Open Forum

Hi, we require a grade check and signed contract (signed by student & parent/guardian) at the time of audition.
That way, if their grades aren't up to par, they aren't cast in the show. Hope this helps for next year, Juliette

------------------------------
Juliette Beck
Head of Theatre, Teacher, Troupe Director
Albuquerque NM
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

We do a similar eligibility check.  However, if a student makes a mistake late in the production process, we require that students make up for their mistake by doing community service or Saturday school.  My principal wants us to be successful and makes every effort to support our out-of-the-box solutions for student achievement.  I have also connected cast members who are struggling academically with cast members that excel in those subjects in order to help foster community in the cast as well.  I have advocated for students on more than one occasion too.  With that said, understudies for leads (including tech leads) is always a good idea.  I often pitch to the cast at the beginning the essential collaborative nature of Theater, and how we are only as strong as our weakest link.  Its helpful that the students understand that their mistakes might have lasting consequences on their friends in the cast, which adds to the pressure to succeed.  There is a teachable moment when a cast member is suspended and can't preform.  How great is it, though, when a cast comes together to ensure a show's success?  Pretty great.

------------------------------
Lisa Merlo Flores
Canby HS Theater
Canby, OR
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

Brace yourselves!  We don't have an eligibility policy. I just returned from our state's drama festival, where two of the four students from my school who won acting awards would not have been able to participate if failing grades meant not being able to go. I understand the desire for consequences for poor academic work, but I also understand the boost to self-esteem and personal energy that comes from being recognized by peers for the things you do well, not the things you fail at. The two students mentioned above struggle academically, but the support they've been given as people has allowed a gradual improvement in academic performance in the three years they've been here. They'll never be on the honor roll , but they'll certainly remember the ovation they received when their name was called for something they worked hard to achieve. I feel fortunate to have found a school which shares my values!

------------------------------
Charles McMeekin
Sharon VT
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

We have a policy - and it is the same policy that athletes and other extra-curriculars are held to - and I agree with that.

The difference is that we not only check their grades at the time of auditions and crew sign-ups, but our grading software program allows for a list to be compiled electronically each week to monitor their progress.  I am the assistant director for both our fall/spring shows - but I am the only one who is a HS teacher (the 2 directors are retired/stay at home moms who are former teachers).  Originally, our list was run by the athletic director's secretary - I would submit a list of student names and ID numbers, and she'd email me the eligibility list every Wednesday when she did the ones for coaches.

That changed a few years ago - and they gave me the credentials to log into Sapphire and run the list myself.  Anyone who has less than a C average in any of their classes (we are on a block schedule - and they have 4 classes per semester) shows up on my list.   I have a memo that I record their name, teacher, class grade.  They are required to get the teacher and a parent to sign that form and submit it back to me by Friday afternoon.

Sometimes the grades showing in Sapphire include an assignment that was created, but not graded, and is calculating as a zero and skewing the average...which is why the teacher needs to sign the paper.  There is a space for comments and the teacher can document that the student is okay to participate.  Parents need to sign so that they are kept in the loop of their student's academic status.

Students with a D average (60-69) are eligible to continue to attend work sessions and rehearsals, but must attend and provide documentation of one hour of additional tutoring time (which can be done during the school day during homeroom time or after school).   Students with an F (anything less than 60%) are not eligible to attend any work sessions or rehearsals.  In theory, the tutoring when their grade is a D is supposed to help prevent any further slipping.

Because we've been monitoring it throughout the entire production process, it is rare for a last-minute surprise.  Students who want to go on any sort of field trip must have at least a C average in all of their classes.  We just finished our spring musical performances in mid-March, and had a trip to NYC on March 30th.  I had one young lady who was not eligible during tech week because of a Chemistry grade - but after making up a test, turning in missing work, etc... she was able to join in the show once it went up to above a 60%.  But she had to KEEP working to get her grade up to above a 70% in order to keep her spot on the field trip to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.   For this student, having that policy as her "carrot on a stick" was the ideal motivation to keep her moving in the right direction.

