Search This Site
News, sports, politics, blogs and forums for Hutchinson, Minnnesota • (320) 587-5000
Search
Advertising
Advertising
District 423 youth to play on new fields
- Login or register to post comments
-
- Printer friendly version
- Sign up for our Email Editions
» Read similar stories filed under:
Hutchinson youth will have new sports fields to play on come as early as next summer.
School District 423 Board members voted to award the low bid for campus greenspace improvements to Burski Excavating of Rice at its last regular meeting.
Plans call for building a new senior high baseball field, a new youth softball/baseball field, a new youth football field and a new youth soccer field. District Director of Buildings and Grounds Brian Mohr said the contractor could be ready to begin work as early as June 9, but estimated ground will be broken sometime shortly after that.
Burski Excavating submitted the low bid at $238,600 for the project. Mohr said the capital funds have been budgeted for the improvements for the past few years.
The district decided to seed the fields instead of installing sod, which would be quicker but cost more money. So while construction should be wrapped up this summer, the fields won’t be playable until next year, Mohr said.
Advertisement. Article continues below.
“It’s not a good time to start planting grass in July and August,” he said.
For more details, check out the Thursday, May 15 print edition of the Leader.
(Lesley Christianson is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader.)
christianson@hutchinsonleader.com
- Login or register to post comments
-
- Printer friendly version
- Sign up for our Email Editions
Advertising
Advertising
Recent comments
- I think a poll should be...
9 min 32 sec ago - Snowman, it is true that old...
28 min 19 sec ago - How much have I used the...
1 hour 4 min ago - Snowman, how many miles did...
3 hours 14 min ago - The DNR’s Luce Line State...
3 hours 23 min ago - Per the language of the...
5 hours 10 min ago - But, for some reason, their...
8 hours 13 min ago - I've actually asked DNR...
8 hours 19 min ago - And to think that our...
8 hours 22 min ago - Will the snuggie keep the...
8 hours 32 min ago
Advertising
Recent blog posts
Advertising
New forum topics
Active forum topics
Who's new
- Moffitt
- LeonnaL
- TiffannieD
- drivesafely
- grandma
Who's online
There are currently 2 users and 308 guests online.
Online users
- Matt McMillan
- star-ann
Today's Poll
Submitted by webmaster on November 18, 2009 - 9:52am.» Read similar stories filed under:
- Login or register to post comments
-
- Printer friendly version
- Sign up for our Email Editions
District 423 spends money on...
Back to page topDistrict 423 spends money on a new sports field when they let teachers go last fall!? This is a perfect example of what is wrong with this school's leadership. C'mon people your priorities are messed up! Spend this money on academics not sports!
Education is not the only...
Back to page topEducation is not the only thing in life. What's wrong with spending money on sports? It's better to have kids in sports for their extracurricular activities than doing drugs or playing video games. Sports teach discipline, hard work, leadership, and good attitudes which will all be needed when the kids grow up and live in the "working world".
As the article said... these "capital funds have been budgeted for the improvements for the past few years."
I have been wondering what...
Back to page topI have been wondering what 423 is going to do with its Asst. Superintendent salary. Will they continue to be top heavy administratively while classroom numbers rise or will they use that salary to hire two-three teachers! Six teaching positions were lost at the High School, alone , so what is the average size of REQUIRED classes if you do not factor in electives. I hear it will be closer to 40 than 30 next year. Academics is not ALL there is to life, to be sure but it is what our TAXES should be paying for. Sports needs to be relegated to the private sector for financial support. When there is not enough money to go around at my house I cut back and non-essentials like Assistant Superintendents and sports should be the first to go. Remember this when they come at us for more money!!
I also agree that...
