Rapid City school officials considering districtwide activities director

By Kayla Gahagan, Journal staff | Tuesday, January 06, 2009

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The Rapid City school district is considering hiring a district-wide activities director.

The school board will devote much of tonight’s study session to discussing the new position, which was proposed by the high school principals and athletic directors, according to school superintendent Peter Wharton.

The idea to add a district-wide activities director comes at a time when the district staff has been asked to find ways to cut the operating budget by 5 percent. However, Wharton said that by shifting some administrative staff, such a move could reduce spending.

“It appears, in concept, to allow us to save some dollars,” said Wharton, noting that it could eliminate some redundancies that exist with having two activities directors. Tyler Rachetto is currently activities director at Stevens High School, and Darren Paulson at Central.

Sioux Falls has taken a similar approach, Wharton added, but administrators would tailor the concept to Rapid City.

“It’s designed to be more efficient and more effective.”

School board member Wes Storm is hesitant about the proposal.

“I need to hear more about the cost savings,” he said.

His main concern is taking personnel out of a school building.

“I don’t know if we need, in Rapid City, another person doing district-wide (work), away from students,” he said. “If we take somebody away from a building, we take them away from students.”

Wharton is aware that there are some who would like to see the school district consider reductions to its extracurricular programs as it assesses potential budget cuts.

“What we’re trying to do is not hurt the programs we currently have,” he said. Looking at across-the-board cuts rather than “pitting one program against another,” has been a better approach this year, he said.

The public is invited to attend tonight’s meeting. Board president Sheryl Kirkeby said that although there isn’t a formal open forum time scheduled, she wouldn’t be opposed to public comment.