Richland School District

you

Good morning at our morning show today.

We put the focus on the Richland School District.

Joining us is director of marketing communications, Kerry Stoltz and the new athletics activities director Silas Coleman joins us in the studio today as well.

Here we go right around the corner and man, we're hitting the ground running.

Here we

go.

Here we go.

It's awesome.

Yeah, we had a

The teachers came back, so new staff came back on Tuesday for us, and then all the teachers were back in the building on Wednesday.

Teachers and staff, so we had everybody come for a kind of introductory session.

Steve talked, and it was great.

The energy is so fantastic when people get back into the building.

We were there Wednesday morning, we're in the auditorium, which

has kind of had a refresh and so there's like it smells new and there's new carpet in there and we're all in there and I was so so awesome to see the teachers like they had seen each other all summer and you see hugs and you see like just all these great things happening with the staff and it is

There's just an energy that comes with it that is so hard to replicate any other time than the beginning of the school year.

Right.

Well, I mean, you are a family, obviously, during the school year.

And if you don't see each other for a couple of months,

it's crazy.

There's all these little pockets of, oh my God.

Oh my gosh, all these things happening.

And it's so happy.

It's such a happy environment.

And everybody's excited to be back and excited to welcome students back.

And it's just, it's great.

So great to see.

Well, let's get a construction update if we could.

That's been moving along feverishly.

Has

been for sure.

So yeah, we were in the auditorium on Wednesday for our opening session.

And that is moving along for sure on the carpet is in most of the auditorium.

I think the front half is done in the back half kind of has some some little updates to go still.

There are things if you look around that you see.

I noticed the

where the doors latch, there's little holes on the floor where they...

the latches go in and those aren't cut out of the carpet yet.

So we're kind of in those little pieces left to finish.

They were waxing the floors outside auditorium before we got there.

They're doing another section this weekend so it can sit.

But we're moving along the bathrooms.

If anybody came for super registration, the main bathrooms were not open because they didn't have the partitions yet.

So I mean, one person could have used it.

But those went in I think this last week So those are just about ready to go the parking lots at the high school are Got striped with the yellow lions yesterday.

So those are all ready to go.

You can park anywhere again Primary school didn't have very many updates going on this summer.

They kind of had their big chunk last summer Intermediate is is getting close.

They had the the biggest

chunk of construction going on air conditioning is now available in the intermediate school.

So heard from some teachers that that was

a breath of fresh air, if you

will.

Literally,

right?

Exactly, that they had AC in that building.

So we're getting there and should be ready to welcome students on Thursday for back to school night.

This next Thursday?

Yeah, I know.

Hard to

believe.

It sure is.

And then school starts a week from this Tuesday.

Tuesday, yeah.

So it should be a great day.

We're really excited to get students back in the building.

There's definitely some

some last minute stuff happening and probably will be all the way until kids come in the building, waxing, cleaning, that kind of stuff that's going on.

I know the intermediate school gym was kind of the last place to get cleaned up because there was furniture and things like that stored in there, but we will have it ready, ready to roll for that first day of school.

Yeah, and I think kids deny it, students deny it, but they're probably, most of them are excited to be back,

I think.

I think so.

talk about athletics and stuff.

I have a couple athletes in my house and I know for them it's been great to get back with their teammates as much as they might hate the early mornings or have to kind of transition there.

It's been great for them to get back into a bit of a groove and get some of those activities back in.

Yeah.

And I think they were out running this morning.

The soccer team was in

there.

Yeah.

It's been hell week for the soccer team.

So, uh, been some early mornings for those guys and, uh, should be a great season though.

They had good numbers this year.

So, um, yeah, I think, I think they were all up bright and early and getting the time

hit the ground running.

Exactly.

Silas Coleman is here.

Uh, Silas, as you look after the start of the season, uh, you get the students back, the athletes back.

That's, that's when the school year.

actually begins, I think,

isn't it?

Yeah.