Because it is the same policy for everyone in the school, it is easier to enforce.  My hands are tied - they know the policy and understand the consequences.  We do explain to parents at the beginning of the year and with each show that they are STUDENTS first, THEATRE KIDS second.  We also reserve the right to limit or reduce their role (or eliminate them from the production in extreme cases) for continued problems with either academics or behavior/discipline.

We have had to do last-minute replacements with about 2 weeks notice - and sometimes we do cast understudies - but the show must go on!  And it has forced our students to be mindful of how their actions impact everyone involved - so now that it has been our policy for many year, the number of issues is few.  (And we have a lot of faculty support for our program because we are holding them to those academic standards - so if someone is cutting is close, we can have an open discussion with all parties involved.)

Any change will create an adjustment period - but overall, I think our system is fair, and it works pretty well to keep students responsible.

------------------------------
Melissa Mintzer
Willow Street PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

Being part of our Thespian Troupe and getting the designation at graduation, just like any other honors organization on our campus, requires students maintain a 2.0 GPA. The students over the years have implemented their own additional regulations into their Constitution and By-Laws. We require that to be an active member, you have no F's in any current class (basically nine week grades), you maintain 80% or better attendance to school, and that you miss no more than one I.T.S. meeting per month (we meet every Thursday). If a student falls to inactive status, we have a notice we send them which outlines what they have to do to become active again, usually involving service to the club, and getting their grades and/or attendance up. Inactive students can't attend Festival or receive awards. 

Being a part of shows at our school, requires that students sign a contract with pretty much the same outlined information; however, we tend to work with them a bit more when it comes to shows. We usually require study time at the top of rehearsal and mandatory tutoring for students falling behind in grades, before we move them out of the show for instance. However, we have dropped students from a show for their grades and/or poor school attendance.

We work to emphasize that they have to put their school day before their extra curriculars. We also can't put them on school approved leave to say go to Festival or perform a show for elementary school students, if they aren't doing what they need to be doing in their classes.

We have a very large program and the positive peer pressure seems to be the most effective tool. They don't want their friends to miss out, and they can see when someone is absent a lot, is falling behind, or is missing meetings, so they reach out to each other more. We have students who promote that they will tutor others, and students who fuss

Our school doesn't have specific restrictions or guidelines regarding most of this; however, the students have imposed it upon themselves and each other, in their own seeking to be recognized as more professional. On our campus we are considered one of the most active organizations, and perhaps the most organized. We have the students out of class a LOT for I.T.S. Festival, show performances for other schools, events, and promotions, but the teachers and administration don't come down hard on the kids, because they know they work hard and hold themselves to a high standard, so they are students who, if they miss, will do what it takes to make it up or plan in advance. It's a standard they have set for themselves, and the older students set the example for the new ones who come in. 

From time to time, we have students who struggle, and we take that on a case by case basis, but consistent disregard for grades and attendance with no effort or plan in place and no action being taken to resolve them, absolutely results in the student missing out on some things.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Arnold High School Theatre
Panama City Beach, FL
Program Director and Thespian Sponsor

Florida Association for Theatre Education
Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

We are lucky enough to have a principal who understands that there are some key differences between sports and shows.

At the start, the rules are the same for sports and theatre - passing grades.  As a middle school, they get a warning and a chance to pull it together (and support), but if they don't, they get pulled - same for sports and theatre.

However, we have a cut-off time, 3 weeks before the show, and after that point they have to do extra work/time with teachers (lose recess, which I know doesn't work at high school!), etc., but they are not pulled from the show as it is deemed too late to replace them without it being detrimental to everyone else in the production.


------------------------------
Kristin Hall
Drama Director
Lincoln Public Schools
Arlington MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-11-2017 10:14
From: Kathleen McNulty
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Being part of our Thespian Troupe and getting the designation at graduation, just like any other honors organization on our campus, requires students maintain a 2.0 GPA. The students over the years have implemented their own additional regulations into their Constitution and By-Laws. We require that to be an active member, you have no F's in any current class (basically nine week grades), you maintain 80% or better attendance to school, and that you miss no more than one I.T.S. meeting per month (we meet every Thursday). If a student falls to inactive status, we have a notice we send them which outlines what they have to do to become active again, usually involving service to the club, and getting their grades and/or attendance up. Inactive students can't attend Festival or receive awards. 

