Sidney school officials are hoping that students will miss less school in the future because of extra-curricular activities.
During a report of his season, high school softball coach Damon McLaughlin noted how impressed he is that 10 of his 16 varsity players earned Academic All-State honors considering how much the softball schedule conflicts with school time. McLaughlin said the squad plays a lot of Tuesday and Thursday games.
Sidney Superintendent of Schools Daniel Farr said school officials are looking to switch games for all sports to the weekend.
“Some of this has to deal with a lot of coaches who don’t want to give up their weekends,” Farr said.
McLaughlin, who said he has no problem coaching during weekends, noted missing that amount of school puts a lot of time challenges on student athletes.
“It’s horrible,” Farr said.
The superintendent added that the high school fall schedule doesn’t look bad as far as students missing instructional time at this point. Farr has some concerns with the middle school athletic schedules.
After McLaughlin asked if Sidney was still hosting next year’s Class A state softball tournament, trustees said 95 percent of the funding has been raised to pay for field improvements.“You guys are going to stay home next year,” Farr said to McLaughlin about having the state tournament in Sidney. “Plan on it.”
In other business during committee meetings:
• Farr said the school district needs to provide correction action plans to the Office of Public Instruction for Sidney High School, Sidney Middle School and Central Elementary School. He noted the deficiencies cited all were the result of teaching recruitment challenges. “Each of the teachers is working to be certified, but OPI isn’t looking at that,” Farr said.
• School officials are researching the positives and negatives to having drug testing for co-curricular activities. Their research has included gaining information on how well Glendive’s first-year process worked. School officials plan to also contact county health and law enforcement for input. “This isn’t going to be on the fast track,” Farr said of drug testing. “This will be a work in progress.”
• Farr made the recommendation to hire Sheridan Cotrell as speech therapist, Lexie Baxter as middle school special education teacher, Stacey Collins as head track coach, Katie Dasinger as head drill/cheer coach, Heidy MacGrady as assistant girls high school basketball coach, Crystal Weltikol as assistant girls high school basketball coach, Jordan Mayer as middle school girls basketball coach, Marie Holler as middle school basketball coach and Matt Welchel as middle school girls basketball coach.
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