CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL

PARENT & ADVISOR/COACH COMMUNICATION PLAN

Champlain Valley Union High School has established a variety of co-curricular activities because they teach and enhance valuable learning skills. We hope the information provided within this plan makes both your child’s and your experience with CVU co-curricular programs more enjoyable. The intent of this plan is to establish clear guidelines of communication between parent and advisor/coach. An advisor is a term that refers to a CVUHS professional who supervises an activity that is of a non-athletic nature. A coach is a term that refers to a CVUHS professional that supervises an activity of an athletic nature. The following guidelines should help to produce a transfer of accurate information between parent and advisor/coach.

Communication you should expect from your child’s advisor/coach:

1. Philosophy of the advisor/coach

2. Expectations the advisor/coach has for your child as well as all students involved

3. Locations and times of all practices and productions

4. Participation requirements, i.e., practices, special equipment, attendance expectations

5. Procedure followed should your child be injured during participation

6. Discipline that may result in the denial of your child’s participation

Communication advisors/coaches expect from parents/students:

1. Any student concerns should be expressed directly to the advisor/coach, by the participant If the student still has a concern, the parent should contact the coach/advisor directly.

2. Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance

3. Specific concerns with regard to an advisor’s philosophy and/or expectations

It is very difficult to accept your child’s not participating as much as you may hope. Advisors/coaches are professionals. They make judgments and decisions based on what they believe to be best for all students involved. Certain matters can be and should be discussed with your child's advisor. Issues that involve philosophy and judgment are areas in which you can express your concerns to the advisor/coach, but may not result in change. Other issues, such as those listed below, should be left to the discretion of the advisor/coach.

1. Amount or type of participation

2. Coaching strategies

3. Activity decisions of a specific nature that are clearly the advisors/coaches discretion

4. Other student participants and their roles in the activity

As your children become involved in the programs at Champlain Valley, they will experience some of the most rewarding times of their lives. It is important to understand that there may be times when things do not go the way you or your child perceives. At these times discussion with the advisor is encouraged. Appropriate concerns to discuss with advisors/coaches:

1. The treatment of your child, mentally and physically

2. Ways the parent can help your child improve

3. Concerns about your child’s behavior

There are situations that may require a conference between the advisor/coach and the parent. These are to be encouraged. It is important that both parties involved have a clear understanding of the other’s position. When these conferences are necessary, the following procedure should be followed to promote a resolution to the issue or concern. If you have a concern to discuss with an advisor/coach please follow the suggested format:

1. Call to set up an appointment

2. The CVUHS telephone number is 482-7100

3. If the advisor/coach cannot be reached, call the activities director. A meeting will be set up for you.

4. Please do not attempt to confront an advisor/coach before or after a contest/event or practice. These can be emotional times for both the parent and the advisor/coach (This situation does not promote a positive resolution).

The Next Step:

What a parent can do if the meeting with the advisor did not provide a satisfactory resolution:

1. Call and set up an appointment with the activities director to discuss the situation.