Dear Friends of Haldane and Putnam Valley Schools:
The Haldane and Putnam Valley School Districts have a long relationship of community connections in many areas. We have shared students in district-based special education programs, merged track and field teams, and worked together on professional development initiatives in the region. During the past athletic season, we have had indications that we need to extend this constructive alliance to support our students as they compete in athletic events, particularly basketball. To that end, a meeting was held with the Superintendents, high school principals, and athletic directors to develop a plan that looks ahead in order to ensure that our students have the skills to manage productive, spirited contests that exemplify good sportsmanship and positive interchanges. Below, please find several ideas that were generated during our recent meeting that we would like to share:
- We will ask that each school district host a “Blue” dinner for both girls and boys basketball teams prior to the Haldane-Putnam Valley games.
- We will prepare free tickets for the game with the proviso that ticket holders indicate, with their signature, a pledge to follow the Section 1 regulations for good sportsmanship and positive fan behavior.
- The Athletic Directors will hold joint meetings of their student athletic councils to ask students for their ideas in promoting an atmosphere where students cheer for their teams, without derogatory remarks and behaviors.
Our goal is to use this plan to demonstrate to our students that there are ways to manage our emotions and passions in order to create a positive community spirit. This is a teachable moment for our athletes and our fans. We hope to make it a positive, productive experience.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frances Wills
Superintendent of Schools
Putnam Valley Central School District
Dr. Diana Bowers
Superintendent of Schools
Haldane Central School District