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Published by kirkemo, 2017-08-10 14:54:58

SKSD Athletic Department Review Report

SKSD Athletic Department Review Report

REVIEW OF THE
SOUTH KITSAP SCHOOL DISTRICT

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

June 1 through June 30, 2017

Review Conducted by:
Ed Fisher

Retired Athletic Administrator, North Central HS
Jim Meyerhoff

Retired WIAA Assistant Executive Director

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SOUTH KITSAP SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT REVIEW

June 1 through June 30, 2017

Submitted by: Ed Fisher
Retired Athletic Administrator, North Central High School
Jim Meyerhoff
Retired WIAA Assistant Executive Director

Background: In April 2017, we were contacted by Mr. Brandsma, Superintendent of the South Kitsap
School District. When contacted, the South Kitsap School District was conducting program reviews of
various departments within the School District. As part of this process, Mr. Brandsma asked if we would
conduct a review of the South Kitsap School District athletic department. We agreed to assist as
needed.

Dates of Review: June 5 through June 30, 2017. Onsite review and meetings with stakeholders in the
athletic program were conducted June 5th, 6th and 7th. Following the onsite visit we completed the
written results of the athletic department review with a submission deadline of June 30, 2017.

Process of the Review: During the onsite visitation, an extensive interview schedule was established to
get input from all the stakeholders and School District departments. During the interviews we asked the
participants to share the things they are most proud of in the SDSD Athletic Program as well as tell us
those areas of the program that need immediate attention especially as they related to the safety of the
student/athletes. More long range we also asked the participants for their “wish list” that would make
for a better experience for all students. (Appendix 1: Athletic Department Review Itinerary)

During the Onsite Visitation meetings were held with the following groups: (Appendix 2: Attendance
sign-in forms for groups participating in the review)

 School Board
 Superintendent
 Assistant Superintendents
 Cabinet
 High School Administrators
 Middle School Administrators
 High School ASB Advisors and/or bookkeepers
 Middle School ASB Advisors and/or bookkeepers
 High School Coaches
 Middle School Coaches
 High School Student/Athletes
 Middle School Student Athletes
 High School Parents
 Middle School Parents
 Transportation Department
 Facilities, Buildings, Grounds and Custodial Department
 Athletic Trainers
During the Onsite Visitation the following school athletic facilities were toured:
 South Kitsap High School
 Cedar Heights Middle School
 Sedgwick Middle School
 Marcus Whitman Middle School

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Additional Input opportunities: All participants were provided the contact information for Mr. Fisher
and Mr. Meyerhoff and were asked to please e-mail any additional thoughts or concerns by June 15 in
order to be included in the final report to the Superintendent. (Appendix 3: Contact Information form
And list of e-mails and phone calls received)

Initial Observation: It became very apparent early in the visitation process that the South Kitsap School
District is special in many ways. The positive culture and moral in the South Kitsap School District
secondary schools is something administrators, staff, students, parents and community can be very
proud. We were greeted with a welcome and smiles from all, people opened doors for us, the schools
were very clean and friendly leading to a positive educational environment for all. Based on our
backgrounds and visitations to many schools statewide and nationally, this positive school culture is very
special and does not exist in many other schools.

What is South Kitsap MOST PROUD of in their athletic program: The review identified common areas
almost all the different groups were MOST PROUD of in the South Kitsap School District athletic
programs:

1. The wide range and large number of sports and activity program offerings available to the
students both at the middle and high school levels. The participation numbers in athletics and
academics are increasing each year in the SKSD.

2. “The Kids”: the students support each other, there is great comradery with a focus on TEAM,
they work hard, they are resilient and they “think big”.

3. “The Coaches”: their professionalism, they work hard, they are flexible, work with students
beyond the field, emphasize academic excellence, prepare kids to be good citizens, support
parents with an emphasis on family.

4. “The Teachers and Staff”: they have an understanding of the additional out of class time
required of students participating in athletics and activities and help and support as much as
possible.

5. The academic excellence shown by the students within the athletic and activities programs.

6. The sportsmanship, fair play, integrity and inclusiveness of the athletic and activity programs.

7. The Artificial Turfed high school field

Other “MOST PROUD” areas mentioned during the review process:
1. The community access to the facilities within the South Kitsap School District.

2. The support of the athletic directors and administrators.

3. The Sports Medicine Program and the athletic trainers.

4. The community support of the athletic and activity programs. “SK Pride is Strong”

5. The middle school athletes integrate faster into the high school culture and process.

6. Students who participate in extra-curricular activities have high academic achievement and
better school attendance.

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Athletic Department Review Recommendations: At the completion of the on-site portion of the South
Kitsap School District Athletic Review there are some immediate program improvements that would
increase the number of student participants and improve their safety while participating in district
athletic programs.