Back to page topI also agree that sports/athletics have a place and time for our youth. However, because of budget restraints that everybody is feeling these days in our school districts, I think it is now time for sports/athletics/fine arts become the responsibilities of private booster clubs and/or corporate sponsors. Because the schools would not longer be responsible for coaching costs, transportation costs, uniform costs, etc., the budget could be reduced, and more money could be directed to education which is what schools are all about in the first place. Sports, too, would benefit because the best coaches could be hired rather than hiring those teachers who are on the school's staff and really don't have their heart in coaching but rather are just there to pick up their paychecks. Parents may have to pay more for their children's activity fees, but if real estate taxes could be reduced because of the school's dependence on this funding and it would be reduced because of the discontinuation of the sports budget, then this money could be directed to their children's increased activity fees, and the rest of the district's residents would be relieved of paying for something they really do not support in the first place. Or, they may want to make a donation to their favorite sport to be used as they so direct. Also, I think, too, the school needs to start looking at perhaps year-round school. The buildings would be used full time and the taxpayers would be getting a better "bang for their buck." This seems to work quite well in California, so what not try it here? The school district cannot continue to spend more and more money. The taxpayers' pockets are empty and the district needs to be more creative in their budgets. School District #423 is a good position to start with their budget re-evaluation since we now have lost our Asst. Superintendent. I think we can get along quite nicely without that position and we could start saving immediately and use that savings in the classrooms which like I said previously "is what schools are all about in the first place."
Who would be willing to...
Back to page topWho would be willing to coach at the high school level with the peanuts they are offered for compensation. And what makes you even think that they would have more knowledge? I'm guessing that our doctors. lawyers. or engineers have other obligations and would probably snicker that the notion of doing anything for $5.00 per hour. I do agree that there are coaches who are not always knowledgeable and don't have lots of passion. Several of the coaches are already "not" teachers, it is challenging to find coaches who are willing to take the heat from parents and unmotivated athletes. If you have a long list of super motivated AND knowledgable coaches please give this hot list of prospects to the district, they might find it a value. Make sure that your new passion filled coaches have a schedule that will allow them to be free to coach and/or leave town with the team at 2:00 in the afternoon for away games. Make sure that the members are not just some self-serving parents who want to push and showcase their own offspring.
Your idea of having year-round school is an expensive option. Operating the schools with the extra utilities and increased salaries would be very costly. Surely you don't expect the entire staff to do all of this without a bump in pay. Try asking your doctor, carpenter, or mechanic to do the same without more pay... when they stop laughing, they will probably say "no thank you".I don't think that saving a few dollars with extra curriculars would come even close.
Your idea to do without an assistant supt. probably makes the most sense... his main role of curriculum director seems on the surface to be valuable, but those who were in the trenches knew how little he actually brought to the table.
Perhaps you are a business owner who is fighting the urge to give thousands and thousands of dollars away to school sports. I believe that many of our businesses are already hit hard enough to donate to this and to that. If you have a list of passion filled businesses who have piles of money, please give them the address of our schools so that they can start this process.
How can you possibly feel...
Back to page topHow can you possibly feel that having school year-round will save money? The additional utilities and salary increases will only make it more costly. You don't actually think that the staff will invest all this additional time without being compensated do you? The next time you ask your doctor, lawyer, or mechanic to donate more time see how they respond. When they are done laughing in your face they will surely answer, "no thank you".
I do agree that there are teachers who are not very good at coaching. Surely you must know that many coaches in Hutchinson, including head coaches are not presently teaching or teaching at all for that matter. Please ask your passion filled professionals, i believe you refer to them as the "best coaches"... if they want to deal with over-bearing parents for $5.00 per hour. Make sure that they are available at 2:00 p.m. to leave with the team on away games. Also make sure that these better qualified coaches are not just self-serving parents with certain agendas. Several of our teachers coach because "no one" wants to coach.
You mention that boosters and private business should pay for extra curriculars... it was my understanding that many of these businesses are already hit very hard and can't afford to simply take on any more. Do you know something or someone that the rest of the community doesn't? I'm guessing that 3M or HTI could take over the expenses of extra curriculars... have you asked them?