For the last few weeks, we've had our athletes back and it's kind of like seeing a family come back together again.

Lots of smiles when even they're getting ready for those early morning practices.

They're still smiling because they're on their buddies again.

And so that's like kind of like a little bit of excitement for the big show for them, right?

When they get to finally have their games.

And so just even though the practices aren't always maybe the most fun thing, they get that chance to get around their friends again.

And it's great to have them back in the building for that.

This is a new role for you, Silas.

Can you tell us about kind of what the job will entail then?

Yeah, so I've spent the last several years in the classroom as a FIED teacher, and then the opportunity came forward to move into this role.

I'm going to be working with our 7-12 athletics, as well as all of our clubs and activities as well, helping the advisors with that, you know, officially scheduling all those things like that.

really just trying to cover all things, athletics, activities.

That's a huge undertaking.

And I think a lot of us don't realize when you talk about your role, it does include middle school and it does include a lot more, I don't want to say headaches, but you've got to make sure you have officials everywhere and people to work at and everything.

So there's a lot involved,

isn't there?

There is a lot involved.

And it's like, I'll find that I'm getting one thing done.

And then all of a sudden it's like, Oh, hey, you should do this too.

And

It just kind of piles up, but you just kind of chip away at it.

You know, and I think the more we get into it, the easier that'll become the organizational side of that, and I'm excited for it.

We've talked a little bit about it, but Laura Sullivan will be officially retiring at the end of this month.

Yeah, she'll be retiring.

She's been a great help for me this summer.

I've been able to work with her and any question I have, whether she's directly with me or not, she's able to.

give me the best answer that she can and I'm extremely grateful that she's been able to help me out this summer with that.

What excited you about this when you thought about maybe applying for this role then?

Yeah, sports star has been a huge part of my life and I think back of like all the most exciting

times that I've had and all those relationships I've had.

A lot of those have revolved around sports and just opportunity to be able to give back to the school that I attended in this role.

That really excited me.

And then the chance to just give these athletes the opportunities so they can excel and be the best that they can be as well.

Football underway with the first game tonight.

Yeah.

Football has been rolling for a few weeks now.

Tonight's first varsity game in Verroqua.

Played at seven o'clock.

Last night our JV team went to Salk.

Experienced a tough loss there, but they talked to Coach Matic this morning.

They played well.

He's excited with where they're at.

You know, things are light years ahead of where they even were at their scrimmage, which is really good to hear.

But yeah, we're excited for the first game tonight next week because our home opener.

for the varsity against Potosi-Cassville, so we're excited to see where they're rolling.

And what about other sports?

Silas, I think all the fall sports are underway now, aren't

they?

Yeah, so football starts a little bit earlier than everyone else, but soccer, cross-country, they started as well.

This Saturday, we have cross-country inner squad scrimmage, sorry, at Crosscut Park at 10 o'clock.

We have a soccer alumni game at 11, and then volleyball also has a scrimmage at the high school starting at nine.

And they stay busy because I know volleyball's got another tournament next week.

Just about every weekend they have a tournament.

Yeah, just about every weekend and it seems like every Tuesday and Thursday they're playing somewhere.

It's really good to keep them busy like that.

That's for the athletes, the exciting part is playing in those games.

Get some ready for the tournament time at the end of the season.

What do you see as challenges with the new role?

I think just trying to stay as organized as I can and finding those things that will work well for me as keeping organized, finding those systems and other people that can help me with that when needed.

So just kind of finding that initial flow of what I need to be doing.

I think that's going to be a little challenging, but I'm excited and I think I'm starting to find that a little bit.

The schedules for all of the sports for the year are usually made out a year in advance at least, aren't they?

Yeah, at least a year in advance.

So we're actually working on the next school year already, finding officials for those games.

And all that stuff will be found on our new system that we have.

It's called Bound Sports.

So anybody that would like to find all of the schedules for the upcoming years, you can go to Bound Sports, search for Richland Center, and you can find scores, stats, anything that you want for all of our sports within that.

