The INDEPENDENT, April 16, 2009
Page 13
Banks School Board hears complaints regarding Girls Basketball
The March 30 work session
of the Banks school board, had
everyone trooping up and down
the stairs to accommodate a
large group of past and present
girls basketball players and
their parents. Prior to eliciting
audience comments board
chairman Duanne Lundsten
told the audience that while the
board was very interested in
their comments, they would not
be making any decision at that
meeting. Don Lyda, acting as
spokesman, summarized the
group’s complaints about
coach Bradley Dunn-meier.
Lyda told the board that
[Dunn-meier] “was not a varsity
coach”. According to Lyda, sen-
ior girls quit the varsity team af-
ter being told that they would
not be allowed to play at
games. Several other parents
and girls confirmed this state-
ment. Losing these girls result-
ed in a varsity team composed
primarily of freshman, and a
losing season. Many comments
were made by players and par-
ents about remarks made to
junior and senior girls that de-
creased, rather than increased,
their self-confidence. Several
references were made to a
general lack of professionalism
on the part of Dunn-meier.
Early in the discussion,
Lundsten asked Lyda if he was
BCUMC sets Sr.
Lunch May date
The
United
Methodist
Women will host the May Se-
nior Lunch on Wednesday,
May 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m.
at Banks Community United
Methodist Church (BCUMC),
151 Depot St., Banks.
Seniors are invited to come
enjoy a wonderful meal, enter-
tainment provided by children
from Banks Elementary School
and great fellowship.
For more information, call
BCUMC at 503-324-7711.
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suggesting that the board de-
velop a policy that junior and
seniors play at the varsity level;
there was not a clear response.
Apparently, no one knew why
Dunn-meier was not at the
meeting. Lundsten confirmed
that there was a parent meeting
at the beginning of the season.
According to several parents,
Dunn-meier made clear that he
would not have discussions
with parents at practices or
games. Lyda said that he had
attempted to question Dunn-
meier through email, more than
once, but had not received a re-
sponse.
Jim Foster, high school prin-
cipal, told the board that he be-
lieved it was not Dunn-meier’s
intention at the beginning of the
season to play a predominately
freshman varsity team, but af-
ter several seniors left, he
moved more freshmen to the
varsity level than he had in-
tended. Neither Jim Smith (vice
principal) or Wyman Smith (ath-
letic director) gave any com-
ment.
In response to a question
from Lyda, Lundsten said that
they (Lyda and the dissident
group) had followed the correct
procedure by first attempting to
discuss the problem with the
coach, then the athletic director
and principal, and finally bring-
ing their concerns to the board.
He assured the group that their
concerns would be taken seri-
ously, but cautioned them that
they may not see any visible re-
sults of their actions because
the board is required to main-
tain employee confidentiality.
Lundsten also explained that
the board’s responsibility is to
set policy and give direction to
the superintendent. The super-
intendent is responsible for the
administrative team (principals,
financial manager and special
service director), who are in
turn responsible for their em-
ployees, including the athletic
director and coaches.
After thanking students and
parents for taking the time to
express their concerns, Lund-
sten recessed the meeting. The
board then moved back up-
stairs to the conference room
for the remainder of the work
session.
Elementary school principal
Bob Huston presented a plan
for a full-day supplemental kin-
dergarten program for one of
three kindergarten sections,
beginning next school year.
Oregon law allows districts to
charge tuition for supplemental
kindergarten programs under
certain regulations. Students
receiving free or reduced lunch,
or other verified financial hard-
ship, will not be charged tuition.
However, tuition is set higher
than regular per student cost
because those who are able to
pay will be subsidizing those
who cannot pay. Students will
be selected for the program by
lottery with the percentage of
tuition waivers matching the
percentage of free and reduced
lunch in the general student
population, or about 15%. Tu-
ition will be $260 per month per
student.
Ye Olde
Dingheiser
Pub & Restaurant
Parents will be required to
return signed contracts by May
11, along with a non-refundable
deposit of the first and last
month’s tuition. They must also
agree to have the remaining tu-
ition automatically paid to the
district for the remaining ten
months of the year (June
through March 2010).
In other business, the board
agreed to:
• Contract with C&M Com-
munications for focus group
studies regarding facilities im-
provements;
• use a minimal process to
select a new interim superin-
tendent. Kathy Edison and
William Morris agreed to repre-
sent the board in the search
process;
• accept public input con-
cerning the qualities and quali-
fications for a superintendent,
at a work session preceding the
April 13 board meeting;
• accept input from the ad-
ministrative team about super-
intendent qualities and qualifi-
cations.
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