March 12, 2009
A work session of the Elementary and High School District No. 1 Board of Trustees was held on March 12, 2009 in the Choteau High School Library. The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m. by Chairman Kirk Moore.
Members Present: Kirk Moore, Robert Stokes, Sharon Rice, Mark Henderson, Perri Lindgren, and Brenda Cunniff.
Members Absent: Katie Rasmussen.
Supt. St. John, High School Principal Achenbach, and Clerk Davis were present throughout the work session.
Visitors: Choteau Acantha Editor Melody Martinsen; District Patrons Ron Daley, Jonathan Stoltz, Mary Skinner, Katie Vandolah, Janie Zwerneman, Becky Larson, Brodie Gollehon, Cliff Heuscher, Sally Heuscher, Josh Sonju and Carla May; Staff Members Eva Anseth, Jennifer Birnel, Greg Alzheimer, and Ann Funk; and Student Lena Heuscher.
ATHLETIC PHILOSOPHY The Board was reminded that an Athletic Philosophy Committee was created by Chairman Kirk Moore at the June Board Meeting. Trustees Brenda Cunniff, Katie Rasmussen, and Sharon Rice are the members of the committee and were directed to gather data regarding defining a philosophy and/or goals and expectations for the athletic program as well as reviewing the coaches handbook and job descriptions. The committee provided a packet of data they had gathered for the entire Board at the December Board Meeting, noting that the committee’s only recommendation at that time was for the entire Board to meet in a work session with the administration and athletic director to review the data the committee had collected and any other input before considering any further action regarding this matter.
Trustee Sharon Rice informed the Board that she believes there needs to be a Board policy and mission statement addressing athletics to give the athletic director, administration, and coaches direction. Trustee Rice proceeded to provide the Board with a two page document that she had developed as a starting point for discussing and developing such a policy and mission statement. After a brief perusal of this proposed athletic philosophy, Athletic Director Nate Achenbach and several Board members noted such a policy ties the hands of the coaches and administration where flexibility is needed.
Trustee Brenda Cunniff asked if the better course of direction at this time would be to hand this data and proposed policy to the administration with the directive to develop a general athletic philosophy statement to be incorporated into a policy that states the administration will develop a coach’s handbook, ensure that each coach develops a players’ handbook, and evaluate all coaches annually. Trustee Cunniff asked the administration to review the packet of information from the committee and the bullets from Trustee Rice’s proposed policy and incorporate what is needed and will work into the coach’s handbook and have it ready for the Board to review at the April meeting.
The Board discussed this matter further with the majority of the Trustees stating they did not see a need to develop an athletic policy and felt to do so was not the right course of action. It was noted that the proposed policy addresses many issues that the District is already doing through administrative procedures which allows the flexibility to address changes when necessary. Trustee Robert Stokes stated that he feels developing a policy as proposed would be trying to fix something that isn’t broken.
Athletic Director Achenbach informed the Board that he plans and needs to go back to the coaches with all the collected data and proposed policy and get their thoughts and input before he proceeds further with the process of reviewing and rewriting handbooks. Mr. Achenbach stated that he will take the time to meet with the coaches to review and rewrite the handbooks and will report back to the Board on the process before the 2009-10 athletic season gets underway.
It was the consensus of the majority of the Board that this issue would be handled as outlined above by Athletic Director Nate Achenbach. Trustee Mark Henderson stated that if a one sentence athletic mission statement is considered he would propose that it simply states, “The purpose of athletics is to teach our students life skills and virtues through sports.”
There being no further business to come before the Board, this work session was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
ATTEST: ______________________ CLERK __________________________ CHAIRMAN