Chico Unified School District Board of Education Meeting 10/1/2025

001in that case. Um, welcome to the only slightly delayed October 1st, 2025 special board meeting of the Chico Unified School District Board of Education. We are happy to have so many people here. Thank you for coming out. Um, first of all, let's go ahead and stamp the flag salute, please. All right. Uh, our first item of business is the consent calendar. Before we get to the stuff that everyone's here for, um, does any member of the board, I should say, uh, we are expecting a member con. She's running a little late. She's out of the Chico High Track meet is my understanding. So, I hope that the person she's rooting for is doing well. Um, but she will be here for the main event. So, um, anyone have an item they'd wish to pull from

002the consent calendar for further discussion? >> All right, seeing none, I'm going to go right ahead and ask for a motion on the consent calendar. >> A motion to approve. >> I second. >> All right, we have a motion by member Olsson and a second by member Hayes. Uh, any discussion regarding the consent calendar? Uh, seeing none, this is our first vote of the evening. I will ask for a uh roll call vote starting with member Olsson. >> Olsson I >> Lando I >> Hesai. >> Robinson I >> that is 41 absent. Excellent. Thank you very much. We have a couple other items of business before we get to the workshop topic. So I believe we are on uh 3.1. Yes. Uh this is a public hearing regarding the uh Williams Act. This is something

003we do every year just to affirm that we have enough educational material for our students. Take it away, please. >> Yes, thank you. You are correct. This is at the time of year that we come to you to the board to certify that we do have the sufficient instructional materials for our students. Uh we have looked on our end at all of the schools and we do have that. So uh we are requesting the board approval to um sign the sufficiency that we are required to submit to the county. >> So on that note, we do have to hold a separate public hearing. Correct. So I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. Do we have any comment or questions regarding the Williams Act? All right, seeing none, I'm going to go ahead

004and close the public hearing. Do we have any other questions on this item from staff or for staff, sorry, from the board? Seeing none, uh the action we are that's being requested here is to approve uh resolution 1701-25. Uh do we have a motion on that resolution? >> I so move. >> I'll second that. Sure. All right. We have a motion by member H and a second by Lando. Uh all those is there any further discussion? Sorry. Any public comment regarding the Williams Act? It's fascinating. Guys, feel free >> posted in every classroom. >> It is all right. I see no discussion and I'll try and keep move us along. I'm sorry, guys. I'm kind of having a day. Um, all those in favor of passing a resolution signify by saying I. >> I. Any

005oppose say nay. Uh, it is unanimous 401. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh the main topic of today is going to be our board workshop on athletic programming and sports offering. Uh we are going to discuss a lot about our athletic program though I know many of you are here to support one particular option and I appreciate that. Um that said we were hoping to hear from uh our public first and then have a report from staff about the state of our athletic programs and what next year might look like. Um, that said, I would like to go uh right ahead to public comment if that's okay with the rest of you. >> Okay. Awesome. >> Change that. >> That's true. Um, thank you. Member Hayes pointed out that

006on the agenda we do have uh the presentation first. Um, I would like to move that we um suspend the rules just so we can have public comment first. I know everybody's here just to to say the piece and I appreciate that. Want to get get you guys up to the microphone as quickly as possible. I move that we do that. >> All right, second that. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay, so as I was saying, um we have a number of uh speakers, which is always awesome. Um if you haven't spoken here before, um our rules are pretty simple. There's a timer back there. Um you have three minutes to say your piece. At 30 seconds, uh you will get a audio signal letting you know

007that your time is close. That doesn't mean you're done. It means you got 30 seconds to wrap up. um we may interact and ask you questions. Um this isn't one of our normal uh this isn't often during these meetings we're not allowed to ask questions because stuff isn't on the agenda. Here we are. So um if you're comfortable we may ask you some questions uh if that's okay. Um if you're nervous don't be. It's just us. Uh we are excited to hear what you have to say. Okay with that hear from some students. The first on our list is Noah Shook. [Applause] Um, I'm here today to talk about um, lacrosse, as you probably know. Um, I started playing lacrosse in third grade, and I was excited cuz I always saw the high schoolers playing.

008And I'm like, "Wow, I want to do that when I'm older." Um, and maybe go pro cuz it's becoming a big thing and it's really fun to play. And then I realized, oh, wait, we don't have any teams to play against. And that's why I want lacrosse in our high schools. Um, like we have no teams because all of our other teams have gone into their high schools as well. And there are many great opportunities to uh high schoolers and kids who want to go uh play high school when they're older. There are many scholarships opportunities. And I feel like we should not limit them. I feel like that every kid should have the opportunity to do what they want when they're older. And I just want to say please, please, please, highly consider it.

009And please try and put it in the high schools in Chico. >> Thank you. >> Now, what grade are you in now? >> I'm in seventh grade. >> Seventh grade. And what school are you at? >> Uh, Nord Country School. >> Oh, nice. Awesome. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. You know, uh, our next listed speaker is Everett Gart. Not here right now. Okay. If, uh, that person shows up later, we will be happy to make time for them. How about Oliver Brown? [Applause] >> Hello. >> Should I move it up? Thank you. >> All right. Uh, my name is Oliver Brown. I'm a junior at Chico High School and have maintained a 4.29 GPA. Since seventh grade, I played lacrosse locally and nationally with the Chico Rebels and Sacramento

010Aces. I alongside my friends, teammates, and Chico Unified staff and community members had spent the last two and a half years working to bring CIF lacrosse to Chico High and PV. When this started, all I really cared about was being able to represent my school while doing the thing that I love. This hope of mine has not gone away. However, through this process, I have realized that my ultimate goal of playing college lacrosse is still achievable. This spring, I will begin my first round of visits to schools from here in California all the way to Massachusetts. While I've learned that achieving my goals are not dependent on my high school, I've also realized something else. If we do not add lacrosse as a CIF sport, our club program will most likely fail due to no

011option to continue playing in high school. This would leave countless kids in my community without access to the sport. kids who will never experience the growth that it has given me and who will have amazing opportunities unavailable to them. I discovered lacrosse after trying several other sports that just didn't feel like the right fit. I was athletic and eager to be part of a team, but nothing really clicked. That quickly changed the day I picked up a lacrosse stick. Lacrosse is a fast-paced, exciting sport that many kids my age are interested in trying, especially if it becomes available at our high school. is a perfect sport for those who love being active, want to be part of a team, or simply want to try something new. Because lacrosse is a no-cut sport, everyone will have

012the chance to play. Experience level will not be a barrier, unlike most all of our current high school sports. There will be no concerns about getting cut, riding the bench, or being too late to start. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Landon Cargill. >> My name is Landon Cargo. I've been playing lacrosse since last year. My friend actually introduced it to me for the clinics of Chica Rebels. I have glad I've played it for a year. I really like it and all the other sports for me I've I liked but I didn't like it as much as lacrosse. Lacrosse isn't you can get injured in lacrosse very badly but that's what makes it fun. So you can learn and get better at the get better at the game so you don't get

013hurt as bad and some I've seen natural talent natural talent at my school of lacrosse. I have run a club on Fridays during lunch. I've seen people throw the stick throw the ball and I've seen people catch the ball. It is really fun and I think we should get lacrosse at the high schools cuz then it opens opportunity so people at the high schools could play and even new players that could probably get better or go pro for um and I think it would be really good opportunity so people could play. Thank you. Landon. Land. Landon. >> Landon. >> Oh, go ahead. >> I was going to ask probably what you're gonna ask. Can you tell us uh what grade you're in and where you go to school? >> Um 8th grade and I go

014to Chico Jr. >> Thank you very much. [Applause] >> All right. Next on my list is Hogan Brown. All right. My name is Hogan Brown and I'm the director of Friends of Chico Lacrosse. Thank you again for having us. On August 28th, 2025, we submitted three documents. An analysis of spring sports survey and need for lacrosse, budget and funding, which covers expansion and long-term sustainability of lacrosse, and a plan for junior high vertical integration at all Chico junior high schools. I will be speaking to the financial component of the budget and funding for adding lacrosse programs at each high school. It is important to know that an expansion of a sport from a long-standing club program. This is one with nearly 25 years of corporate, individual, and grantup supported financial backing in our community. This

015is going to expand into two high school programs. This is not a start from scratch effort. Our analysis shows that to convert one Chico Rebels high school team into two CIF lacrosse programs, it is $8,450 per team in year 1. Ongoing annual costs are estimated at $8,950 per team, which includes 1,000 in reserves. These expenses cover equipment, uniforms, coaches stipens, referees, and transportation modeled after girls field hockey. While there are always unexpected costs and items that not may or we may not have accounted for, our numbers are based on estimates and data from primary sources, USA lacrosse, the National Federation of High School Sports, and CIF. Considering that lacrosse programs can grow to the size of football teams for both boys and girls, our estimates are very affordable. For comparison, CIF bad mitten rosters are

016co-ed and unlimited, but only nine boys and nine girls compete per team. Even with JV and varsity, only 36 boys and girls would compete in a given match or game. To ensure the stability of these for these sports, we plan to raise the money using the nonprofit rule of thirds, where funding distributed over three channels equally, individual fundraising, corporate donations, and grants. A full outline of these income sources can be found in the documents we submitted. These funds would be channeled through an independent 501c3, Friends of Chico Lacrosse, or through boosters clubs with donations and lump sums made to ASB accounts or through established policy. Both models or a hybrid of correspond with COSD policy and FCMAT practices. We also understand that there will be no outside oversight and input on how funds are spent.

017We also understand district hiring policy of coaches and that we would have no input on hiring coaches. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, >> Hogan. Mr. Brown, I just wanted to thank you for uh sending in all the information. >> Absolutely. >> I appreciate >> I'm I'm the one talking, but it's a team effort we put in over the last two and a half years. So, >> I I just appreciate getting all the information. It's >> I appreciate you taking the time to look at it. So, >> agreed. It was very thorough and it helps. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. On that note, uh Brian Kho. >> Uh my name is Brian Kio. I've been a coach and a teacher in this community for u about last 25 years. and

018uh started the Rebels program uh for my son when he was in seventh grade. Um and uh I just really appreciate you guys putting this on the agenda um and taking the time to listen to these kids. Uh I did a little research um in terms of um creating a CIF program here in Chico. Uh we really are behind the curve. Uh we did uh there's about 200 CIF teams in the state. Um, and I think about 70 of them are uh San Francisco and North. I found on my list uh 13 programs that we used to schedule because they were clubs and we were clubs, but they've all gone CIF. Um, it's really a dwindling uh amount of club teams. These kids aren't going to have anybody to play. Uh, so it's actually a

019do or die situation in terms of integrating this into the high schools as a CIF sanctioned sport. If if you don't do that, the sport's going to fade away in our community. The junior high kids won't have anything to aspire to. There won't be any teams for the high schools to play. There's a handful. Uh, I was just told they played the same team six times last year because that's the only team that they had to play. And they also traveled to Ashland, Oregon to play a team, which uh seems like a burden. Uh if we go CIF, there's a a b excuse me, a lot of you caught myself. There's a lot of teams to play and um um that was close. Uh so anyway, I just think it's really imperative at this point

020in this juncture, which a do or die situation. I also want to uh echo your sentiment. I looked over the uh budget and funding proposal. These guys aren't screwing around. They've done their homework. They've done their due diligence. And I hope you all have a chance to look at it if you haven't already. It's really an amazing document. And as time runs out here, um also, uh bringing up the junior high school kids and having them give an opportunity to play. Uh they've got a whole a whole integration program going. I mean, they've really laid the groundwork and and I I I got to hand it to Hogan and and the crowd that he runs with because they've really taken the mantle and run with it. Um I I I'm just going to echo the

021same sentiment that a lot of the other kids have said, so I'm not going to belabor that, but um we're really at a critical moment. If if we don't go CIF, then it's going to die. I I I really feel that way. If if you do, what do you have to lose? If if nobody shows up, what do we have to lose? So, let's just take a chance, give these kids the opportunity to play at the high school level, represent their schools, and and and and keep this thing alive. Uh, it's really up to you guys to make that happen, and I I hope you will, and I appreciate you taking the time to listen to everybody. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Gho. [Applause] >> Tara Town Robbins. [Applause] It's Tara, but that's okay.