Being a part of shows at our school, requires that students sign a contract with pretty much the same outlined information; however, we tend to work with them a bit more when it comes to shows. We usually require study time at the top of rehearsal and mandatory tutoring for students falling behind in grades, before we move them out of the show for instance. However, we have dropped students from a show for their grades and/or poor school attendance.

We work to emphasize that they have to put their school day before their extra curriculars. We also can't put them on school approved leave to say go to Festival or perform a show for elementary school students, if they aren't doing what they need to be doing in their classes.

We have a very large program and the positive peer pressure seems to be the most effective tool. They don't want their friends to miss out, and they can see when someone is absent a lot, is falling behind, or is missing meetings, so they reach out to each other more. We have students who promote that they will tutor others, and students who fuss

Our school doesn't have specific restrictions or guidelines regarding most of this; however, the students have imposed it upon themselves and each other, in their own seeking to be recognized as more professional. On our campus we are considered one of the most active organizations, and perhaps the most organized. We have the students out of class a LOT for I.T.S. Festival, show performances for other schools, events, and promotions, but the teachers and administration don't come down hard on the kids, because they know they work hard and hold themselves to a high standard, so they are students who, if they miss, will do what it takes to make it up or plan in advance. It's a standard they have set for themselves, and the older students set the example for the new ones who come in. 

From time to time, we have students who struggle, and we take that on a case by case basis, but consistent disregard for grades and attendance with no effort or plan in place and no action being taken to resolve them, absolutely results in the student missing out on some things.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Arnold High School Theatre
Panama City Beach, FL
Program Director and Thespian Sponsor

Florida Association for Theatre Education
Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

To be honest, I've never been told of an "official" policy, and I've never had an administrator check in about my cast's grades. However, on my own, I do keep up with my students' grades because, ultimately, they are here for education and graduation is the first priority. If I don't have any in any of my classes, I have to ask an admin to look them up for me. My policy is that they must be passing all of their classes to participate in rehearsals. I give them one week to bring up their grade, and if they cannot, they will be recast. Thankfully, I have not had to do that yet...I will often email their teachers to check up on them and make sure they get the help they need to succeed.

------------------------------
Christopher Hamilton
Drama Teacher
Kennewick WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

We are a school of 2,400 in NJ. Our sports kids are under the NJISA? (I think those are the right initials). Anyway, the are eligible based on GPA and its per season. Freshmen can play Fall and winter with no GPA requirement. In order for a sports kid to qualify to play fall, they look at previous spring. The athletic department handled the whole process and they tell the coaches who is eligible and who isn't.

For the musical, the kids have to turn in a sheet of their first marking period grades. If they have any Ds or Fs, then they cannot participate. It's my policy, not the schools. I do send a list of students to the faculty and tell them if they have any problems with the kids, to email me. But that is it. I have a little under 100 kids participating. I don't have time to follow their grades throughout the season. Just at the audition start point.

I will say that with sports, in my school, if the kid is failing during the season, they don't get taken off the team because hose are not the state rules. They just need to gpa to qualify. Per example, I have football kids who always fail first marking period, during season. Then they do fine the rest so they are eligible next year. I have never heard of a sports kid being removed mud-season due to grades. I certainly would not do that during one of my seasons either.

Hopefully if they are treating you like a sports in regards to this, you are getting paid the same salary as a coach!


---------------------------------
Carolyn Little
High School English Teacher
Toms River Board of Education
Beachwood NJ
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 4/10/2017 1:56:20 PM
From: jordan_bradley@psdr3.k12.co.us
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

This is timely as we're actually in the process of tightening up our standards to align with OSAA (Oregon School Activities Association).  While theatre isn't governed by OSAA, band, choir and orchestra are and my administration has asked that I come into alignment with them.

