Keep The WildCats Free and Wild In Schroon

As of this writing, more than 207 folks have signed the below petition, which will be presented to the Schroon Lake Central Board of Education tonight. It's to stop the proposed merger of the athletic departments of the Schroon Lake Central School and Bolton Central School. We will have a full report tomorrow. If you attend tonight's meeting, share your experience with us in our comments section.

FOREVER WILDCATS STOP SCHROON LAKE CENTRAL SPORTS MERGER

The proposed merger would call for both Bolton Central and Schroon Lake Central to merge their athletic program thus losing our school mascot and causing physical, monetary and educational hardships on our community and most importantly on our Kids. The town loses their tie to the past 70 years of tradition and their identity associated with being a Wildcat for the past 70 years.

Reasons to refuse the merger:

1.50 hrs. of additional time traveling approximately every other day per week to travel to Bolton for practices/games. Lose half our home games to be played in Bolton. Just spent over a million dollars upgrading the gym for what reason… 4 games a year? When will our children have time to study, do homework and have dinner with their families as they would not be getting home until after 8 pm. If we merge then what happens to the overflow of kids playing sports now?  Are they refused, cut from teams, placed on the bench?  We are not gaining anything Additional monies for Bus drivers, additional vehicle maintenance and gas Possible additional monies  for tutoring staff to be available

What we WILL LOSE: We are LOSING time the children can be spending with their families, studying, having dinner and getting rest for the next day. Not to mention the fact that more kids will be benched or cut from teams because it is not like they will be putting on the bench 30+ kids. We pride ourselves with community and family support yet if we have kids being sent to BCS for games more families will not even be able to attend... are the youth programs going to suffer next as the parents have to decide which child they support because we have spread them out so far they can support either? They are currently able to make multiple games since they are in the same area. We are losing our sense of self... we are going to be a random name made up between the two towns? We lose our identity with being a WILDCAT and the pride and heritage that brings us together as a community. To the Schroon Lake Central School Board of Schroon Lake, Essex County, NY

We, your community, signed below call for the immediate rejection of the proposed Sport Program merger between Schroon Lake Central School and Bolton Central School. You are the Board Members that we voted in to represent us and our wishes. We demand that you represent Our Wishes Now!!

Comments

[Deborah (Welch) Mackey]

I'm absolutely thrilled that the townspeople of SL came out to the board meeting to voice their opinions on this proposed merger. As a class of 1973 graduate, and former athlete/cheerleader, I am vehemently opposed to this concept. Keep the Wildcats home and strong. If there aren't enough students interested in the athletic program to make it viable......maybe a. Closer look at that reason should be considered. My class, 1973 was one of the largest, at 32 students, to graduate for. SLCS and nearly every student was either an athlete in one or more sports, or an ardent supporter of their classmates.
I could go on and on, but basically.....once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!
Thank you all for supporting that concept.

[Tina Plumstead]

It was all in agreement that the time frame that this decision had to be made was just to quick. We are "safe" for another year. However, unless something changes, it may be our only option for a sports program. There are many underlying issues that should be looked at as to why students aren't/can't play sports, academics is one of them. There were 75 students that signed the petition and the question was asked why 75 weren't playing. Well, in our case, as much as my daughter wanted to play softball, the amount of homework given was just not possible to keep grades up and she had to choose between sports/play and her school work. School work will have to come first. Every weekend we have to plan around what is homework she is given. Even this past holiday weekend consisted of 210 questions & a 20 minute video for Science, and 100 questions for Math so our plans were made around her having time to complete it. One night last week, she had 5 hours of homework and it's not because she has difficulty doing it, it's the amount given. I don't think it's in anyway the fault of any teachers, because they have to follow state guidelines, so I'm not sure how that issue could be resolved. Maybe if it was, then more would be able to play & keep up with their work/grades. I am thrilled however that the lines of communication are now open between the SLCS Board of Ed, the parents, the students & the community. Go WILDCATS!!