AUBURN - The Auburn Enlarged City School District may take another look at upgrades to Holland Stadium, this time as a long-range project.
Board of Education member Michael Stearns presented minutes from the committee's Aug. 15 meeting to the rest of the board on Tuesday.
The committee asked the board if there was a willingness to continue discussing the feasibility of such an initiative. Seven of the board members agreed to discuss the issue further - looking at cost, benefits and how to make the field accessible to all students - and two members dissented.
Board member Bill Andre called Holland Stadium a “jewel” in Auburn and central New York.
Stearns indicated that any plan to renovate the stadium must also include upgrades to all of the sports facilities campus-wide.
“Holland Stadium is a component in a repertoire of many,” he said.
District voters defeated a proposal to install synthetic turf at the high school practice field last fall. The issue resurfaced in January with the board eventually agreeing to put forth a second referendum proposing turf at Holland Stadium behind East Middle School.
Board members Fred Cornelius and Joe Leogrande did not believe renovating Holland Stadium was the right course of action.
“We'd be spending money where not every kid would benefit from it,” Cornelius said. “I'm not willing to spend that kind of money unless every kid can benefit from it.”
Lansford said that an upgraded Holland Stadium would be a venue to bring in traffic and revenue into Auburn.
“We need to look at this as revenue-producing events,” he said. “It's not just about seeing your child play football. It's about Auburn's hope and its future. We need to have people come here because they are pleased to come here.”
Leogrande pointed to the city's Falcon Park and how the park has had difficulty getting bands to play there and crowds to watch and listen.
In other news:
Caleb Gauger worked hard during the summer to get his high school diploma from the Auburn Enlarged Central School District. On Tuesday; it paid off.
Gauger, 18, of Auburn, was awarded his diploma by Superintendent Joseph “J.D.” Pabis and Lansford during Tuesday's board meeting.
Nine other graduating seniors were awarded their diplomas.
“It's a relief,” Gauger said.
“It gets his dad off his tail,” said his father, Shane Pascal. “We worked hard to get him to finish here. We're very proud of him.”
In the next few months Gauger plans on moving to New York City to live with his uncle, Jared Trapp, who is an operations engineer. During his time in New York, Gauger will be shadowing him and learning about his uncle's field.
“(Graduating) makes it a lot easier now to move on to the next stage of my life,” Gauger said.
Ashley Culver, 18, of Auburn, also graduated on Tuesday.
“I won't have to start school next week,” she said with a chuckle. Culver will attend Cayuga Community College in January.
Carolyn Hirst-Loucks, assistant superintendent for instruction, presented to the board plans to address the achievement issues that have listed the district as a District in Need of Improvement.
Hirst-Loucks will be looking to increase students with disabilities earning a diploma by 5 percent and economically disadvantaged students earning a diploma by 10 percent. The district will also focus on subgroups meeting state standards in ELA and math.
Board member Ginny Kent presented to the board the minutes of the Police Committee meeting held on Aug. 16.
Kent discussed bringing high school attendance back to over 90 percent and additional ways to communicate with parents beyond postcards and phone calls, pointing to the tragedy at Virginia Tech.
She mentioned phone texting and computer messaging as additional forums to contact parents.
The board accepted a $10,000 donation from Sen. Michael Nozzolio to fund the Auburn Athletics Sports Camps Scholarships.
The next board meeting will be held on Sept. 11 in the Auburn High School Library at 7 p.m.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239
The committee asked the board if there was a willingness to continue discussing the feasibility of such an initiative. Seven of the board members agreed to discuss the issue further - looking at cost, benefits and how to make the field accessible to all students - and two members dissented.
Board member Bill Andre called Holland Stadium a “jewel” in Auburn and central New York.
Stearns indicated that any plan to renovate the stadium must also include upgrades to all of the sports facilities campus-wide.
“Holland Stadium is a component in a repertoire of many,” he said.
District voters defeated a proposal to install synthetic turf at the high school practice field last fall. The issue resurfaced in January with the board eventually agreeing to put forth a second referendum proposing turf at Holland Stadium behind East Middle School.
Board members Fred Cornelius and Joe Leogrande did not believe renovating Holland Stadium was the right course of action.
“We'd be spending money where not every kid would benefit from it,” Cornelius said. “I'm not willing to spend that kind of money unless every kid can benefit from it.”
Lansford said that an upgraded Holland Stadium would be a venue to bring in traffic and revenue into Auburn.
“We need to look at this as revenue-producing events,” he said. “It's not just about seeing your child play football. It's about Auburn's hope and its future. We need to have people come here because they are pleased to come here.”
Leogrande pointed to the city's Falcon Park and how the park has had difficulty getting bands to play there and crowds to watch and listen.
In other news:
Caleb Gauger worked hard during the summer to get his high school diploma from the Auburn Enlarged Central School District. On Tuesday; it paid off.
Gauger, 18, of Auburn, was awarded his diploma by Superintendent Joseph “J.D.” Pabis and Lansford during Tuesday's board meeting.
Nine other graduating seniors were awarded their diplomas.
“It's a relief,” Gauger said.
“It gets his dad off his tail,” said his father, Shane Pascal. “We worked hard to get him to finish here. We're very proud of him.”
In the next few months Gauger plans on moving to New York City to live with his uncle, Jared Trapp, who is an operations engineer. During his time in New York, Gauger will be shadowing him and learning about his uncle's field.
“(Graduating) makes it a lot easier now to move on to the next stage of my life,” Gauger said.
Ashley Culver, 18, of Auburn, also graduated on Tuesday.
“I won't have to start school next week,” she said with a chuckle. Culver will attend Cayuga Community College in January.
Carolyn Hirst-Loucks, assistant superintendent for instruction, presented to the board plans to address the achievement issues that have listed the district as a District in Need of Improvement.
Hirst-Loucks will be looking to increase students with disabilities earning a diploma by 5 percent and economically disadvantaged students earning a diploma by 10 percent. The district will also focus on subgroups meeting state standards in ELA and math.
Board member Ginny Kent presented to the board the minutes of the Police Committee meeting held on Aug. 16.
Kent discussed bringing high school attendance back to over 90 percent and additional ways to communicate with parents beyond postcards and phone calls, pointing to the tragedy at Virginia Tech.
She mentioned phone texting and computer messaging as additional forums to contact parents.
The board accepted a $10,000 donation from Sen. Michael Nozzolio to fund the Auburn Athletics Sports Camps Scholarships.
The next board meeting will be held on Sept. 11 in the Auburn High School Library at 7 p.m.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239
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