Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Athletics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Athletic director highlights program growth, safety measures and new fundraising app; board raises procurement questions
Summary
DeWitt's athletic director reported participation and academic gains among student athletes, described safety upgrades and AED use, and announced a one-year online fundraising partnership managed by alumnus Ryan Anderson; board members said the deal was not competitively bid and asked about fees and startup costs.
Kelvin, DeWitt's athletic director, told the school board that athlete participation and outcomes are trending upward and that the department has prioritized safety and community engagement.
"We have 27 athletic programs, 47 teams, and 75 coaches," Kelvin said, and he highlighted academic results for athletes: "Our GPA for student athletes is a cumulative GPA of 3.56," compared with a district average he cited earlier in the presentation. Kelvin also described safety practices: paid coaches are CPR-certified and each team receives an AED bag; he noted a coach used an AED during an emergency this year.
Kelvin announced a one-year partnership with an online fundraising and engagement vendor, Vertical Race (referred to in the packet as Vertical Race/Vertical Rays), and said alumnus Ryan Anderson will serve as the district's point person for the rollout and mobile app. When board members asked about procurement, Kelvin confirmed the agreement was not put out through an open competitive bidding process.
A board member asked about contract terms and value. Kelvin and staff said the platform will charge a 15% fee on online donations and that the district expects a campaign target in the neighborhood of $100,000; startup and setup costs were described as "just shy of 10 grand." Kelvin said the partnership was selected in part to protect community data and to centralize team-communications in a single app.
Board members also raised participation and student-fan engagement as priorities; Kelvin described plans to work with student government and influencers to boost attendance at nonfootball events.
The board did not take a separate formal vote on the Vertical Race agreement at this meeting. Staff indicated they would follow up with additional contract details and continue discussion about the district's procurement and vendor-selection process.
