- Teachers, coaches, staff and directors (from here forward “adults”) must build meaningful schedules for their programs in advance of expecting a student to commit to it. We can only hold students accountable for managing their schedules if we communicate to them what participating in an activity will require of them.
- Each student is responsible for managing commitments that conflict with one another. It is not the responsibility of the adults to anticipate or initiate conversations with a student of parents about his or her individual conflicts. Students need to initiate (with help from the adults) all conversations with adults before they commit.
- The affected adults together are responsible to determine what a student's commitment balance will be between two or more programs. This must happen in a face-to-face meeting between the affected adults. Students do not get to decide which games, practices, rehearsal, etc., they will or will not participate in.
- Prior approval from both adults is required when a student seeks two different primary roles. This is what requires the student to take responsibility to manage their commitments. The adults can only approve of what they know. The hierarchy of priorities will influence what activities some students can and cannot do. If the schedule conflicts at crucial times when both activities necessitate the student’s involvement simultaneously, the student will need to choose to only be involved in one.
Geneva Way of Resolving Schedule Conflicts
| DEMAND | ARTS | ATHLETICS | ACADEMICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | Before Try-Outs | Summer | N/A |
| Small | After a major Performance | Off-Season Training | N/A |
Medium
| Rehearsal for Performance | In-season practice and games | School Year |
High
| Production/Performance | Post-season play-offs Team try-outs | Semester exams; Class required activities |
- The general, the commitment that is furthest along in its season takes precedent over the commitment that is out of season or starts later. Then hierarchy of priorities generally follows in increasing order of priority: off season<pre-season<in season<post season. Specific preparation for concerts or performances is akin to in season and as it nears the performance post season.
- Performances and games trump practice, rehearsals, and meetings. Auditions and tryouts may require special accommodation; although they are off or pre-season, they function as a post season commitment.
- Primary roles trump secondary roles. A primary role is an essential role; a secondary is a supporting role. An understudy or third string player is supporting.
- Academic team commitments—speech and debate—are treated as comparable to arts and athletics program commitments. Clubs and societies defer to all other school commitments.
- Any exceptions must be handled by supervisory adults with full agreement in person, not through communication of the student.
- All impasses are resolved between department directors.