Uniontown school board to hold hearing on new athletics programs

By Jason E. Silvers

Herald-Tribune

UNIONTOWN -- The USD 235 Board of Education needs more input from the community before making a decision concerning the addition of two athletic programs to the district, school officials said.

The board is scheduled to hear from the public on this matter during their regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Uniontown Junior Senior High School commons area, 601 Fifth St. Board members will discuss the implementation of a baseball and softball program for the spring 2008 semester.

"We are still in the input phase," USD 235 Superintendent Randy Rockhold said. "We are gathering input from patrons."

Since last fall, the board has been discussing the idea of starting up the two new programs, which have never existed in Uniontown. Board members have heard feedback on the issue from parents, teachers and athletic coaches, who share differing views on adding the two programs, which could cost the district between $200,000 and $250,000, if a sports complex that would house both programs is built.

During the January meeting, Bronson resident Terry Johnston informed the board that a regulation-size baseball field in Bronson could be used by a new baseball team, saving the district money for the construction of a new baseball field.

At that same meeting, Uniontown resident Randy Rathbun, a supporter of both programs, presented a list of 95 West Bourbon Elementary School fifth-grade and sixth-grade students who were interested in playing baseball or softball. The new programs would be of the most benefit to students preparing to enter high school, Rathbun said.

Rathbun also asked the board what the next step in the implementation process would be and said several local parents could possibly contribute money to start-up costs for both programs.

In January, the board agreed not to vote on the issue at that time, since costs associated with adding both programs would be high. Money that had been willed by a local patron to implement both programs was not used for that purpose, so the board needed time to figure out how to fund the new programs, board president Joe Warren said.

The board also decided at that time that they needed to research the matter more before putting it to a vote.

During the October board meeting, a majority of parents and teachers who attended that meeting were against adding the two programs, so the board wanted to hear more input from the community in future meetings.

The total cost of equipment for coaches, staff and players in both programs would be between $25,000 and $30,000. A softball field alone would cost about $80,000 to build, with the installation of lights at that field costing between $40,000 and $240,000, officials said.

In response to one local concern, Rockhold has said that funding for other district athletic programs would not be cut if the two programs are added.

The board also plans to conduct the following business on Monday:

* Consider the approval of the February treasurer's report; the purchase of a 2007 Suburban for district use; and the 2007-'08 school calendar.

* Consider the approval of a board policy concerning document production and the destruction of district documents, including any electronic information. After the district receives knowledge of legal action against the district or its employees, should such an incident occur, then no documents or electronic information pertaining to the subject of the action, maintained in any form, may be destroyed, Rockhold said.

To accommodate this policy, district officials will back-up all e-mail information on a daily basis and keep that information on record for seven years, he said.

* Consider the approval of a reduction in the state's hourly requirement of 1,116 instructional contact hours each year. The reduction in hours would begin starting this school year.

U-235 teachers typically work more than the required minimum each year, and will put in about 1,132 hours this year as long as no additional days are missed due to inclement weather or other uncontrollable issues, Rockhold said.

* Discuss any changes to the district handbook for the 2007-'08 school year. Each year, the board discusses any necessary changes in March, and then adopts those changes in April, Rockhold said. The changes are usually minor, but address needs or issues that arise, he said.

* Hire an additional science teacher and an additional WBE teacher's aide for the 2007-08 school year. The teacher's aide will work in the classroom and in the school's English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program.

* Consider the retirements requests of 26-year teacher Sherral Fry; 31-year teacher Debra Ramsey; and 27-year employee Becky Shinn, who has worked as a classroom aide and bus driver since 1980.