A month after the Southington Board of Education voted to eliminate middle school sports, a special committee will gather to try and revive the programs.
The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Municipal Center in Southington.
The board of education reluctantly made the decision on June 16 as members were forced to trim $1 million from the budget. Members voted to eliminate sports and leave 14 positions vacant.
At the time of that vote, members vowed to create a special committee. It would be made up of parents and staff members who would work to find ways to keep middle school sports going, possibly through a pay-for-play program or fundraising.
Community members NBC Connecticut spoke with hope the board can reinstate the programs.
“Sports is certainly something that most middle school students really enjoy and need. It’s not really an extra. It’s really an integral part of the curriculum,” said Deb Thibault, a Southington resident and retired middle school teacher at another district in the state.
“I know other schools have done that and people do do it, but it does decrease the opportunity for a lot of people because they may not be able to afford it” Southington resident Aericka Khongdy said in reference to a pay-for-play program.
Khongdy is disappointed by the board’s decision to eliminate sports as her son was looking forward to participating this year.
