Sports cuts delayed as Ann Arbor school board asks athletic directors for alternatives
Proposed cuts to Ann Arbor school district freshman sports and the elimination of funding for some varsity sports are on hold because school board members want more information.
Announced Saturday in an email to school families, the proposed cuts came when athletics directors at Pioneer, Huron and Skyline high schools were charged to reduce spending by $475,000.
Boys and girls lacrosse are among the sports facing funding cuts in the Ann Arbor school district.
After more than an hour of public commentary Wednesday dominated by pleas against the proposed cuts at a standing-room-only Ann Arbor school board meeting, trustees directed Dottie Davis (Huron), Lorin Cartwright (Pioneer) and John Young (Skyline) to prepare alternatives.
The athletic directors will present their revised plans along with documents detailing the rationale behind their proposed cuts at a planning committee meeting on July 13.
“What they’ll have to do is explain why they chose this over that. It’s a little frustrating tonight because we have all those reasons and have all that information, but they want to take it back to committee,” said district spokesperson Liz Margolis. “We need to engage the community, get it to the planning committee and get this done.”
Many board members seemed blindsided by how far-reaching the proposed cuts would be and expressed concern that a proper process wasn't followed.
The proposed plan includes the elimination of school funding for all freshmen sports at Huron, Pioneer and Skyline, with the exception of football, and the elimination of funding for a number of varsity sports, including boys and girls lacrosse, at all three schools. The loss of funding would mean the elimination of the sports unless they could be reformed as club sports, which require district approval and outside funding.
“The directive to save $475,000 was given to them back when we started the budget process. However, we had thought that we would be able to make all that up through different means,” board president Deb Mexicotte said.
The means by which Mexicotte referred were reducing transportation costs, outsourcing athletic trainers and shifting the payment of non-teacher coaches’ salaries to a third-party management system. When those reductions totaled roughly $200,000, Davis, Cartwright and Young had to make up the difference.
“They were put in an impossible situation of hitting this target,” Mexicotte said.
A group of parents, booster club members, coaches and former students asked for more transparency throughout the process and questioned the timing of the proposed cuts.
“It seems like these cuts were done with inequity, no parent input, and at the 11th hour,” said Beth Anderson, vice president of the Pioneer athletic booster club and whose daughter plays lacrosse.
Anderson proposed a delaying of the cuts by one year in order to give teams ample time to prepare to be self-sustaining as club sports. She suggested using money from the district’s equity fund in the meantime.
Trustee Christine Stead was strongly opposed to dipping into the district’s $19 million equity fund, but agreed that the timing of the announcement was poor.
“Asking teams to convert to club status on June 28 may actually cause some to not exist,” Stead said.
Much of the public commentary directed anger toward Davis, Cartwright and Young.
“Everybody thinks we wanted to do this. It’s not fun for us,” Young told the board. “This isn’t something we did to have fun. It’s a difficult decision.”
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.
Comments
Jeff Gaynor
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
Is there data on what percentage of A2 high school students are doing competitive sports? There is such a huge time commitment: 2-3 hour practices, 4-5 days a week. I would like to see more reasonable fitness and lifelong sports options as well. So many students drop out of sports in middle school, if they are not athletic enough.
winner
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
Since we now know that it was a mistake to build a third high school. Why not go back and make the change to allow Skyline students to play sports at their original home schools and have two full comprehensive athletic programs at Huron and Pioneer. Just like students at Community, Clemente and STone, Skyline kids can play for their home schools. I heard that Skyline can barely field some of its teams, even with their students now becoming seniors. You could save more than $475,000 by dropping sports at Skyline.
Jeff Gaynor
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 8:44 p.m.
With Skyline being a 9-12 school this coming year, they should have equal numbers to Huron and Pioneer. The district is now divided into three HS attendance zones, so Skyline students are already in their home school. Hmm... wonder how long Skyline will be considered 3rd rate by outsiders.
Gardener1
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
How about just one athletic director for the three high schools? I am sure it is a big job. But really. The sports seasons are divided up throughout the year.
A24Evr
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
Dogpaddle....yes, I mean pay everything that you play, use, consume, etc. Even the panzie football players need to start paying their way all the way down to their jock straps. You want to teach kids about money, saving, purchasing, etc. Get them out there doing fund raisers and earning a buck. If you're in CC where there isn't much equipment then good deal for you, you'll still have buses, gun blanks for the starter to pay for. I've been paying for the high dollar sports for years, I don't have much sympathy for those who cry about paying the small pay to play fee.
