2-26-12 Cohn Email on Lacrosse & Field Usage

8/2/2019 2-26-12 Cohn Email on Lacrosse & Field Usage

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"Olson, Jessica" FW: Community Services Request

February 26, 2012 4:25:44 PM PST

3 Attachments, 44.4 KB

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From:Cohn, GarySent:Sunday, February 26, 2012 4:25:42 PMTo:Everett School BoardCc:Mahan, Kathy; Vanderwilt, DebbieSubject:FW: Community Services RequestAuto forwarded by a Rule

Directors, you may be well aware of the intensity of demand for use of the districts fields over time.Recently, I have been made aware that several of you have been apprised of the desire by a lacrosseclub to displace existing users or override the grounds crews closure of specific fields (due to saturation

by rains). Please also be aware that our community service team has fielded complaints regarding theexisting use of fields by the lacrosse team, and that other users from time to time make a case fordisplacement of competing users. Im forwarding a response to one of our field users so you have thisbackground. Field use is a multidimensional issue, and our facilities team works diligently to follow theboards policy and district procedure in fairness to all who want use of this community resource.Dr. Gary CohnSuperintendentEverett Public Schools

From: Gunn, Mike

Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:12 PM

To:'[email protected]'Cc: Cohn, Gary; McNally, James; Pierce, MaryHelen; Polk, Robert; Perez, Ysella; Mahan, Kathy;

Vanderwilt, Debbie

Subject: FW: Community Services RequestDear Mr. Brown,I have been asked by Dr. Cohn to discuss your request with various members of our staff and provide aresponse to you.First of all, I thank you for bringing these issues to our attention. We have a significant number ofcommunity users of our facilities, and we appreciate knowing when any of these groups may not be

providing the appropriate care or maintenance of these facilities. Our staff has contacted Mill Creek LittleLeague to review with them the procedures and expectations we have of them for this. I have attacheddocuments describing these for your reference.The Community Services department manages extensive use of district facilities for approximately 400community user groups each year, and much of this is for athletic field use by youth sports teams. Ourcommunity use program is based on board policy 4333, which begins with the following paragraph:

The board encourages life-long learning for all citizens and will extend opportunities to the


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community to use district facilities through a variety of programs that contribute to theachievement of the district's goals and objectives. The public investment in school facilities andthe general welfare of the community provide strong justification for the use of school buildingsand grounds by community groups for cultural, civic, and recreational purposes.

This policy and the related procedure also include considerations for not interfering with school activities,

preserving safety, avoiding damage to facilities, and other concerns. This facility use program istherefore focused on allowing and encouraging community use while ensuring such use is conductedappropriately and does not interfere with our programs.Over time, the implementation of this policy has evolved, in the case of Jackson HS baseball field, toallow the Mill Creek Little League to use this facility because their community does not have many activeplayfield facilities besides ours, and they have no other adequate baseball facilities providing the 90 footbase paths needed for their older players. Mill Creek Little League has used the Jackson HS baseballfacility since the school opened, and this arrangement has benefitted many youth of this community forover 17 years.We plan to continue to allow Mill Creek Little League and other groups to use the Jackson HS baseball

facility, and will step up our oversight of this use to ensure they are in compliance with our policy andprocedures and care for this facility appropriately. One of the actions we have decided to implement willbe to close this facility to all outside user groups when it is closed by our own staff to our own activitiesdue to poor field conditions and high risk of damage to the facility.Thank you again for expressing your concerns and suggestions,Sincerely,Mike GunExecutive Director, Facilities & OperationsEverett Public Schools

From: Cohn, Gary

Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:57 AM

To: 'Rob Brown'

Cc: McNally, James; Gunn, Mike; Pierce, MaryHelen; Polk, Robert; Perez, Ysella; Mahan, Kathy;

Vanderwilt, Debbie

Subject: RE: Community Services RequestMr. Brown, Ive received your email and attachment and will review your request. A team of staff whohave worked with both our fields and our community groups on matters of this nature are meetingtomorrow to analyze your request, and others that have come in to us recently. I expect well be able to

respond next week after some deeper study of the question youve raised. Thank you.Dr. Gary CohnSuperintendentFrom: Rob Brown [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Wed 2/15/2012 12:57 PM


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To: Superintendent

Subject: Community Services Request

Dear Dr. Cohn,

My name is Rob Brown, I am a parent of a Jackson High School student - I am writing you to

discuss a request I had of the Everett School District regarding the community use of the JacksonHigh School baseball field during the high school season. I have included the email dialogue that Ihad with Community Services Supervisor Ysella Perez; copied on the emails were Robert Polk, Don

Lichty, MaryHelen Pierce, and Shanai Cole.