You also mentioned that parents should just pay more... is this what the parents want and can afford?
You mentioned that we should model our educational system after California... Minnesota has out-ranked and out-scored the majority of the other states, including California.
I mildly agree with you about the salary of our assistant supt. He was the curricular expert, yet didn't seem to even know what was best. He was more of a good guy than he was an innovative problem solver. Maybe if his responsibilities could be delegated a bit we might be just fine. Of course this won't actually happen, but it is fun to mull over a-bit.
arnijodi wrote... "Education...
Back to page toparnijodi wrote...
You put that on your next job application and see how far it gets you. This sends entirely the wrong message to the youth of this community and it's a primary thing that is wrong with this city. Sports are put above education by arnijodi, by the administration of district 423 and by the school board. It's shameful. Remember this next time you see the test scores published for the students of district 423. Teachers were sacrificed for a sports field. Shameful.
Let me clarify myself. By...
Back to page topLet me clarify myself. By saying that education is not the only thing in life, I am merely trying to state that an individual needs balance in his/her life in order to succeed. Good grades cannot get you very far, if you can't relate well with people. Sports is simply a potentially good activity to round out a good education. It doesn't replace education, but rather enhances it when used properly.
I'm all for education and do agree that education should come first. I myself graduated with honors from High School, College, and also a College Technical School. Education definitely has a big part in defining the job that we will eventually undertake, but lets not discount other activities that contribute to a well rounded individual that can make for a good worker in our society.
I must have hit a passionate...
Back to page topI must have hit a passionate nerve!! I apologize - I thought all of the coaches were also teachers at District 423. I know of several persons who have applied for coaching jobs, but were told that only teachers could apply for those jobs. So I am surprised to hear that some of the coaches are not teachers. So, how do these coaches do it? Where do they work that they are allowed to leave their jobs at 2:00 P.M. to attend practices and/or games, meets, etc.? And, how do we come up with the salary of $5.00 per hour? My point in suggesting that extra curriculars are sponsored by booster clubs or corporations is that if there was more money available, then the very best coaches would be hired, and of course, they would have to be paid more - if you're worth your weight in gold, then you'll get a higher salary, but you would have to bring positive results to your team!!! Parents/booster clubs/corporations would have to step up to the plate, and pay higher activity fees, plan fundraising events, etc. This would at least relieve the budget pressures our schools are presently feeling!! As far as year-round school is concerned, I thought our teachers were already paid an annual salary, or do they just get paid for nine months of teaching? Maybe they would welcome the extra money they could make by teaching year around. Doctors, engineers and mechanics all work every day, 5 days a week (and maybe more) and are paid accordingly. My point in this suggestion is that our buildings would be totally utitilized, and not remain idle for three months out of the year!! And our kids would be the recipients of a better education!!!
No, not all coaches are...
Back to page topNo, not all coaches are teachers. The boys tennis coach, Brett Rasmussen, for example, is a business owner (retail), thus able to set his own hours. His wife is an elementary teacher.
Among the others: Andy Rostberg, football head coach, former teacher not teaching now; Dennis Piechowski, volleyball head coach, former teacher not teaching now; Len Lasley, head track coach, retired teacher; Jerry Carlson, recently retired head swimming coach, retired teacher; and Mitch Fabel, head girls hockey coach, not a teacher. So there are several.
(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)
Teachers are contracted for...
Back to page topTeachers are contracted for a certain number of duty days each year, usually between 176-184. These include school days and workshop days. They do not get paid for service during the summer. There are schools in other states that go year round but many still have the same number of days. Instead they take 2-3 week breaks after each quarter. In that case teachers would not necessarily make more and transportation costs would be the same, but there would be more spent on maintainence. I don't believe this will ever happen in Minnesota because the summer tourism industry opposes a change in the school year.
As far as sports being part of the school, the United States may be the only country where sports are sponsered by schools. In other countries, athletes attend private clubs that are not associated with the school. Scholarships are available so all can participate.