022>> No, I appreciate you correcting me. I I try to get names right and I apologize. Tara, hi. Nice to see you. >> Thanks. Good evening. My name is Tara Town Robbins and I've had the pleasure of working as a teacher for 24 years, eight of those being at Chico Jr. Those that know me know I'm a passionate person that advocates for equity and inclusion of all students. Tonight, I want to focus on my passion for lacrosse. For the last five years, my son has played for Chico Rebels Lacrosse, and my husband and I have been the Chico Rebels lacrosse board members. Hogan Brown and I have met with the school district for over two years to try to bring lacrosse as a CIF sport to our high schools. Every year we've continued to reach

023goals of building the sport and continuing to improve our community club. We hope to continue to support lacrosse growth in any way we can. To say that our whole family fell in love with lacrosse is an understatement. We've watched I've watched my son and all his teammates grow in amazing ways playing lacrosse. Lacrosse is a unique sport with a great Native American culture influence. It teaches the importance of teamwork, communication, leadership, confidence, and good sportsmanship. I've witnessed the Chico Rebels players build these skills and use them both during the games as well as being well-rounded good leaders with their peers in their high schools. Chico Rebels has been in our community over 27 years and has opened paths for over 20 athletes to continue to play at a college level or higher. My wish is

024that we can have lacrosse at the high schools as a CIF sport as a great opportunity for all students. Currently, 23 high schools in the SAW Keen section have lacrosse programs. As of this year and last year, Chico High and PV have played 16 of those schools across multiple varsity sports. However, Chico has a unique lacrosse community. We have college lacrosse clubs, adult clubs, Chico Rebels, and our youth clubs that have built several mentor mentorships and helping each player grow and build wonderful skills. Lacrosse is a sport that is inclusive to everyone, no matter the skill level or body type. I hope that we can bring the sport to lacrosse to even more students that would greatly benefit from learning these skills that could lead to a future full of opportunities. I like to believe

025that all of us have a passion for making more opportunities for all of our youth. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Tara. Tara, um I was curious, what do you teach at Chico Jr.? >> Um I'm a I'm one of the ed specialist. >> Oh, nice. I I can feel your pain about name pronunciation. I I feel your pain. >> It happens. >> I only corrected it because people get upset if I don't correct it. >> Thank you. >> Brooke Wells. Hi there. Good evening. My name is Brooke Walls and I'm gonna stand on my tiptoes. Hold on. Maybe I Yeah, I'm gonna do that. >> I can make it happen. >> I really went crazy on that one. >> All right. Thank you so much. Um, so I'm Brooke Wells and I am the

026parent of twin boys who are student athletes and juniors at Pleasant Valley High School and I proudly served as the board president of Chico Rebels Lacrosse for the past four years. Um, I'm honored to be part of an organization that not only builds athletes but also fosters character, community, and opportunity. Um, Chico Rebels Lacrosse has always stood for more than just winning games. We stand for access, inclusion, and growth both on and off the field. And lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. But like most sports, it can be expensive. Um equipment, travel, and registration fees add up quickly in any sport nowadays. Um at Chica Rebels, we believe that no child should ever be turned away from the chance to play simply because of financial barriers. And so we're committed

027to making the sport accessible to youth from all income levels through scholarships, gear loans, and volunteer support. So in the many years um that Brian was running Rebels well before I joined the board, the Rebels have been offering scholarships to players whose families couldn't afford the registration fees. And I'm proud to say that we've continued that commitment every single year. In some cases, we've fully waved registration fees. We've also provided full sets of gear to multiple athletes each season at no cost to ensure that they're able to play. Beyond financial assistance, we've provided tangible support such as providing transportation to players when needed. Whether those parents didn't have vehicles, and we have had some of those kids, or maybe those parents had to work that day. We do whatever it takes to keep kids on

028the field, engaged, and part of a positive community. As a board, we've made a clear and intentional focus on financial sustainability. We actively pursue grants, partnerships, and donations, and we're excited to announce we're working on a major fundraising event in the spring to help secure the long-term financial health of the club. At the end of the day, we believe in investing in our youth, and we've consistently shown that we're serious about getting kids onto the field regardless of their financial situation. With the addition of CIF high school programs, this effort will only grow and flourish. We have operated on the rule of thirds for nearly 25 years and see only growth with the opportunities that CIF lacrosse can provide our student athletes. We hope to collaborate with you all on continuing to grow a program

029that reflects the very best of what of what athletics can be, inclusive, empowering, and communitydriven. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] Uh we do have one more speaker listed, Nick Sarzo. Though if you wanted to give us 30 seconds for our last board member to come up here and get seated so she can hear also might appreciate that. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. My name is Nick Farzo. I am a coach for the Rebels as well as a Chico and for a teacher for Chico Unified. A big question for lacrosse is who would we play for Chico High School and Pavey? The answer is simple. The same teams we already compete against. Both high schools are in the northern section of CIF, but Pavey and Chico play about 50% of all varsity sports

030schedules in the Sanwaqin section to the south. As of this week, Pave and Chico high varsity football teams have played a combined 10 games, all against SAWE CIF or Northern Nonsection School of Chico. In varsity girls volleyball, the two schools that played a combined 41 games, 28 of which were against Sacwa section schools. With the recent success of Pave and Chico high school athletic programs, both schools have looked south to the larger and traditionally more competitive sackwalking section to prepare for cha state championship level competition in all sports. While section titles remain a goal, state championships have quickly become both a reality and a focus for our athletic programs. Both PV High School and Chico have been invited to participate in the Capitol Valley Conference for Lacrosse in the sackwalking section by assistant commissioner Jeff

031Lawren. This league includes six schools, four of which Pave and Chico already compete against in nearly all varsity boys and girls sports. The average average travel distance to league opponents in the sackw walking section is 75 71 miles from Chico. While the average travel distance to the northern section league opponent is 66 miles, making travel nearly the same. Currently, 23 high schools in the Sackwalkin section have lacrosse programs. As of this year and last year, Chico High School and Peaveia have played 16 of those schools across multiple varsity sports. Adding lacrosse teams to each high school expands on the competition with opponents that both high schools are already playing in nearly every varsity sport. If we want to offer more opportunities to our student athletes, lacrosse is the best choice. Other new sport options on

032the CUSD survey, such as bad mitten, don't offer the same level of competitions for our athletes. In bad mitten, rosters are capped at 14 with only nine players competing per match. Unlike lacrosse, we have no nearby CIF competition for badmen. Lacrosse can not only expand athletic opportunities for our students, it can relieve pressure for our overenrolled spring sports. Lacrosse has stood strong in this community for 27 years. Is the third most played male sport outside of school-based sport and the only only sport CIF sanctioned and not offered by Chico Unified. Please give our athletes a chance to compete for their school and broaden their athletic and academic opportunities. Thank you. >> And I think I remember you're at Marsh. Is that right? >> Yes, I'm an English teacher at Marshian. >> Ah. Oh, bless you.

033That's a lot of grading. >> Wait, so you teach like um persuasive writing? That's not fair, man. >> I do teach persuasive writing. Yes. >> Um if I could make one more uh comment, >> please. Uh when I was in high school, I was the first member of my high school team and I went to high school in the Bay Area. At that time, private schools were adopting lacrosse uh very heavily. Uh at that time, almost no public high schools had lacrosse. I wish I had the data for you, but now almost every single private and public school in the Bay Area has lacrosse. And our school adopting that and me playing that sport is what brought me to Chico, playing for Chico State. And that's what kept me here. So lacrosse is an incredible

034sport. The opportunity creates ripples that can bring incredible people in and create incredible opportunities for athletes. Thank you so much for listening and providing this opportunity. >> Thank you. >> So earlier we had a speaking spot for Ever Gart. Has he arrived? No. Okay. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Not a big deal. Of course. Um that is all the speakers we have listed. Is there anyone else um who would like to speak on this matter? We have about two more speaker slots that are available. >> Hi. >> Hello. My name is Adrienheim. I have a son who is a junior at Chico High. Um he's no longer playing lacrosse right now, but he started playing about four years ago um with the Rebels group. Um we were looking for he wanted to get

035into some kind of, you know, contact sport. um football wasn't quite, you know, the sport for him and so we got into lacrosse and I mean it was just absolutely incredible for him. Um great experience. Um he got so excited about it then when we would travel around like to see some of his friends down in the Bay Area, you know, he'd always have his stick, bring another stick, show them these other kids. And I mean just people gravitate to this sport. It's very exciting to watch. Um, and so anyway, I encourage you to look at it that way. Wanted to tell one other really great story. We had a a young boy, uh, African-American boy who was actually homeless. Um, and we introduced him, we became friends with him and we wanted to get

036him into an activity. Again, he was a little bit small and so football was a little bit, you know, tough for him. Um, and so, uh, we brought him to lacrosse and he absolutely fell in love with it. Um, and about, I would say three months after, uh, he started playing, he shot me a text and he said, "Hey, Adrian, do you want to see who my idol is?" And I'm thinking, you know, is he going to show me, you know, Michael Jordan or, you know, someone like that? And he sends me a picture of another African-American professional lacrosse player. Um, and so anyway, sorry it gets me a little emotional, but um, he's in junior high right now and I know he is dying and hoping that he will be able to play lacrosse

037in high school. And so I just think that this sport is really going to, you know, reach a lot of kids. Um, kids that, you know, maybe haven't tried something because once you play it, you definitely, you know, get hooked. So, um, Chico Sport, Chico High Sports, PV Sports are so incredible and dynamic. We have, you know, such a great sports community here and I just know that it will definitely thrive in the high schools. So, thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you. [Applause] Excuse me. Is there anyone else who would like to speak? if you do, um, we can figure that out. But for now, I'd like to hand it over to staff for a presentation about our overall athletics programs and where we're at. Pedro, how's it going? >> Good. >> She

038was my teacher at Chico Jr., so I used to call her Tara and she goes, "No, it's Tara." So, I was corrected quite often. So, fix this. All right, that's about good right there. You have a clicker. I'm gonna scoot this back. All right. Well, good afternoon, school board. I'd like to thank you all for choosing Chico Unified School District's athletic programming and sports offering as a workshop. I do appreciate you all for welcoming this challenge because I do know that this is a challenge tonight. Special thanks to uh board members Rebecca Conin and Gail Olsen for their guidance to Hogan Brown and Tara Town Robbins for providing us the uh lacrosse information. And I also like to thank uh Chico High uh Jason uh athletic director uh Jason Alistister and PB High School athletic

039director Pam Jackson. Uh they're both present along with our administrators that oversee that. uh Brandon Kesler and Joe Gall. So they're also present here today. All right, there we go. Let's talk about the effects of athletics on the foundation of students. Athletes tend to maintain a high grade point average and have strong attendance as they uh need to have to be able to participate in sports, right? Student athletes also develop a strong time management skills as they have to to balance doing their homework and or making up missed days uh due to games. Of course, student athletes also learn resilience um teamwork, leadership skills that extend beyond the field of play. Uh losing and winning is always something that benefits everyone. Student athletes also develop communication skills, work ethic, because if they want to be

