Edmond North Pom

1. Edmond NorthPom The purpose of the cheerleader and pomsquads at Edmond North High School is to promote school spirit, support various organized activities, represent the school, and provide positive leadership in all aspects of school life. These squads will promote and encourage student body involvement and will exemplify loyalty, cooperation, and positive attitudes. 2013-2014 Try-Out Meeting Try-Out Applications are due by March 14th by 4:00pm to the front office at Edmond North High School (No Exceptions)

2. Introductions Varsity Pom Sponsor:Kelleigh Knight JV & Freshman Pom Sponsor: Jill Loveless Administrators: Jason Pittenger and Teresa Wilkerson Cheer Sponsor: Erikka Ault and Carron Massengale

3. Squad Informationpage 1 of District Contract • Varsity Pom- 18 members (sophomores- seniors) • JV Pom- 10 members (sophomores -seniors) • Freshman Pom- 12 members (freshmen) • Spirit Squads Selection will be based on participants tryout score.

4. Squad Information cont. • Varsity Squad Members: • Attend all home and away football, basketball, and wrestling games/matches and tournaments. • JV & Freshman Squad Members: • Attend only home football, basketball, and wrestling games/matches (any game/match in the Edmond School District is considered a “home game”). Other events, as determined by the coach, may be added to the attendance requirements

5. Clinic & Try-out Dates • Clinic: Wednesday, April 3rd -Friday, April 5th from 6- 7:30. • Try-Outs: Saturday, April 6th at 2:00 PM All Candidates must attend every session of the clinic, mock tryouts, and tryouts. Those failing to attend all clinic days and mock tryouts will not be permitted to try out. If a participant has another school activity during clinic, a written request must be submitted to the school coach and approved prior to the start of clinic. It is that person’s responsibility to learn the material covered in clinic on their own time.

6. Try-out Requirementspages 1 and 2 of District Contract • 1. In order to try out for a position on any cheer/pom squad, each person wishing to try out must not be “ineligible,” as that term is defined and used by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (hereafter “OSSAA”) as of date of the actual tryout. Whether a potential squad member is ineligible is determined exclusively on whether that student’s name appears on the most recent ineligibility list officially prepared and maintained at each school site that is available and in effect as of date of the actual tryout. A person, who is on “probation,” as that term is defined and used by the OSSAA as of date of the actual tryout, may still try out for a squad. Whether a person is on probation is to be determined exclusively on a review of the most recent academic ineligible/probation report officially prepared and maintained at each school site that is available and in effect as date of the actual tryout. • 2. Students who tryout for cheer or pom must be currently enrolled at the school, or feeder school, they are trying out for. Students moving into the district or coming from home-school or private school or must prove residency before tryouts. (i.e. OCS, Oakdale, St. Elizabeth students) • 3. No member will be allowed to tryout who has previously quit a squad during the past year.

7. Try-out Requirements con’tpages 1 and 2 of District Contract • 4. Each cheer squad member and a parent/guardian will be required to sign a drug testing consent form. Several athletes are randomly selected on a monthly basis for drug testing. Refer to the EPS drug policy for detailed information. • 5. Each squad member must have a complete physical and letter of good health from the family doctor before clinic begins. The high school medical release form must also be signed and turned in. New participants will need a physical for both the tryout clinic and another physical after May 1st to cover the next school year. • 6. A professional organization may be hired to choreograph a tryout routine.

8. Try-out Requirements con’tpages 1 and 2 of District Contract • 7. Each school will independently plan its tryouts using NCA certified instructors or university cheerleaders/pom members as judges. Tryout clinic, mock tryouts and tryouts will be held at each individual school. During clinic, a number will be drawn by each girl and recorded. The girls will then pair by consecutive numbers and tryout in numerical order. • 8. All candidates must attend every session of the clinic, mock tryouts, and tryouts. Those failing to attend all clinic days and mock tryouts may not be permitted to try out. If a participant has another school activity during clinic, a written request must be submitted to the school coach and approved prior to the start of clinic. It is that person’s responsibility to learn the material covered in clinic on their own time.

