Published: November 04, 2009 10:28 pm      

3 middle schools need athletic field upgrades

EDMOND — EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a three-part series examining needs listed on the Nov. 10 Edmond Public Schools bond election. Wednesday’s story examined plans for elementary schools. Today’s story focuses on middle school needs. Friday’s story will look at high school needs.



Residents will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on two propositions on the 2009 bond election by the Edmond School District.

Proposition No. 1 totals $35.32 million. Part of the money will go for technology, library/media center books, instructional equipment, instructional materials and textbooks as needed and as funds will allow at all school sites.

Proposition No. 2, which totals $800,000, will be used to purchase school transportation equipment.

Proposition No. 1 also will include middle school athletic improvements totaling $1.5 million to upgrade existing baseball and softball fields at three middle school sites: Cimarron Middle School, 3701 S. Bryant; Sequoyah Middle School, 1125 E. Danforth; and Summit Middle School, 1703 N.W. 150th St., as well as to purchase athletic and fine arts equipment as needed in the middle schools.

The suggested improvements come in part as a result of suggestions from a district committee, which formed a plan five years ago to help improve the district’s athletic programs.

“We have no lights, inadequate or no dugouts, bleachers, scoreboards or sidewalks at these schools, and in addition to these items, we also will be working on improving their existing athletic fields,” said Bret Towne, assistant superintendent of district operations.

Two fields are maintained at Mitch Park during the year for Cheyenne and Central middle schools.

“Currently the conditions they have at the middle schools are primitive, and these plans will effect major renovation,” said Superintendent David Goin.

Cimarron Middle School, like Sequoyah and Summit, lacks field lighting.

Assistant principal and athletic director Lisa Adams said they have sunlight issues or a lack of sunlight when playing games.

“We can only play a certain amount of time after the sun sets,” Adams said, “and then we have to cut the times of games.”

Kacy Harsha is assistant principal at Sequoyah Middle School in charge of athletics.

“Our benches are in such deplorable condition that they are broken and in pieces and cannot be sat on,” she said.

Water stands on the field after a rain and the field was covered with dirt at the beginning of the school year, she said.

“Our coach was taking a shovel at the first of the year to dig down to the bases,” Harsha said. “Everything we have is old and well used. It has been taken care of, it is just old and weathered and from the fences to the dugouts we need extensive repairs.”

In addition to the fields, Harsha said replacement of softballs, batting helmets and catcher’s masks are expensive.

The bond issue will also cover the enhancement of the fine arts programs.

The repair and upkeep of musical instruments also is expensive, Harsha said.

A tuba can cost $10,000 and cellos run $2,400 each.

“That is buying in quantities,” Harsha said.

The school provides students with a larger instrument to keep at home for practice, and the school keeps a classroom set of instruments to be played during school.

“The larger instruments are provided because they cannot be transported easily, and they are easily damaged,” Harsha said.

“We are trying to maintain our programs. Our fine arts programs are notable because of the support we get from the community.”

Whenever the baseball and softball teams have been short of equipment, Summit’s Becky Cole, assistant principal and athletic director, said the other middle schools have been good at filling in with needed supplies.

“We are supportive of anything that will provide our players with safer, better, newer equipment as well as playing areas,” Cole said.

Last year 20 to 30 players were involved in each of the varsity and junior varsity teams for each sport.

Polls in Edmond will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.