040better at the They have to be disciplined and of course goal setting focus that are valued by colleges and employers participation requirements. In order for students to participate in this uh California intercolastic federation athletics, the students must maintain a 2.0 gradepoint average. Students can have a 1.5 GPA grade point average and use academic probation, but they can only use it one time uh during the students high school career. There is also a credits obtained minimum that students must have. For example, as you see up there uh or down here, uh ninth grade students should have earned 30 credits to participate in team sports in the spring. So, in order to participate in the spring, they should have 30 credits. For 10th graders, they already should to be able to participate in the fall. They better

041have 60 credits. Students also have to have annual physicals, have proof of health insurance, and parents and students must attend an athlete committed session. And that athlete committed session is designed to educate students and parents on the benefits of sleep, proper nutrition, and address the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on training and athletic performance. Students are expected always to attend practices and games. And they all have to sign the code of conduct. And here we have all our current sports offerings. Fall winter and spring sports. This is an overview of uh of a program by the numbers and this is Chico High and PV together, right? Everything that we do here today is together. uh 223 total coaching staff, 85 of them are head coaches, 138 assistant coaches, 14 different sports, 980 female athletes,

042and then 1,196 male athletes. In total, we have 2,176 athletes. I want to make sure that you both all everybody here understands that the percentages are important and they will be brought up under a title nine slide. So here we have 45% of our uh athletes are females. It's a very important number to remember. And 55 of those 55% of those are males. Okay, let me go athletic sustainability. Here's our current AR 6145.2 our district funds, coaching salaries. This is what the district pays. We pay for coaches as per the collective bargaining agreement which is a CBA. We pay for the athletic directors, Chico High and PB. Uh the athletic director office assistant, there's one at Chico High. There's also one at PV. Uh facility maintenance, we pay for transportation, officials for league and playoffs.

043That is it. League and playoffs. And then uh they both schools receive an annual budget of 35,000. Okay. The sites fund officials for non-le non-league contests. So if the uh athletic teams want to play outside of league games, preeason, I don't know, in between, so on and so forth, then they h the school has to come up with the funding. They also have to provide transportation or pay for the transportation for non-league contests. Uh they are uh responsible for the equipment purchases, repairs, replacements, uniform repair and replacements. And I will share that uh 35,000 of of that the vast majority does go to reconditioning of football um equipment which is really helmets and pads. Now I get to review yesterday, sorry, last year's presentation with regards to the California Intercolastic Federation survey results. And I

044do want to remind everyone here that that only included students that were in grade 9th, 10th, and 11th. Okay, this slide represents who do not play sports. The students who do currently did not play sports last year, right? That might have changed, but we're talking past last year. And if you were to split this page in half or the screen in half, on the left you have our females and then on the right you have our males. Um on the left our females you will see and once again the students who do not play sports were interested and said that they would play the sports should they be offered. The first one was bad mitten. Second one is beach volleyball. Then flag football for the boys. Bad mitten, lacrosse, and then water polo. Uh, I

045hope so. Actually, you're telling me that you've been uh >> clicking for me? Well, you're good. All right, that's all right. Next slide then. All right, with the next slide, same thing. On the left, we have our females on the right, the males, and of course, I I did forget to say this on the previous slide, but the red represents Chico High, the blue represents PV. uh for the students who already play sports and this is kind of a tell all. I'm you know you can read into data so many ways but I can't tell you if they already play sports chances are they can play another sport that's pretty high. So with that uh for our females beach volleyball was up there. Flag football was next. Bad mitten was third. Water polo is way

046down there. For our males we had lacrosse that was the number one followed by bad mitten and water polo. Pedro. >> Yes. >> Can you go back to the Oh, absolutely. >> Yeah. Um, so one of my questions um to Mr. Hogan was that um you know for girls you know and I I'm well aware of the title n requirements um that you know there lacrosse didn't place as a as an any you know any of these for girls for either current athletes or those who are not current athletes and um it was >> I I do want to sorry I want to answer that that because it wasn't offered as adoption on this survey. >> Okay, that's what I wanted to clarify. >> Yes, >> I there are female athletes who are interested in

047lacrosse. I want to make that absolutely clear. >> Okay, thank you. >> What I do not know is how many, >> right? >> But I can tell you that there's several that already play in the on the teams. >> Okay, thank you so much. >> Okay, next slide. All right. So, what I did here was I took the top sports. So, if this board is going to look at our sports offerings that you look at the survey and then you start to see, hey, what are the sports that could be added to the current sports athletes? So, um here we go. Um, if you are to consider some of the top choices of team sports that are represented in the survey, uh, here are the startup costs. Please note that these are estimates on the

048high end. I wanted to make sure absolutely when we do budgets, I go to the high end because at least I know I'm not going to go over that. uh this does not include if you look at the top row this does not include costs being offset by donations that might come through okay so I want to make that absolutely clear um so the top row if you look at it uh going startup cost badmitten 18,500 beach volleyball 54,000 I do want to say that's because of the pit uh flag football 20,000 lacrosse 40. Okay. And please notice that this is based on a 25 student team. If you go down after so after that after the initial year what does it cost to maintain the program? Uh after year one maintenance officials coaches salary

049or coach salary because it's really one bad mitten 8,000 beach volleyball 7500 flag football it can range between 7,000 and 9,500 and lacrosse between 8 to 9,500. Now uh the last row that you see here is uh it says sack walking uh uh season and the reason I am showing you this is because none of these four sports are currently offered in the northern section. There are teams in the northern section that played some of these sports but itself as a league in the northern section none of them exist right now. Okay. Okay. So, I want to make that absolutely clear. Thus, I put sackw walking uh season because we would need to ask ask the sackw walking section, hey, listen, uh do you mind placing us in a league? And they would probably say

050yes because, you know, they want us to compete and they would put us in there to wherever, depending on our school size, they would place us in a league with similar schools. Um there should be a correction if you look at lacrosse. Uh oh, no, it's actually correct. Oh, I that's great. It does say February 9th through April 23rd. All right. If someone did that for me, thank you. Um, so can I >> also Yes, please. >> Just looking at this number, um, did you have a chance also to review the, uh, stuff that was emailed to us from Mr. Brown? >> Absolutely. Yeah. So, I'm just um there seems to be a discrepancy between the um amount that uh Mr. Brown was estimating and the startup cost here. >> Uh actually, uh no, it

051might seem that way. It does, >> but yes, but I want to be able to explain that and I will uh but I will explain it later on. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Yes. Because you will see that uh well, shoot, I'll just share right now. M Mr. Hogan Brown and um his organization or their organization uh the Lacrosse Rebels have or are willing um to donate uh equipment up to 40 equipment um shoot um gear for 40 uh players for each one which would lower that cost dramatically. >> So that I just want to clear that up. So Yeah. Okay. There's also something else to consider and I want this for all of you because because I know this is a tough decision or or tonight. Flag football is here and um the reason

052I'm bringing up flag football right now is because currently the northern section is working on adding flag football as a league sport. uh they're looking for ways to involve more female athletes within it. There are currently two teams in the northern section, although they play in the sackw walkin section and they need two more female teams to be able to have a league here in the northern section. And so I also want to make sure that the board understands that all of these teams up here once again would have to travel to the sock walking section uh in order to participate in athletics. >> All right. Um in that same realm, >> may I clarify something? >> Yes, please. So if they were um you you said that we would be invited by the Sacramento

053Sanwaqen section um and that I'm sure that we would because we're so wonderful we would be accepted right um but then would that become league play? So earlier in a slide you talked about what the district funds that they fund >> that would become league play. That would be our league. That is correct. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Great question. Um, notice the season and I want to make this also absolutely clear that the season that it runs right now, if you are to choose any of the sports that are being offered in the spring that you know and understand that we've already scheduled facilities in the spring. We schedule facilities in the fall during the spring. the spring before we schedule for the spring in the fall before. So,

054um, a lot of the facilities and teams so on and so forth have already booked. And so I just want to throw that out there that if you are to choose any of these to add that there's going to be some complications with scheduling field use if turf andor gym space is something that's going to be asked of. Okay. At the July 30th uh 2025, there was a board meeting and the motion was made to have a future discussion action item that included a discussion regarding lacrosse. So there was actually could you click on the lacrosse development plan? I'm just going to quickly just review this. Um the first I I I want to be able to to I know that Mr. Brown. Uh he did cover this. Um but I want to cover this

055again. Yes. Um the here's what it is. Uh uh ju just to be very transparent, it's a very detailed development plan starting from age nine, which they're called U10s, uh through high school. This plan um also includes adding a girls team. So, I just want to throw that out there that they did address that. They stated goals are adding high school teams at Chico High School, PV, and Hamilton City. Um, and for you to understand that, that would mean adding more teams in the northern section. They would only need one more to create a league in the northern section. So, just for you to know, uh, while simultaneously increasing fifth and eighth grade participation through their Chico Rebels teams, the plan also addresses middle school teams that would compete during the spring and eventually garnishing

056support to add those two additional teams to be able to play in the northern section. Uh, the second document shared is their budget and if you don't mind clicking on that, awesome. The proposal is in support of transitioning the current Chico Rebels High lacrosse team into the two CIF teams, the one at Chico High and the one at PV. The Chico Rebels High School program is willing to donate, and here's where it's going to offset, uh, 40 full sets of lacrosse gear to each team. There's also a detailed plan for donating penny uniforms and goals. Um, not like I have goals, but goals like where you put the ball in. Yes. Um, and ongoing uh and they've also have a plan for on ongoing support through fundraising. So, they did address this in their plan.

