Beacon athletics director outlines growth, safety updates and $35,000 proposed budget increase

John Giametta, the district’s department head for athletics, presented a broad update to the Beacon City School District Board of Education on Feb. 24 on program participation, safety and facility needs.

Giametta said the district earned a School of Excellence recognition and the New York State Sportsmanship Promotion Program award, noting that 75% of varsity teams recorded GPAs of 90 percent or higher. “We are on pace to receive the School of Excellence Award again,” he said, and described a longer-term goal of a School of Distinction in which every varsity team would average a 90 percent GPA.

The presentation listed recent team milestones, including the varsity volleyball team’s first appearance in a section championship and a football team tying a school record with seven wins and its first sectional playoff victory. Giametta also noted individual achievements, including a wrestler advancing to the state championships.

Giametta reviewed program and curricular initiatives: expanded elementary sport-ed models that assign rotating team roles; continued swimming for grades 1–5 and expanded secondary kayaking and intramural swim opportunities; and efforts to increase student choice in secondary PE by “piggybacking” multiple classes so students can select activities. He described the varsity-to-elementary mentorship program in which varsity teams visit elementary schools to run clinics and youth nights.

On inclusion, Giametta said the district is expanding Unified athletics: New York State approved a fall unified sport and Beacon plans to start unified bocce in the fall so unified athletes can earn up to three varsity letters in a year.

He reported rising use of the high school weight room and said the district regularly offers separate sessions to reduce barriers for students who find the weight room intimidating. “We’re getting about 50 to 60 students on a daily basis immediately after school working out,” Giametta said, and said the athletics staff wants to organize season-specific weight-room sessions for teams.

Giametta walked the board through recommended budget increases to support those activities. The presentation listed suggested line-item adjustments that total approximately $35,000 compared with the 2024–25 plan: an estimated $15,000 added for coaches’ stipends (including travel and postseason compensation), a $5,000 increase for event chaperones and law-enforcement coverage, a $5,000 BOCES/section dues increase, and a $15,000 equipment request for items such as high-jump mats and hurdles, plus inventory and locker-room repairs. Giametta said those increases reflect travel and security demands and replacement of aging equipment; he noted the district is leasing AED units and plans to replace several over time so all units are new by fall 2026.

Facility needs highlighted included resurfacing tennis courts, locker-room renovations to address overcrowded equipment storage tied to higher football participation, and continued attention to field drainage and scoreboard upgrades for baseball and softball.

Giametta described safety and medical updates: concussion procedures updated to match state policy, a new emergency action plan for coaches, and the AED replacement schedule. He also described communication improvements (QR codes, expanded social media outreach) and a plan to increase registration information for first-time or modified-sport participants.

Board members and student representatives asked questions about carryover effects from the weight room for nonseason students and whether separated sessions changed who participates. Giametta and Mike Mullins, who runs the weight room, said separated sessions help comfort new participants and that the program has reached more middle-school students than in past years. On girls flag football, Giametta said the program would be evaluated for student interest and to avoid over-subscribing teams and thinning rosters for other sports.

Giametta closed by revisiting five-year goals: offer CPR/first-aid certification to every graduating student, ensure every graduate has developed a personal fitness plan, expand interscholastic participation and continue exploring elective PE options at the high school.

Board members thanked Giametta and the athletic staff for the presentation and for programs designed to broaden student access to athletics.