The District 128 Board of Education voted Aug. 25 to approve an amended athletic-training agreement with Athletico after the vendor said it could not guarantee the previously contracted two full-time equivalent trainers.
The nut graf: district staff said the market for athletic trainers is tight and Athletico told the district it expects to provide about 30 hours per week rather than two guaranteed full-time equivalents; the board approved the amendment and asked staff to monitor services.
Dan (last name not provided during the meeting) told the board the company “contacted us and said they're having difficulty finding athletic trainers” and that Athletico “felt they couldn't fulfill the full 40 hours and guarantee the second full 40 hours” but “feel very comfortable about filling 30.” The board approved the amendment by roll call; the motion passed with the board voting in the affirmative. The district indicated it will watch service levels over the next months.
Public commenter Michael Schenk, a parent, urged the board to consider moving to an in-house athletic trainer program if contractor staffing continues to fall short. Board member Raul Deshmukh echoed that suggestion, calling an in-house trainer “a contingency plan” to ensure sufficient coverage.
Action details: the board approved the amendment by recorded vote; the meeting record shows the motion passed and the board asked staff to monitor performance. No new funding or additional contract amount was posted in the meeting minutes; staff did not present a specific in-house cost estimate during the meeting.
Why it matters: athletic trainers provide on-site care for student-athletes; district and parents cited concerns about timely treatment, access to modalities, and the cost of outside referrals. The board did not vote to pursue an in-house hire that night, but members asked staff to consider it as a backup if contracted coverage remains insufficient.
Ending: The district said it will monitor Athletico's performance in the coming months and brought the matter forward with an approved amendment to preserve at least partial services while exploring contingency options.