That comes in handy.

Not only for, but even for poor old media guys too, to kind of follow what's going on there.

But your coaches are all going to be

Applying you know the stats and rosters everything to that.

Yep, absolutely rosters everything will be in there and I told our coaches in here It's really nice that way if you have an athlete whose grandma and grandpa live farther away, and they're like I can't make it to the game I'd like to find out you know what the score was or anything like that They can go ahead and they can look at that you can send them a link to it and they can find that out anybody that's Unable to make it to our games.

They're able to find all that information there

That's a good thing to have.

We're talking on the morning show about the Richland School District School getting underway soon.

Kerry, as you look at some of the things that we've been talking about, the construction.

Also, you recently took down some trees, I understand.

Yeah, so the former UW-Richland campus, we have not closed on it yet, but we are

purchasing for a dollar, the gym, and then that attached garage, which the gym we've been able to utilize for a while.

We had an MOU with the county just to be able to utilize that space.

And it's kind of ironic that when we do finally take ownership, that MOU will switch and then the county will have one with us so that they can use the gym for, I've seen pickleball.

people in there and all that stuff.

So kind of a the school will own it, but a community space still definitely.

So we have the gym.

We have an attached garage, which used to be the the campus's maintenance, you know, pickup trucks and stuff were in there.

And then also Melville Hall.

So if anybody went to UW Richland might have fond memories of of Melville Hall being right there.

So those will transfer to the school district.

and really have some great plans for those spaces.

So the garage, we're hoping to utilize a little more for our partner students for some automotive training.

I know they have been working on snowmobiles and some four by fours and those kind of things.

And so they're hoping to get a lift.

so that they can really do some more automotive training on that stuff and kind of have some projects designed around those things.

So that should be a great benefit for them.

Partner school is at that old East Campus, so it's right there, kind of walking distance, just a little jump over there.

And the Melville Hall is gonna be used for alternative programming.

So we would love to have been in there a little earlier and had some more time to get ready, but.

We should near the beginning of the school year be able to have kids in there.

So our off-off campus alt-ed can be housed there.

That's been

previously housed at the Brewer Library, and Brewer's been just so gracious to us to allow us to have that space and to be able to have that program there.

But we are hoping to move over to a little closer to home at the campus.

And then our Hive program, which has been the online schooling program, the Hive kids kind of had a space in the high school library that they were kind of utilizing when they needed meetings with their advisor or something like that.

That's going to move to the campus, the old campus.

I don't know what we're quite calling that place yet.

And then eventually our I Thrive Academy, which has been at Rockbridge, will be moving there as well.

So that one will probably take a little more time.

The kiddos who are in that program have some more specialized, just like.

dividers and walls and furniture and that kind of thing.

So that will take a little bit longer to have that one move over there as well, but hopefully can utilize all those buildings in a way that really improves learning for our students.

You had a chance to use the campus gym, the former campus gym during volleyball camp because I know you had the opening, you had the...

Yeah, super

registration.

Super registration was at the high school and as a parent of a volleyball player, I will say I heard about that one and it was very hot that day in the gym.

We heard some choice words about the

gym.

That was old school though.

Doesn't hurt him to sweat a

little bit.

I know we were at mineral point and they don't have air conditioning in their high school gym.

And somebody was joking one time like that's why they win state championships.

So our players should be happy for the opportunity, but they were not.

The one in my house at least was not very pleased.

But yeah, so the gym will be a great asset to us.

You would think the high school is a beautiful gym and it's large and you look at it and you're like, gosh, why would you ever need more space?

But the truth is you really do.

And if we look at hosting some more large tournaments and that kind of thing, the volleyball, the JV2 players are playing over at the campus on Saturday.

So it really is.

you know, you can have three courts in there, but when you're running tournaments and stuff, you really need all the space you can get.

So being able to use that space, um, you know, kind of turning a negative into a positive that that space is available for the school district is just awesome and really excited to, to have that be a part of our campus.