Will Warner
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 12:07 p.m.
Earlier A2com reported that "Sports teams mobilizing to ensure Ann Arbor Public Schools' budget cuts aren't a death sentence." It seemed that the coaches, players and parents were coming together to keep alive, through their own efforts, something that they personally valued even if the school could no longer fund it. Those participating in the sports would figure it out and make it happen. If I were the school board, I think I would have just gone with that.
longtime AA
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 7:07 a.m.
It's simple. If you lay off 20 more teachers, class sizes will only go up 1 student per class, so little that no one will notice, and then there will be money for freshman sports! OK, I'm joking. But in all seriousness, there is no reason, as is done in Plymouth, to have 2 AD's cover the three high schools. (Of course, if Phizer had been honest with us, we would not have to have built Skyline, but that's another discussion for another day.) I would then take the salary of the 3rd AD, and hire someone who specializes in fundraising and marketing. In the long run, that person would bring in much more money than it would cost us in salary, maybe enough to support all high school sports. It takes someone like this to negotiate with the big companies (like a Nike, Adidas, Coca Cola, etc.) that would bring in major funds to the entire school district, rather than have each sports' booster club nickle and dime us for bake sales, pizza kits, car washes, etc., competing against each other.
winner
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 3:47 a.m.
@ Craig Loundsbury "I see this as a failure of political leadership. A decision was made by those closest to the situation, the AD's. The public who stands to lose squawks loud enough and the elected politicians suddenly micromanage the decision they asked the AD's to make." You are 100% correct! This is how the AA school board does business. Instead of asking the AD (who have the knowledge, expertise, know how, experience, facts, etc) to make the decision, why don't the board members just get together and make the cuts. Just tell the AD's what to do and be done with this thing. Or they could support the people they pay to make those decisions.
kplay
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 1:35 a.m.
Fire dozens of committed teachers and no one seems to care. Make sports programs limited to only freshman pay their own way and the world's on fire. What's wrong with you people?
CLX
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 1:14 a.m.
Seems to me that leaving the decision to the ADs meant that at least one solution would not be considered: eliminating one of the AD positions and allowing schools to share an AD. I'm also shocked by how many folks think that sports are not important, or that all kids should pat for sports or not participate. Sports can be essential in keeping kids out of trouble. Kids in sports are better students. They learn to be part of a team and manage their time. And why shouldn't the ADs be more transparent in their decision-making? These cuts were shocking and unequal (eliminate all freshman sports except football). How was lacrosse chosen? Was football ever on the chopping block? If you cut football, how many other sports could you save? And by the way, parents already pay handsomely for many of these sports, far beyond the $150 pay for play fee. But which sports do parents have to pay extra for? Info would be nice.
fishguts
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
"Everybody thinks we wanted to do this. It's not fun for us," Young told the board. "This isn't something we did to have fun. It's a difficult decision." If the AD's want fun they should go to work at Chuck E Cheeze -- I believe they get paid a very high salary and should be making strategic, fair and well thought out decisions that can be rationalize and communicated. These are hard times and we need the best in this jobs.
rosy12
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
Here we are in Ann ARbor where sports is soooooo important. So wouldn't it be nice if the U of M (very wealthy) sports department GAVE a little to our local kids. Its only the big bucks talented money-making sports that matters. Just sayin'
kms
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
One way to significantly reduce the cost of transportation to athletic events is to reconfigure the conferences. Why are Ann Arbor schools competing with schools 40-50 miles away? Monroe, Adrian, Bedford and Tecumseh are too far away. With the cost of gas so high we need to seriously consider this. Why can't we compete with closer schools...South Lyon, Brighton, Plymouth, Northville.
a2citizen
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 4:43 a.m.
Probably afraid of the competition.
DonBee
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.
Ending Singleton's contract with AAPS - $200K a year. Dropping to 1 Athletic Director for the 3 high schools and supporting staff - $300k a year. Dropping grade principals in the high schools - $1800K a year Any one of these would close the gap for athletic funds. Dropping all varsity sports and going to daily morning exercise for all students and life sports, priceless.
PhillyCheeseSteak
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 3:42 p.m.
AAPS definitely needs to re-think the number of high school principals, also athletic directors. (Also closing some elementary and middle schools.) Daily morning exercise is completely different from athletic competition...all kids need the first, and some do need the last.
Stephen Landes
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 9:19 p.m.