9. Try-out Requirementspages 1 and 2 of District Contract • 9. Clinic and tryouts are closed. Only coaches, judges, and administrators may attend. Current senior cheer & pom members will help run the clinic. Video cameras are not allowed. Mock tryouts are set at the discretion of the administration. • 10. Injured candidates may not submit videotape in lieu of an actual tryout performance. • 11. If a current cheer/pom squad member resigns or moves from the district prior to August 1st, the participant with the next highest tryout score may be placed on the squad solely at the discretion of the head coach of the squad in session. This is the only

10. Try-Out Process • Clinic & Tryout Location: • Siberian Gym • Clinic: 3 days long (closed to the public) • Day 1: Learn tryout routine and chant • Day 2: Master routine and chant and work on specific skills (leaps, turns, etc.) • Day 3: Mock Tryouts...each participant will go through the tryout process in front of the other girls and the seniors. Mock tryout skills and routine will be done full out and ran just like tryouts.

11. Try-Out Process Cont. • Clinic Continued: • What to wear? Modest shorts or dance pants, t-shirt, and athletic or dance shoes. • Hair must be secured back and out of the face. • No Jewelry and No Gum! Physicals must be turned in prior to the start of clinic for candidates to participate. If we do not have your physical in our possession, the candidates may only watch clinic and cannot participate.

12. Try-Out Process Cont. • Tryouts: 1 day only (closed to public) • What to wear? 2013 tryout shirt and shorts, white socks, and white athletic shoes or black or tan dance shoes (no paws). • Hair should be secured back and out of the face. NO JEWELRY & NO GUM! • Check-In at 1:30 PM in the Siberian Gym.

13. Try-Out Process Cont. • At check-in, a number will be drawn by each participant and recorded. The participants will then pair by consecutive numbers (starting with the number 1, i.e., 1 and 2, 3 and 4, etc.) just before trying out. The girls will be paired into three groups; Group A is made of those participants trying out for Freshman Pom, Group B will be made of those participants trying out for JV Pom and Varsity Pom Participants. If you are in Group A you will warm-up in front of the judges at 2:00 PM, Group B will warm-up in front of the judges immediately after Group A is done trying out. All participants must remain in the Pom facilities until everyone has finished trying out. No one can leave until Miss Knight or Miss Loveless tells you it’s okay to leave!!!

14. Try-out process cont. • Score sheet Breakdowns: • Pom Score Sheet (pg. 16) • Judging: • Five certified judges will be scoring the participants. The highest score and the lowest score of each participant will be thrown out leaving only the three middle scores to be totaled. In case of a tie, all five scores will be totaled with none being thrown out. Try-Out results will be posted by Saturday evening on the day of try-outs on the Edmond North Pom Website www.edmondnorthpom.weebly.comand on the Siberian Gym outside doors.

15. Summer Camppage 3 in District Contract • August 5-7at the Bricktown Sheraton Hotel: • 1. All members must attend summer camp with their team. The purpose of camp is to create unity and to learn material for the upcoming year. • 2. The coach will determine the campsite and dates. Summer camp dates will be announced at the mandatory parent meeting. Families are expected to work around camp when planning summer activities. • 3. A squad member can be removed from candidacy if he/she cannot attend summer camp. Squads may not attend out of state camps. • 4. If a squad attends a summer camp, squad members are expected to pay their own camp registration fee, as well as their coach’s registration fee. • 5. Any practice or choreography dates scheduled after August 1st are required for all members. We will be conducting our own camp this year to better incorporate choreography, skills, and technique unique to our squads’ needs.

