PORT TOWNSEND — A community effort to bring back competitive sports to Blue Heron Middle School succeeded in raising the $60,000 needed to subsidize the program for the 2012-2013 school year.
“It’s a done deal,” said Mark Grant, who led the fundraising effort.
“We’ve committed to funding an athletic program for two years.”
“After that,” he said, “we hope the school district sees the value in the program, steps up to the plate and takes responsibility for its funding.”
Principal Tom Kent confirmed it, saying, “Sports will be back at Blue Heron School next school year.”
A symbolic $60,000 check was presented to school officials Monday afternoon.
The money will go toward the projected $85,000 cost of the athletic program, which will include football, volleyball, wrestling, basketball, cross-country and track and field.
The money was raised by Team Port Townsend and the Redskins Booster Club during a six-month period.
According to a May 30 memorandum of understanding between the booster clubs and the school district, the district will field the teams and pay the first $25,000 needed to support the programs.
When the costs exceed that amount, the district will be reimbursed by the booster clubs for those expenses.
After raising funds to fully fund sports programs, the clubs will continue to raise money, Grant said.
“Once the district takes over responsibility for sports, we can use our money to fund music, art, drama and other co-curricular activities,” he said.
Grant said athletic programs help keep children healthy while maintaining good grades and staying out of trouble.
Booster Teresa Hoffmann said middle school sports are essential for providing the foundation for a strong high school team.
“In middle school, kids can learn the game and develop a team so when they get into high school, they have a chance,” she said.
Students are ready to play, Hoffmann said, and need support from the schools.
“The kids have proven themselves,” she said.
“They need the adults to step up, and we need to hire a good, full-time athletic director.”
This was seconded in an email from Beth O’Neal that was included in the School Board’s meeting packet for Monday, which pushed for the position, asking the board to “not jeopardize another year of sports in our district by melding the job with a dean.”
Currently, Assistant Principal Patrick Kane acts as athletic director for the high school, but the breakdown of these duties is not specified, according to finance director Amy Kihle.
Blue Heron does not have an athletic director at present, and those duties will need to be allocated by the School Board.
Superintendent Gene Laes said Tuesday that the chances for the funding of a full-time district athletic director were “between slim and none.”
The best the schools could hope for would be a part-time position, he said, and this cannot be determined until districtwide budget and personnel issues are decided.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
