Moller Field
Dear Editor: It was disappointing but entirely predictable to hear the dialog during the recent public meeting regarding the baseball vs. softball Moller Field use. Lost in the minds of some of those in attendance is the school district’s legal binding requirement to provide core education, core meaning curriculum that is essential throughout life.
Extracurricular activities, meaning just that, extra, are not required. Be it drama and debate to sports, public schools are not legally obligated to provide these. Annual school funding is consistently unknown. Extracurricular activities are not self-sustaining and in some cases, require enormous budgets that deplete an already strained budget. In addition, participating students often are absent from school for significant periods of time. Our district staff and School Board are acutely aware of this and difficult decisions lay ahead. This is not breaking news.
Sadly, we can get 50 parents and students at a meeting riled up about field use but nary a handful ever attended the School Board and PAC meetings where this very topic has and continues to be addressed. I have lost count of how many star high school athletes who maintained that bare minimum 2.5 grade point average and no class below a 2.0 only to graduate and be lost in life and career without their academic rudder.
I am a longtime active coach in this community, I enjoy sports and feel pride in seeing my players excel. But as a career educator for adult learners, I too often see the results of those whose public school years focused heavily on non-academics. In the meeting, Mr. Potrzuski was kind in his description of the field conditions at Kimsham. The entire complex is a disaster as far as field conditions that are safe to play on, except for the smallest ball field. This is not due to abusive use, poor grounds-keeping or weather. The complex was a disaster from design to contract implementation. No amount of work, short of complete overhaul, will fix these conditions. Take a stroll yourself on any of the “grass” located on the complex. I won’t even expand on the issue of the multi-use field not even meeting specs for official football and soccer use.
The Kimsham field conditions must be addressed and resolved before further discussion on Moller Field use. Until Kimsham has safe, useable fields, Title 9 and player safety will ultimately guide the use of Moller Field. And lastly, remember that field is a public field for all residents. I have already heard parents and players refer to it as “ours.” Be civil, be polite as you move forward; our kids mimic what they see.
Eric Van Cise, Sitka
Holiday Thanks
Dear Editor: The Swan Lake Senior Center would like to thank many organizations for their help during the holiday season. For our Thanksgiving lunch, Girl Scout Troop 4140 made wonderful centerpieces and the Sitka Native Education Program first- through fifth-graders made over a 100 handmade cards to pass out to our customers. The seniors were very touched and we are all in awe of the selflessness of these kids. Your support of our organization is humbling.
We’d also like to thank the Emblem Club for making dessert for the same Thanksgiving lunch. Seriously, what is a Thanksgiving lunch without pumpkin pie? Just another Thursday I think.
We were also very lucky to have the wonderful staff from Mountainside Family Health Clinic provide flu shots to the seniors.
And finally we’d like to thank the Coast Guard Spouses and Women’s Association for providing dessert monthly for years. They also decorate the center for Christmas each year and we look forward to their creative hands again in the coming week.
Sean Steele for the
Swan Lake Senior Center