1. Turf the high school softball and baseball outfields and strongly attempt to turf the lower
practice field. Currently the condition of these three fields has prevented springtime use due to
drainage issues. Beyond no safe place to conduct daily practices, the baseball team did not have
a single home game due to the wet conditions of the field and the softball team had almost no
practices on their field for the same reasons. The investment to turf these fields would result in
improvements that would do the following:
A. Provide additional outdoor physical education facilities that could be used basically the
entire school year.
B. Provide practice space for all teams/groups including the additional teams for the 9th grade
students and activities like band and cheer. This would be practice space that would be safe
for the student athletes as the weather and usage problems of the grass surfaces would no
longer be issues.
C. Teams would no longer have to be practicing at 7:00 PM in the evenings as that is the only
available time to them on the stadium field. It would allow families to be able to have time
for evening meals together and additional quality family time.
D. The community would have additional field space available to them that would not have
weather restrictions and safety hazards.

2. Install a track at Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman Middle Schools, and provide upgrades to the
Cedar Heights Middle School track so that it is a smooth safe surface for all the middle level
track meets. Currently no track exists at Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman Middle Schools and
puts the school district in an indefensible liability situation to have track and field programs with
no safe and adequate facilities. We would encourage the district to go back to the original plans
for these two schools to determine the parameters and specifications of the tracks. The
installation of tracks consisting of 4 to 6 lanes at Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman would do the
following:
A. Provide a safe surface for student to practice and learn the skills involved in the sport of
track and field. Currently the safety of runners and jumpers is being jeopardized, as there is
not track to train on.
B. Track is a no-cut sport at the middle level with up to 150 students participating at each
middle school and even more would participate if it were safe for them to participate.

3. Make the necessary safety upgrades required to the South Kitsap School District swimming pool.
The South Kitsap School District swimming pool has the potential to be an outstanding high
school swim facility but needs immediate upgrades to the following:
A. The deck and pool surfaces
B. The movable floor within the pool
C. The locker rooms
D. The lighting
E. The roof
F. New lane lines
G. Touch pads and scoring system updates
H. Storage facilities

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4. There was a change of the middle school athletic director position from Dean of Students to an
Assistant Principal position. The middle schools Assistant Principals already have extensive
responsibilities in the school and the addition of athletic oversight seems to be almost an
impossible task currently. This could result in only managing the athletic program but not
providing any leadership for the middle level coaches and programs. Consider a point 2 (.20)
position for the middle school athletic director and hire staff for this position or minimally
provide an extra-curricular stipend for the middle school athletic director position.

5. Work with the company that provided all the weight room equipment in the school district to
contract for yearly maintenance on all the weight room equipment. This is very good
equipment that seems to be holding up nicely under maximum use conditions, but currently the
physical education teachers are the ones responsible for the needed repairs on the weight
equipment. The weight rooms are an area in every school that poses possible liability issues and
physical education teachers are not trained in the proper repair of this equipment.

6. Purchase portable sector lines for the javelin throwing sector for track meets, then be sure the
flagging is put back far enough from the throwing sector lines to assure the safety of spectators
and participants. It is our understanding that currently there are not sector lines on the field
and only the flagging marking the throwing area, which has led to some near misses between
javelins and spectator/athletes.

Additional program improvements: The following program improvements would increase the number
of student participants and improve their safety while participating in district athletic programs:

1. Communication within the Athletic Department. We heard from many people interviewed that
the communication within the athletic department is of concern. The comments covered
concern in all aspects of the athletic department: Building/District Administration, Athletic
Administration, Coaches, student/athletes, parents and community.

2. District Facilities Department needs to work with the four secondary schools to establish
summer closure schedules of the gyms. This will allow the floors to be properly prepared,
finished and cured. This will improve the traction on the floors and extend the life of the gym
floors. Currently the gym floors are being used almost immediately after summer refinishing by
school summer programs and community use.

3. Develop a rotation of grass field maintenance to provide level and safe playing surfaces. This
may require that a facility be closed to all use for a few months to allow the repaired field time
to regenerate new grass.

4. Review technology to be sure district funding is being put in the best and safest facilities for all
students.

5. Attach the bleachers to the wall in the gym at Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman Middle Schools.

6. Provide Lacrosse helmets for the Girls Lacrosse program.

7. Explore available options for online athletic registration. There are a number of commercial
software programs available to schools for this function.

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The Wish List: Given no restrictions, what one thing would you change to improve the South Kitsap
School District athletic program? This list is in no order of priority and many of the items were listed by
more than one group during the interview process.

1. A top down connection from the high school coaches to the middle level coaches for continuity
throughout the sports and activity programs. District provided planning time to implement the
top down philosophy.

2. Outdoor storage facility for activities is greatly needed at all schools. In many cases, the current
facilities are unsafe for people to use due to the rodent problems that currently exist. Outdoor
storage facilities might become a project for the high school construction classes.

