Supervision

Responsibilities for Student-Athletes

Varsity head coaches are responsible for their entire program. They are charged with ensuring that JV and middle school practices are productive and structured to build for the future. A coach's responsibility begins 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time for their practice and continues until the facility is clean, secure, and all student-athletes have been dismissed and left campus. student-athletes are to be supervised at all times and should not be left unattended.

Rides/Pickups for Non-Driving Student-Athletes

Since practice schedules are published and communicated weekly in coach’s emails, parents should know when their children are to be picked up from campus. 

Expectations should be communicated to our parents about promptness in regards to this area. In addition, practices should end within 15 minutes of the published time as to not inconvenience parents.

BOUNDARY POLICY/INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH STUDENTS

MPCS supports and endorses a strict policy of respect toward students and expects all employees, coaches, and volunteers to abide by a professional, moral, and ethical standard of conduct and model good citizenship for students, parents, and the community. Students typically respond better and evidence greater levels of respect when appropriate expectations are established from the beginning of the relationship.

The interactions between MPCS-affiliated adults (employees, coaches, volunteers) and students, on and off School property and during or outside of school hours, should be based on mutual respect and trust and upon an understanding of the appropriate boundaries between adults and students. Many of our MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers have contacts with students who attend other schools, through coaching, club activities, academic competitions, etc., and this policy applies to those relationships as well. Even if a student participates willingly in an activity, boundary-crossing interactions between MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers and students (regardless of the student’s age) are a violation of this policy. All employees, coaches, and volunteers are expected to accept responsibility for their conduct and should understand that they are representatives and ambassadors of the School 24/7. 

This policy is intended to guide all MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers in conducting themselves in a way that reflects the high standards of behavior expected by our school community and the public. This policy is not intended to restrain appropriate and positive relationships between our MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers and students, but to prevent relationships that could lead to, or be perceived as, inappropriate. 

Guidelines for Maintaining Appropriate Professionalism:

Examples of Inappropriate, Boundary Crossing Interactions and Communications with Students:

(This list is not all inclusive and other, similar activities should also be avoided.) 

MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers should refrain from

MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers who are also a parent of a student at our School are expected to address perceived problems or alleged inequities by other students (bullying, etc.) in the same way all other parents are to address such actions. Report the problem to the appropriate administrator. Do not take personal action to address the situation.

We certainly encourage close relationships between MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers and students. However, all after-school and away from campus contact with students (including transporting students in an MPCS employee, coach, or volunteer’s vehicle, babysitting, going to dinner, etc.) must first be cleared with the head of school in each specific instance. MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers should also strive to have more than one adult present if students of the School are staying at their home overnight. MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers must remember that even when acting in the role of parent, they still represent the school and must ensure that all interactions are professional and appropriate.

All MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers are responsible for the safety and welfare of our students. If you observe any MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers  engaging in any type of inappropriate or questionable behavior with a student, or violating any aspect of this policy, please report the information immediately to your division/department head and/or division counselor. In addition, MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers must report any awareness or concern of a student’s inappropriate or questionable behavior. Nothing in this policy is intended to relieve mandated reporters of child abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect of their obligations under state law. 

In addition, as a part of every MPCS employee’s, coach’s, and volunteer’s obligation to keep children and our campus safe, if you have information reflecting that any person who may regularly or periodically visit the school’s campus (student, employee, parent, spouse of an employee, family member, volunteer, or contractor) has been accused, arrested, or convicted of any type of potential abuse or sexual misconduct toward any other person, you must immediately report such information to the human resources director and/or head of school.

Any MPCS employee, coach, or volunteer who engages in behavior that violates this policy or who fails to report such activity by others will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or removal from duties. 

MPCS employees, coaches, and volunteers who make a good faith report of a suspected violation of this policy or who cooperate in inquiries or investigations related to the investigation of a report shall be not be penalized in any way. If an MPCS employee, coach, or volunteer believes that he or she has been retaliated against for making a report under this policy, please immediately contact the director of human resources. 