16. Pom & Cheer Contract • Anyone involved in our program needs to read, understand, and be willing to follow all rules and regulations stated in both contracts. • We hold all members of our program to high standards and strive for them to be the best person they can be. We hope to help our members learn to have strong character, to make good choices, to be good leaders, and good role models to all. • It is the responsibility of all participants interested in trying out for Edmond North Cheer, and their parent/guardian, to read both contracts thoroughly on their own time and be familiar with the rules and regulations that govern Edmond North Pom!!! The next several slides are items from the contract that are key points we want to make sure both participant and parent/guardian understand prior to trying out. (Some items have been previously mentioned so will not be repeated)

17. Squad Member Expectations All squad members are to remember that Edmond North Pom and Cheer positions are leadership roles with high visibility. You will be looked upon to set the appropriate example for the rest of the student body. Your actions at school and away from school reflect on the rest of the squad and the school. You will need to remember the role and the challenge you have accepted as a member of the squad not to put yourself, your squad, your teachers, your coach, or the administrators in a position of having to discipline you for unbecoming actions. **Make note of pages 7 & 8 in the contract regarding squad conduct and appearance expectation/requirements.**

18. Squad Member Expectations • To promote school spirit and unity, support, and encourage student body involvement at sporting events and various school activities. • To provide half time entertainment at sporting events. • To increase self-esteem in its members. • To set an example for the rest of the student body by exemplifying loyalty, cooperation and positive attitudes. • To represent Edmond North by acting as positive role models and demonstrating good leadership qualities at all times.

19. Parent Expectations Parents need to understand the following prior to your child trying out for Edmond North Cheer: • Financial obligations. • Time commitment involved in pom. • The risk of injury involved in pom. • Parents and participants need to trust and support the decisions and appreciate the time made by the sponsors, coaches, and administrators to always do what’s best for the team. • Please keep in mind that sponsors have other responsibilities and commitments outside of pom and it is asked that parents and participants respect their personal and professional time. Any questions or problems concerning the squad should be directed to the sponsors during school hours. • There is a proper chain of command, starting with the sponsor, assistant principal, principal, and finally school board. In fairness to all parties involved, please follow the chain of command.

20. Game Trade Forms • Varsity Squad Members: • For all split-squad events, no game misses will be accepted. Squad members must obtain a cover for their position if they need to miss in order to ensure a minimum number of squad members at the event. The member must fill out a game trade form and give it to their sponsor 24 hours prior to the event. • JV & Freshman Squad Members: • Game Trade forms do not apply to Freshman & JV Squads. If a game trade is not made prior to the event it may result in loss of points, demerits, and/or benching for a period of time to be set by the coach.

21. Practice Miss Forms • Edmond Public Schools attendance policy will be followed during class. In order to leave class, you must be checked out through the front office. Not doing so will result in a 0 for practice that day and/or demerits if the sponsor was not given 24 hours notice (practice miss form). • If a squad member needs to miss practice for any reason (doctor’s appointment, all-star practice, dance practice, vacation, etc.) a practice miss form must be filled out and given to their sponsor prior to missing the practice. • Practices are considered as school practices (during your school hour), camp practices, etc. • Please refer to Appendix B for demerit values Even if a student is excused from school, a practice miss form to miss practice must be given to the sponsor prior to the miss to be excused form the practice.

22. Conduct and Appearancepage 4 of District Contract • 1. Acceptable school conduct as defined by the policies of the school district must be demonstrated at all school activities (including summer camp and away games). Use or possession of drugs, and drinking alcoholic beverages is not tolerated and a school policy violation that results in a suspension from school for drugs and / or alcohol will result in suspension from the squad for the remainder of the year. If a squad member is suspended from school for any other reasons, he/she will be benched for a period of time determined by the coach. Numerous infractions or infractions of a serious nature could ultimately result in suspension from the squad as determined by the coach and site administrator as a result of the demerit system utilized by each site. • 2. Inappropriate behavior and language will result in benching and/or suspension from the squad as determined by the coach on a case by case basis.