If the Board expected the cuts to focus on transportation cuts and outsourcing but NOT the elimination of sports programs then the Board owed it to their AD's to make that direction abundantly clear. If sufficient cuts could not be made under the Board guidelines then the AD's should have reported that to the Board rather than propose some thing that gets the community all torqued out of shape and upset. Bad leadership all 'round.
glacialerratic
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 9:06 p.m.
Notwithstanding the lack of transparency characteristic of the Board and the District, the reporting in this story is a total muddle--I can't understand what was supposed to be done, when, and by whom. I remember reading that the AA PTO Thrift Shop gave $100k to the District for extracurricular transportation for the 2010-11 year. In an interview that appears in today's A2 Journal, the Skyline men's lacrosse coach says that this past year busing was the only significant team expense covered by the District. If buses were paid for with the sizable Thrift Shop contribution (which presumes the District used the donation for the purpose intended), lacrosse costs paid from the general fund were negligible. It would be interesting to learn how this donation was actually used.
Terry Star21
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
Agree with cmatteson 100%, we need to cut administration. These people are similar to the three road construction supervisors watching one worker do the job. The students and their education and programs come first and every effort should be made for funding. How many consecutive years since the mid-eighties has administration reported teacher layoffs in March/April, sending the newer teachers into a panic - yet there were no layoffs (I have been counting) ? How many times have administration reported possible cuts in student programs - yet there were none (way to many) ? Take this to the bank, or bet all your money on no sports cuts for A2 schools - and you will look like a genius. And freshman student/athletes, good luck in school and have fun in all your sports this fall !!!!!
dogpaddle
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 8:56 p.m.
@debling: A healthy body goes along well with a healthy mind. Learning cooperation and team-building skills and developing one's physical body when the majority of Americans are obese is also part of the learning process. @a24evr: If I hope you mean when all sports should be self-funded that you do mean ALL sports to be fair, not just the "affluent" ones as someone else called them. If h20polo and swimming have to cover what little uniform is used, then football players should pay for their equipment, refs, etc. Personally, though, since these are school activities, I believe the school should be funding them, not the players. That's like asking a chemistry student to buy lab equipment.
dk
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
"Why is tax payer money allocated for education being used to fund game playing anyways? Kids go to school to learn not play. " Debling, I completely disagree with this statement. I think the 1% (less than) of the budget that goes to athletics is the best 1% of the money spent by the AAPS. Just because you can't quantify it, doesn't mean there isn't value to athletics.
Moonmaiden
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 5:34 p.m.
So sports raise our test scores?
tim
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 8:13 p.m.
The problem with the cuts is that they cut all freshman sports except football. Not cutting football shows/feels like disrespect for the other athletes. Most small school districts don't have freshman programs, the kids either make the JV/Varsity or they don't. Maybe A2 schools could propose a weight lifting class ( gym credit ) for kids that want to try out for football, as well as let the freshman train with the JV.
leaguebus
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
If we are trying to bring outside students into AA, it makes no sense to cut sports programs. How many athletes will we lose to the surrounding high schools? Could we lose 40 or 50 students at $6K each to save $450K? It's good to rethink this.
cmatteson
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.
How much of the athletic programs could we fund if we cut the administrative staffs by half in every middle and high school? Do we really need so many "principals" for each grade and program? Ridiculous. Educational sincures. Cut that staff before you cut programs such as athletics. Why do they attack things like sports and music? To blackmail the parents to knuckling under. Don't do it. Push back.
debling
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.
Why is tax payer money allocated for education being used to fund game playing anyways? Kids go to school to learn not play. All sports should be self funding and if they can't support themselves by fundraising and revenues at the gate, then end them. We don't have the luxury to pay for them.
PhillyCheeseSteak
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
And what's your take on music, band/orchestra?
SemperFi
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 2:12 p.m.
If you think for a minute that kids don't learn valuable lessons from playing sports then you are living in a vacuum. Learning to work together in groups, goal setting and planning & prioritizing are valuable assets for any career. Do you think that these are less important in daily life than, say... Art History or Film as Literature?
Sports Girl
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 6:29 p.m.
If you have individual team boosters who pay for team dinners through fund-raised money, then I am willing to bet that the boosters could forego dinners and pick up some of the team expenses in order to help with budget cuts. For instance, rather than dinners, maybe they can help purchase helmets and bats for softball and baseball instead.
Sports Girl
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 7:57 p.m.
Actually, it was first the lacrosse coach who stated the teams would have to give up luxuries that are paid for such as team dinners.... and, if people don't want to lose a sport, then money is going to have to be cut from programs and made up by boosters....
kms
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 6:42 p.m.
