Centre to add baseball, wrestling
Staff writer
Centre will have its own baseball team and will cooperate with Marion on wrestling.
At a meeting Monday night, the board of education approved startup costs of up to $24,000 for a baseball program this coming school year.
Activities director Tim Vinduska will seek to schedule junior varsity games, with plans to field a varsity team the following year.
A couple of Centre students participated in Marion’s baseball program four or five years ago. The district paid part of the coach’s salary.
Wrestling also was approved Monday. Athletes will train with Marion wrestlers but will compete in tournaments as Centre wrestlers. Centre likely will pay part of the coach’s compensation, as it does for Centre swimmers who train with Marion’s swim team.
Centre’s school board also discussed whether to switch back from six to eight players in football in the 2024 season.
Uncertainty about number of players is the biggest issue. The board decided to schedule a meeting with parents in July to get their input.
Superintendent Larry Geist also presented a list of building needs Monday night.
As the number of students with social and emotional issues rises, more mental health specialists are needed, he said.
Geist and principal Trevor Siebert were working on guidelines regarding students’ chronic absenteeism.
Siebert said it had become almost impossible for teachers to control cell phone use in classrooms.
Newer teachers are being taught that they can be held liable for cell phones they take from students, he said.
“Teachers are not comfortable taking cell phones away,” he said. “If you are in possession of it, you are responsible for it.”
Board members encouraged teachers to instruct students to put cell phones away and follow up with consequences, such as detention, for students who fail to do so.
The board approved parking lot repair at a cost of $19,809.44.
Geist also was instructed to take sealed bids on new football field lights. Bids will be due July 10.
Last modified June 14, 2023