Help us fundraise the easy way... eScrip
Please add CHS Athletic Boosters to your group
(Note: up to three can be selected and  proceeds split evenly.)

This is a great way for alumni, grandparents,
aunts & uncles and friends to support CHS Athletics.

Safeway escrip form

Athletic Committee Meeting - April 2, 2009

Game Plan for First Meeting: Tomorrow, April 2, is the first Athletic Committee meeting at 7:00 p.m at Monte Gardens.  Please note this is a working session to move forward on supplementing the funding for athletics.  Committees need to be filled and begin planning their roles and duties.

Everyone is encouraged to continue attending the upcoming school board meetings.  This is where anyone with questions or concerns can attend and share their thoughts.  Please fill out a yellow card in the lobby prior to the meeting.  You will be called during the Public Comment agenda item.

- UPDATE -- March 26-

A huge thanks to Heather Larsen for stepping up to be Concord High's Site Captain in support of Measure D. 

Please contact Heather Larsen [voteformeasured@gmail.com] to help:

    - Donate to fund the campaign
    - Volunteer to help on phone bank
    - Help delivering or distributing materials
    - Get lawn signs, other material
    - Help and/or participate in community events

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--UPDATE ON THE MARCH 14 MEETING--

The Athletic Community showed up in force at the Working Session of the Board on Saturday, March 14, 2009.  Students, athletic directors and parents commented on their concerns.  We are asking for full funding of athletics.  Jason Omania of SP Gear provided T-Shirts imprinted with SOS – Save our Sports – MDUSD.  Also he has created a website to provide a central place for information which is http://www.sostoday.org/.  Also, we ask that your concerns and questions continue to go to the MDUSD blog, http://mdusd.blogspot.com/. 

At this Working Session of the School Board, they agreed to Tier 1 programs and services to be reinstated if Measure D passes, if Initiatives 1A-1E pass, and if the State does not have further budget cuts.  Many school site specific programs/services made it to the Tier 1 list, including High School Athletics.  This Tier 1 list is to be voted on at the March 24, 2009 MDUSD Board Meeting.

Unfortunately, when the Budget is reviewed in May/June, the State may mandate further reductions to the State Budget, of which Education has been charged with 40% in the past.  If the 40% budget reduction is mandated, that means an approximate additional $2-3+ million reductions in the MDUSD 2009-2010 Budget.  MDUSD has already reduced their budget by $30 million over the last two years.  In order to compensate for this budget reduction, the School Board will be forced to use some of Measure D funds to cover this burdensome additional cut.  They are planning for this additional cut, and therefore, they had to review the recent list of cuts and categorize them into Tier 1 and Tier 2 programs/services.

The district verbally committed to forming an Athletic Committee, many signed up, and we have heard it is to be voted on at the next meeting, March 24, 2009.  Please attend.  We will post details – location, time etc.  We are still also very concerned that there is not yet an alternative plan, if the Parcel Tax, Initiatives, and Budget do not all pass as hoped.

What we need to do:

1)   Write letters to our legislatures demanding no further cuts to education.  Education has taken enough cuts and our students are not receiving the quality education the State says it is committed to providing, and this will only get worse. Ask all friends and family members to do the same.

      Governor Schwarzenegger, online form available,  http://gov.ca.gov/interact#contact, OR
                Governor's Office:
                Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
                State Capitol Building
                Sacramento, CA 95814
                Phone: 916-445-2841
                Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number )

      Senator Mark De Saulnier - http://legplcms01.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.aspx?district=SD07

      Assemblyman Tom Torlakson - tom@tomtorlakson.com.  He is running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction 2010.  Here is his website, http://tomtorlakson.com/.  Or contact him through his Assemblyman office, http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a11/.

2)   Write to our local city councils and ask for them to take action and help Mt. Diablo Unified School District, City of Concord City Council, citycouncil@ci.concord.ca.us, Attention All Council Members.
3)   Attend upcoming MDUSD Board Meeting on March 24, 2009.  Please attend, be respectful and attentive.  Signs are welcome.  Wear Concord High gear, or the SOS t-shirt.  We need to continue showing our support for Athletics.
4)   Everyone get out to the polls on May 19, 2009.

Please help reinstate athletics in MDUSD and take action on the four items above!

Colleen Chase
CHSABC President

Update on March 10, 2009 MDUSD Board Meeting

Thanks to everyone who came to the MDUSD Board meeting last night!  A huge thanks to those who addressed the Board – everyone made great points and presented them perfectly.  I would like to thank Ricky Lloyd, a sophomore student-athlete from Concord High, for addressing the Board and representing our Concord High Athletes in such a positive manner.  Several other schools were there and Athletics were well represented by parents, coaches and Athletic Directors, especially Concord High.  Thank you for your support!

We did have some success for the future of Athletics.  The Board agreed on two very important action items:

1) There will be a committee formed with the District, Athletic directors, coaches and parents, to review Athletics and how they would operate in the future.  Thanks to the many parents from Concord and other schools who have signed up to be on this Committee.

2.) Although it is too late to include Athletics on the Parcel Tax Initiative, the Board did agree to provide a prioritized list of what cuts the Parcel Tax Initiative will fund.  They are meeting this Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the District Offices to begin this task of prioritizing funding.

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Help Return Athletics to MDUSD - Attend the MDUSD Special Board Mtg. Tonight -- MARCH 10, 2009

VOICE Your Concerns ONLINE   

If you cannot attend tonight's MDUSD Special Meeting, please voice your concerns and comments on the MDUSD Blog, http://mdusd.blogspot.com/.

Please attend tonight's MDUSD Special Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at
THE DISTRICT OFFICE. (Arrive Early)
1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord, CA 94519 (925) 682-8000

The MDUSD has cut funding to all high school athletics.  Many were reassured that the planned Parcel Tax being promoted by the MDUSD would bring back the most recent cuts, including athletics.  The worst case scenario, we thought, was to go to a "pay to play" system in MDUSD.  Sherry Whitmarsh, MDUSD School Board Member, attended our CHSABC meeting last night and we learned that not only have sports been cut, but due to legal issues, pay to play may not be an option.  The other obstacle is Title 9 requirements.  We requested that research begin immediately on these important issues.

The Parcel Tax Initiative does not mention athletics, but does mention art, music and librarians, the other major cuts on March 3, 2009.  Without the mention of athletics, we asked for a guarantee that athletics would be returned or if the Parcel Tax Initiative could be rewritten to include athletics.  Unfortunately, there is no guarantee.  It is being looked into if athletics can be added at this time.  As of the March 3, 2009 cuts, there are no sports in MDUSD beginning next fall. 

We would like you to attend tonight’s meeting to request the District to address the future of athletics in MDUSD and and that they work with all Athletic Boosters and parents to make this happen.  Action needs to be taken now to see what options are available to keep athletics in MDUSD. 

Hope to see you there at 7:30 p.m. at THE DISTRICT OFFICE.  It is preferred that only a few speak, but signs reading "support athletics" are encouraged.  It is hoped that we can restore athletics in MDUSD in some form by next fall.

Thank you,

Colleen Chase
CHSABC President