By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green High School athletics is no longer accepting the role of average, according to Athletics Director Michele Wolf.
“We’re not going to do that anymore,” Wolf said last week during a meeting of the board of education.
As the new director, Wolf plans to create leadership groups for in-season sports captains and underclass team members. And all teams will be required to put in community service hours starting next year, she said.
Wolf is working to develop more partnerships with City of Bowling Green recreation programs, and with BGSU. And she is continuing to look at facility upgrades, beautification, improved overall culture and community visibility.
Wolf told the school board she is also working on better communication between coaches and teams, and among teammates.
“We can’t coach our kids the way we were coached,” she said.
Wolf reported on the number of students signed up for each sport at the high school.
Following are the numbers for fall sports:
- Boys: Football, 68; cross country, 28; golf, 13; and soccer, 39.
- Girls: Volleyball, 33; cross country, 28; golf, 9; soccer, 44; tennis, 24; and cheer, 22.
The numbers of winter sports participants are:
- Boys: Basketball, 39; wrestling, 32; bowling, 12; swimming, 8; and hockey, 23.
- Girls: Basketball, 24; bowling, 7, swimming 12; and cheer, 17.
The early numbers for spring sports are:
- Boys: Baseball, 51; lacrosse, 23; track 60; and tennis, 12.
- Girls: Softball, 39; track, 45; and competition cheer, 10.
The district has new head coaches for football, girls tennis, boys golf, cheer, hockey, boys basketball and bowling.
Wolf also reported that due to the new lighted turf field, no soccer games had to be canceled due to approaching darkness. And more spectators were accommodated.
Also with the new turf, the school district hosted six OHSAA tournaments. The district benefits from the concessions and parking revenue, and the community benefits from the close to 5,000 people brought into town who may visit restaurants and other businesses, Wolf said.
Also at last week’s board meeting, Superintendent Francis Scruci reported on the district’s revised five-year strategic plan. The plan covers six areas of technology, operations, human relations, communications, school finance, and academic achievement.
Some specifics mentioned by Scruci include:
Academic achievement:
- The district is focused on making up for learning lost during the 2020-2021 school year due to the pandemic.
- Aging science and social studies curriculum are being reviewed.
- Teachers will be required to have 18-hours for professional development on dyslexia.
- Math graduation requirements are being studied.
“There’s a lot of work being done,” Scruci said. “And a great deal of work to be done.”
Technology:
- Every student in grade 3-12 has access to a chromebook for use at home.
- All K-2 students have access to chromebooks at school.
- Focus is being placed on cyber security.
Operations:
- The facilities group is continuing to study building needs.
- A bus replacement schedule is being used.
- Efforts are being made to reduce energy consumption.
- Ballistic shields have been installed over the middle school cafeteria windows.
- Boilers have been replaced.
- Mini-split air conditioning systems will be installed this coming spring.
Human relations:
- The district will continue hosting its annual job fair for recruitment of teachers.
- A goal has been set to increase social media to attract greater diversity.
Communications:
- More school groups, such as PTOs, are returning to meetings after a hiatus during COVID.
- The district is using Twitter, Instagram and Facebook more to share its stories.
- The superintendent’s “Friday Message” has returned.
- More regular meetings are planned with teaching staff.
- A goal has been set to create alumni associations.
Finance:
- The ongoing goal of “being a good steward of funds” will continue.
- Evaluations of healthcare costs will continue.
- A goal has been set to implement the Ohio Checkbook program.
- The district will use a purchasing consortium to cut costs.