Right.

And Silas, that's, it's a little easier when you're logistically, you know, it used to be go to the former middle school gymnasium, a little bit harder for folks out of town to find and everything like that, but nice to be.

kind of in the same space.

Yeah, all in the same space and it works really well for our seventh and eighth grade students now for any practices that they have.

We don't have to try and worry about how are they going to get to the intermediate school to use that gym there.

They can just walk down to that campus gym.

So that's just a really good like logistically sound.

Idea for us is right for them to go there But then yeah when we're sending out information to schools like this is where we're gonna be playing at everything's all in that one Location so it's just even though we don't have a scene.

They might not love it.

It's a it's a really good Option for us to have

that won't be a problem after just a few weeks probably you

know, right?

Yeah, it'll cool down and maybe crack a door or something.

We'll be alright

Yeah, once it cools down, they'll be all good.

Yes.

Are there plans to utilize it, like especially coming up for winter sports, for like JV2 games and things like that?

Yeah, so especially when we get into the basketball season, we have three levels there with our boys team.

There'll be times when we'll have to use that gym, especially when there's scheduling conflicts at times.

We have that opportunity to move games down to that gym.

So we'll definitely be used more than just the seasons where we have middle school sports.

We'll also have our high school sports that move down there.

Has there been any talk about varsity sports, uh, having a game there or a match there?

Um, I, you know, I've kind of thought about that a little bit in my head, you know, we've had those conversations there, but, um, nothing in play right now for that.

Okay.

And speaking of tournaments and wrestling, are you going to be hosting any big wrestling tournaments this school year?

Yeah.

So this school year, we obviously will be hosting our annual RC invite in December there, but then we're also going to be hosting the girls regional tournament for the WIA.

We were able to get that this year.

The boys sectional moved to Evansville, I believe, but we were able to get the girls regional.

Okay,

that'll keep you busy as well.

Yeah, yeah, that'll be here before we know it as well Let's come back and talk a little bit more about the Richland district in just a moment We'll take time out of the morning show and be back in just a moment

We're focusing on the Richland School District today, having a little fun during the break there as we were talking about some upcoming things.

Talking about the shot clock that might come into high school basketball Silas here in the future.

Yeah, absolutely.

The shot clock there.

They've approved that at one level in the WA and working on improving that.

That way it will be present in all games.

So you'll see that a lot of schools are starting to move that way already.

Just kind of talking to some of the other conference ADs.

A lot of them have already purchased a Shot Clock.

You're getting that system installed.

So I think you're going to start seeing that more and more.

And then obviously when we move that way,

being that full requirement of having the shot clock, we'll see that more in high school basketball.

So have you inquired about that for Richland Center High School?

Yeah, yep.

So we do have that in works.

I've been talking with different administrators in the district as well, and we're just trying to figure out the best plan, as well as the best system that's going to work well for us.

It will require another table worker, won't it?

Yeah, it will.

And so at times that can be difficult trying to find an extra worker.

But, you know, luckily in our community, we have so many people that are just fans of high school sports and fans of, you know, original center high school athletics as well.

And so they're always willing to help us out.

So I'm confident when we get to that point that we'll be able to find that worker.

Maybe Bill Twining can hit the shot clock with his big toe while he's running in a regular clock.

I mean, we can figure it out.

We can figure it out.

It does bring up an interesting point though.

We talked earlier, Silas, about finding help and, uh, boy, officials, uh, you know, some of those nights when you're out there with all the football teams are going and middle school and everything else, it's difficult, isn't

it?

Yeah.

You know, you think about just our, our building alone and all the potential games that we have in a week and all the officials that we need.

Um, then you look across the state and the same thing, right?

And there's only so many officials out there.

And so if, you know,

your interest in being official.

I encourage you to do that.

It's a pretty simple process through the WIA and to definitely make your money back and what you're going to pay to register for that.

There's tons of opportunities.

Maybe you're not confident in your officiating yet to be a varsity official, but you're like, I'd like to get started at the middle school or lower levels in high school.

