Holton school board explores multi-purpose room possibility

A pitch was made for a new multi-purpose room for the Holton school district Monday evening at the Holton school board meeting. 

With the growth and success of the girls wrestling sport at both the middle school and high school levels, there is a growing need for more practice facilities in the district, as noted by the parents and coaches of the girls wrestling teams in attendance at the meeting.

Mike Robinson, speaking for the girls wrestling group of about 12, noted that girls wrestling is growing fast in Kansas. It is growing so fast, in fact, that California is the only other state with a faster growth rate in the sport, it was reported. 

There were about 40 girls out for girls wrestling this season, 22 were out for the sport at the middle school and about 18 at the high school, it was noted. 

At the high school, the girls are filling up the wrestling practice room, it was noted. Their practice time is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., daily following the high school boys wrestling team practice.

At the middle school, all the girls practiced after school in close quarters on one mat in the school cafeteria, it was reported, increasing hygiene concerns.

Girls wrestling is a sport that takes place during the same time as boys basketball at the high school and middle school. The basketball teams utilize the gyms.

It was noted that in the past there has been discussions about building a new visiting-team type locker-room facility in the west end of the football field. Such a new multi-purpose facility there could also benefit wrestling, football, band, cheer and more groups, it was noted at the meeting.

Board members thanked those in attendance for their comments and noted that more interest in extracurricular school activities is always a good thing.

Board members also noted that the need for more room for girls wrestling practices needs to be added to the district’s new strategic plan that is being developed.

The board also visited with director of human resources and payroll Karen Beightel, board clerk Dee Folk and Holton Special Education director Amy Haussler about some continuing payroll issues with the new Skyward book-keeping computer system.

For more on this and other stories, please log in to your holtonrecorder.net account and select “Feb. 14, 2024” under “E-Editions.”