The MCAS versus the Parks Department |
The MCAS versus the Parks Department |
Mar 24 2008, 11:15 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,432 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47767.69
QUOTE Under MCAS, City Loses Again It appears that the Michigan City Area Schools can't stand success. Look at all the great press recently. Students attacking each other, attempted poisoning of teachers, 50 percent drop-out rate, and now what very little is left of a growing girls basketball program is being squashed. I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder toward the whole school system employee protection system. I am an entrepreneur, and a business owner and in my world if you don't get things done to go forward you lose your gig. Period. Our school system seems to embrace laziness, apathy and greed. I am an Elston graduate and have lived here most of my life. I have personally directed hockey camps here with Chicago Blackhawks and NHL All Stars. The Michigan City Park Department, led by Darrell Garbacik, helped put together these great opportunities for our local kids, and he and his staff have a great attitude toward our city and, from what I read, they have helped with Mr. Butler's Girls Basketball Academy. I would guess that Mr. Butler spends countless hours of volunteer time and effort to do something positive. He has built this program to the regional level and should feel very proud. Guess what MCAS, you are breaking Mr. Butler's heart. Do we need to do an economic impact study to show the economic benefits this town, its residents and business of this program. It brings young athletes and good people to town and they spend money. I suppose MCAS isn't interested in the girls basketball team selling more tickets, which create revenue and increase the fan base, which is a positive thing. I hope it isn't too late to fix this. MCAS should roll out a red carpet to Mr. Butler and furnish the best gym and facility we have for this program, and if not, Mr. Butler's phone will ring from a neighboring town and they will roll the red carpet out to him and Michigan City loses again. We wonder why we can't grow our town and bring good people here to live. Until we fix our school system and its attitude, the downward spiral will continue. Mr. Butler, "Keep Diggin", you have a great program that needs to continue. Tim Jahnz Michigan City http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47767.69 QUOTE Schools Wasted Cash Fighting Girls I have previously shed light on the Michigan City Area Schools' decision to block our Michigan City youth girls basketball program (Michigan City Basketball Academy) from using gyms while never actually telling our program why we were being denied. Out of courtesy to MCAS I left out a few details hoping that they would come to their senses, but I see that was a pipe dream. I am curious if the taxpayers of Michigan City know just how much of their money was wasted by MCAS and its legal staff fighting to ensure a group of MCAS kids would not be allowed to use facilities that they allow other MC Park and Recreation programs to use freely without question. I ask the school board president to release that information to the public so they can truly get a picture on this waste of money. They had no problems forking over thousands to their attorneys to ensure these kids could not use an empty gym, I guess their attorneys are more important than our kids, as it would have cost them nothing to let them play. Now I see that School Board President Clyde Zeek has fingered MCHS Athletic Director Robert "Bear" Falls as the person responsible for our program's demise. Given all the conversations I personally had with Mr. Falls related to this issue I find it ironic that he always claimed to support our program, and was working to see we got gym time, as he believed our program was a great feeder system for our MCHS Lady Wolves basketball program. Something sure smells funny surrounding this issue to say the least. He was in favor of our program, saw its relevance, and yet has sought to deny us access to gyms sitting un-used? Seems somebody needs to figure out which story they are going to tell. I cannot believe MCAS can do business this way, or does morality have no place in our school administration now? How can we expect students to respect a school system when this type of action is allowed to take place? Roger Butler Lady Wolves Basketball Assistant Coach Organizer, Coach Michigan City Basketball Academy |
Mar 27 2008, 11:35 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,432 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=49128.95
QUOTE Trying To Serve The Youth While Dealing With Adult Controversies MCAS, Parks Dept. look to fix issues of gym use, cancellation of girls AAU program. Deborah Sederberg The News-Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY - Not surprisingly, Michigan City Area Schools and Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department have different versions of the apparently winding road leading to the girls AAU basketball season cancellation. Brian Studtman, the founder of the Michigan City Girls Basketball Academy, said his goal is to provide girls with an opportunity to acquire basketball skills. More importantly, he hopes the program teaches the girls about social skills, responsibility, teamwork and the value of academic achievement. Despite the recent controversy over who is responsible for cancellation of the last season, Studtman said he is grateful to both the school corporation and the park department for support. "I'm grateful to the park department and the school administration," he said. "Mr. (Michael) Harding has been supportive. I see him at many athletic events. He used to coach an AAU-sanctioned team." Studtman is also an assistant coach for the Michigan City High School girls basketball team. The Michigan City Basketball Academy and the girls AAU team are one and the same at the moment, he said. In the 2007 season, some 44 girls from fourth through eighth grade participated. Park Superintendent Darrell Garbacik said he has a letter from MCHS girls coach Gary Collins in which Collins refers to the AAU team as a "feeder" organization for the high school team. Betsy Kohn, director of communications for MCAS, says the middle school basketball programs are the school corporation's feeder programs. Studtman says both programs contribute to the success of the high school program. Kohn said this year's saga of the canceled season began Sept. 7. Jeremy Kienitz, the park department's recreation director, applied to use the Elston gym from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays for the Men's Basketball League. It is sponsored by the park department. The school corporation agreed and on Dec. 7, he requested an additional two hours. The request was granted. On Jan. 3, The News-Dispatch published an open call for girls to audition for an AAU team between 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6, at the Elston gym. Because that time was reserved for the men's league, administrators got curious and found the AAU team was using time reserved for the men's league. "That's a violation of policy," Kohn said. One group is not to give their gym time to another group. Back in 1988, when the school corporation needed land from Zilla Park to expand Marsh School, the park department donated the land. Since that time, the park department is right under MCAS on the priority list for use of school facilities. MCAS does not charge the park department. MCAS officials question whether the AAU team is a park department program. AAU officials were told they would have to pay for gym time which came to just over $300 for four hours, according to Studtman. The park department cut a check for the $300 for AAU, but the check was returned. It was hand-delivered to MCHS and it was hand-carried back to the park department on March 10. "We couldn't accept a check from the park department because we don't charge the park department for use of the facilities," Kohn said. On Jan. 25, Dave Williamson, director of plant planning for MCAS, informed the park department the AAU girls cannot play when the gym is reserved for the men's league. On Feb. 29, Garbacik said, he received a letter from MCAS saying the park department cannot sponsor the girls AAU team. MCAS considers the team to be a community group, a designation that drops them to the third tier on the priority list. It also puts the team in a position of being required to ask the board for a fee waiver. MCHS Athletic Director Bob "Bear" Falls said Tuesday some organizations are not following the rules. Rather than appearing before the school board to ask for a fee waiver, they go to the park department. Back in 2001, Studtman said, he was told by MCAS officials his best hope of getting the fee waived was to secure sponsorship from the park department. Garbacik noted the park department has sponsored and supported the girls since 2002. In 2005, when the state cut its contribution to MCAS by $1.5 million, the school board began to charge everyone - except the park board - to use its facilities. Since that time, those who request a fee waiver are required to make that request to the board. Although school administrators can approve use of the facilities, only the board can approve a fee waiver. Today, MCAS School Board President Clyde Zeek will meet with Phil Latchford, president of the park board, and Mayor Chuck Oberlie. They will attempt to reach a solution on this matter and on others involving the park department. "I just hope what happened this year doesn't affect the program for next year," Studtman said. "I hope in Michigan City, we all can be a team for the benefit of our youth." Contact reporter Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com. |
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