@Sports Girl: you see to be really concerned about the cost of team dinners. My kids play 5 different high school sports between them and team dinners have always involved potlucks held at one of the player's homes. The end-of-year banquets are also potluck and held in the school cafeteria. Sometimes the main dish (usually pasta) is paid for with booster funds, but parents bring all the side dishes.
John Callewaert
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 5:02 p.m.
What is needed first is a discussion of the role for sports. More at: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/community/news/education/what_are_the_values_for_athletics_in_the_aaps_1/">http://www.annarbor.com/community/news/education/what_are_the_values_for_athletics_in_the_aaps_1/</a>
dk
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
Congrats to the school board for doing the right thing. The magnitude of these decisions is too great to not back it up with supporting data and reasoning. There's a lot you can learn on an athletic team that you can't learn in the classroom.
Buster W.
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:57 p.m.
The main focus should be on making cuts that affect the fewest number of students.
A24Evr
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:23 p.m.
"Asking teams to convert to club status on June 28 may actually cause some to not exist," Stead said. I love this statement! Pay for them and they will continue. In Saline many sports are TOTALLY FUNDED by those participating...Crew, H20 Polo, Lacrosse, Hockey and more. The boats were bought by parents, the ice time is bought by parents, the busing is paid for by parents. All sports should be paid for by those who play them...cough it up A2!
cubicle
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
You fail to acknowledge that living inside the Ann Arbor immunity bubble provides these amenities as a birthright. Wait, Saline has a WATER POLO team??? My school couldn't even afford to keep the pool OPEN, let alone use it for sporting events!
Chris Blackstone
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.
I guess I don't see why the public should be consulted in a decision like this. Sports are an optional offering at schools. If there isn't money for them, then they should be cut. The right person to make those cuts is the leader entrusted with athletics at each school, the AD. Do people think that the AD doesn't care about sports or only about certain sports? They are in that role because they love sports. I had Dottie multiple times for classes at Huron and I can tell you she LOVES sports. This obviously wasn't easy for them and now it's only going to be made harder by the endless analysis and commentary by others. It's also intriguing to me that many of the cut sports are "affluent" sports (crew, lacrosse, figure skating). Wonder how that will influence the amount and vigor of the opposition.
PhillyCheeseSteak
Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 3:37 p.m.
The public should be consulted because these are public schools!
Goober
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
A poor process and seemingly hasty decision not based on a collection of ideas, thoughts, alternatives, etc. The school board should have spotted this prior to the Saturday announcement. The interim supt, the new supt, all ADs and all administrators, as a minimum should be part of this process towards a well thought out solution.
cette
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:51 p.m.
There's no good reason to go to the fund equity for this. Rick Snyder is still governor and he loves to micromanage finances. Who only knows how much he'll not fund the schools next year. Everyone should go back to the drawing board and see what they can come up with, are the parents going to fund transportation, and leave the teams intact? What are the boosters willing to cobble together? Sure, leave the teams,but defund them, or go to club status? With some sports there will be time to get them to club status without too much trouble.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
I see this as a failure of political leadership. A decision was made by those closest to the situation, the AD's. The public who stands to lose squawks loud enough and the elected politicians suddenly micromanage the decision they asked the AD's to make.
kms
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:11 p.m.
Exactly!!!
Interested Observer
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
The main issue is the process - the acting superintendent and the AD's did not disclose the process or the financial impacts of any of these cuts. It was appalling to see them appear in front of the trustees without any information or a cohesive process. If that information is already available – then why wasn't it provided to the trustees or the public? These are tough times – and tough decisions - which is exactly why they cannot be made in a bubble. I applaud the school board for taking this back to committee!
Susie Q
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
I know both Dottie Davis and Lorin Cartwright personally and have worked with them for many years. These decisions were not made in haste, nor were they made in an arbitrary or capricious manner. While there may not have been enough community input and I agree that the timing of these cuts is terrible; the fault does not lie with the athletic directors. Perhaps other programs can be eliminated/cut to fund the athletic programming. School funding has been cut for the last 8 years. The easy cuts have all been made. While many folks believe that the school employees have not taken enough "hits" to their wallets; I can say that my take home pay has been cut at least 15 -20% over the past 3 years. Many employees contribute over 25% of their health insurance premiums.
barefootdave
Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.
Seems to me that ending the services of Singelton would cover half of that but I'm pretty sure the board will continue to be guilted into continuing with his "courageous conversations".