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School takes close look at text messaging |
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Thursday, 03 July 2008 |
Johnsonburg School District may set guidelines for commmunicating by cell phone
By Brent Addleman
Record Editor
The Johnsonburg School Board Athletic Committee held a special public meeting last night in the library of the high school to discuss topics ranging to maintenance of Memorial Stadium to uniforms to text messaging between coaches and student-athletes.
No decisions were made at the meeting, but the issues discussed will be addressed at later board meetings.
Superintendent Walter Fitch raised the issue of text messaging. He stressed the school needs to set guidelines for the practice of text messaging, which has become very popular.
"We need to set guidelines to how frequent messages are sent and what is said in text messages," Fitch said. "Can it be one unique message to everyone on the team? I think the messages should only be of the official kind of content. (If it's not official content) I think that is crossing a line."
Fitch said he is aware the practice is going on, but feels the school may need to be more disciplined with the practice.
"I know the coaches are (sending text messages to players) and are still doing it," Fitch said. "I think there needs to be some guidelines.
"I don't know what we are saying. If we are (going to allow coaches to send text messages to players), we need to set some guidelines. If (we are not going to allow text messages to be sent to players) we need to tell the coaches (to stop the practice.)"
The convenience of the practice was mentioned as a coach can send one text message to every player on the team rather than go through a lengthy phone call session with each and every player.
One student raised the issue of convenience of the practice and felt it would not be a great plan to ban it.
High School Principal Donald Wismar showed committee members a rough draft of the Code of Conduct and said he felt that if the practice were allowed guidelines must be set in place.
"If we do, we must set guidelines," Wismar said. "I did not add anything into the coaches meeting or the code of conduct. I'd be more than happy to sit down and come up with guidelines."
School Board member Richard Wolfe asked if the practice could be banned and felt the principal and director of athletics should set up what is acceptable if text messaging will be allowed.
School Board member Shane Launer felt the issue should be discussed at the coaches meeting, which is scheduled for July 21.
"We need to talk to the coaches to see how they are feeling," Launer said.
In other business, Fitch discussed how the district is saving an average of $2,500 to $3,000 per year by shutting down the stadium during months where it is not used. The district saves money on electricity, telephones and natural gas in the process.
The district is also working on a drainage system on the home side of the field on the North side of the stadium. There are also minor renovations being planned for the scoreboard and concession stand.
Also in the works is getting a new backstop and bleachers for the baseball field at Knothole Park. The district is working to get grants to finish the project on a smaller scale of the Berwind Park facility.
The tennis courts at the high school have been resurfaced, and the district is looking to get nets for basketball hoops located at the facility.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 July 2008 )
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