Waitsburg School Board discusses code of conduct, DW Combine updates

WAITSBURG-A new athletic Code of Conduct, designed to fit the student-athletes of the Dayton Waitsburg Athletic Combine, was the center of discussion at the Waitsburg School Board meeting on June 17.

Athletic Director Sam Korslund said the boys basketball team would finish the season in at least 4th place. The team was honored with a police send-off out of Dayton. The girls' season was unfortunately cut short by COVID-19. An awards banquet is planned for the end of the season, with the date and location to be announced.

Korslund reported that he is still looking for a vendor for letterman's jackets, sharing that there has been an increased demand by students. Future letters would include a combined DW athletic patch and individual letters for each school.

Registration for sports will now be available online, Korslund reported. Online registration will make necessary paperwork easily available and will help organize the student's athletic future within the combine. Students may sign up for sports ahead of time with the option to withdraw from the team if they change their minds. Detailed information will be sent to student-athletes and their families.

Korslund shared the first draft of the Coach's Handbook with DW coaches for feedback and said the responses have been positive.

DW Athletics is currently searching for head and assistant middle school football coaches. Korlsund said he is exploring options for a joint training program for middle and high school athletes.

Superintendent Mark Pickel reported that the high school roofing project is underway, beginning at the gym.

The Class of 2021 chose to repair the tennis courts at the high school for their class project. The work was nearly finished at the time of the meeting: Court lines were repainted, net posts and basketball posts were all painted, and the school was looking into backboards for the basketball hoops at the tennis courts and the elementary school. Pickel said that the school was trying to repair the court lights, as well.

The superintendent said four Chromebooks had not been returned, and school officials are contacting the families for their return. Nearly 150 laptops are approaching their 'end of life,' Pickel said, explaining that Google will no longer support them. Replacement Chromebooks will be ordered and set up through NexGen IT services.

Student headcount went down slightly in the 2020-21 school year. Pickel said the families who moved out of the district did so because of their economic situations.

Superintendent Pickel discussed the proposed Athletic Code of Conduct, including concerns that board members had with the code. One of the biggest concerns from both staff and board members was regarding grade status. Board member Sarah Boudrieau expressed concern about students being deemed ineligible should a teacher be unable to update grades before the weekly eligibility determination. The code does have grading allowances; however, Pickel said that he would work with staff to enforce grading input, and establish deadlines so that students are not penalized for late grades.

Boudrieau asked about various disciplinary policies, including athlete removal from an event, with Pickel clarifying that disciplinary action would follow the chain of command that all other school activities follow. The coach would make the initial action, which would then be reported to the principal. If the principal does not resolve the issue, it would then go to the superintendent. From there, if still not resolved, the matter would go to the school board, which has the final say.

Boudrieau questioned a line in the code that explained that the code of conduct goes beyond the school year, extending into the summer. After other board members brought up summer training camps and other team functions, Boudrieau agreed that the year-round agreement was appropriate.

Pickel said he would review the suggestions and work with the administration to address all of the concerns presented. He said that the final document should be available by the start of the sports season in August. The school board will likely revisit the code of conduct in July.

The school board accepted a certificated salary schedule for Waitsburg School District staff before entering an executive session. The meeting was adjourned following the session.