You can absolutely do that.

And there's never a shortage of work.

You have officials that strictly do just middle school or maybe JV

games as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

We kind of have a list of these are people that, you know, if we wanted to ask them to do a middle school or JV, they're always going to be available for us.

You know, and then that's always super helpful to have that because sometimes it can be difficult finding officials.

They're like, oh, we're not going to answer your email or anything right away because we're holding out for a varsity game, right?

So it's nice to have people that are like, you know, we'll take that for you right away.

Indeed.

Kerry, do you have your officiating license yet

or not?

I don't think you want me on there.

I am strictly a stand fan.

You're just the mom and then the picture taker, too.

I am the mom, yes.

Yeah, I know.

I

actually got different cameras, so we're going to be out there.

I'll be at Baroque Wednesday night and volleyball and soccer tomorrow, so I'm learning.

I make no guarantees to the kids.

Some of them will be like, I'll get good pictures, and I'm like,

Yeah, I'll try I'll do my best.

So we'll see.

Yeah, it's it's a great time I I love I love activities and athletics and I did sports and music when I was in school So have definitely a heart for those things and it is it's I'm so happy the season's here.

I'm so happy It's it's coming back.

There is we were talking about it homecoming especially Which is a little later in the year, but even these first games.

There's just if you've never been to

original center football game or or basketball or volleyball or any of those things like please come out like just come out come enjoy with us there is an energy in that room that you just do not get in any other place and it's fantastic and I mean we won't have musical events for a while coming up they they need to obviously practice and get the kids back in but those are amazing too so any opportunity our community has please come please come you can be a solo you know no one

No one will judge you, no one, there's always someone to sit by, come and enjoy this time with us.

These are our kids, our community's kids, and they love the support, they love to see, you know, I think the Pet Band's gonna be there for 28th, and it's just, it's...

an experience you need to have.

If you live in our community, please come and join us.

And you mentioned homecoming.

It's going to be a little later.

The last football game of the season, I believe,

isn't it?

It is.

Yeah, it is.

So it's that last week.

So we've got student council is on it this year.

They've got the parade forms and that kind of stuff already ready.

So I'll put in a quick plug.

If any business or organization knows they want to have a float in the parade, get those registrations in.

But you have some time to think about it.

You have some time to design and really make a cool float.

out there.

I think Sheila Troxell last year had a Cinderella carriage that we got to have in the parade.

So I've got some time to think on that.

The theme is Hornets and Paradise.

So if you took any cool vacations to tropical destinations or anything this summer, and you think that that would look great on a parade float, come join us.

Yes, homecoming is in October this year, but it is

Oh, that is such an energy.

You're on the, you know, on the square and have the radio station behind you.

And then the duck races afterwards and game that night.

It's just, it's a great weekend.

And we love seeing our community come out and join us for it.

Indeed.

In service.

When does that start for Richland?

We're already here.

So you had it this week?

We did.

Yep.

And then next week too.

So the schedule kind of worked out a little strangely.

Teachers are actually not in the building today.

We were trying to give them as many three day weekends as we could to kind of ease into the year a little bit there.

So yeah, they joined every full staff was there on Wednesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.

And then nobody in the building today.

And then we'll hit the ground running again next week, ending with back to school night.

Excuse me on Thursday,

Thursday night.

What about bus schedules?

Those just came out.

So the group stop one is on the website.

I put that together last night.

So once we got it from Cobuston and then they will be out.

on Wednesday doing some practice routes.

And then Thursday and Friday of next week, parents can call if they have a direct stop.

The group stop times are out.

But yeah, Wednesday, if you see those yellow buses rolling around town, you didn't miss it.

It's not quite the first day of school.

They're doing some practice.

But we love to see them out.

Again, I have a young driver, so school buses will be out soon.

Pack your patients in the morning.

Be ready for them, especially around the schools.

There'll be some changes to your route to work.

