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District 15 to allow sixth graders in track, piloting third teams at larger middle schools
Summary
District officials said sixth graders will be included in track and field this year and administrators plan to pilot third teams at larger middle schools to expand participation while acknowledging concerns about competitiveness, space and facility constraints.
District 15 administrators announced operational changes to middle school athletics designed to increase student participation after the district shifted from junior high to middle school models.
Emily McFadden, who led the middle‑school athletics committee, told the board that sixth graders will be allowed to join track and field this year and that the district will pilot third teams for tryout sports at larger schools. McFadden said, “We are going to have sixth grade join track and field this year. We're very excited about it,” and described measures to manage practice schedules and facility use, including day‑to‑day adjustments when inclement weather limits outdoor practice space.
The committee also plans to offer a third team at Winston Campus (which will have three teams this year) and noted Plum Grove’s larger enrollment supports more teams at that site. McFadden said the district will not automatically field a third team in every sport; if insufficient players try out, the district will not create a team for that sport and will reassign coaching resources.
Administrators acknowledged competitive balance concerns between large and small schools. McFadden said, “Is it a larger school, you're gonna run an A and a B and potentially a C team ... and then you're gonna have smaller schools ... the games are not competitive. ... That's been hard for some of the smaller schools.” The administration plans to collect tryout data, match scores and survey feedback over the year to evaluate whether to continue the policy.
Why it matters: The move broadens participation opportunities for younger students and offers pathways for more students to engage in athletics, but it raises operational questions about space, supervision and competitive equity across the district. Board members were told the changes will be trialed for the school year and adjusted based on data.
Ending: Administrators asked for patience as they implement changes and said they will return with data and recommendations after the pilot year.
