Scott, Dixie and Simon Kenton Athlete Parents - Terry Cox Cruey

[nkuclubbaseball19]

Not true at all levels, middle school no school no practice.

 

I did not know that. Learn something new everyday.

[plantmanky]

BTW just for reference, if you do email the person listed in the opening post, she wont get it. She doesn't read those emails to that account, a secretary weeds through them and then forwards the necessary ones to another email.

 

Lost cause, you want change, vote out your school board candidates, they just extended her contract for 4 years I think and gave her a very hefty raise......even though 4 of her schools are barely above minimum on test scores.

[plantmanky]

I did not know that. Learn something new everyday.

 

Next time we meet up you we have something to talk about, lol.

[Bluegrasscard]

I added some key parts to your closing arguments.

 

After legal review (and plantman knows who that is) I stand by statement - it's a high bar.

[HoopsLady]

I appreciate your email. I am the Director of Student Engagement for our school district and work very closely with the schools and their activities (especially athletics), so I wanted to respond to your email.

 

 

 

First off, I can tell you that I am a very competitive person and understand your concerns. I also feel like that the procedures we follow in Kenton County do a good job of balancing the major district priority of student involvement with the most important priority of student safety - when it comes to weather related considerations.

 

 

 

I’ve attached a description of the process that is followed when making these important decisions relating to winter events. This was developed last school year and was helpful with the numerous weather issues we had - as it clearly explains what we go through in making decisions. You’ll see that it’s a very thoughtful process that we use.

 

We also allow Principals to make (and have approved) activity requests due to special circumstances. For instance, even though most district events were cancelled Friday evening, we received requests and allowed basketball teams to practice Friday evening, because district tournaments were early this week (and Saturday and Sunday were going to be bad - for snow Saturday and clearing lots on Sunday).

 

 

 

These decisions are not taken lightly and we understand the implications involved. It’s similar to a decision to cancel school on a snow day - it is very difficult and we know not everyone is going to agree with it.

 

 

 

Again, I appreciate your concerns as we continue to look at the specific activities in the district, along with the implications for weather, as well special requests from Principals to make the best decisions we can for our kids.

 

 

 

Tom Arnzen

 

Director of Student Engagement

 

The Kenton County School District

[HoopsLady]

Dear Mr. Arzen;

 

While I appreciate your response, this policy is simply too unilateral and as such, deeply flawed. This is not merely an issue of competitive disadvantage in which our competitors are allowed to practice on an optional basis while we are prohibited from using our own facilities that OUR tax dollars have paid for. While basketball is in District level Championship play and allowed to practice and play last Friday, Swimming and Wrestling which are preparing for STATE level Championship competition and were not allowed to practice.

 

Furthermore, by allowing competition on Friday, you put athletes that had not been in an organized practice for over a week at risk. Have you or anyone in your administration considered the injury risk from putting unprepared/underconditioned athletes on the field or court of competition? There have been multiple occurances of weather events that have long since subsided by the time after school activities would commence. Execution of the current policy has resulted in too many unneccessary practice cancellations.

 

Regional and State level tournament competition results in invaluable athletic scholarship recruiting exposure. By imposing this policy, your are diminishing the oppertunity for our athletes to be adequately prepared for this level of competition and reducing the exposure that would otherwise be available.

 

I urge you to revise this policy to delegate more of the decision making to Principals and Athletic Directors.

 

Thank You.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

If I may critique your approach....

 

 

Devastating ?

 

Cox-Cruey & Arnzen are in a no-win situation here:

 

-School is cancelled and practice is cancelled...kids are at risk of being injured because they are competing without sufficient practice/preparation.

 

-School is cancelled and practice is still held...kids are at risk of being injured on the roadway.

[lawildcat]

Lt. Weinberg: "I strenuously object?" Is that how it works? Hm? "Objection." "Overruled." "Oh, no, no, no. No, I STRENUOUSLY object." "Oh. Well, if you strenuously object then I should take some time to reconsider."

 

:lol2:

[HoopsLady]

Cox-Cruey & Arnzen are in a no-win situation here:

 

-School is cancelled and practice is cancelled...kids are at risk of being injured because they are competing without sufficient practice/preparation.

 

-School is cancelled and practice is still held...kids are at risk of being injured on the roadway.

 

When you make practices voluntary, you shift the risk from the school district to the individual parent/driver. Jefferson County does this.

[HoopsLady]

Cox-Cruey & Arnzen are in a no-win situation here:

 

-School is cancelled and practice is cancelled...kids are at risk of being injured because they are competing without sufficient practice/preparation.

 

-School is cancelled and practice is still held...kids are at risk of being injured on the roadway.

 

As Lawnboy pointed out previously in this thread, do you really think these kids with driving licenses are staying home during snow emergencies?

[UKMustangFan]

The most important aspect of this is student safety.

 

There's no such thing as a voluntary practice at the high school level.

 

Maybe it's just me, but ensuring a bunch of 15-18 year old kids safety is substantially more important than a practice for a stupid sporting event.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

As Lawnboy pointed out previously in this thread, do you really think these kids with driving licenses are staying home during snow emergencies?

 

No...but when they're driving around on off-days during snow emergencies, they are not at the liability of the school district.

[BigVMan23]

A no practice/play when school is cancelled is a very easy and concise policy, no questions and easily enforced. I can see why a school district would have it this way. Not saying I agree with it, but I get it and it's hard to argue against. Now, even within a policy like that could there be room to look at individual activities and have some exclusions on a case by case basis? I would think so. I mean I doubt very seriously that if a school was out because of weather on a Monday, yet they were scheduled to play first round of district basketball that was still being played "as scheduled" Monday night, that said school wouldn't allow the team to go play.

[BirdBrain]

Tom Arnzen is one of the most stand up guys in Northern Kentucky and if anyone knows him they don't really make guys much more competitive than the Arnzen boys, with that said, I thought it was a good response.

 

Whether you agree or disagree with the Kenton County policy or not, here's my take on part of the argument:

 

If your student athlete, at this point in the basketball season, has not had 20+ letters and at least 5 calls or visits from a school / coach with one of those being a second or follow up.....they are not getting FULL RIDE STATUS, period.

 

A week off school at the end of the season does not significantly diminish conditioning (which they should be doing on their own anyway), skill or exposure.....

 

A visit to Rupp or Diddle will not overcome the lack of interest during the season for your kid. They either are or they aren't...period.

 

It's time to stop being delusional and enjoy what is left of your son / daughter high school sporting career, trust me, you will miss it when it's gone and the Kenton County policies will have nothing to do with what you feel then.

[75center]

As Lawnboy pointed out previously in this thread, do you really think these kids with driving licenses are staying home during snow emergencies?

 

They are if their parents are doing their jobs.