3. More oversight and direction for middle level coaches.

4. Required pre-season coaches meetings for all sports at all levels.

5. Required pre-season parent meetings for all sports at all levels.

6. Adjust middle level schedules so that baseball and softball travel on one bus and play at the
same school.

7. Educate all coaches in the processes of compliant fundraising and ASB funding.

8. An athletic uniform replacement schedule in all schools with a structured inventory process to
provide newer and updated equipment.

9. Oversight of booster clubs and ASB funding for equity compliance.

10. Build a second comprehensive high school to double the opportunities for student involvement
in extra-curricular activities.

11. Adjust extra-curricular fee structure so that all students can participate.

12. Netting on the end of the north high school practice field to stop balls and other equipment
from going into the out-of-bounds areas and going down to the creek where they are often
never recovered.

13. Coordination of the posting of extra-curricular openings with the teaching openings in the
district. Make every attempt to be sure extra-curricular posting are done in a timely manner in
an attempt to eliminate the last minute hiring of coaches when possible.

14. Provide afternoon activity buses for the middle school students participating in the afterschool
extra-curricular activity programs.

15. Increase athletic budgets to accommodate the 9th grade students at the high school.

16. Explore the use of software, possibly “Skyward” to allow coaches to track athletic attendance.

17. Develop a district wide internet communication system for schools, coaches, student/athletes
and parents.

18. Increase administrator attendance at events to assist with crowd control as needed.

19. Implement a district wide review of the number of coaches at each level in relationship to the
student participation numbers.

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20. District review of all inside storage areas for athletic equipment and provide additional shelving
and storage facility to make the spaces more user-friendly and efficient.

21. A boathouse to store crew shells and to eliminate the need to transport the shells to and from
the lake daily for practices and events.

22. Review the pool maintenance closure schedule so that required maintenance is completed
during the summer and not during the athletic seasons.

23. A designated facility at the high school for the Dance/Drill program.

24. An additional gym facility at the high school.

25. High school boys and girls locker room updates with new lockers and bathroom facilities with
doors on the stalls.

26. A better sound system in the stadium.

27. Covered stands in the stadium.

28. Bathrooms and concession stand on the visitor side of the stadium.

29. Review the lettering policy for student/athletes at all three middle schools for consistency.

Additional Concerns Identified in the Athletic Review: The following concerns were also identified
during the South Kitsap School District Athletic Review. Addressing these concerns will be crucial in the
South Kitsap Athletic Programs ability to move forward and provide the quality program expected by all.

1. The community overuse of facilities. Although it is a district philosophy to provide access to the
school facilities by the community, it seems that the school facilities currently serve as the
community parks department. While this is a tremendous service to the community, the school
district needs to be sure that the direct costs of the community use of facilities will be recovered
by the school district. There currently seems to be an overuse of the school facilities by the
community. We heard concerns of equipment and facilities being damaged and costs for the
damage not being recovered by the school district.

2. The Athletic Department Administrative Assistant cannot manage the current community use of
all facilities and take on the additional task of managing the coaching standards files for all
coaches in the district.

3. Establish required School District and WIAA coaching standards compliance of all coaches.
Provide administrative support to be sure that no coach, paid or volunteer, is working with
students in any capacity without complete compliance with School District and WIAA coaching
standards.

4. Volunteer coach oversight needs to be pulled together into one process districtwide. The hiring
process for volunteer coaches needs to be consistent district wide for all schools. Volunteer
coaches must also meet School District and WIAA Coaching standards compliance.
Administrative support and head coach oversight is needed to be sure that no volunteer coach is
working with students in any capacity without complete compliance with School District hiring
standards and School District and WIAA coaching standards.

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5. The athletic trainers at the high school need additional support to adequately provide care for
the athletes and coaches. The artificial field at the high school along with the additional
athletic/club teams has created the need for additional athletic trainer coverage.

CONCLUSION
We want to conclude by thanking the South Kitsap School District, administration, staff, coaches,
students and parents for being very open and sharing in their thoughts, concerns and recommendations
related to our time in the school district conducting the 2017 South Kitsap School District Athletic
Department review. Everyone involved provided us everything needed to provide a complete report for
the school district.
We are confident that the POSITIVE CAN DO attitude in the South Kitsap School District will allow the
district to move forward in a timely manner to review and begin to implement recommendations in the
2017 South Kitsap School District Audit Report. The implementation of the recommendations will not
be easy and will take a total commitment, including financial support, to see the process to completion.
The result of such action will become immediately visible and have a positive impact for all stakeholders
in the school district.
We will commit to make ourselves available to the South Kitsap School District, on an as needed basis,
through the implementation phase of the 2017 South Kitsap School District review.

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