Board discusses sports programs

Talk about it

Booster club parents expressed concern Monday regarding athletic programs the clubs typically produce and distribute every year.

The Jamestown Public School Board heard from some club presidents as well as Jim Roaldson, athletic director, at its regular meeting Tuesday.

The booster club programs name the athletes and typically include a team photo and some player photos. The programs also are a source of revenue for the teams. Each team’s booster club sells ads for the team’s program and then uses the money for various needs like equipment or apparel.

Some teams raise $2,000 for booster-related expenses and other teams don’t have a program at all. The control of the funds remains with each booster club.

Roaldson had previously suggested the clubs work together to produce one fall sports program and another winter sports program. Currently, each sport has its own program. Roaldson and the booster clubs have been discussing a combining of the programs.

In his suggestion, Roaldson offered to solicit all the ads himself, and in doing so, would also control how the booster money was spent. Those funds would be allocated to each team, without necessarily regarding which team sold the most ads.

“My purpose in this was never to take away from any booster club,” he said.

Having one person solicit ads instead of several people from multiple teams is a benefit to businesses, Roaldson said. That way, business leaders are hit up for funds only once.

Board member Greg Allen agreed.

Allen said his employer, Cavendish Farms, seeks to help as much as it can. Sometimes, however, team members come in on different days or ask for different amounts of money. That makes it hard for Cavendish to support every team, he said.

“It really would help if it was coordinated a little bit,” he said.

And although football, volleyball and cross country have already participated in competitions, the programs have not been produced — an issue concerning booster club members who began fundraising months ago.

The volleyball boosters typically raise about $2,000 a year and begin fundraising in June, said Shelly Jystad, president.

The club doesn’t mind sharing its funds with other teams. Boosters support all Bluejays, she said. But the club’s goal is to have the program done in time for the first home game.

“I have to tell you, it’s a disappointment that it’s not done,” she said.

Jystad asked Roaldson to come to the booster clubs if he needs help or to request funding for various needs.

“That’s why we’re here,” she said.

The administration needs to have more communication with its booster groups, said Bob Toso, superintendent.

Also, the board heard from Jamestown High School Principal Bill Nold as well as guidance counselors regarding graduation requirements.

The state requires 22 credits to graduate. JPS is considering upping the requirement to 24 credits beginning with the freshman class of 2008-2009. The concern is for the students who are at-risk for dropping out, Nold said. Requiring more credit hours adds demand to a student who is struggling to earn 22 credits. Those students may get frustrated and drop out.

“I’d like to see our standards higher, but not at the risk of losing any more students,” said Tanya Ostlie, School Board member.

The guidance counselors were in favor of keeping the requirements the same as the state.

“We’re looking for the 22 credits,” said Donette Rasmussen, counselor.

The board is also considering an optional curriculum requirement for students who struggle to pass some of their classes. The optional curriculum would require fewer credits and would be more elective-based, rather than based on core classes like English, science, math and social studies.

The board will continue to discuss the issue at upcoming meetings.

Also, enrollment at Jamestown Public Schools is up 18 students compared to this time last year. As of Tuesday, 2,169 students were enrolled.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Jamestown Public School Board is 5:15 p.m. Sept. 21.

Sun reporter Katie Ryan can be reached at 701-952-8454 or by e-mail at kryan@jamestownsun.com

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