However, as has been pointed out, it's not as easy for us to just remove someone the day before as it might be for other activities.  Because of that, I have proposed a modified version of that, specifically using a mandatory study hall time for those not meeting the criteria once we are 3 weeks out.  This is what I have proposed for next year

After School Shows (including outside of class one acts)

• Passed at least 5 classes in the previous grading period (semester)
• Making satisfactory progress toward graduation
  • Have completed at least 4.5 credits at beginning of Sophomore year
  • Have completed at least 10 credits at beginning of Junior year
    • OR have completed at least 9 credits AND have a specific written plan for how you will catch up (class of 2019 only)
  • Have completed at least 17 credits at beginning of Senior year
    • OR have completed at least 15 credits AND have a specific written plan for how you will catch up (class of 2018 and class of 2019)
  • Must have grade check showing C or higher in at least 5 classes at time of audition
  • Must maintain C grade or higher in at least 5 classes throughout the rehearsal process
    • Grade checks every week
    • At 3 weeks before opening, those with lower than a C in more than 2 classes will be put on probation and required to use non-rehearsal time for study hall.

 

One Day School Day Field Trips (including Mt Hood One Act Festival, Theatre Exploration Day)

• Grade of C or higher in at least 5 classes
• Teacher signature of classes you will miss
• Theatre Director approval, based on behavior and ability to represent school
• Administrator approval, based on behavior and ability to represent school

 

One Day Non-School Day Field Trips (including Mt Hood Acting and Regionals)

• Theatre Director approval, based on behavior and ability to represent school
• Administrator approval, based on behavior and ability to represent school

 

Overnight Field Trips (including State)

• Grade of C or higher in at least 5 classes
• Teacher approval to miss classes
• Administrator approval to miss classes

***NOTE:  You will need this approval to sign up.  HOWEVER, because sign up is often several weeks before the trip, a check will be done again one week prior to the field trip.  If your grades or attendance have changed drastically, you will then be required to gain permission a second time in order to go***

                These rules also apply to auditioning for State Showcase, presenting a Tech Entry, and performing in the State showcase.

------------------------------
Laura Steenson
Theatre Director
Reynolds High School
Troutdale OR
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-11-2017 11:25
From: Carolyn Little
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

We are a school of 2,400 in NJ. Our sports kids are under the NJISA? (I think those are the right initials). Anyway, the are eligible based on GPA and its per season. Freshmen can play Fall and winter with no GPA requirement. In order for a sports kid to qualify to play fall, they look at previous spring. The athletic department handled the whole process and they tell the coaches who is eligible and who isn't.

For the musical, the kids have to turn in a sheet of their first marking period grades. If they have any Ds or Fs, then they cannot participate. It's my policy, not the schools. I do send a list of students to the faculty and tell them if they have any problems with the kids, to email me. But that is it. I have a little under 100 kids participating. I don't have time to follow their grades throughout the season. Just at the audition start point.

I will say that with sports, in my school, if the kid is failing during the season, they don't get taken off the team because hose are not the state rules. They just need to gpa to qualify. Per example, I have football kids who always fail first marking period, during season. Then they do fine the rest so they are eligible next year. I have never heard of a sports kid being removed mud-season due to grades. I certainly would not do that during one of my seasons either.

Hopefully if they are treating you like a sports in regards to this, you are getting paid the same salary as a coach!


---------------------------------
Carolyn Little
High School English Teacher
Toms River Board of Education
Beachwood NJ
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 4/10/2017 1:56:20 PM
From: jordan_bradley@psdr3.k12.co.us
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

Hi there,

This is something new for us this year as well.  Our students can now letter in Drama so we had to meet atheltic eligiblity requirements, and for many of our drama students this has been a struggle.  We do understudies for that reason, but to be honest we don't have enough students for it.  Our principal is flexible with us and has allowed us to manage the process after that however we would like as long as it is comparable to the athletic program. 

Roughly this is our policy:

Students must be passing all classes and may not have more than one D.  Significant behavioral problems are removed from the show (suspensions, etc.) 

If students are failing any classes they owe detention with me each day (30 minutes) until the grade is up and if they aren't passing after two weeks they cannot be in the show.  If they raise their grades, but have more than one D they are on probation for two more weeks until that is fixed. 

