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Parents press board to restore middle‑school baseball as board weighs funding and league options
Summary
After a year‑end athletics presentation, parents and coaches urged the board to reverse cuts that removed middle‑school baseball and softball stipends amid a conference shift; board members discussed using non‑lapsing funds, pursuing league alternatives, and accepting parent fundraising, but no firm commitment was made.
Parents and community volunteers pressed the North Stonington Board of Education on June 3 to act quickly to restore middle‑school baseball and softball after the district's shift to a new athletic conference led to the removal of stipends and some roster impacts.
At the start of the athletic presentation, the presenter known as Burn summarized the year in athletics and noted both competitive successes and the sixth‑grade pilot program that allowed sixth graders to try out for middle‑school teams. Burn also thanked the Wheeler Sports Boosters for more than $14,000 in fundraising that helped buy equipment and support programs.
Multiple parents and residents said they were surprised by the program changes and said communication about the conference move and stipend changes was inadequate. "We're all very, very interested in getting the name Wheeler across as many student athletes' chests as we possibly can," parent Chris Wlette said, offering to coordinate volunteers and fundraising.
Board members discussed several paths to preserve the sports: asking administrators to reopen conversations with the league, exploring an independent or voluntary schedule with nearby schools, and evaluating short‑term funding options. One board member suggested earmarking a placeholder from the non‑lapsing account (a suggested figure discussed was $10,000) to show commitment while administrators explore feasible schedules; another estimated a worst‑case annual cost of roughly $22,000 to run both baseball and softball in the current league, including stipends, transportation, officials and equipment. The transcript does not show a formal vote or a binding funding commitment.
Residents also offered practical help, including raising funds, repairing fields and forming a middle‑school booster group. Several speakers warned that delaying decisions risks losing the programs permanently.
The board directed administrators to take the concerns back, to engage with leagues and parents, and to return with options and cost estimates. Board members emphasized the need for clearer communication with families going forward.
