Does Dorchester Public School and its extracurricular activities have a future? That depends mostly on you -- the residents of the school district.
On Monday, Nov. 18, there will be a town hall meeting in the school library to discuss the future of DHS' athletic and activity programs. (No time for this meeting has been published. Call the school at 402-946-2781 for more information.)
All school district residents, especially those with students, are encouraged to attend.
School officials report: "Our participation and enrollment numbers are low, and we are investigating options to continue to provide extracurricular programs for our students. We plan to share information and listen to input from our patrons."
This past summer, the Dorchester Times asked readers their opinions about the current situation facing DHS athletics and the low participation rates. Specifically, we asked: "How do you propose boosting participation in athletics among Dorchester youth, particularly boys?"
Here are the results:
Be sure to attend the town hall at the DPS Library on Nov. 18 -- and make your voice heard about the future of Dorchester's extracurricular programs.
Question: Do kids who go out for sports go on to have better careers, become better leaders, and be more successful in life in general?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: 100% yes.
I have to disagree with you. I did not participate in sports in high school and I have a very good career, am a leader and have a wonderful family. Sports are not for everyone and if one does not participate in sports, that does not mean he/she will not lead a successful life in the future. I am not saying sports are not important, just not for everyone.
DeleteBe careful with that 100%. Neither Bill Gates or Warren Buffet participated in High School sports. While I did participate in sports (while at Dorchester) it in no way helped me become more successful in life. However, I do feel that athletics are good for the exercise benefits that they provide.
ReplyDeleteThis misnomer about sports resulting in better success for an individual is a result of faulty research that uses statistics in a misleading manner (and is pushed by organizations that stand to profit financially by youth participation). The truth of the matter is that students who participate in ANY extracurricular activity (including drama, music, ffa, fbla, etc) do equally well in life. However, it is not clear that the participation in any event is what leads to more success. It could simply be a result of how a child is raised by their parents (the parents encourage them to be engaged in life and learning...much like both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet). It is just that it is much more difficult to quantify how parents raise their children, so instead extracurricular activity is often used.
Thanks for running this story
ReplyDelete.............................for all those ages 30 and under ............................... my bovines and i have some earth shattering news for you ................................ life aint a video game ................................... you actually have to work to make money ..................................... smokin dope and livin in mommys basement aint cool ........................................... there are more important things than lovin gay marriage ...................................... your tattoo means nothing to the rest of us ............................................................................ welfare & obama aint goin to save you .....................................
ReplyDeleteWow.. There is always a reason why kids don't go out. Don't like the coach or they may not play.. Serious get of your butts. Get of your phones and your video games and stop smoking the dope. Support your school and your classmates. So what if you don't play at least your are making something of yourself. Come on parents get your kids out there. If you want the school around you have to help out as well. Stop coming up with reason why they don't play and make them.
ReplyDeleteit's hard to have kids play that have had concussions or other injuries and ailments. Sure some kids and parents are lazy and make up excuses. BUT there are some of us that have real reasons why our child is not playing that not everyone needs to know about.
DeleteHow fun do you think it is for kids in small schools to sit on a bench and watch their friends play while they don't? That's the reason for a small school so everyone can play both good and bad. I have seen a not so talented kid give it their all in practice and not get to play while the taletned kid screws around in practice and still gets to play. Yes I like to win, but if you want numbers to go up play everybody.
Just a couple of decades ago, we used to tease the kids who didn't go out for sports.
ReplyDeleteNow the NFL is concerned about bullies? Ha! What a societal lapse.
For once, I agree with Cynical Dick.
I disagree about a small schools sports allowing all the kids to play. The best player should play at the varsity level. Yes, there is a greater opportunity, but it should be earned. If you can't stand watching from the sidelines and being a "team player" then you shouldn't play a team sport. If you think it is all about you and you deserve to play regardless of your talent level, then you are right, you probably shouldn't play football. Who wants to play and get their butts whipped because somebody's parents think their kid should play? What kind of lesson do you teach a young person when you reward them for not being as good as someone else. Life isn't going to treat them like that, so why should sports teach them that? That is a major problem with this society and part of why socialism is gaining a foothold in America, in my opinion. We want things that we haven't earned or deserve. I probably have oversimplified it and someone is welcome to teach me how I am wrong, but that is how I see it right now.