057All right. If we can click out. Of course, when adding teams, we must consider the title nine implications. And so, um, and this is equal opportunities regardless of sex. And if I read this verbatim, it is because this is extremely important that everyone understand the legalities of this. So there is uh in determining whether equal athletic opportunities are are available, the title 9 regulations require the office of compliance review to consider whether a school is effectively accommodating the athletic interests and abilities of their male and female students. The OCR assesses compliance in any of the following ways. these options which are three. These options are commonly referred as a three-part test. A school may use one of these three ways to demonstrate that it is fulfilling its legal duty to meet the athletic interests and

058abilities of students. So the first one substantial proportionality uh athletic participation opportunities for male and female students should be provided in numbers substantially proportionate to the respective enrollments. If we go back to this number right here, let me go back here. Oh, this is our athletes, right? 45% of them are females. Our current population of females, just want to throw this out there, is 47. So, we're pretty close. You got to remember that whatever sport you add, it can tip the balances. The unfortunate thing, it's very hard to gauge how. Okay? So, I want to make that very clear. We don't know how it's going to tip the balance or the scales. uh currently for there our athletes are 55% males and our current population of males is 53%. Okay, so know that there's a

0592% difference there. Let me go back. And of course, history and continuing practice of expansion. If one's sex is under reppresentative, the school may comply by showing a history of and continuing practice of expanding athletic opportunities for that sex in response to developing interest and abilities. So, we got to be able to show that we're working towards making sure that they represent our current uh uh percentages of enrollment. Full and effective accommodation. If one sex is under representative, the school may also comply by showing that the athletic program fully and effectively accommodates the interests and abilities of that sex. So, just want to make sure you guys have that knowledge. So, can can you um is that like um when my when my kids were at Chico High? Um at that time, there was no

060girls wrestling team, but girls were allowed to then wrestle on the just the Chico High wrestling team. Is that what that's is that what that's addressing that that number? >> Part of it. >> Okay. And the reason I say part of it is because Title 9 does require that you match your enrollment rates. That is the biggest biggest thing. >> We're pretty darn close. >> Yeah. My understanding is there's no exact number. It's not like title N says somewhere or there's no case law saying if you're 3% away then you're in trouble, but if you're 2% you're not. >> Exactly. >> It's kind of up to if we get sued then who? >> Yeah. I don't like getting sued. >> Just saying. Yeah. My other understanding is that we only have to meet one of

061these three tests, not all three. >> That is correct. >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> And it's great information to have as you make a decision on adding a sport because we don't know where it would tip the scales or if it would tip the scales. Hard to say until you do it. Middle school athletics. Um, and I'm going to call it building a pipeline. Currently, Chico Unified School District funds two sports in the middle schools. The first one is cross country. Uh, and it does have boys and girls, sixth through 8th grade, and between the three school sites, we have 180 students participating in cross country. It is awesome. If you ever get to go to one of the cross cross country matches, matter of fact, I should invite you uh because then you'd

062probably go. Uh, it is incredible. these kids. I mean, they they run up to 1.8 miles and it's incredible that what they do. So, second one, uh we also do soccer. We have boys and girls um and every um junior high has two teams um for boys and girls. So, total four and some have extra, just so you know. But we have over 300 students playing soccer and we do fully well we fund those. We pay for the coach's uh uh stipens program growth areas. Um these are areas that you we should all be considering is in the future how to add right or or consider this. But basketball these this is a club sport um at the junior highs. Uh so uh the only thing we do uh Chica Unified School District is we

063provide facilities. So just want to make that a note. Um at one point in time um way back when uh the junior highs did have baseball, softball, volleyball, cheer wrestling. Uh those are non-existent at at this moment. And so uh bringing those back is also a consideration. um coaching staff for some of these sports. Um I can tell you with regards to field improvements, uh all three junior highs would benefit from improved athletic fields. Um, and then, um, I can also tell you with regards to our current basketball, um, teams, not ours, our club basketball teams, um, they would, uh, love any type of athletic director to be able to help them with scheduling. And of course, supervision at some of these, uh, games uh, would be very, very nice. Uh, and this this would

064be for soccer. Uh, uh, for some reason, um, they didn't ask or or in speaking with, uh, the administrators at the middle schools, they didn't ask for supervision for cross country. Uh, but they did for soccer. I'm like, huh, very interesting. Maybe because uh, cross country, everybody's running or the those that don't want to run are not going to be there. So, just want to throw that out there. We also have some future considerations. So the first one uh of course and and this is not in any particular order. They're just thrown up here as considerations, but the first one that's there is expand team offerings at the high school. Uh expand middle school sports offerings, of course. Um add pole vault to track and field teams at both uh high schools. uh add custodial

065support. Um our fields do take a lot of use or not I won't call it abuse because it's what kids and and that's what they do. They play on the fields. Um but it does require attention. Um and so uh custo support is always meaningful. Um and of course once again adding an athletic director to the middle schools. Um our athletic directors they are present here today. uh and they will attest to uh some of these um and they can answer any or some of the questions that you may have with regards to some of these uh uh concerns or or um future considerations. But with that, uh, team vans. And it's interesting, just so you know, with regards to facilities, uh, we only have two turf fields. And, uh, so the demand on the

066two turf fields is high. Um, just about every single entity that does play sport, they do ask if they can use our turf fields. And of course, there's only one at Chico High and there's only one at PV. And so, um, just throwing that out there, adding practice facilities would be beneficial. Um, and also, uh, add administrator support for supervision. This is in response to the junior high athletics. And then, um, adding support, uh, sorry, an athletic trainer. How to support an athletic trainer. What are our next steps? Well, for community members, let's continue doing what everybody here has been doing. Uh, consider sponsorship, attend games to support student athletes, share professional expertise. I don't have any, but uh, hey, I can cheer on students. For parents, join boosters. Um, both our boosters clubs at

067Chico High and PV are very very, you know, they they they do a great job supporting our athletic teams, but that's also for our junior highs. Maybe it's time that we start looking at booster clubs at the junior high levels. Um, volunteer for game management, uh, and reinforce academic and code of conduct expectations. I know the code of conduct and code night it can be taxing on a lot of our parents but I do believe that the message is strong and those that adhere to it see immediate benefits from it. For our administrators when funds are available consider athletic improvements continue to support athletic custodial um and site staff and also adhere to our AR6145.2 to for our board members provide guidance to Chico Unified School District leadership in regards to improving or growing our

068athletic programs and I leave you with that. So at this point I am here to answer questions. I have our athletic directors and our uh administrators in charge of our athletic directors and um here as well. I am curious what it would look like um like adding athletic directors at the middle school. Is this would this be like a one period release? Like what do you have any idea? First of all, I don't know what our ads Yeah. >> are I'm unfamiliar with what the ads do at Pleasant Valley and Chico High. Okay. >> Like I don't know. Are they >> do they have two release periods? like what does that look like? >> Well, you know, uh I have two of them here, so >> I would love to hear from them. Come on

069down. >> All right. >> I will say that we haven't given a lot of thought at this point about the junior high athletic directors, so we don't have answers to those questions tonight. >> I understand. I'm just >> since it's there and Pedro invited us to ask >> blame Pedro if if it's all on him >> is a worship >> and I I can answer 80 what we do so we get two periods paid two periods paid off and we get >> Jackson could you introduce yourself for people who may not know you >> Pam Jackson Pleasant Valley >> Jason Alvisister Chico High. >> What other questions did you have for me? >> So you were saying that you get two periods of release. >> Yes. And then we also get a stipen. >> Okay.

070>> Thank you. That's similar to Orville Union High School District. >> So >> And what what are your duties as an AD look like on a day-to-day basis? >> It varies dayto day. >> I suspect it would. Today, for instance, we worked on eligibility. So, you're clearing athletes, making sure they have GPA, they've got a physical, they've got insurance. If they don't have those things, we're calling home asking mom or dad to make sure that those things get taken care of. Today, I had to reschedu tennis matches that courts were too wet. Um, we're working on scheduling for our spring sports. Uh, we're answering parent phone calls. We've got people calling in trying to get cleared to be parent drivers. And with the new procedure, that takes quite a bit of our time. Um, we

071have kids that are coming in asking questions. They're trying to get cleared for, you know, whatever winter sport they're in, making sure that they're doing what their coach wants them to do to be able to be in the gym or out there on the field. Um, anything else? >> I think, uh, you know, we're responsible for putting on athletic events. Um, I spent a pretty good chunk of my day, um, we just got a brand new scoreboard in the Chico High gym, which, uh, Phil Morgan helped set up. So, learning how that works and then teaching that to coaches who are going to be using it. >> So, excuse me. I asked mostly because I'm wondering if we were to add more high school sports, I haven't heard, but some people asking us to add

072lacrosse. Um, would that necessitate a change in the amount of release time? Do you guys still do that in your in your two periods if we added put more on your plate? >> Right now, our plates are overflowing. >> That's what I was afraid of. Okay. >> You know, a typical day for me is I'm getting to school around 7:30 and I'm leaving anywhere from 5:30 to 6 o'clock at night to make sure that every kid is eligible, that every coach is taken care of, that events are scheduled, I'm communicating with our opponents. um adding anything more is is really putting us over the edge. >> You might require some more support if we were to do that. Okay, that's what I'm hearing. Thank you. >> Is that it? >> Who wants to do to

073dance or anything? >> I guess so. Thank you both very much for being here. Appreciate it. >> Any other questions for Pedro, the rest of staff? Mrs. Robinson when I >> uh am I on? >> Yep. >> Oh, there I am. Um and I hear the reports that we are scheduled through everything because of the sports we've already um approved. if we were to add more um use or attempt to add more use of our fields and things. Um is there a way to gauge the amount of increase of wear and tear on the um the grass, the stadium turf? Um, a and how often does lacrosse practice because >> So I couldn't tell you how often lacrosse would practice, but I can have Mr. Brown here probably or um, anybody else might be able

074to answer. Mr. Sparzo might be able to answer as well how often they would practice. My guess is much like any other high school team, five days a week. >> So, I did a facility analysis plan last spring. I spent about a week driving around both campuses in the spring and seeing where people practice and such. Um games, we would play probably two games a week in the CIF, I think, is what we would play. Um first season, you can play less games obviously as it's a starting program. for practice at Chico High. There's grass in between. Um, I can send you a map that I built out of it, but there's grass to practice. The thing with lacrosse is you probably, and I mean, I've seen Nick use the half court of a basketball

075court in size to practice. Um, at Pave, it's a little trickier. or the PV program I built out would be, you know, grass is pretty hard to find at PV in the spring from what I found, but the area that you would need is about a half a court. Would you? >> Yeah, I'd say um ideally when I was in high school, um two teams practice on one field. Uh ideally you have, excuse me, ideally you have two fields for each team so you could utilize full field, but that's not as practical. Um, but with lacrosse, you can easily use half a field to even a quarter of a field. And when I was in high school and had a team startup, I was not able to practice at my high school's facility for the

076very reasons you're addressing, right? And we had to practice offsite. And then the next year, we were able to use the facilities once the planning allowed for. So really, any field space can be made work. I can make a wall work. I can make a basketball court work. >> Well, you're up there, right? Oh, sorry. Well, I was going to say part of the facilities plan that I looked at with Chico uh or excuse me is PV is back before the baseball field at PV was turned into what it is now. It was very common place to practice and play at Dory Land down the street and that was a lot of just based on facility usages there. Uh there is a park down from PV that would offer an off-site place to practice if

077need be, but I mean I've seen Nick make a wall work. My question um and I apologize if you addressed this in one of your emails. Um was the goal to create a JV and a varsity team? >> I mean obviously the the the goal I mean our goal is to create a JV varsity boys and girls team that both have all four of those teams have 35 to 40 kids on them. Um that would be the overall goal, right? like um all the leagues or teams that we would play have varsity and JV teams. You know, optimistically, I don't know if you're going to find 80 kids year one, right? But like the model that I built out accounts for money set aside and growth with that being the overall goal of having 160

078kids playing lacrosse at both schools. And what you've seen in other schools, if you've seen that growth take anywhere from 2 to four years, and if you create a financial plan that sets money aside each year, that growth is accounted for. So that would be the goal. >> While I have you guys up here, um a question that I had that came up um because I was on the committee I met prior to this >> um workshop was um I'm trying to word it correctly. Basically, is there do you anticipate there would be an issue where um one school might be dominant over another like PV versus Chico? Yeah. No, that's a really good question. Potentially form tenning. And I'm not suggesting that this is an issue. I'm just trying to in my head picture

079what this would look like if there's a dominant versus a less dominant team. >> Yeah. No. So, so right now if if you if we take our you know, our Rebels are not in season right now, right? So, I can't tell you who's coming out this spring and who didn't, but if if you look at the average and if you look at say last year's team, about half of the team is at each high school. So, you legitimately have enough kids at each high school already that have played lacrosse to field two teams. And traditionally, I it es and flows. The beauty of lacrosse is you don't know who's out there, who's going to come out, man. Like, you know, that's the beauty of it. We have kids that come out as high schoolers that