The purpose of including you in on the conversation is that I have not received a satisfactoryresponse, and I have not received a response to my last two emails. The latest response I did get

from Ysella leads me to believe she is uninformed of what fields I am referring (e.g., dont allowcommunity access to fields that dont host district events, and allow community use on fields that dohost district events).

I ask that you read the email dialogue below, and based on the facts that I have provided, and by

following the District Policy listed below, I think you would agree that my request is a reasonableand valid one.

Policy 4333 states All athletic fields should be available for community use after hours unless bad weather or

high impact activities pose substantial risk or damage to the field, or maintenance activities are required.

I believe that the safety of the student-athlete is in question and would request the District toaddress this concern.

Thank you for your time and attention to this request.

Rob Brown

Everett Public Schools

Daily Field Maintenance Checklist4730 Colby Avenue, Everett, WA 98203! (425) 385-4045! (425) 385-4012 fax

Daily Routine before Practice:

_____ Check for damage/safety concerns in dug outs, field and bleacher areas to ensure

the safety of participants

_____ Remove tarps


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_____

Daily Routine after Practice and Games:

_____ Drag or rake the skinned areas and baselines

_____ Do NOT sweep water from the field into the grass as it causes a lip to develop

and the potential of injury to players or side line coaches

_____ Rollers or a wet vacuum should be used

_____ Recondition the mound and home plate area and cover areas with tarps (follow

district maintenance guidelines)

_____ Dispose of trash in and around field and bleacher areas

_____ Sweep and clean dugouts

_____ Place tarps down

By being good stewards of the fields will ensure that district

and community will be able to utilize them during the spring

season.


Field User Season Opener Checklist

4730 Colby Avenue, Everett, WA 98203! (425) 385-4045! (425) 385-4012

Date:

Initials Task

Equipment/Storage container has been placed on the premises and is secured with

a lock and is labeled with group name and contact number. To prohibitunauthorized use as well as allow contact in case of damage/concerns and to

ensure safety of students and other facility users.

Playing surfaces and base-paths have been leveled for the safety of our

student/athletes.

A trash receptacle, with a lid, has been, or is currently, in place on the premises,and is secured to a fence, which will be emptied by each user group by week end,


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an or a er g vo ume use, suc as games.Home team responsible for hauling trash off site.

All litter surrounding playing fields and parking lots has been picked up.

______ Portable restrooms have been placed on the premises in accordance with the headcustodian, as to where the restrooms should be placed. The portable has been

labeled with group name and contact number. A key has also been provided to

either the head custodian, or head office secretary.A spare key has been given to the head custodian, or head secretary.

Additional Comments ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Organization Field/Facility Used

Organization President

Contact Person/Coach Day & Evening Phone_______________

Address City, State Zip


Field User End-of-Season Checklist4730 Colby Avenue, Everett, WA 98203! (425) 385-4045! (425) 385-4012 fax

Date:

Initials Task

User group equipment has been removed from playing fields

Equipment has been locked up to prohibit unauthorized use and to ensure safety

of students and other facility users

All holes or mounds on/or adjacent to playing surfaces, and base-paths have beenfilled/leveled

All trash receptacles placed by user group have been emptied and/or removed

All litter surrounding playing fields and parking lots has been picked up

Portable restrooms have been removed from site


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ona ommen s

Organization Field/Facility Used

Organization President

Contact Person/Coach Day & Evening Phone

Address City, State Zip

Documents

2-26-12 Cohn Email on Lacrosse & Field Usage