Newburg R-II school board approves girls basketball co-op with Dixon after debate over uniforms and travel

The Newburg R-II School Board voted in October to approve a one-year cooperative agreement with Dixon to field a combined girls basketball team after board members and parents raised concerns about low local roster numbers.

Board Chair (S1) introduced the co-op proposal and distributed copies of a memorandum of understanding. Staff and board members said the MOU has two central, negotiable terms that shaped discussion: which school’s uniform the team wears for games and how practice time will be divided. "Two of the key terms in that MOU for us that would impact us have to do with the amount of time that we're over here in our gym as opposed to their gym, and then also, the wearing of uniforms," said the staff member presenting the MOU (Staff member, S4).

Board members and parents described a trade-off between preserving Newburg identity and ensuring students can play. One board member warned that if too many practices are held at Dixon, students could face late returns: "Our girls would be getting home until after 08:00 every single night, and that's a concern," the staff member (S4) said during the discussion. Parents at the meeting emphasized that students primarily want to play; one parent (S5) said, "My daughter was fine. She just said, 'I just wanna play.'"

Administrators estimated both schools bring small rosters (Dixon around eight to nine players; Newburg roughly four to seven), and that a combined roster in the mid-teens — roughly 15 players — would make practices and a full schedule workable. The MOU as presented would initially place a majority of games and many practices with Dixon to limit travel for league opponents, with Newburg hosting a portion of practices and home games; transportation arrangements for practices will be provided by the home district buses when needed.

Supporters said the co-op preserves opportunities for students who might otherwise have no season. Several board members noted alternatives they had explored, including reaching out to other nearby schools that have recently formed co-ops. After discussion and an opportunity for questions, a motion to approve the cooperative MOU was made and seconded; the board approved the MOU by voice/hand vote (motion carries). The transcript records no formal roll-call tally for this vote.

The agreement will be treated as a one-year arrangement to be revisited next season, and administrators said they will continue to negotiate MOU specifics — particularly the practice split and uniform arrangements — and report back to the board. The board did not record additional binding amendments at the meeting.

The board adjourned the public portion of the meeting for a brief recess and then moved toward an executive session.