Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 7, 2011 The Midland Park Board of Education last week adopted on first reading a new policy paving the way for homeschooled students to participate in athletic competition within the district. Final adoption is expected at the board’s Dec. 6 meeting so as to allow eligible students to participate in winter interscholastic sports programs, which officially begin later this month. “For now, it accomplishes our goals,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marie Cirasella, acknowledging that some aspects of the policy may have to be changed once it is actually put into practice. The new guidelines are being developed in accordance with the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Board prepares athletic policy for homeschoolers revised regulations with regard to home schooled students’ participation in athletics. One of the requirements is that the local board of education must formally adopt its own policy permitting the homeschooled students’ participation. The board’s policy committee is still making changes to its proposal and expects to have its final version for the second reading this week. Last month, at Midland Park’s urging and the intervention of the New Jersey Department of Education, the NJSIAA Executive Committee reversed its policy to now permit children schooled at home to participate in interscholastic sports provided that both the school and the homeschooled student comply with newlyadopted NJSIAA guidelines. The board would not release the proposed policy, but Dr. Cirasella said that every homeschooled student residing in Midland Park would be eligible. The guidelines are designed to ensure that homeschoolers who participate in sports meet the same eligibility requirements as other student-athletes, including demonstrating to the satisfaction of the local school officials that they are receiving an equivalent education and are academically qualified to participate. Ray and Maureen Borzone had sought the board’s help in getting the NJSIAA ban changed on behalf of their son, Zak, a ninth grader who is homeschooled. He expects to play basketball at Midland Park High School this winter and would have played football if the policy had been changed sooner.