23. Conduct and Appearance cont. • 3. Members must maintain good appearance at all times. The following are required of squad members: a. AT SCHOOL: Members are to abide by school dress code. On uniform days only the coach specified uniform pieces are to be worn. NO EXCEPTIONS. See attached Cheer/Pom coach specified uniform (Appendix A). • b. AT GAMES: Members wearing anything other than the required uniform will be subject to benching at the game or subsequent games as determined by the coach. Hair is to be secured back at all games and performances. Absolutely no jewelry is permitted. • 4. Hazing will not be tolerated at any time, including summer camp. This will be handled according to school policy and the police will be called. In addition to or in lieu of any action taken by the police or the school district, appropriate disciplinary action as it relates to cheer/pom activities will also be taken by the coach.

24. Eligibilitypage 2 in District Contract • 1. Squad members are expected to stay eligible throughout the year and must comply with the most current rules on eligibility as published by the OSSAA except as otherwise modified by the school district. Becoming ineligible will result in that squad member being benched for all cheer/pom activities during the week of ineligibility. The week of ineligibility is that period of time defined by the OSSAA on ineligibility. A determination of who is ineligible is based exclusively on the most recent eligibility list maintained and prepared by each school site in accordance with the deadlines and time frames imposed by the OSSAA under its guidelines and rules to determine a player or participant eligibility. If a cheer/pom member is ineligible for 4 consecutive weeks, he/she will be dismissed from the squad. • 2. Cheer & Pom is considered an elective class during the school day. Each squad member will receive an academic grade and a physical education credit for completing a semester. Grades will be determined by participation in practices and games/events.

25. Attendance Policypage 2 of District Policy • 1. Edmond Public Schools attendance policy will be followed during class. • 2. Squad members are required to complete the entire season for which they are chosen. • 3. Each member is expected to cover all games and tournaments for which their squad is responsible. • 4. Some practices or games may be scheduled over school holidays and weekends. • 5. If an athletic event is cancelled or postponed, the cheer & pom members are to attend the rescheduled event.

26. PracticesPage 3 in District Contract • 1. Practices are considered the “class” period the participant has cheer or pom and any additional practices the coach deems necessary outside of the school day throughout the year. The squad may have additional evening/weekend practices as necessary to prepare for camp, pep assemblies, performances, etc. • 2. Cheer/Pom members are required to attend, to be on time for, and to stay the entire length of the designated practice time unless excused by the school coach. Practices will not be planned around those who have jobs, outside activities, or appointments (i.e., gymnastics, dance, competitive team activities, doctor appointments). Members will be expected to schedule around cheer/pom. School cheer/pom takes priority.

27. Practices con’tPage 3 in District Contract • 3. All squad members will adhere to the Edmond Public Schools dress code and the OSSAA guidelines during practice and at school. National Federation Rule: No jewelry is to be worn and hair is to be secured back. Cheer/Pom shoes and the coach-designated uniform must be worn at all times. Any infraction of these rules set out in this paragraph will result in benching for a period of time to be set by the coach.

28. Game Miss Forms • Varsity Squad Members: • Each squad member will receive 2 game misses, one for each semester. A game miss form must be signed and turned in 24 hours prior to the event. The coach will accept a max of 3 game misses per squad for a single event. This will be granted strictly on a first come, first serve basis. • JV & Freshman Squad Members: • Each squad member will receive 2 game misses for the year. A game miss form must be signed and turned in 24 hours prior to the event. The coach will accept a max of 2 game misses per squad for a single event. This will be granted strictly on a first come, first serve basis. Missing a game or event without being excused or without using a game miss will result in loss of points, demerits, and/or being benched.

29. Game/Event Missespage 3 in District Contract • 1. If a squad member is sick on the day of the event, a parent needs to notify the coach as soon as possible so the absence can be excused. In order for an absence to count as excused, the coach must be notified of the illness prior to the event. • 2. Missing a game or event will NOT be an excused absence unless 24 hour notice is given (please refer to #3 for what is considered excused). Being on a squad requires extreme flexibility and commitment.