080have never touched a lacrosse stick before and like maybe they were too short for baseball or excuse me basketball. They weren't quite big enough for football, but man, they can move and you put a lacrosse stick in their hand and that's their thing. So, it's really tough to ask because we don't know who's going to come out, but the the team right now, if you look at the Rebels high school team, it's about 5050. I would say about 50% of those kids are playing, I'm just doing the quick math in my head, year round. So, no, I I I'd look forward to watching the game. I think either team could win. >> Well, and I think if you look at the statistics of like the um kids who are interested in lacrosse who are already

081potentially or are playing another sport, you're probably going to be gathering from the already attending crew at each high school. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean I I can I can attest to a lot of our kids that come out to lacrosse. They're kids that, you know, they're the they're the 98th kid on the wrestling team, you know what I mean? They're the we have a kid in our our school who's or in our program who's I think Carlo's damn near seven feet tall, you know, and you know, you see that kid walking around the first freshman year, he gets scooped up for the basketball team, but he sat on the bench his entire freshman year, so he wasn't going to do that. So he tried lacrosse and now he's playing year round lacrosse. So you

082know it's it's lacrosse takes those kids that don't that don't connect to those other sports. You know if you sit and watch a high school football game anywhere in any high school there's 80 kids on the sidelines. There's a whole lot of those kids that aren't going to see the field that could contribute on a lacrosse team, you know. And uh that's the beauty of the sport, right? You don't have to start when you're six years old. Like I I I tell people all the time like if you play lacrosse, you've been the kid who's never picked up a lacrosse stick, right? My kid, you know, my kid will go play division 2, division three, NCAA lacrosse, but he remembers that first day he walked out there and didn't know which end of the stick

083to use. And everyone's been that kid on a lacrosse team. There's no kid that got a lacrosse stick handed to him from his dad at two years old. like everybody's been the new kid and that's the beauty of it and why it's so inclusive. >> So I heard you say that you did a facilities kind of analysis. >> I mean let's be real it's amateur hour facilities analysis but >> I understand but um so facilities is going to be a a a challenge. >> Absolutely. not not something that but a challenge. Um, so what do you do you guys have any thoughts on? >> Yeah, for sure. So I I can Oh, sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. That's okay. I was just going to say that back in the day >> um I played on

084a co-ed softball >> Yeah. >> um team for our foster family agency. we we formed a team >> um and we were allowed to like play like at Citrus >> Elementary um and that's you know so but we and we had to rotate kind of around to different different spots. Absolutely. >> So I don't know whether that anyway I would love to hear your thoughts about that. >> You're talk I I you're talking to a group of kids who travel thousands of miles and play the same team six times a year just to play the sport. if they got to go to a park to practice, they're not going to bat an eye, right? So, my thought process was, and I would never pretend to know the facilities of uh the athletic directors is better,

085is that, you know, like this is my best idea. Um, traditionally, what other high schools have done is practice after track or practice in areas that track is not practicing baseball or softball. You know, we rent 20th Street Park right now for our practices. That's I've overbudgeted the budget for that. Like that's a total option. Um, lac lacrosse will find a place to practice if we're like in the loop and let's work together collaboratively and figure this out. You know, games on the field are usually at night so everyone's gone or you have them around track meets and track practices. you know, the facilities are obviously tracks first at that time of year because it serves the largest amount of kids. Um, and schools within the SAWEN usually work around track, right? Like that's the

086name of the game. Um, I'm telling you, you're dealing with a group of people that have solved problems and are problem solvers to make this thing keep going where it's at. and you're looking at kids that all they've known is adversity and having to find a place to play. So, no, I don't see an issue as long as everybody on the same team and willing to work together and make it happen, you know. >> Um, Pedro, do you know if there are any, excuse me, uh, like rules or liability concerns about a team practicing off the school site? >> No, I don't. But I do know that um if we were to use any fields offsite, for example, like card um which runs 20th Street, uh we do incur charges on that. So, uh we

087do have an agreement with them. So, we would have to adhere to that agreement. >> Yeah, for sure. >> I do since >> So, I No, I was just going to say I'm just clarifying because I I wasn't sure um the subject of your sentence. Um, Hogan, um, when you said we've budgeted for that, do you mean in the budget that you submitted? >> Yeah. So, we we cover we already pay for fields through card for Chico Rebels. I mean, I would hope they'd give the school district a little better deal better deal, but uh it's it's not I mean, I think we pay under $1,000 for an entire season or something. I mean, I'd have to ask our financial guy, but it it's not an insurmountable amount. And like Pedro, whenever I budget for

088anything, I try to take into account, you know, it's not a a deal breaker of an expense. >> And so, you're saying you actually put that in the budget that you gave us? Okay. Thank you. >> I wanted to go back and quickly answer Mrs. Robinson's question. She wanted to know about the field and how long they would last. And this is specifically to turf. Uh turf fields are intended to be used between seven and 10 years. And so yes, uh, of course, the more that you use any type of turf fields and and it's not necessarily the use, but it's also the aggressiveness on the field itself. So if you are taking divots out of it, so on and so forth, um, then it can incur some some additional wear that might be a

089little bit more than than, you know, than just running on it. So between seven and 10 years. And do we know there might be a question for the 80s um what you know how long we're looking for we need to replace turf at our high schools currently. >> Well, >> it's three replaced two years ago here. >> The the Yes. Uh turf was replaced here at Pave two years ago. Is that correct? >> Right. >> And so Chico High is up for turf replacement. How many? Two more years. Whoa. Whoa. I saw one and two. Two. Okay. Two more years. Thank you. >> And when you say aggre how aggressively um I'm just curious. Would you say like football is one of the more aggressive or soccer or I'm just curious. >> Uh I almost

090don't want to say it because >> Okay. Don't That's okay. >> Field hockey. Uh one So because you're you're taking a stick to it. >> Yeah. So >> Okay. Thank you. I mean, but that's everybody has a right to play on the field. Everybody does. So, >> that's okay. I'll just jump in. >> Question. Um, would you have to make a modification on any of the fields that you would gain access to if this were to be approved in order to make it a lacrosse? >> Yeah. Uh, no, we Chico Rebels already plays on both fields. We pay the district to play on them. So, they're already actively hosting lacrosse games. >> I'm sorry, say that again. Okay. So, Chico Rebels, the our club team, we rent both fields >> from the district already to

091play on. So, you've been hosting lacrosse games for three years now. Three years now. Already? >> How often? >> Oh, well, I mean, it's been a decreasing number just based on the number of teams we have to play, but I would say Chico High probably. >> Yeah, go for it. So in uh when the turf fields were first adopted um there was a period in which almost half of all Rebels home games were played on PV's home field specifically as uh Hogan was alluding to that number has started decreasing um in years but many games have been played on PV's field specifically as well as Chico High. We've actually had huge play days hosting teams from uh from all over the place at Chico High's fields to to really great success. So many games have

092already been played on both of those fields. In terms of any alterations, um lines can be added. We do that at Card, but the current lines at both PB and Chico are suitable for lacrosse, right? One thing that can be added is a custom crease, right? That's the one thing that was not uh actually lined, but that can be added with just extra equipment as well as nets to add safety for any kind of perimeter fans. I I want to get back to being more specific about how often you would be utilizing these fields. >> Um I would say I'd have to look at each field maybe five to six games >> for each season that runs. >> Mhm. >> Correct. >> Okay. And we're all I hate to say it, we're already using it

093probably about five or six times a year. >> Mr. Caldera, I I'm back to concerns about the fact that we already have everything scheduled. >> Correct. What do we do with the teams, our teams, sanctioned teams that are already scheduled in order to accommodate a new sport? >> Um, I do have our athletic directors here. Um, and they might be better at answering this question. However, I'll give it my best shot. And that would be that they would need to modify the schedule to be able to andor adjust to make sure that all teams had an opportunity to use andor play on the fields. >> Modifying the schedule means interpret that for me please. >> Adjusting times, days, hours. Would would lessening the number of days they practiced be one of those adjustments? um I

094don't know about days but because everybody will practice right and I and and it's the sharing of field and that's important to understand is that we're talking about if it's just a turf field if >> other teams or whatever whatever might be considered today um if they want to use a facility you got to take that into account what's currently being used of course and then make adjustments some of the teams will say hey you know what uh I'm going go play outside on the basketball court. All right, great. Do it on the black top or a tennis court. Uh so there there's always adjustments that are going to be made. >> I I could kind of weigh in on it for just a minute. Um just because my daughter plays um volleyball currently at

095Chico High and I'm really surprised with all the creative um juggling they do with schedules. They certain teams will meet from like 4 to 6 and then 6:00 to 8 and then basketball might also get in there for an offseason like night. So I mean they do manage to figure out how to share the the spaces. I mean that's in talking about the gymnasium which I'm sure would be almost more challenging than sharing field space. So I I'm pretty amazed how they figure it out. It kind of creates a logistic nightmare for car pooling from my perspective, but they do make it work. >> Can I can speak to other high schools that have adopted it and how they've done it. Um, Oakmont, Nevada Union, Bear River, uh, in Lincoln. So, the turf field is

096we would use that for games maybe five to six times, right? That's the big shared facility. And if it comes down to it and the ads are like, man, we just don't have these windows, then, you know, maybe we play two home games, you know what I mean? And then we reschedu or adjust schedules. But most lacrosse games are in the evening, like a football game, long after any other sports teams or track teams would be playing. The big conflict, usually in the spring, on the turf fields, is the track, right? And most track meets don't conflict with the historic times that lacrosse games would be played because those are really the only I mean it's the only time that a lacrosse team's going to say, "Hey, can we use the field?" You know, so

097>> how late would a would a lacrosse game go in a circumstance like that? >> Um I mean, let's be real. Like you're talking to a group of people that if you told us we had to be out of there at a certain time, we'd be out of there, right? like um you know traditionally most lacrosse games will start at you know if you're a varsity team you know like a 6:00 5:00 7:00 you know um that's all up to the league that we would be in the capital and uh you know again the the people in lacrosse are so hungry for the sport to grow if we told the Nevada union be like hey we got to play at 5 and we got to be out of here at seven cool we'll be there

098we'll make that work right you're looking people that are about as easygoing about how this goes and with the hope of growing the sport. So, >> I mean, the perfect example is that we share one pool, swimming pool in our entire district. >> Yeah. Hats off to the swim coaches. >> Yeah. Well, actually, um I'm glad you you talked about how there's a kid that never picked up a a stick. I have no idea how long lacrosse like how long is a typical lacrosse game? 12 minutes. Walk us through that. Like >> I mean are there quarters? Are there >> half minute quarters? 12 minute quarters. Typically a game will last around around two hours. Not nearly as long as a football game, but around an hour and a half to two hours for an

099average lacrosse game. >> Okay. >> Do we have any more questions for staff or our guests? >> Well, I had questions, but then they got answered, so I'm good. >> That's convenient. Yeah. Excuse me again. Um, I want to give everybody up here just maybe another minute or two to be thinking about it because I don't want to say we're done and then suddenly realize we have more more more questions. Um, did we get an answer about is there any way to estimate what the price tag might look like for increased field wear? Like I hear we have to replace it sooner, but like is there any way to put a >> I want to be absolutely clear. We don't know whether or not we have to replace it. Yeah. Sooner. I mean it could

100be anything but of course the more that you use a turf field the sooner that you do. >> But it's my understanding that they're already using the field so there's no increase. >> Yeah. No, if we say we don't have a high school team, we're I mean not don't take this the wrong way, but we're going to book the high school through the district to play our games anyway. that here. I'm thinking about >> and and you have been >> uh Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> for a couple three years. >> Well, there was a little break in there, >> but I would say the last three or four years consecutively. Yeah, PV is a little harder to book because I think the um rugby teams play out there. So, we're a lot more at Chico

101High than PV. But yeah, >> thank you. So, I'm seeing three kind of competing um needs for our attention in time, which are adding extra sports at the high school level, um adding extra sports at junior high, and if we do either of those things, adding support for uh administration and oversight since I hear athletic our athletic directors are pretty much booked up at this point. Um, anything else you guys think about that we really ought to be considering >> in terms of any action we might take today? What do you think? >> Oh, I'm sorry. I have my mic already on. Um, I was wondering how many students do you know also participate in a CUSD sport currently and have added to the, you know, at their own valition lacrosse. They're dual sport students.

