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Schools

Asst. Cheerleading Coaching Positions Eliminated

Assistant coach positions for winter track and field hockey are approved instead.

Two vacant cheerleader coaching positions were unanimously eliminated by the on Monday night, but two other coaching positions were created.

Scott Rocco, assistant superintendent for personnel, explained that the athletic department had recommended the change because of increased student participation in two other sports, winter track and field hockey, which necessitated the new positions.

Rocco said more than 100 students, both boys and girls, are participating in winter track while the number of students in cheerleading has remained the same.

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Both cheerleading positions have been vacant during the current school year.

Board member Jennifer Haley expressed concern about the elimination of the cheerleading positions.

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“Cheerleading is very dangerous,” she said. “They don’t use pom-poms anymore.”

Daria Grastara, the student representative to the board, said she was also worried about safety. “More coaches are needed,” she said.

Board member Christopher Pulsifer said the school district was “trying to be revenue-neutral” in making the move and noted the increased number of students participating in winter track and field hockey.

Board member Greg Gillette, saying he remembered when a group of cheerleaders came to a board meeting when the district previously eliminated the coaching positions, said he could back the move if there were no worries about safety.

Earlier this year, the cheerleading squad was for wining regional competitions and participating in a national competition at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

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