The Save Seaford Sports Committee is preparing to spring back into action after learning the voters will be deciding on May 15 only funds one season of middle school athletics.
Save Seaford Sports formed last summer with the aim of raising enough funds to restore the winter and spring seasons of middle school athletics after they were cut from the budget. The group was successful in salvaging the winter sports season at but of being able to bring back the spring athletic teams.
The roughly $30,000 that Save Seaford Sports raised in its restoration efforts for the spring season can now be used toward fundraising efforts for the 2012/13 school year. The $57.8 million budget proposal adopted by the Seaford Board of Education on April 3 funds the spring middle school athletic season, which costs around $70,000. If voters approve the district’s spending plan on May 15, Save Seaford Sports would be tasked with raising around $140,000 to revive the fall and winter middle school seasons.
Save Seaford Sports co-president Ann Lynch said no decision has been made yet on how to utilize the leftover funds from the unsuccessful effort to restore spring sports. She said that if the budget fails and high school sports are forced to be cut, some money may need to be utilized to bring back those teams.
“We unfortunately have to rely on the budget vote to completely decide our fate,” Lynch said. “I hope it works out.”
Save Seaford Sports is currently selling raffle tickets with the first prize being a trip of the winner’s choice. The group is in the process of planning future fundraisers and trying to recruit additional help.
For further information on Save Seaford Sports, e mail saveseafordsports@gmail.com or log onto the group’s Facebook page.
I Vote based on what does this budget say - , what are we accomplishing is it fiscaly responsible, is our money being managed properly, is it educationaly sound does it address even 95% of what we need and is it FAIR and equitable to ALL.... if not vote no, if it is then vote yes.. I dont think it is.. I think they can DO better for EVERYONE even At the current proposed increase..... I EXPECT better .. DO YOU?
Lack of transparency? - Ok so what happened to the REST of the abrams audit that details areas that need to be addressed.. its in the report, its listed , but it was mysteriously missing from the posted audit on the website. You dont leave off specific pages just for the hell of it.. Mismanagement? well lets see- I consider that MIS mangement can be construed as a Board that Violates and ignores its own policy and procedures. i will be more then happy to cite if your interested. and i have the FOILS to back it up. I consider MIS management can be perceived when District leaders do not take corrective measures to insure when alleged fiscal issues arise and the Board proposes and aproves policies to insure they arent repeated, I consider it MISmanagement when reserves are depleted to the point that we are penalized and places the fiscal health of the community in jeopardy. I consider it Mismangement when the superintendent manipulates curriculumn to preserve TRADITION rather then educational equity. I consider it Mis mangement when curriculum is manipulated to meet the needs of WHO we have on staff not visa versa. I consider it MIsmangement when we manipulate titles to play games with Albany I consider it MIsmangement when we play line games with personnel titles and respon to support qualifying AID from Albany . Are we fed up with the LACK of :Technology, lack of higher standards, lack of college readiness, acceptance and RETENTION, yah think?
why dont we stop playing games with Ms sports. So We throw "them a bone" to appease them? one season? Cut the damn program completely throw HALF OF THE 71K for one Season of sports for approx 100 kids into technology and the OTHEr half into an additonal entry level teacher to keep elem. classrooms under 195o;s class sizes. CHARGE SCOPE for building use and janitorial and let the parents who utilize it pay l the same amount ike all other parents do in other districts. No sweetheart deals for anyone .including previous SUPs.&Charge for BAND CAMP
I suggested a sep. prop for middle school sports for one reason I KNOW it would get voted DOWN and that would for once and all put an end to it. I truly believe this community is FULLY aware that there are alternatives which these kids are ALREADY utilizing and that the monies could be best utlized elsewhere. There seems to be a perception that we need to rally around a cause just Be CAUSE. ENOUGH with MS Sports .. Does anyone realize that with the 100k raised The ENTIRE 8th grade could all have had IPADS ? which would have been passed down to the NEXT class.. I applaud your efforts BUT ENOUGH ALREADY.with Ms sports. . Let it go,
I cant relate to that philosphy at all, partly because My son went to St. williams 7&8th grade when they didnt have sports , so he played football for Massapequa Mustangs which is HIGHLY competetive, even though we live in Seaford. He played CYO basketball Seaford Little league he would have played lacross if i had let him.. Our rules were ALWAYS grades first , we didnt care if he didnt give 100% on the field but we DID care if he gave less than 100% in school those were the rules .If You dont work to your FULL potential in the classroom you are NOT playing sports. PERIOD if your potential is A then a B wont cut it .. Which was strongly reinforced in Chaminade HS. When they leave the nest and go to college its anything goes. so the example YOU set, the priorites YOU establish hopefully will guide them. He knew the rules AND the consequences. There were NO exceptions. I didnt send him to school to play sports, he went to get an education, THAT was his job, SPORTS were his REWARD.not his motivator as his parent it was my job to make sure he understood that. EVERY parent is different i know that. you need to do what is best for your kid, but sorry i cant justify in my mind 141k for sports for MS for only SOME many who play multiple sports , while we make CUTs in education that effect ALL the students including your child..
.Were there OTHER cuts that could have been made. probably, could it have been handled differently ofcourse. BUT in the scheme of things do you really feel MS sports are MORE important than your childs education? We cant always get what we want, but we should always get what we need. Pick and chose your fights Risa because the example you set for your child will be "My mom fought like hell for me to play MS sports" But why didnt she fight just as HARD to get me the best educational tools to help me be a better student. Priorities, parents establish them, children follow by example. What message are you sending your kids? Pls understand thats not being disrespectful or preaching thats coming from a place of experience from one Sports mom to another.
Seaford is #1 increase. WOW is all I can say. Again- PATCH great example of Knowledge is Power people .
A subsequent legal opinion was received by the BoE that fundraising for the popular BOCES program was not allowed, because the Board had made that cut BEFORE the original budget was adopted. The gist of the decision was that citizens cannot decide to add programs by fundraising for programs that the BoE had not included in their original budget. That happened several years ago, and the regulations or the law, or the interpretation may have changed since that opinion was issued. I think this deserves further checking with your district's counsel. Depending upon the answer, a separate proposition to fund MS sports could be considered. A sports funding proposition should be for supplemental spending and contingent upon passage of the budget. In other words, no budget, no MS sports.
You mentioned his coaches, What about his teachers? Do you feel the same about them? Are THEY all as amazing, have they shown your child the same respect ? Is your child AS prepared educationaly as he is athleticaly? Is he as inspired educationally,? Do you as the parent interact with all his teachers as much as you do with the Coaches? Do you as a parent show as much INTEREST and place the same amount of emphasis and are As involved with his education as you are with his Athletics? Again, mo, this isnt addressed to you individualy this is addressed to ALL 'SPORT/Music etc. " parents. Thats where i feel the disconnect is. The emphasis is always placed on the "activity" be it sports or music or what ever. and yes while I agree they are important I fear We as a community place MORE emphasis on "Activities" then we do on education. If this community was as vocifierous and ACTIVE in their support of Education as they are for SPORTS, Music etc. these kids would have greater opportunites in the future..BETTER opportunities that will last them a lifetime, not just HS & MS feel good memories to look back on..
Crafting an AFFORDBALE Educationaly sound budget that meets the ACADEMIC needs of ALL students first and foremost should be this communities, this Boards and Adminsitrations ONLY goal. Does this Budget DO that?