If students have more than one D, but are passing all class they owe me 1 hour a week of detention for 2 weeks or until the grade are up.  If after 2 weeks they are not up they are removed from the show. 

A grade pull is done at audition and one month prior to the show.  Once the students are in probation we immediately notify understudies (if possible) so they can begin preparing.  We do not do another grade pull after that one month because we determined it would be impossible to adequately prepare a quality show while replacing people the week of.  The only item that occurs the week of is that students must attend school the day of any performance.

So far it has been a been hectic.  At our last grade pull we had half the cast in detention and 2 students ended up getting replaced.  We were so low on understudies we had to pull from the tech crew who were gratefully willing to step in.  In the short term, it isn't fun; however I do feel this is bringing seriousness to our program and really does communicate to the students the importance of academics.  The students who were removed have been diligently working with their teachers so they are again eligible for the next show. 

Long story short, it has been rough, but overall it has been a good thing for the program and the teachers have really shown their increased respect because of it.

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Keenan Shionalyn
Math Instructor/Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne 

My public school district has a policy requiring students to have a GPA of 2.0 or better in order to participate in extracurricular activities, so this affects my troupe and its productions.

Enforcement is a little odd, however.

Our school is able to print an "eligibility list" just twice a year, at the end of each semester, and that's what we check to see if a student is allowed to participate in activities.  Therefore, throughout the first semester, we're going by what a student's grades were at the end of the previous school year, and during the second semester, we're going by where their grades stood mid-year.  That doesn't necessarily reflect what's happening with a student's grades right now, so I don't know how fair it is.

Moreover, the list that is kept on file for teachers to check shows students' weighted GPAs.  I teach at our county's academic magnet school, and we have so many Honors, AP, and IB courses that the weighting of students' GPAs can also give a distorted view of how well (or not) a student is performing academically.

But there is enforcement.  One year, we were in final tech/dress rehearsals for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, opening on a Thursday night.  Report cards came out on Monday, and my student activities director came to rehearsal that afternoon to inform me that our Domina had to be dropped from the cast because of her grades.  Personally, I thought (and still think) that this was stupid: any damage the rehearsal schedule might have done to her schoolwork was already done, she'd only be involved in the show for this one more week, and she still had almost an entire quarter to bring her grades up.  Compare that to the damage done by requiring another student to learn a principal role in a musical - including one entire solo number - in three rehearsals!

Anyway, I mention the requirement at auditions, I check the list to catch students who are trying to slip by, and I put the GPA requirement in my production contract that both students and parents sign, stressing the problems that can befall the entire show if we have to re-cast someone late in the game.  "The show is not an excuse to do worse in class," I tell my cast and crew.  "It's a reason to do better."

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Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2017 13:56
From: Jordanne Bradley
Subject: How do other schools deal with eligibility?

Good afternoon!

In the past eligibility has never been considered for our musical or play. This semester for our play my principal decided that it needed to count because we've had teachers complain about students with bad grades and the play or musical is taking up a lot of their time. So they decided that it was going to work the same way that sports eligibility works. They can come to rehearsal but if their grades are bad they can't perform in the show. We are a very small school so we can't cast understudies and we only do 2-3 performances.  I did not agree with this, but I gave it a try and it was a disaster. Week of the show we have a few kids that were involved in the production who had bad grades and so we had to frantically find other people to run tech or take on a whole other part in the production. The week of the show is already stressful and this just added to all of it. I felt so horrible for the students that had spent so much time and effort on this production and then the week of the show are yanked out of it. I totally agree the students need to keep their grades up and that they should be held accountable. My biggest issue is that we were treated like sports when we don't function like sports. We don't have games that if a student misses one its no big deal because there is another one next week. Also our students don't miss any school when participating in drama like they do in sports. How is it dealt with in other schools? I can't imagine going through this again in the fall when we're trying to do a musical which is a much bigger production. I plan on meeting with my principal before the end of the year but want to have some ideas beforehand. Thanks!

Jordanne