If you've been taking one way all summer, you might see a yellow bus there.

And please always obey those stop signs.

We want to get our kids to school safely.

And I know that they are looking at the fact that there's still going to be construction at the start of the school year.

There's no getting around that.

So some things might change a little bit.

Definitely.

Yeah,

I mean, you guys here at the station know you had an interesting time getting into the building

for a while.

No

driveway for a

while.

And now we're on the other side.

I think most people have been down 14 and kind of experienced that.

But our bus drivers will be kind of doing that for the first time.

And Cobuston is right on the route here.

So again, to all those drivers out there, we will have young drivers again who are just, you know, driving for the first time coming to school.

This will be kind of their first time getting on the road in those mornings.

So I just ask people be aware.

Those are our kids.

Let's get them to school safe and home safe.

appreciate all that our community does to support us and just heads up those yellow buses are coming.

When the bus comes to the high school then will things be a little bit different in terms of the bus lane?

Just

a pinch so we have if anyone's been to the high school recently you might have seen there's that

that kind of area in the front has extended.

And one of the pieces of feedback we got was like getting our kids out a little bit more.

And so they have some lunch time that they can utilize that outdoor space, especially when it's nice out.

You'll see, especially the middle schoolers kind of out there enjoying that space.

And I mean, sometimes beginning of the year, end of the year, we have teachers taking

their classes out there just to get some fresh air and a little new experience.

And so it kind of built a nice space out front for students to utilize.

And there's some lovely landscaping and all that going on out there.

And so that increase decreased the bus lane entrance slightly.

So the buses can still get in.

People can still get in for events.

You know, you can park in the bus lane.

That's not a problem at all.

But

kind of when the buses are coming in in the morning, just that one lane to make sure it's only buses when we have students arriving or departing from the building.

So it's just kind of the one lane that's for buses only during those school hours, during events and evening events, you know, parking is totally fine there.

And then the big lots are open.

And then lot A, which is the kind of that main one, just off the high school main entrance that just got opened yesterday.

So we're...

Bully at capacity again, but yeah, again, those buses, that lane is only for buses at arrival and departure time.

Will all of the parking lot be done by the time school

starts?

Yep.

We're good.

We're ready to go.

Ready to go.

Because I was out there last week for, during the volleyball

camp

and it was still, you know, there was no way to sneak around the back or anything.

I

sneak

around the back because of my adoring public.

All

your fans.

Nope, Bob.

So the back lots, I went, I don't, I'm not gonna, I don't think there's any cones actually in the high school lots anymore.

So we should be, we should be good to go wide open.

Good.

And you got everything lined and it looks, looks

nice.

Ready to go.

Yeah.

It'll be, it was a process for sure.

And a very visual one, very, you know, our public has seen kind of this happen.

We had that road closed for a while.

So yeah, great to be back up and running.

And I don't know if we ever finished our conversation, but there was some concern about some trees being moved and relocated.

Yeah, so that's over at the campus.

Again, we were doing, there was landscaping happening at the high school, kind of minor projects compared to the one on the former UW Richling campus.

But yeah, there's, I don't know if anyone remember, I think it was last April, we had like kind of a bad windstorm and a couple of those trees just

plum fell over.

So we needed to get those cleaned up.

And then once we kind of got the keys quote unquote to that, the property that we're going to take from from the county for that old W Richland, we got the opportunity to clean up that that kind of it's along the creek that kind of area.

And so if you've been near the high school, you probably saw that it's a lot more wide open now, you can actually see the buildings.

So that was really great to get

to get that all cleaned up and they were able to bring in this crazy piece of equipment that was it's like on a skid loader and just mulches them all right up and ready to go so yeah it was great to see that that open up and really man the light brightness that is coming from there the soccer teams playing on that field so even from the highway you can see them kind of taking part in that so it's exciting to see the the very visual change happening even on the campus.

With this coming school year, Kerry, will there be early outs as there were last year?

There will, yep.

So the calendar is similar to last year.

