Because of the change in grades at the middle level, from grades seven to nine junior high schools to grades six to eight middle schools, principals for these schools have completed a review of their athletic program. Over the past year, principals worked to create an athletic program that aligned with the middle school model. Goals included maintaining a developmentally appropriate program that is equitable among schools, ensures a variety of sports and does not increase student fees. The result is a program that retains some interscholastic sports and adds an intramural component designed to increase overall student participation.

The middle level sports program will include four seven-week interscholastic seasons throughout the year. All sports will serve grades six through eight.

• Season 1 (Sept. 10-Oct. 26) will offer boys’ and girls’ cross country, boys’ tennis and girls’ badminton.
• Season 2 (Nov. 13-Jan. 18) is for boys’ and girls’ basketball.
• Season 3 (Feb. 4-March 29) is for girls’ volleyball and boys’/girls’ wrestling
• Season 4 (April 22-June 7) is for boys’ and girls’ track and girls’ tennis.

This schedule means that middle schools will no longer offer football, baseball and softball. Football has been offered only to students in grades eight and nine for developmental reasons: with the move of ninth grade to the high school, it did not make sense to offer a sport for only one grade, especially one that has significant costs for equipment and officials. Baseball and softball also incur costs for officials. All three sports are supported within our communities at the recreation, select and club levels for students who do want to participate in them.

The intramural program will be offered in three sessions of two weeks each, in between the interscholastic seasons. Sports selections for intramurals are tentative, pending a survey of current and incoming middle school students on their sports interests. The first intramural session has scheduled boys’ and girls’ soccer plus boys’ and girls’ floor hockey. The second session is open for each school to select one to two sports based on student interest. The third session has boys’ flag football and coed ultimate Frisbee.

Principals developed this program in consultation with the district athletic director and director of school support. It was presented to the Superintendent and the Superintendent in turn presented it to the district’s Board of Directors. The school board supported the plan after getting a number of questions answered.