102half the team maybe. >> I would say about half of our high school program um our junior high a lot less um a lot less. >> I'll make one other comment to that. Um just with the nature of sports, a lot of kids try out sports as their freshman and sophomore. Um so a lot of players will be multisport athletes as they enter into high school and then they'll usually focus on one sport. Um, so a lot of our athletes enter in as multisport and then lacrosse tends to be the one that sticks with it. Sometimes they continue the other sports as well, but um, a lot of our athletes, especially once they become upper classman, tend to focus on lacrosse. >> So, I'm assuming that um, like my mind's eye picture, I'm I'm sorry

103that I don't know much about lacrosse. >> Don't worry, I didn't either until my kid played. So, >> but I'm assuming it's a lot of running. >> You laugh. My kid hated running until he played lacrosse. No. Uh, no. I mean, there's obviously a physical conditioning element to it. >> Oh, so it's not really true. It's not about >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Depends on what position you play. Um, >> okay. >> It is a lot of running for sure. It's um I'd say it's very comparable to field hockey. A lot of people compare it to ice hockey on on the field. I feel hockey, but it's a lot of running. If you play defense, less running. If you play goalie, almost no running. Um, but and generally that's and we've alluded to

104this, that's why it's such a beautiful sport. I mean, it works for so many people. Like you can be the biggest, strongest guy on the field and do great. You can be the smallest, quickest guy and be better than the strongest guy, right? You can be a big body type and be an incredible goalie. Like it it's an incredible sport for how many different physical body types, how many different mental states that it can work with and it just allows for so much creativity, so much teamwork. Um, and it really just provides a lot. So when I mentioned a lot of athletes enter playing multiple sports but then focus on lacrosse, that's not like because lacrosse makes them not like the other sports. It really does just have that gravitational pull and once they experience

105other sports, they say, "Yeah, I'm going to focus on this one." It just has that that inherent draw for a lot of different types of athletes. >> Thanks, Yeah, if you have anything comment this time, that'd be great. Sorry, I'm going to give myself a little bit of time to kind of think over all this. Um, so I apologize if silence makes you uncomfortable. No, I I would say too the the one thing about staffing and stuff like that is you have a community of people that would probably volunteer more than you were ready for them, you know. Uh, and if you look when you look at junior high sports, I don't know how much you looked at what I I sent in, but >> there's a real beautiful model in Oakland Unified School District

106of how a private club, Oakland lacrosse, came along, and we're talking like there may be a year or two ahead of us um in a private club transitioning into CIF sports within the Oakland section and basically building supports down through the junior high levels and using the mentorship of the older boys and girls to help run those programs, help structure those programs. It was, if you want to look at something that's incredibly awesome for a community, um, look at Oakland Lacrosse. Um, there's a lot of what you see that I literally was just, I don't have a better idea, we're doing that. So, >> thank you. >> I did have a a you mentioned girls. I know that you said that uh, >> does Chico State have a girls program? Yes, Chico State has a

107a girls program. They have uh they play in the MC or the WCLA, the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Um, girls lacrosse, and I I think I've said this to you, we used to have a very vibrant girls lacrosse program. And what happened is traditionally in in more lacrosse, the East Coast, let's say, girls play field hockey in the fall and they play lacrosse in the spring. What has happened in our community like with a lot of our sports is girls field hockey is now varsity JV. It's incredibly competitive, right? Our teams are very good. Well, Miss Muscleman, Kim Muscleman started a a club lacrosse program in the spring or excuse me, a club field hockey program in the spring. And so hypothetically or hypothesis of ours is what started to happen was our girls that

108were traditionally field hockey players than lacrosse players started playing field hockey year round to maintain competitiveness to say make the team in the fall and we really saw our girls lacrosse team kind of crumble and go into basically a club field hockey team in the spring. So, what we did to kind of hopefully counteract that is we had two young women come on, I think last year from uh Chico State women's lacrosse program. We started bringing in younger junior high girls because the model is girls can play on a boys team until there's enough girls for a girls team. It's the same model that smaller se or smaller schools in our section use for soccer. you know, if you'll play a soccer team that has boys and girls on it and then once they field

109enough people for a girls soccer team, there'll be a girls soccer team. Um, >> and how many how many players is that? >> What? Yeah. What's No, I'm saying what's what's required to field a team? Like how many girls? >> Yeah. I mean, or or boys. I mean, how many how many players are required? >> My like goals in reality, I mean, you could play with 12 or 13 boys and probably 12 or 13 girls, you know? I I think a goal would be 20. >> Okay. >> You know, um but man, I mean, we've played with 10, you know, so 10 are on the field at a time. >> Okay. >> You know, um >> No, I don't. >> The average now I do. >> Yeah. So, the if to give you some numbers,

110the average collegiate lacrosse team for a men is 45. The average for girls is about 47. Okay. So, that's why I'm saying like there's a lot of room for growth. And what's beautiful about lacrosse is if you have 45 kids on a team, they can all play by the nature of it. It's like ice hockey. Kid may play 60 seconds and come off the field, sit there for a minute, and then a new three like it's not soccer where if you pull out, you're done for that half and you got to sit or something like that. It's >> there's 30 to 40 kids playing every game and special situations. It's it's provides a lot of opportunity. >> Thank you. Sure. Yeah, I'll come. Oh, go ahead. No, you go. >> Um, you mean like play

111on the field at a time? 10 people on each side. Yeah, girls is 12. Yeah, girls is more. Girls play 12 aside. think of girls um lacrosse and men's lacrosse kind of like baseball and softball. If you really know the sports, they're different, but to most of us, they're kind of this, you know, similar, you know. >> Okay. Um so I'm a big supporter of of sports. Obviously, I have two high school athletes, um kids of my own at Chico High. Um, I coach cross country and I was a collegiate athlete myself. So, I have a huge appreciation for all the character and that goes >> um all the character that's built. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> I love sports. So, um I >> I hope you understand my enthusiasm there and I if this goes

112to vote, I'll just put it out there. I'm I'm going to be a supporter. Um I I think where um I I want a little more information and clarity and this might come more from um >> from our side is I see your enthusiasm in donating the equipment and >> providing support and the funds maybe to get it going but I I keep going back to like how will we sustain this for years to come. >> Absolutely. >> So those are those would be my only questions andations >> I created a I mean, so you understand my background, I started a national nonprofit. I started a nonprofit in this community about 15 years ago. Uh, and we've grown it to a multi-million dollar national nonprofit. So, I have a lot of experience with building fundraising

113structures that work. As a baseball coach, I coach baseball with Joe Galley over there. Uh, you know, we raise 20 $30,000 a year in Hamilton City, which is not which is hard to do. Um, sustainability is important. There's a lot of people in our in our circle that could write a check and we'd be done. But that's not how you build a sustainable program, right? So I I would say to that is you are looking at people that have sustained a 25 year program, right? And if we were just up here like, hey, we want to start this. I would say you probably want to question that a little more. But this sport's been done for 25 years in this community through grants, fundraising, and private donations. And so me, I'm not going anywhere. I

114don't think any of us are. You know, um my goal, if you're looking at is our organization of about 10 to 15 people is you bring on the next generation. You get that generation up to speed and that generation takes the ball. It's the same thing of any boosters club, right? you're an athlete, you know, you're probably deep in the fundraising right now and there's going to be some eighth grade parents that come in and take your spot just like every boosters club, right? And so if you build sustainable fundraisers, you have grant paths through USA Lacrosse and PLL assist and then you have corporate donations, you build that three- tiered system so there's a balance, right? You're not relying on one fundraiser. You're not relying on one grant. You're not relying on one donation,

115right? And if you build that and you build the fundraisers, it's fairly sustainable, you know. And my goal is if I mean, I've told Pedro and John this, like I I mean, aside from being a teacher, I'm a businessman. If I didn't think this would work economically, I wouldn't stand up here and put my name on it, right? Or anyone's, you know? So, when I look at the sustainability of it, lacrosse, if you talk to anyone, is a really cheap sport to run. There's no reconditioning of equipment. basically year-to-year cost is, you know, referees, transportation, which is mainly based on the field hockey model, and some new balls. That's all you got to buy. You know, there's not a huge overlaying cost once you start the program. So, you know, people ask about how would

116you make this sustainable? I think any athletic program and in a high school there's there's a risk of insustainability because you don't know if the next generation of kids coming up are going to want to play it or if the parents are going to support it, right? So, I mean, we all take a risk when we run sports at a high school or we start a new team or buy new equipment. Um, I would say that I I'm be happy to go over our group's organization, you know, and how I plan to do that or how we plan to set that up. Um, it's all in the document there, but I I don't think we're dealing with high-risk amounts of money and there is flexibility in there. When I build the bill a year year-to-year

117budget, there's $1,000 in there for reserves every year, right? So, like you're looking at donations, right? Like economies fluctuate, right? Donations fluctuate. Boosters clubs are probably dealing with that right now. So, if you build in overages in your fundraising, then you're going to be able to account for those lean years. So hopefully that answers your question. >> I do want to say again thank you to both of you and all the you >> I've been waiting two and a half years to talk to someone about this. So thank you. >> But but it's nice when a presenter comes with both an idea and so much thorough documentation. That's it makes our law >> I didn't want to give you any reason to say no. >> I appreciate that. Um given all that um do we

118have are you guys ready to to talk about about motions associated with this item? >> Okay. >> Hi >> Everett Gart arrived and I wondered if you guys might be willing to hear from him. >> Absolutely. Awesome. Thank you. [Applause] Hi. So, every just so you know, hi. Nice to meet you. You're going to have three minutes. All right. There's a timer back there. You'll get a little beep at when you have about 30 seconds left. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Hello everybody. If you know me, don't know me. I'm My name is Everett. I've been playing lacrosse for three years in counting. I don't know where to begin to tell you how fun lacrosse me and my teammates have had like playing lacrosse. So, first of all, if someone's

119kid like wants to play a sport like baseball, but doesn't feel like they don't like they his he can't like make the team or like if they have a backup sport could be lacrosse and that's like a Someone can come up and help him find a spot. That'd be great. >> You're fine. We can start the three minutes again, >> couldn't we? >> Yeah. No, no worries. You're doing great. So, so like if someone's kid wants to play sport like baseball but doesn't feel and thinks they can make the team, they can have a backup score and that would to join lacrosse in at >> Okay. And it is a very fun sport where people make friends and it is very hardworking sport. Also, if you're looking up some fact, I was looking up some

120facts about lacrosse and I found that lacrosse right now is one of the easier sports to get a college scholarship from. If we add it in high school, our students will get more experience and exposure and have a better chance at playing in college. Also, in the fall season right now, I swim and I can't even and I can I can say even with one swimming pool for Chico and Pave, we get around six to seven practices every week. Also, I've heard that a lot of past lacrosse players or people who haven't played lacrosse will join back or try lacrosse if it was offered at as a sport through PV. Probably from Chico as well. And I feel that kids want to be a part of their high school teams, even if it means trying

