WIAA passes four new amendments

RENTON – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Representative Assembly voted to pass four amendments, the Association announced Friday, May 6.

The Representative Assembly is comprised of 53 (35 high school, 18 middle level) school administrators from each of the nine WIAA districts. For an amendment to pass, 60 percent approval is needed from voting members of the Assembly. A total of 32 votes are needed for a middle level/high school amendment to pass, while 21 votes are needed for a high school amendment to pass.

In total, seven amendments were proposed this year and the four that passed will go into effect next school year. In addition to those amendments, three WIAA Executive Board positions were voted on.

Jeff Lowell of Bellevue School District (District 2) and Nick Hazeltine of DeSales High School (District 9) were elected as new Board members while Paul Manfred of Gonzaga Prep (District 8) was elected to keep his position on the Board.

The first and most consequential amendment redistricted the state from nine to six districts and modified the WIAA Executive Board representation. The motion passed 40 “aye” and 13 “nay.”

The second amendment eliminates “no position” as a voting option for Representative Assembly members. The motion passed 50 “aye,” two “nay,” one “no position.”

The third amendment allows students to retain the full number of practices previously completed upon return from an extended absence.

The final approved amendment allows a student to be placed on academic probation at the start of the fall sport season if they failed to meet grade requirements in the second semester or third trimester of the previous school year.