ReplyDeleteHow about that picture of one of the best football teams to come out of BIG D. We rocked the house, baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Cory! Not everyone should get a trophy! Kids need to learn what it means to work for something and take pride in that. More importantly, parents need to let their kids earn their way and not step in and bully the coach/teacher/school board/administrators into making sure their kid gets in the game (or whatever the issue at hand is). The real world does not work like that, and those kids whose parents thought they were doing them a favor have actually set them up for failure. Good job, parents! And people wonder why there are so many people expecting handouts and show no gratitude or humility. But that's another can of worms and ain't nobody got time for that!
ReplyDeleteI think that the school, should have a meeting with all the kids, K-12, and ask the kids what they want. This decision will affect them all. Do it during school time, so that all the kids are there, and they can get there imput, on what they want. I hate to see anything happen to the sports program. but we all want our kids to be happy, its not the parents we need to make happy its, them. High school, is an important time, in there lives, we have all went through it, its there turn, and they need to make the decision, and no that they made the right ones, no matter how little they are, or how old they are. Its said that concession, will be affected, and gate moneys, that is extra money that we will lose, and also not to mention the nice gyms we have, why cant they be used for half the games, if this was to happen, its just ideas. Sports, by no means makes our school, but its and important part. Its change and know one likes it, but its part of life. Lets, make it the kids choice, let them have a voice.
ReplyDeleteKids need to be reminded and shown that life is about being part of, and standing up for, things that are bigger than themselves.
ReplyDeleteAfter attending the meeting tonight, I feel the board already has a darn good idea of how they are going to vote. I'm sure someone will comment that the board has no idea of how they will vote. But after talking with board members and family members of board members before tonight's meeting, it doesn't seem that way at all. It would be nice to have another community meeting before the board just jumps into the decision...that they probably already have....so people can take time to think of more questions and more kids can voice their ideas. Oh well, I guess it will be what it will be and I'm sure the board will make their vote official this Thursday. The one thing I still can't figure out is that the projected number of boys out for basketball next school year is 6, according to the handout. It was stated that they have 12 boys out this year and there are 4 seniors. So I guess 2 boys must have already stated that even thought they are going out for basketball this year, they are not going out next year. 12 subtract 4 equals 8, but the projected number for next year is 6, so I guess 2 boys are quitting and no freshman are going out?
ReplyDeleteThanks to those good parents and community members who showed up for this meeting. You are valued.
ReplyDeleteI agree with th comment above. It's a done deal. Fly like an eagle.
ReplyDeleteWhy not all sports?
Disappointed that the board didn't treat the friend supt. with any more class. Eight miles seems a lot better tha 18.
Reset the trip meter on your car next time. Milford =13 miles
DeleteActually, it's 11 miles to Milford from Dorchester. 9 to Friend. Unless you drive a horse and buggy, why would you even consider this into the equation? If you really want to talk distance to the school we co-op with you had best look at the entire school district. There are many more families who live north and east of the dorchester school than south or west.
DeleteWhy would anyone in that room acknowledge the Friend Superintendent? Is he that nieve to think we don't realize that they tried to screw us over once that we would be willing to try again?
DeleteI've been very pleased with how the Milford parents have welcomed DHS with open arms, versus the old snob crowd in Friend. There's a reason Exeter and Milligan will have nothing to do with them as they're an island unto themselves. For those of us who live in Dorchester limits it's just as easy for us to drive into Milford as Friend, and now with Tech Highway those to the east of us have an even quicker drive. I still hold out hope that Dorchester will again have its own football team within five or six years, but for now we've got some rebuilding to do, starting with how we raise our kids. I'm just one parent but I plan to do my part.
ReplyDeleteMight be easy getting to Milford , Getting on the floor will be a lot tougher
ReplyDeleteI don't know why anyone would be mad at the school board or other parents who support a coop. Wouldn't you be better served reserving your frustration and energy by directing them at the parents of kids who choose not to participate in anything? I'm just curious and old-fashioned, I guess.
ReplyDeleteBetter find someone who can get this turned around or we will have a pretty expensive apartment buiding
ReplyDeleteWhatchu talkin' 'bout? I don't think the school is any danger of consolidation. We have more kindergarteners and first graders than friend or exeter-milligan. we're talking sports participation.
DeleteBoth those schools supported playoff football teams
ReplyDelete