Parents Voice Football Concerns
Several parents attended the GCISD School Board meeting Jan. 17 to voice concerns regarding the direction of the high school football program. Steve Pelzel addressed the board, saying we have good kids, but he is unhappy with the team’s 2-8 record in each of the last two years, and said, “The coaching program is out of sync.” He said the football coaches are “fine people, good guys, good Christian people and good teachers, but they aren’t working out on the field.” “You have to set up an offense based on the talent you have,” he said. Pelzel said the players’ confidence is at rock bottom, which will hurt them after they leave here.
Randy Schmitz said, “The football team has no work ethic and no pride now.”
Scotty Hillger said, “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a winning [football] tradition -- where coaches and players back each other.” He said he was not complaining so much about lost games as about losing players. He said the football team is down to 20 players, and it’s rumored still fewer will play next year. Hillger said, “It’s better to have them play football than doing other things. They will have more years for academic chances, but this is the last chance for lots of the boys to play an organized sport, and football gives them an extra push to pass their course work. Someone can come in here and get us back to a winning tradition. But whether the team wins or loses,” he added, “ the kids should have the opportunity to play for someone they will do anything for.”
Rose Pelzel voiced displeasure with coaching in another sport -- freshman girls’ basketball. She said for one minute of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter in a recent game against Sterling City, our team had five players on the court, while the opponent had only three, and Sterling City won the game. She said the freshman team should occasionally work together in practice, so they learn the basics. She said this could be done “without taking away from the varsity.”
While the board didn’t discuss any sports situation, and took no action in that regard, it presumably will take the parents’ concerns under advisement for possible action at a later date. Board President Dennis Fuchs expressed the board’s appreciation for the parents’ input.
In matters other than sports, after a lengthy closed session, the board tabled an employee grievance by Faith Scott until the February meeting.
Elementary Principal Dean Munn told the board that he needs “a bigger Band-Aid to stop the bleeding,” in reference to another decline in elementary school enrollment. He said K-6 enrollment is now the lowest (173) in his three years here.
Munn presented the board a proposed textbook selection committee for what he called a “large, important adoption.” The committee, approved by the board, consists of Darla Burks, Tanya Multer, Theresa Eoff, Phyllis Byrne, Vicki Kight, Jean Ann Kujawski, Charles Clarke, Rebecca Moore, Linda DeWitt, and Munn. In April, they will adopt textbooks for 2000/2001 in English language arts & reading, grades K-1; reading, grades 2-3; science, grades 1-5 and literature, grades 9-12.
Board member Jimmy Eggemeyer said the school needs to keep expanding students’ vocabulary, even in high school. He said success on the SAT and ACT is greatly affected by a student’s vocabulary.
Texts being considered for adoption are available for public review --
call Munn for information.