To: Mr. Brad Harper, MSAD Superintendent

Fr: MSAD athletes’ parents

Date: April 30, 2014

RE: MSAD Athletic Program

Mr. Harper, first of all, we, MSAD athletes’ parents really do appreciate your support for the athletic programs since you assumed the position as MSAD superintendent. We are very fortunate to have you as our school leader who understands our history and our passion for academic and athletic programs at MSAD.

Parents always appreciate seeing that MSAD has sent teams to regional and national deaf tournaments. Parents want to continue having MSAD send out teams to regional and national deaf tournaments and having them represent MSAD very well.

Unfortunately, parents have experienced many challenges and struggles within the MSAD athletic program over the past several years. As you know, we are striving for our children to have positive and higher levels of competition within the MSAD athletic program. Parents have made many attempts by providing recommendations to improve the athletic program and its challenges. However, parents have yet to see any significant changes or improvements within the athletic program.

Parents want to get this moving ahead in the best interest of our athletes, alumni, parents, and deaf and local community members. Parents decided to share our beliefs and recommendations in writing. We would like to set up a meeting within 14 days to discuss and prioritize these recommendations and create a timeline for each recommendation to be fully implemented. Please see below for our beliefs and recommendations.

Thank you.

MSAD Parents:

Beliefs:

· We believe deaf students are our highest priority.

· We believe the dignity, worth, and self-esteem of participants should be paramount in all athletic activities.

· We believe the most important result of competition is the development of life-long values and skills.

· We believe the athletic program is an integral part of the high school experience.

· We believe high school athletics should be fun and rewarding.

· We believe athletic programs are most beneficial when they are competitive.

· We believe winning is an attitude resulting from optimum preparation, concentrated effort and a deep commitment to excel.

· We believe well-designed athletic programs promote deaf and local community and school pride.

· We believe open communication and mutual respect among coaches, parents, and athletes provide the foundation of a successful athletic program.

· We believe morale, satisfaction, and performance are enhanced when athletes work together as a team.

· We believe well qualified coaches and program administrators are important components in a successful athletic program.

· We believe positive parent support and involvement enhances student growth and program quality.

Recommendations:

-Athletic program set up a plan where the deaf students would be allowed to play at either the gym or the athletic field from youth program (pre-k through 5th graders) to high school students at least 2 times per week.

-Athletic program provides the opportunity for students to participate on a team from the youth program (pre-k through 5th graders) to high school, including attending competitive middle school and high school events at the local and national level.

-Athletic program provides the budget report for the following academic year to parents prior to the end of spring semester including the fundraising plans. Athletic director would oversee the fundraising including working with parents, athletes, Hilltoppers Athletic Booster Club (HABC), deaf and local community. Athletic program provides fundraising features on website such as the links to each fundraising event. The budget should include short and long term plans, including the replacement of equipment and uniforms.

-Athletic program provides high school athletic schedule in advance and post the schedule on the athletic program calendar including the address and direction to each event.

Any sports national tournament- by June

Football/Volleyball/Cheerleader- by June

Basketball/Cheerleader- by September

Track- by December

-Athletic program announces the final selection of coaches for all athletic programs for the following academic year to parents prior to the end of spring semester.

-Athletic program completes an evaluation form and holds a conference with all coaches within three weeks after the sport begins and after the conclusion of their sport season. Athletic program should encourage the participation of evaluation from students, parents, and coaching staff. All coaches provide each player feedback and a weekly plan on how toimprove his/her own performance.

-Athletic program schedules team pictures prior to the first league game, which would allow for their use in fundraising and other creative use of team and individual pictures.

-Athletic program provides a detailed and summary report of each athletic event to students, parents, deaf and local community members, and deaf sports through email and/or posts on MSAD athletic webpage. This webpage should include the update of each team within same conference and GPSD teams as well.

-Athletic program’s website should be more user friendly and easy access to schedule, calendar, result of each sport event, game pictures, team and players statistics, players and fans apparel store, fundraising events, and sponsor logos and its links. Athletic program provides HABC webpage and allow HABC to post the current officers, meeting minutes, goals and plans on fundraising, and future meeting dates.

-Athletic director hosts a mandatory parent and player conference and coaching staff will discuss the coach roles and expectations of its program and MSHSL rules. Coaches will also need to discuss the protocol for the communication between parents/players and coach and athletic director. The mandatory meeting will be conducted both onsite and through videoconference for those parents who could not attend.