Districts consider policies for eighth-grade high school sports participation

The Stanton and Fremont-Mills Community School Districts are considering how they will handle eighth-grade students who may be allowed to participate in high school athletics.

Superintendent Dave Gute said the issue was recently presented to the Fremont-Mills School Board. Stanton officials had not yet formally discussed the matter at the time of the interview.

Gute said he expects districts to create policies that allow participation to be considered individually rather than automatically permitting eighth graders to move to high school teams.

Under the process Gute envisions, the high school head coach would first need to support moving the student to the high school program. The athletic director would then determine whether the move is appropriate for both the high school and junior high programs. The student’s parents would also have to agree.

Gute said student safety must be the first consideration.