid.”
4. All coaches must be CPR certified and [AED] certified
5. All coaches must obtain a “Concussion  Awareness” certificate.
7. Coaches currently in place, and/or who have experience coaching in an NJSIAA high school prior to the
    2006-2007 school year, will be exempt from provisions 2 and 3 above. (While experienced coaches will not be required to adhere to all of the provisions listed above, it is recommended that all coaches complete the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching and Sports First Aid Courses in addition to having CPR certification.)
Note:  The above regulations do not apply to the coaches appointed by the school to accompany student athletes to individual events.

Paraprofessional Aide Positions   (page 14 of 17)
Nothing in the rules governing coaching positions would preclude a board of education from creating, pursuant to  N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.7, Paraprofessional Aide Positions to assist in the supervision of athletic activities under the direction of a certified coach. However, all such positions must be created and maintained in full compliance with the provisions of  N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.7, including requirements for written job descriptions and qualification standards, and approvals by, and annual reporting to, the county superintendent. As with classroom aides employed to assist certified teachers, athletic paraprofessionals may only function under the direct supervision of a certified coach, or if not assisting with coaching duties, under the direct supervision of designated certified staff; they may not independently undertake coaching duties or any other duties requiring educational certification. Additionally, all persons employed by a district in a paraprofessional capacity (i.e., not serving on a volunteer basis) are subject to the criminal history record check law.

PROCEDURE – DISQUALIFICATION OF COACHES/PLAYERS
If a board contemplates the use of an aide (paid or unpaid), the policies of the local board must be adopted and in place regarding this type of position, and the rules of the league or conference to which the district belongs must be followed. Please contact your county superintendent of schools should you have any questions.
New Jersey State Requirements and Pricing: Click the drop down menu, find your state

N.J.A.C. 6A:32, School District Operations (Proposed revisions- 2nd Discussion)
http://www.nj.gov/education/code/proposed/title6a/chap32.pdf

                                   How are the children?

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