Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tom Davis, intramural director at Fort Scott Middle School and one of five members of the intramural sports committee formed after the January board meeting, spent a little under an hour presenting the committee’s recommendation to trustees regarding introducing interscholastic sports to middle school athletics.
“It was not a simple task and there are some weaknesses,” Davis said of the recommendation. “We wanted to look at what was best for students, parents and the community.”
After carefully considering the recommendation and budget concerns, a motion was made to approve the committee’s recommendation. Only after all votes were in did it become apparent the recommendation wouldn’t get the four votes it needed to go into effect during the 2012-2013 school year. So as of now, no FSMS sports will become interscholastic during the 2012-2013 school year.
The committee’s recommendation was for sixth and seventh-grade athletics to keep intramural sports but for eighth-grade athletics to become interscholastic, enabling them to play other schools. The recommendation did not cut any programs, but would cost the district an additional $7,500 out of the general fund.
Board members biggest reservations regarding the recommendation were budget related.
“There is just a little bit of wiggle room in the budget so that we could provide for interscholastic at the eighth-grade level this year,” Business Manager Tiffany Forester said. “But I don’t know about next year or the year after.”
As of last night, school board members have yet to set fees for the 2012-2013 school year.
School Board President Janet Braun said they are waiting to hear what the state legislature will do with education funding. With that in mind, board members said they are not comfortable taking $7,500 out of a budget that is not set.
“I’m struggling with the money,” board member Justin Meeks said. “We have the money to do this, but would it hinder us (from) doing other things?”
Although school board members denied the middle school athletic committee’s recommendation, the panel approved a motion to reconsider the recommendation for the 2013-2014 school year, pending funding.
Board members said the motion emphasizes their support, just not right now, due to funding.
In other business:
* The board approved employment and leave of absence requests for the following: Employment of Morgan Ratliff as the high school assistant softball coach; the employment of Allison Gorman as the middle school boys and girls’ tennis coach; a leave of absence request from Connie Niel, a Eugene Ware teacher; and the transfer of Amy Lybarger from her math and language arts position at FSMS to sixth-grade language arts and social studies for the 2012-2013 school year.
* Heard information about the April 20 Wellness Fair. Superintendent Rick Werling said health care professionals, including a pharmacist and a dietitian, will be present.
Werling said the fair will also feature healthy eating testing, stress and money management advice, as well as other fitness related activities, including Zumba.
* Update on the superintendent search: Forester said the interview dates for the applicants have been established as well as any other accommodations that need to be made for applicants and their spouses.
Following the recommendation of Doug Moeckel of the Kansas Association of School Boards, who will be leading the search, the school board sent formal invitations for community members to attend March 15 focus groups that will discuss desirable characteristics for the new superintendent.
“The process is moving,” Braun said. “That’s what were saying.”
Angelique McNaughton 