121out for a new sport that they have never heard of. In conclusion, those are some reasons why I think lacrosse should be Pleasant Valley or Chico High School sport. >> Okay. >> Thank you, [Applause] >> Everett. Ever. What What school do you go to and what grade are you in? >> I go to PV and I'm a ninth grader. Um, I just want to applaud your courage coming up. You know, we have a whole audience of people and you're one of uh just about 10 that that came came forward. So, it it public speaking is one of the very hardest things to do and you came up here and I just really appreciate that that courage and your perseverance. Good job. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. [Applause] I think when I first spoke in front

122of this body about nine years ago, I had the exact same reaction honestly. Uh Shephard was there for that. Yeah. Was not great. So, thank you all of you for coming out. We really appreciate it. Um having heard all this now, I would like to see if we have anyone who'd like to put a motion on the table. And the motion can be anything regarding right lacrosse or any of our athletic events, our athletic programs that we're talking about. So, do we have any motions uh regarding this item? I'll motion that um we add lacrosse as a spring sport. >> I'll second that. >> I would like to uh potentially add a friendly amendment. >> Yes. >> Um or at least a clarification. >> Yes. >> Are you talking about this year or are you

123talking about the uh 2627 school year? I'm I'm suggesting the 2526 school year. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I I still second that. >> So, we do have a motion and a second. >> Uh motion by member Hayes, second by member Olsen. Um do we have any further debate on this topic? Um yes, member Robinson. >> Um thank you. Just to clarify with administration to the 2526 seasons for all of our current sports have already been set and scheduled. Um but the the uh friendly amendment to start this with the 2627 school year spring was denied. >> Well, I we didn't I'm making an amendment. I just asked her to clarify her original motion. So the motion as it stands is for 256 school year. Then I'm then I'm I'm going to to just

124on the record object to that timing of implementation if there is support. >> Well, how about um I would like to offer a substitute motion. Um I would like to mo to make a substitute motion that we instead begin with the 2627 school year for lacrosse. Is there a second for that? I'll second that. >> Okay. >> Any debate about that one? And I think we're having the same discussion here, so let's just open it up. Um, how >> I I have I guess if it's appropriate, I'll just put it out there. um clarification and maybe getting some information. What would be involved in um starting this season, this current school year, knowing that the fields that would be used would be not in conflict, let's say, with track. But then also, what about the

125other teams that are in the league? And do they already have their schedules set? So I can tell you that uh because we would be applying to the sackw walking section there has been communication with uh the lead commissioner and so I can tell you that even before uh tonight's meeting and uh when conversations and you could go back one year ago uh the lead commissioner said that he would work with Chico uh unified school district in terms of scheduling um any of potential um lacrosse teams within their leagues. Of course, they'd have to they have many leagues, not just one. So, Pedro, just to be clear, um while you said that the schedule is set, um at least in your uh written communication regarding board questions, um you said that it would be a

126challenge, but I didn't hear that it was an insurmountable challenge >> without having the lead commissioner here would be extremely difficult. to answer that question. So, uh, I haven't asked them directly. >> So, are you saying that the league commissioner believes that it wouldn't happen this this school year? Is that is that what I'm hearing? >> What you're saying is uh we would have to ask to be able to confirm whether it could happen this year or not. But if if the board approved it going forward in the 2526 school year and then it be it became impossible obviously that's I mean that's beyond >> I mean if it's impossible then it's impossible >> but I but we don't know that it's impossible. >> Correct. >> And and we do know that it would be

127a scheduling challenge. >> Yes. And I'm not trying to diminish that. And I'm not trying to diminish the work that our our athletic directors do. Um I know that the athletic directors I've worked with over in Orville Union High School District, um I know they feel like they don't have um enough time in the day to get get things done. I I'm sympathetic to that. Um, and I also part of the reason that I clarified that I I think it should be the 2526 school year um is that um well, several reasons. First of all, I I didn't become familiar with this until this spring, but from what I understand, it had there have been ongoing conversations for years. And so I guess I look at um our you know students are at the heart

128of what we do and I think that's important to allow if if there's a possibility that I think those kids have should have the opportunity in this spring and not being put off till next spring um simply because it's going to be a challenge for us. And I'm not trying again, I'm not saying that I'm not diminishing the fact that those are actual problems. I get a field usage. I I I do understand that. Um but I also know that there are students that like the longer we wait, the longer we have the the fewer kids we have a chance to impact is my point. >> I hear that. My concern is also that we want to do it well and we don't want to be accidentally scrambling last minute because we realize that fields

129aren't scheduled properly or that we didn't get paperwork into the CIF because we're doing it the last minute or whatever it is. Um so while I'm actually um very much in favor of adding lacrosse at some point, I do I do hear that our 80s might need some additional uh admin support to make all this happen. And I also hear that field use is already kind of planned out for all of the spring sports already. Um, and I just want to make sure that when we do this, we roll it out in a way that is as smooth and easy for both students and our staff as possible. >> I I can appreciate that. And >> and disagree and and disagree. That's exactly right. I'm not saying that your point isn't a great one because

130I I do get planning things, you know, it's like any anything that you're doing, planning makes a huge difference on >> if we were if we were to add any extra program, whether it were academic or sports, you know, with what four months notice now. I'd be a little nervous about whether we could we could really create a a great plan to to implement it. Well, I know we already have a lot of plans in the pipeline. I hear that. >> I respect what you're saying. I I I think for the the kids if they played two games that's a success, right? >> I hear you. >> Yeah. >> Likewise, I was trying to think if there was like a middle ground somewhere like could you have like a scrimmage season or something along those

131lines? >> So, in the sackwalken section because we we we've gone back and forth on this. We me and Pedro worked with us on a lot of different things. Um, we basically have commitment from a good five to six teams. Like you just tell us where and when we'll play you. I mean, even if the league doesn't let us in, these guys will come up and they get two scrimmages a year, right? So, you start doing two scrimmages against us, there's two, four, you know, you kind of add up some of those games. You can be, you can enter and not be a CI or excuse me, a SAW section team. You can just scrimmage those teams as I understand. And I'd obviously ask, you know, um, so I mean, if you do it year

132one and you have four scrimmage games, like that's a success. >> That pulls kids in. >> It used to be that when we were discussing action items, we would sometimes get recommendations from staff that were laid out. And I would love to hear actually just, you know, you guys have all heard this too, and you guys have been in this conversation for a long time. Um, staff, Pedro, especially ads, is it feasible to add it this year in a way that makes sense and that works for you guys? I'd like to call call up a rad. >> I think it's a great plan. >> Our admin maybe. >> Yeah. >> I would say too from my point of view, Tom, as while you're asking, um I am a proponent of planning things out as well

133for the smoothest ride for everybody to start off. Um so that that's where I look. >> I hear you. Thank you. >> So typically we get schedules back in the spring for the entire school year. So to your point, getting schedules set up now for the spring is more cumbersome than what we are accustomed to. Um could we add into the sackw walking section? Yes. Um that that definitely can happen. Um we are not familiar with the lacrosse rules, but I can say for you know sports that we have now, there's a limit on the number of scrimmages you can have. So to say that we're going to discrimage everybody on there is not necessarily a true CIF option. Those are rules that we'd have to look into and know nothing about it at this

134time. Um questions that I would have um in regards to adding a new sport would be how it affects everybody else that's that's going to be involved. And certainly we talked about Jason and I and the the extra workload that it'll have there, but it also affects your admin team. And I know as you're looking at support, I would wonder if we're going to play one or two games a week, how much more we're adding to our admin teams already over full plate. Uh, and I know we talked about on the the screen here, uh, custodial, but you're talking about maintenance as well, making sure we've got people out there that can have the facilities be playable and respectable. Like Jason and Brandon and Joe and myself, we take a lot of pride in our

135facilities and we want to make sure when these teams are coming that they're well taken care of. And when you have an extra group and and lacrosse is wonderful and they've done great homework on it. I want people if they're coming up to watch lacrosse, they go into our facilities and they can see that everything is well kept up. And that isn't going to keep happening if we keep adding sports without that periphery support. And I I think some of that is forgotten. Um how important all the other support staff are, your custodial, your maintenance, your secretaries, uh people that are are scheduling, the people in the office that are taking phone calls about are you playing today because it's raining or not raining or lightning or whatever. Um I think we need to look

136at that big picture. Certainly being able to have time for us to circle our minds around everything that needs to happen would be very much appreciated. Um, I did have questions about the the monetary piece. You know, I appreciate that they've got a a a great plan for for money to sustain, but the question that came to my mind is who's managing all those grants that are being written to support those this particular sport and how does that affect the girl girls sports that maybe aren't getting the same amount of funding. You know, we work really hard on both campuses to make sure that our boys and our girls sports are are treated equitably. Um, sorry, I'll let you go. >> No, that's perfect. I was just going to say I really feel that, you

137know, we have a a meeting in uh late August every year with EAL and our season is definitely planned out and I really worry that if we tried to stick something in this year without planning and preparation, it would really make uh it could really create some chaos and we would be kind of starting off on the wrong foot bringing the sport in. like like like Pam said, I think we want to do it right the right way and make sure that we're all prepared because there's just so many things that go on behind the scenes. I mean, we haven't talked about, you know, the transportation, the officials, um, >> you know, I mean, nowadays, like this this year, the California state law hit us with, you know, parent drivers have to be fully fingerprinted

138and so we can't just let kids go get in cars and just drive drive down to sackwalking games. Um, and that's that's been a really big headache for us, you know, getting all that lined up. I also think that our, you know, our budgets for this year and how much money we've allocated each team and each program are are pretty well established, too. And I know like Pam said, the lacrosse is very well prepared and has a really great plan, but it I don't think we can move forward without saying that that our athletics budget would would be impacted by that. So, >> thank you. I hear that. Um, while they're up here, do we have any other questions for for our ad staff or Sorry, you have something to say, please. By all means,

139I'm sorry, >> Mr. Lando. Um, and one more thing I just would like to add. Um, I think we can all agree. >> I'm sorry. >> I apologize. Yes, >> that's okay. Could you >> Kesler, assistant principal at Chico High School? I >> Thank you. >> Deeply apologize. Um, >> one of the things that was brought up was the the finances and the ability to fund raise. Um, obviously if we absorb this as a school sport, um, that fundraising, everything would have to be through sports boosters. So, which we welcome that. Um but currently right now I think both of our sites are attempting to um our sports boosters do a lot do I think too much um than than what they are are are supposed to do right now. They're paying for um our

140athletic trainers which is a huge piece of our athletics programs being able to provide safe um environments for our athletes recovery treatment all of that sort of stuff. And so I know a good portion of what we are going to generate through this almond bowl uh ticket sales is going to go to pay for that expense. So from our standpoint, we're going to these booster meetings and we're trying to alleviate some of those costs from them and that responsibility that sustainability from the boosters program coming up with that year in and year out um to maintain high quality athletics programs at at Chico High and PV. Um, and now we're adding more to that boosters organization of reoccurring costs and and saying that's going to be absorbed by the boosters. And I I this is

141my eighth year at Chico High School and I've seen a lot of booster boards and the ability to generate money is really really high for us here at Chico High School right now. Um, it hasn't always been that way. It hasn't always been that. um except like yes, let's let's give back to Chico High and and do all of this stuff um and write those checks. Um and so it it es and flows and so when we do when we are down in a down year, what does that look like? Um and and that scares me a little bit just being 100% honest. So, >> so my understanding and and it could be a misunderstanding was that the intention was that uh the friends of Chico Lacrosse um they're still going to be that they're

