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Date: 12/21/2020
SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-Tolland-Granville School Committee approved a plan for interscholastic sports at Southwick Regional School for the winter season, which is set to begin on Jan. 11, 2021.
The committee OKed the proposal at its Dec. 15 meeting with a 6-1 vote and agreed to leave it to the discretion of Superintendent Jennifer Willard, Athletic Director David Sanschagrin, and Southwick Regional School Principal Joseph Turmel to shut sports down if necessary.
Willard said she was in favor of allowing students to participate in fall sports.
"I am going to move to approve the Southwick Regional School participation in winter athletics for 2021 with the accommodations as presented by the athletic director which includes adherence to all Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference (PVIAC) and Massachusetss Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) guidelines related to COVID-19 protocols, including individual sport modifications,” she said.
As long as students are at least in the hybrid learning model, Sanschagrin said sports will continue.
“If we’re just in the red, none of the other criteria is met, and the students are engaged in hybrid learning, my proposal is that sports would continue at that point. But at the point where we as a district go into remote learning, we would shut down athletics,” she said.
School Committee Vice Chair Pamela Petschke said she was concerned about how quickly the district can cancel games if the schools go back to fully remote learning.
“I feel that there is a difference between pivoting in a school scenario where there is greater control over 6 feet and direct contact, versus practices and competitions. That’s where my comfort level lies,” she said.
If the high school were to go back to remote learning once the season begins, Turmel said they would shut down practice and games immediately.
“If we find that information on Thursday, then if you wanted it to go into place immediately Friday morning, then that’s fine. Dave and all the other athletic directors in the PVIAC are very much aware that schools will be cancelling games the night before, the day of, and an hour before the kids get on the bus,” he said.
Sanschagrin also said other PVIAC schools had to pause athletics during the fall season before resuming.
“There were districts that had to hit the pause button for two weeks at a time, postpone a couple of games. Some of those games were made up, others were not. The precedent is already there, and the athletic directors are aware that’s the reality we live in,” he said.
During the meeting, Turmel also presented the high school’s current strategic plan, which included increased collaboration between teachers.
“One of the positives that has absolutely come out of the COVID-19 impact on schooling is the collegiality within our building. Teachers are working harder than ever before and collaborating more than ever. Leaving every Wednesday afternoon for teachers to work together and collaborate is allowing for our teachers to engage in shared educational leadership,” he said.
The committee also approved the final readings for three policies over public comment during meetings, graduation requirements, and substitute teachers.
To close the meeting, School Committee Chair Jeffrey Houle thanked the community for the hard work during a difficult year.
“I just want to thank everybody for their work in 2020, I know this has been a trying year for the district, teachers, parents, and students. I think we all said at the beginning we’re all in this together from all aspects of the school district, and it’s a very true statement,” he said.
The School Committee next meets on Jan. 5, 2021.