Proposed girls’ tennis, golf teams fall short of school board approval

By Catherine Odson, catherineodson@miconews.com

Paola High School girls’ tennis players will continue to play with the boys’ team next year.

The USD 368 Board of Education voted 4-3 to not approve a request for a girls’ tennis team for this fall because of increasing costs and a tight budget. Board members Kelly Franke, Brenda Hallstrom, Shelly Schierman and Amiee Seck voted to not approve the program, while Stacy Bledsoe, Tom Vohs and Michael Yocum voted against the motion.

“Is now the time to look at adding athletic programs when other programs may be harmed?” Seck said.

This year, more than 20 girls tried out for the boys’ tennis team, PHS principal Jerry Henn said. There have been girls on the team for at least 12 years, he said.

PHS has more boys’ sports than girls, and more male athletes involved, mostly because of football, he said. Without their own team, however, the girls can still compete.

“If it doesn’t happen this year, I don’t see it to be a huge issue,” Henn said.

Still, the girls face stiffer competition in the spring, he said, and PHS likely would have sent someone to state during the fall girls’ season.

“There is no doubt they will be a whole lot better with a girls’ team,” Henn said.

Board members asked to see the request again next year.

Vohs later moved to approve the girls’ golf program but did not receive a second. No further action was taken.

In other business, the board members:

Voted to republish the 2007-2008 budget to reflect increases in available funding. The general fund will increase $322,801, including $172,000 in the special education fund and approximately $42,000 in additional at-risk funding. The remainder of the increase is due to increased enrollment, business manager Jimmy Hay said.

Voted unanimously to allow the PHS band to travel to Chicago next spring.

Unanimously approved changes to the Paola Middle School handbook related to after-school programs and parking.

Voted unanimously to enter an agreement with a natural gas purchasing cooperative sponsored by the Kansas Association of School Boards.