Stewartville board discusses discontinuing gymnastics program, explores co-op options and one-time athlete funds

The Stewartville Public School District board held a public discussion about the district’s decision to discontinue its gymnastics program and considered possible cooperative arrangements with neighboring districts.

A board member said the decision to discontinue gymnastics “was not taken lightly” and described the action as a budget-driven determination: the program was judged no longer sustainable in the district’s current budget. The board placed the item on the agenda at the request of board members so the community would have a transparent explanation beyond social media reports.

Board members said community members had asked whether the district could pursue a co-op so gymnastics could continue. The board reported it had contacted staff in a neighboring district often identified in public discussion as Cassin. According to the board member’s account, the neighboring district’s activities director or other staff had expressed interest informally, but the neighboring district’s superintendent and board had not extended an invitation and had indicated they were not interested in entering a co-op with Stewartville. The board explained that a formal co-op requires a vote of the neighboring district’s board to extend an invitation; the district will not typically solicit co-ops in reverse. The board emphasized that any co-op would require approval by both districts’ boards.

Current funds held in the district’s athletics account — referred to in the meeting as the “900” account — were described as offered to each athlete who was on last year’s gymnastics team to use for club lessons, camps or gymnastics fees. Board members said that offer remains available to athletes who were on last year’s team but that money cannot be used to support future athletes who join a co-op; new participants would have to pay any fees required by a co-op arrangement. The board noted that co-ops can shift competition classification and cost responsibilities, including transportation, coaching fees and equipment costs, and that those financial and classification implications would be made by the partner district.

The board did not take a vote on continuing or reinstating the gymnastics program at this meeting. Members noted that, if the board wished to pursue a formal request for a co-op, the matter would need to be added to a future agenda and would require a board vote and corresponding action by the other district’s board.