142going their plan is to do the fundraising and that the money would flow through the boo boosters or it could be directly deposited. You know, there were there were different plans. That's my that's my understanding. And so I'm wondering um how do you see that as problematic for boosters if if they're if the boosters aren't having to do the fundraising but just being the vehicle by which the district is legally able to receive those funds and then disperse those funds. So what I I just wanted to know what your concern is there. Um, >> can you guarantee a certain number of years that we're going to receive that? >> No, but neither none of none of your sports have guarantees of what boosters are going to be able to raise, whether that's for football or

143baseball or any of your st there's no guarantees about what your what I just heard was that there isn't a guarantee of what the boosters are going to be able to do. >> And I think that's the question. And if we don't have a guarantee in any one year of what we currently offer because Chico Unified has a pretty vast offering within our district, we're paying $100,000 through our boosters to pay for our athletic trainers to support all athletes. If we have a bad year and we add a new sport that has needs, where what gifts? how how do we make sure that we aren't sacrificing the ones that have been here and have history within our school district, within our league, within our our section. And again, I'm not saying this that I I'm

144anti-lacross. I'm just looking longterm. Um I've seen a lot of sports get added and not a lot of change in budget, but obviously costs have gone up. You're looking at, you know, $4.50 50 cents a mile for or 400. Yeah, $4.50 a mile for a bus. Um, that can add up. >> Officials just double. >> Yeah, officials costs have gone up. So, I'm just trying to make sure that we're not setting Jason and up and I up for a failure where we can't fund all of our sports. You know, I'm looking for some sort of a guarantee. And I'm I'm sure you guys can't give that to me today, but um that we're looking at all of those expenses and and I appreciate that the district now pays for the league expenses and that certainly

145helps. Um but we're still paying for league subs and we're paying for league transportation. Those those costs keep going up. So we add another team into the mix. If if lacrosse takes an indistee now now we're paying for more subs than we were paying for before. Um, so we're we're hoping that we could, and I I don't know that this is even something we can do, that there is some sort of a guarantee from Lacrosse about here's what we can do to give back and guarantee that that money will be there for a certain length of time while we build this program. >> Well, would you like Mr. Hogan to speak to that again? >> Sure. So, just for the record, I've tried to get a meeting with both these two for about three years

146now. So, I think that needs to be said. But, um, for funding, as Pam's concerned about it, I asked two and a half years ago like, "Tell me a number like that'll appear in a North Valley Fund trust account and it'll be there." Okay. Um, I was never told the number and I was never asked. So, I was asked to build a fundraising plan for sustainability, and that's what I that's what I built for you guys. Um, for officials, official costs are built in there to the budget. Uh, transportation's built on the field hockey model where gate fees pay for two buses for field hockey and then the rest is fair parent drivers. Okay. Yes, there are all those costs that they're concerned about and I I think they're valid concerns and and all I

147would ask is to collaboratively work and make this all happen. Like obviously they have some concerns. Obviously we can't cover everything. I don't work at the school. I don't know these things but like if this is going to work and again it goes back to what Tisha is saying. If we're going to service the kids like the kids are first. You got kids that want this. You have a community that wants it. It's the districts and the people that work for the district's job to find a way to make things happen for those kids. And so I welcome the idea to work with all these people here. And our organization is full of people that have been willing to work and ready to work and address these concerns. So I think a lot of this

148is stuff that's covered in the documents that I printed out with regards to the plan. Most of every of those concerns that they brought up are covered in there. You know, I can go through them if you want. >> No. Um, did you send them to the ads? >> Uh, no, but they're in the board packet. I can send them to them. It sounds like they've seen >> Okay. I You're right. It is in the board packet, which is public knowledge, but but it might it might be nice for them. For sure. >> It's just easier not to have to go through. Yeah. If you could forward that to them, I think that would be helpful. >> Sure. >> Any other questions? I just have a comment. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I don't remember

149who said it, but I'm going to take myself and make myself take a step backwards and um, and say something different, a little bit different. Um because as much as I do want Lacrosse to start, someone said and you guys have had time >> to really work on this, >> I do feel like and you know Lacrosse has had time to plan. Um let our ads and admin also have time to plan. >> Totally. I agree 100%. >> And I don't know that you've had any time to plan. And so >> 25 to 26 is that I mean for everybody involved them and us that's >> that's a push, right? Like >> that's a that's a push. And I want to respect think it can be successful. >> Yeah. >> But if it's 26 27

150like I'll probably sleep better. >> I want it to be um Pam, as you were saying, you know, to have people come and be proud. >> Absolutely. >> Um and to give you guys the time to to get it set up the right way. So that's my two cents worth. >> Valid. I I 100% agree. I feel like I'm trying to figure out the right words to say this. Just because you're you guys have the money and you can fund it. I I want this to be a Chico unified >> absolutely >> vision and not something just like we have funds and we want to push this forward. So >> no no no I don't want you to think it's that way. Yeah, giving a year to embrace it as Chico Unified in the time

151and to provide the support for the athletic directors makes 100% sense to me. >> And um yeah, and also figuring out ways that we can support the staff that's already in place. >> From the very beginning when I came to Pedro and John was how do we work collaboratively on this? Right? This is not going to be all our idea because let's be real, we're going to be gone. It's going to be the parents that take it over. It's not going to be all your ideas. It's not going to be all John's. It's not going to be all Pams or Joe's or anybody. It's like we're all going to be gone eventually. And the goal is that this is still here. Okay. And so >> I guess repeating just my idea, I want this to

152be sustainable for years to come. Not just a fleeting idea like we here and it's here for a moment and then gone, but like something that we can maintain and sustain. >> Yeah. And I'm confident we can do that if we work together our staff in the meantime. >> That makes sense. I work at a high school. I understand. >> Member Robinson, do you have a comment or a question? Yeah, I one of the things that was mentioned was scrimmages and and um what I think I heard was that with two scrimmages times five teams, you're actually you increase >> so the the option that we have if we are not in a saqua section league but we are a CIF sanctioned sport >> right >> is we can scrimmage teams. Okay. Now, being not

153in a league, we may be limited to two scrimmages. I don't know. I I'm with Pam. I'd have to check on that. I know existing SAW Keen section lacrosse teams are limited to two scrimmages. So, they can scrimmage two teams, but they can play games against as many or whoever they want limited by the game count that CIF gives them. So usually like if you look at a football team, they have 10 games, five of them are in league and then they pick five other non-league games and maybe a scrimmage. So we could very easily pick up non-league games or scrimmages to make a schedule without jumping right into a league. >> There's costs involved with absolutely any scrimmage. And if you times it times the number that are probably allowed, we're getting back to

154where my concerns are. >> Sure. >> So, if you look at the budget, there's accounted for, I think, 10 games with officials based on official costs of >> Yeah. >> a month ago. So, >> thank you. >> Sure. Good evening. Joe Gally, assistant principal, Pleasant Valley High School. Was just going to hit on a couple things. Uh we are all for engaging our students. We think that these extracurricular opportunities are our greatest form of uh intervention and engaging them. Um some considerations like those trainer costs that are already at 100,000 that are fully funded by fundraising. Um those are going to go up. Uh how much I'm not sure, but it's going to go up because it'll take that trainer more hours to provide the services to uh the the newly added teams. Um transportation,

155like in the four of our realms, we're trying to stretch the saran wrap that's this big over a table that's this big constantly. And I think that just got a little more challenging. um transportation just so you know like you know if we don't have parent transportation each site and you guys probably know this you're our board members but we only get two buses per day and we only get three vans and we got a lot of teams in the mix. So a van's not an easy default especially if you didn't sign up for it two to three weeks in advance. you know, buses. There's times where we've had a shortage of drivers, and these guys could speak to that if that's the current status, but we've had a shortage of drivers in the past.

156Um, and then somebody said it a little bit earlier, but maintaining our facilities is a major challenge. There's areas within our stadium that aren't on any custodial map, therefore don't get maintenanced and we do it. Uh we're fighting an ant problem in that area right now. Why? Because it was rented out, food is thrown away, not taken out because there's no custodial in that area. Uh we were told in the last two weeks because we have a slippery surface that you're probably pretty informed about. Joe and Pam, you want to put sand on that? find the equipment because we don't have it. Find the labor because we don't have it, you know. So, what I and really what I'm speaking to is there's a shortage of some staff to maintain these facilities and we're we're

157we're stretching it. We're stretching it pretty far. And you know, the funding side would be really really nice to have some some funding. you know that funding was cut some time ago in this district and it if we didn't have Chico Nissan doing what they're doing and sports boosters and groups just like this group behind you we wouldn't be able to make it you know so thank you >> thank you Mr. ity. Appreciate any further debate. Uh the motion on the table is to uh begin uh introducing lacrosse uh 2627 school year. Any further debate on that motion? >> Mr. President, thank you. Um, one of our board protocols calls for us to explain a no vote. >> Um, while I supported the um, substitute motion so that it could continue to be discussed because

158I felt there was still a lot of information um, that needed to be discussed. I am going to vote no. Um because of the concerns that were expressed by our athletic directors, our um administration at the schools and I believe that the lacrosse people wanted junior high and senior high so that there was a feeder program. And I haven't seen not seen I haven't been convinced that any of that is possible. So that's going to be my no vote. Appreciate your clarity. >> Seeing no further debate, um I think I am going to go ahead and ask for a vote. And since we know we're going to have at least one no, I would like to do a uh roll call vote on this one. And as has become my habit, um I'm going to

159start with you, member Olsson. >> Clarification. This is for Lacrosse to start the 2627 school year. >> That's the motion on the table currently. Yes. >> Right. >> Olsson I. >> Conan I. >> Lando I. >> Hesai. >> Robinson. No. >> That is 41. Member Robinson dissenting. The motion has passed. So it looks like we will be starting with cross in the 2627 school year. Um, on that note, I do want to say first of all, thank you to you guys. You did make this happen 100%. Um, I wasn't convinced at first. Um, and I think it'll be a great addition to our schools. As we move forward with this planning, I also want to say a huge thank you um to our staff and our administrators. We realize we're putting more on your plate

160and I sincerely hope that and I'm sure that our friends of Lacrosse will do everything they can to work collaboratively and support us as we figure out what this means. I know it's a big lift for you guys. Um, if there are more things that we need to do as a board, other action we need to take to make sure this happens smoothly and in a way that is best for students and staff, I hope that you'll bring those to us. >> Are there any other motions that anyone would like to make regarding athletic programs in general? I don't yet. >> Not not a motion, but I just want to say that I I hope that we do see I can appreciate member Robinson saying she's not convinced, and that's okay. I think um it

161I I hope that the vision of trickling down to junior high um will happen. Um, I'm hopeful of that. And so, um, that's what I'd say. >> I'd comment on the same. I know we all receive the same emails, but there's definitely some discussion about middle school, and I think that should be I mean, obviously, we can't talk all all the things in one meeting, but looking forward, I think that that should definitely be on our our radar looking at the middle schools. >> Yes. Thank you guys very much for being here. I appreciate it. Um there our next item is a board member request to agendaize and we do not have any request to agenda as my understanding. Correct me if I'm wrong. Nope. Okay. Awesome. Um given that um I would like to

162see if there's a motion for us to adjurnn to close session. >> Motion to adjurnn to close session. >> I second that. >> All right. All in favor of adjourning to close say I. >> I. We are adjourned. Thank you very much.