Responsibilities for Facilities

Coaches are responsible for examining their athletic venue for any potential hazards. They are also expected to ensure that the facilities are safe and clean, both before and after all practices and games. Any problems in this area should be reported to the athletic directors and the sports facilities director. 

Facilities Usage and Keys
Athletic facilities are to be used by student-athletes under the supervision of an MPC coach or faculty/staff member, including any open gyms or free play. Coaches who have been issued keys for athletic facilities are responsible for their keys at all times. Students may be sent on errands for coaches or teams and may take keys if needed, but the keys remain the responsibility of the coach.

Locker Rooms

Coaching staffs are responsible for monitoring their teams’ locker rooms before and after practices and games. Since the locker room can be an environment where hazing and ridicule occur, it is essential that locker rooms remained locked when not in use and supervised when in use. Student-athletes should have all belongings placed in or on top of a locker and off of the floor. Locks will be arranged for each locker room through the athletic office. 

Also, part of being a responsible host for visitors requires us to provide clean and orderly locker rooms for our opponents. Coaches are responsible for inspecting and/or making available these facilities when requested. 

Transportation and Bus Safety

View the transportation section of the Volunteer Handbook for transportation guidelines.

 

Bus Information

Reserving Buses for Away Games
Arrangements for buses will be made by the athletic office in conjunction with operations for all away trips. Coaches are expected to review the transportation calendar to ensure that all of their games have been covered.

Receiving Keys and Returning 14-passenger Buses
Coaches are to pick up bus keys from operations on the day the bus is needed. All paperwork required by operations for usage of the bus is to be filled out prior to the team’s departure. 

In returning MPCS buses, our coaches/drivers are to

  1. Have players pick up all trash and sweep if necessary;
  2. Back the bus into its designated space; and
  3. Return the keys and paperwork to the drop box.

In returning Rental buses, our coaches/drivers are to

  1. Have players pick up all trash and sweep;
  2. Park the bus in the bus parking area outside the gym, with the bus backed in against the curb; and
  3. Return the keys and paperwork to the drop box.

Large Passenger Buses, Driver’s Pay
Coaches may pursue adding a CDL license in order to help with transportation needs. Coaches/drivers with a CDL will be

Bus Breakdowns, Flat Tires, Etc.
Any problems with buses should be communicated immediately to your athletic director and director of operations or, if they are unavailable, the athletic administrative assistant. Teams that are able to continue traveling and arrive for their game with a full squad may keep the game; if not, the game should be rescheduled. Typically, in the event of a breakdown, the priority will be to find a safe, alternate option for all players and coaches to return to MPCS.  Our buses are not equipped with spare tires or jacks due to their weight. Once alternate plans are made, student-athletes should contact their parents to inform them of where and at what time they should be picked up. 

MPCS Security Cell: 770-843-3938

Child Abuse Reporting Obligations

As educational professionals, we have a responsibility to provide the children we teach with the opportunity to obtain the best education possible. However, our responsibility does not end there. We also have a legal responsibility to report any information that we receive that leads us to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected.

The State of Georgia requires by law that any principal, teacher, counselor, or other school administrator report cases of suspected child abuse of children less than eighteen years of age. Georgia Law provides immunity for those reporting in good faith and provides a penalty for violation of the law.

Georgia law defines “abuse” as physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker by other than accidental means; neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caretaker; endangering a child; sexual abuse of a child; or sexual exploitation of a child. Any employee/volunteer/coach who has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that child abuse has occurred must report their concern immediately to the head of school. If you cannot contact the head of school, contact the associate head of school. The head of school or the associate head of school will then discuss the situation with you to ensure that the appropriate reports, if any, are completed. You can also report the situation directly to the state by contacting the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) in the county in which the child resides. If you make the report directly, immediately after making such report, please notify the head of school so the School can assist in investigations and/or ensure that appropriate personnel are watchful for signs of future potential abuse of the child(ren) in question. Failure to report suspected abuse could constitute a crime under Georgia law and subject you to prosecution.