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School board votes to raise GPA requirements for student athletes

WELLSVILLE — The Wellsville school board on Tuesday voted to raise the school district’s GPA requirements for student athletes.

“It keeps students accountable, and we want to make sure we have student athletes not just athletes,” said board member Rick Salsberry.

The board passed the revision requiring students to have a 1.25 GPA to compete in athletics. Students will have their grades checked at weeks three and five each quarter to confirm eligibility. The previous nine weeks will be used to determine eligibility at the beginning of the quarter, and the fourth quarter for the first quarter of the following year. Students will be allowed to practice if they do not have a 1.25 GPA, but will not be allowed to compete in sporting events.

The athletic committee and school board members Ed Bauer and Rick Salsberry recommended the revision. The revision sets GPA standards higher than the recommendation of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Before the revision, Wellsville students needed a 1.0 GPA to compete in athletic events, and the OHSAA requires students pass five classes.

The board also intends to raise the GPA to a 1.5 GPA for the 2020-2021 school year.

Board member Austin Dalrymple, voted yes for the revision, because the board will raise the GPA to 1.5 the following year, but he expressed criticism in a written statement.

Dalrymple wrote “a required 1.25 GPA is too low, I do believe it is a step in the right direction from our current 1.00,” and “public education is here to provide you with an education, it’s in the name, and playing a sport should be seen as a privilege secondary to achieving your education, only given when you are on track to graduate and are passing your classes.”

jriedel@reviewonline.com

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