North Clay Board Votes to Support Private Funding of Sports

The North Clay Board of Education has voted in favor of supporting North Clay-sponsored sports through private funding.

The vote came at a special Board meeting Monday night, following a meeting earlier this month when costs for next year were significantly reduced including the number of sports to be offered through the district.

Monday night's motion also included that if individuals or groups were unable to come up with the funding, they would still have the option of participating outside the school district however they wished.

North Clay, like many Illinois school districts, is facing financial constraints.  That led to the vote earlier this month to make cuts.

North Clay Superintendent Monty Aldrich Monday presented facts, figures and guidelines regarding reductions in athletics.  Aldrich also announced the results of student-athlete voting last week on what four sports they wanted to keep at the junior high and the high school levels.  Junior high baseball, junior high boys and girls basketball, and junior high volleyball were voted to be kept, while high school boys and girls basketball along with high school volleyball and boys spring baseball were voted to be kept.

The meeting drew comments and questions from several individuals.  A few in attendance spoke in favor of funding particular sports privately, but most expressed they would still like sports to be sponsored through the school district.  Aldrich offered a draft of rules and guidelines regarding the possible private funding.

Board members also discussed that with the possibility of several sports being restored, there might be a need to restore the athletic director's position.  The junior high and high school AD positions were cut at the previous meeting to cut costs.

Eventually, the North Clay board approved the motion that if a sport was to be offered next year, the amount of money specified would have to be presented to the Board at its April 11 meeting.  Also, those donating the money would have to be on the Board agenda a week prior to the meeting.