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DAYTON-The Dayton School Board hosted the Waitsburg School Board for a special meeting on June 29 to discuss the DW Athletic Combine. The agenda of items for discussion was created by Superintendents Guy Strot of Dayton and Mark Pickel of Waitsburg after considering discussion points and issues raised at previous meetings. These items would then be formalized in an updated combine agreement that would be approved at a later meeting. Also listed on the agenda was a public comment period and two action items for possible approval; the contract for Athletic Director Sam Korslund for the 2022-23 school year, as well as revisions to Resolution 2021-05 for Administrative Restructure.

At the top of the agenda, it stated the DW Combine “will remain a full combine for next year.” Ten discussion items were listed mainly dealing in communication and were agreed upon. The first item proposed that the superintendents and the athletic director decide whether sixth graders are allowed to participate in each sport (except football) based on the need for players.

The second proposal was to require the principals or their designees to attend the monthly combine meetings.

Communication between the principals and the athletic director still maintain the principals remain in charge of discipline and consequences. It also includes communicate with each other and the athletic director about any disciplinary action taken against athletes following state law, school board policy, WIAA policy and the Athletic Code of Conduct. In addition, the principals and the athletic director will meet every other week to review discipline and any other issues. The Codes for each school were revised to be the same and will be voted on for approval at upcoming regular board meetings.

Transportation also remains the same, with Dayton continuing to be responsible for providing the drivers and Waitsburg providing a bus for half of the practices and games. Transportation costs are billed to each district.

Dayton will continue to handle the financials for the combine, but Waitsburg would be responsible for handling the paperwork for coaches that are hired outside of the Dayton School District. It was suggested the duties switch every two years and that a budget status be provided at meetings.

The two school boards will meet at least quarterly beginning with the June 29 meeting as being the first of the quarterly meetings with the next planned for September.

Principals to report any athletics issues or needs to the school boards in their monthly reports.

The Dayton School District will provide financial information to the athletic director and the athletic director will in turn share information pertaining to athletics to the school board. The boards suggested the modification that the school district doing the finances would be responsible for giving the financial information.

It was also proposed that both districts bill each other monthly on the tenth for costs related to the athletics.

Further discussion included the decision to have a clear budget for both districts to approve and work from for the combine. The Dayton Board decided to table the approval of the contract for the athletic director until the budget is presented. Strot recommended he and Pickel would work out final details of the agreement to present at July Board meetings together with a budget for approval.

Public comment was heard by Pearl Dennis who pointed out that the resolution for amending the administrative restructure on the table was not listed on the website or available to meeting participants, so the public had no information about the content of what is being recommended for approval. The Board acknowledged the information needs to be available and Strot provided details of what the resolution contained following the Waitsburg School Board adjourning their meeting.

The resolution had been previously amended to allow for either two part-time admins (superintendent and secondary principal) or one to cover both duties. This was changed from the two full-time positions of superintendent and secondary principal.

The new amendment allowed for the secondary principal to be full-time as is needed for the newly hired Secondary Principal Guinevere Joyce. Strot said the restructure is reducing administrative salaries from 3.0 to 2.4 which amounts to $44,000.

Strot then announced the resignation of the intervention specialist, and he recommended the Dean of Students would be assigned as an assistant or vice principal which would increase the administration to 3.4 but would still maintain the reduction in district salary expenses.

The Board approved the version of the resolution to reduce the administration to 2.4 with plans to review the other revision for potential amendment at the next meeting.