A supporter of improvements to athletic facilities at Burlington Area School District schools has launched an online petition drive to drum up backing for a referendum that – if successful – could secure funding for the upgrades.
Kevin Bird, a local youth wrestling coach and parent of a state champion Burlington High School athlete, is sponsor of the petition drive that he announced through his Twitter account Friday. The petition can be accessed by clicking here.
The petition proposes the following upgrades – listed as “items of concern and demand” – to athletic facilities throughout the district:
• Renovation of the outdoor stadium at Karcher Middle School
• Synthetic turf on the infield for baseball and softball at BHS
• Synthetic turf on the BHS football field allowing use for multiple sport uses, playoff games, concerts, fairs and many more activities that could not normally be held in this venue.
• Upgrade Waller gym space
• Multi-use facility addition to BHS
The petition reads as follows:
“The importance of an upgraded and expanded indoor and outdoor athletic complex to the community cannot be underestimated. These facilities will serve multiple purposes. These areas will be implemented within the curriculum in ways that allow them to be used as learning environments where students will be given the opportunities to learn and develop skills to enhance their usefulness to society.
“This plan also gives our community facilities that are able to host a variety of events, activities, and sports tournament of all types to enrich the lives of all local citizens. These enhancements continue to improve our facilities to be more comparable to leading communities in the area.
“We as a community have the chance now to finish a plan that will give us pride and allow us to strengthen our community and benefit us all with many memories for decades to come.
“We the undersigned are in agreement and are willing to promote a referendum as an effort to enhance and continue the commitment of community growth for the City of Burlington. We realize and understand the necessity of the proposed projects. The completion is a tool to enrich the community for its is the community that will use these facilities.”
For more on the petition drive, see the June 6 print edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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We should support extras outside the classroom. However, as is, athletics already get way more money and attention than necessary. I’m all for a private drive and would contribute myself – but we need to start glorifying and funding future cancer curers, energy engineers, and business leaders much more urgently than this.
We can start by looking at the pay for some of these coaches and lower/reallocate it towards leaders of afterschool activites that get students involved in the practical world of areas like math science and business. We can recruit and reward leaders in those areas and bring excitement to their accomplishments which are much much more important.
Why do thletics in Burlington always seem to get the funds they require? The band/music program constantly gets cut more or eliminated, so parents fundraise to keep it going. The students in athletics have a pretty nice setup right now, I would hope the residents would shoot this down. I do agree that the core learning activities deserve more attention than the sports complex.
I agree. A small percentage of students are in sports. Put the money into education for ALL students to benefit.
The last time Burlington addressed the activities facilities there was no where near the usage/demand there is now. As a parent with kids in youth sports, getting gym time or field time is a near nightmare. Surrounding communities (Badger, Wilmot, Central) have recognized the need and expanded the access for the community. While a football field with turf will still only see X amount of football games, you open it up to youth soccer, band competitions, craft shows, etc. An expanded indoor facility allows more usage by outside/community groups. This is an idea worth exploring and if the need is there, lets look at the cost. Interest rates are very favorable and the prior referendum money likely comes off pretty soon. Certainly worth a look.
Let’s see more funding for the special education department in the district. With more children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, ODD, etc., our school educators need to be better prepared to acknowledge, accept and understand the needs of these children.
The governor’s budget is working! Cuts to education funding are being felt everywhere in all facets of education. Music, arts, sports, special education. It worked! He has slashed funding to public schools and the needs are not being met. Now it requires us to step up and pick up the broken pieces he has left behind. Sure it looks good for your State income tax to go down, but now you will have to shell out to make up the difference. That is if you feel your kids/grandkids are worth it. We went from No Child Left Behind with GW Bush, to every public school child left behind with Walker.
Wow people, if you have special interests that need help, work your tail off to move it to referendum like Mr. Bird is trying to do. Why bash his idea? Burlington High School is about the only WIAA Division I school in the state without a wrestling room. I’ve seen those kids roll out the mats everyday before practice and then roll them back in after practice. For the work they put in they deserve better than that. Look at the recognition the team is bringing to the town of Burlington and the great kids its producing! I for one support the proposal 100%.