30. Game/Event Misses con’tpage 3 in District Contract • 3. Each participant will receive 2 free passes for the year (*1 per semester*) to be used for doctor’s appointment or vacation (not illness). This pass may be used to miss a game or event. Parents must complete, sign and give to the coach prior to the event a written note excusing the cheerleader/pom. A maximum of three free passes per team will be accepted by the coach for a single event. This will be granted on a first-come-first-serve basis. • 4. Missing a game or event without being excused or without having used a free pass will result in that member being benched for the next full game. • 5. Even if the student is excused from school, a note to miss an activity must be given

31. Traveling & Away GamesPage 3 in District Contract and Page 8 ENHS Pom Packet • 1. For all out-of-town games, squad members must ride the designated and approved bus and must stay for the entire game. If a squad member has an excused reason to be late, he/she may ride with an approved adult to the game. Squad members may be released to their parents ONLY after the parent has signed the proper release form held by the coach. Squad members are NEVER permitted to ride with students or minors. • 2. If school transportation is not provided for events outside the district, the squad will not attend. • 3. Busses may be provided to summer camp.

32. Merits/DemeritsPages 10 & 11 in Pom Packet • Merit/Demerit requirements are developed by all school coaches and school administration. All squads merit/demerits will be handled according to the information sheet provided within the contract. These will be explained to each squad member and to each parent or parent representative at the first cheer/pom meeting. Merits/Demerits may be issued by any coach or administrator to any squad member.

33. Estimated Cost to ParticipatePages 14 & 15 in ENHS Pom Packet Each Pom member will be responsible for ALL costs associated with being a member of the Pom squads at Edmond North. Being a member of Pom can get pricey, so we want everyone to be fully aware of all expenses that are associated with Pom. We never want the cost to affect if a participant decides not to tryout, but we do want you aware of the cost involved. If you need financial help, the parent groups may offset cost by organizing and participating in fundraisers if the squad deems it necessary. Only those members who participate in the fundraisers will benefit from the profit. If further financial assistance is needed, please speak to a coach or administrator to see what other options are available.

34. Required Dates After Try-outs Please refer to page 13 for required dates for all participants who make the 2013-2014 Pom Squad. These will also posted on our website www.edmondnorthpom.weebly.com Important Upcoming Events, Dates, and Times (Appendix D)- Page 17

35. 2012-2013Try-out Applicationall colored sheets • Try-Out Application • Fill out all information • T-Shirt , Shorts and CD Order & Money • Parent/Guardian & Participant Application Signatures • Please read all small print!!! • Student/Parent Permission to Participate • Consent to Medical Care Try-Out Application (all colored sheets in the cheer/pom contract) & t-shirt/shorts money are due by 4:00pm on Friday, March 16th to the front office of Edmond North High School (No Exceptions)

36. Extra Practices • Many studios throughout Edmond may be available for extra practice. Please feel free to contact them. • Kim Massey Studio has offered an “open floor” from 7:30-8:30 each evening of Clinic Week. • It is $5 per girl, per night. These practices are NOT mandatory and do NOT affect tryout scores in anyway!!! They are only for those candidates who want additional practice time leading up to tryouts!!!

37. Conclusion • Must have Physical & Medical Release form on file prior to the first day of clinic in order to participate. • Your tryout application (all colored sheets from the contract) must be turned in by 4:00 P.M. on Friday, March 14th to Edmond North’s Front Office!!! • Make sure to sign the sign-in sheet for this meeting tonight (both parent/guardian & participant need to sign) • Thank you for coming and we are so excited for the 2013-2014 Pom tryouts! Please check our website for the most current information regarding Edmond North Pom atwww.edmondnorthpom.weebly.com