So Wednesdays, our students are getting out an hour early.

Our teachers are actually staying a half hour late.

So they do something called PLC, which is learning communities.

And so they work with their teams of teachers to kind of talk about student outcomes and what we're doing.

you know, priorities and how we teach and just doing some really, really great work for our kids there.

And so, yeah, the kids are out an hour early, buses run an hour early on those Wednesdays, and we do not have the calendar designed for, gosh, hard to say this, the 27, 28 year, but they will start working on that pretty soon.

Once we get back, we like to be about a year ahead, kind of like Silas was saying with athletics, you want to be working on.

that next year already.

So hopefully we will do a two year, we'll have two years of calendars in place kind of after this work in the fall is done.

So by December, we could have the 28, 29 calendar

out even,

which I can't even think of those words.

So you and I both, cause we've been spotlighting in schools this weekend.

And from another district, somebody pointed out, I believe the freshman class is 29 30.

Is that?

Yeah, that

would be right.

29 30.

Yeah.

class of 30.

Oh

my goodness.

Time goes by.

Silas, you mentioned at the outset that you're, you're going to be overseeing some other clubs.

What are some examples of some other clubs or some center high school?

Yeah.

So we, we have a wide, wide range of clubs.

So anything that, you know, a student may be interested in, there's a good chance that we have that.

So, um, whether that be, um,

like forensics, key club, national honors society, really anything that you may be interested in we'll have that and so we're actually looking forward to that first week of school we're gonna have a club exploratory day for all of our students to go around and get the opportunity to

meet the advisors for the clubs and kind of see what it's all about and sign up for that.

Because we really want everybody to be as involved as they can be.

I think a lot of the focus at times goes to athletics just because it's a very visual thing.

And so people think, well, I'm not interested in sports.

I can't be involved in anything.

We have so many opportunities for all of our students.

And I really encourage them to be involved in as many of them as they can.

Just the memories that you can have from your classmates and that

opportunities that you have, whether to go on trips or projects that you work on, those are things you can remember the rest of your life.

And so I really encourage all of our students to get as involved as you can.

Students were encouraged during your super registration as well to look at some of the clubs too,

weren't they?

Yeah, we had different tables around with clubs, activities.

We had a few coaches that were there as well.

And so the more exposure that we can give our students to these different

activities, clubs, sports, whatever it may be, the better that's going to be.

Indeed.

Are you going to miss the classroom?

I am.

Yeah, I definitely am.

The relationships that you build with those students, stuff you never forget.

There's times where a student will say something funny and I'll think about it like a couple of weeks later on to start laughing, right?

And so it's those relationships that I'm really going to miss.

You know, I think this role, I'll still be able to be around the students.

It'll be a little bit different on the day to day, but I'm going to do my best to still be as involved and get those, those relationships built the best that I can.

And that is certainly key.

Anything

else you want

to add here today, Carrie?

Well, thank you for having us as always.

And we are so excited to get the school year started.

I'm sure there are some kids who are sleeping still, who are

dreading

that alarm clock going off in a week.

Nobody in my household, obviously.

No, never.

But it's here and it's great.

And we are so looking forward to welcoming you for the school year.

And I mean, it's always a great day to be a Hornet.

Good luck to the Hornets in football action going on tonight as well at Viroqua.

Absolutely.

And we'll see you next week for the first home game with Potosi Casville.

That's right.

Good.

Good to see you.

Silas.

Congratulations on the new role.

Silas Coleman, Athletics and Activities Director and Kerry Stoltz, Director of Marketing and Communications with the Richland School District.

you

Good morning at our morning show today.

We put the focus on the Richland School District.

Joining us is director of marketing and communications, Kerry Stoltz and the new athletics activities director Silas Coleman joins us in the studio today as well.

Here we go right around the corner and man, we're hitting the ground running.

Here we go.

Here we go.

It's awesome.

Yeah, we had.

The teachers came back, so new staff came back on Tuesday for us, and then all the teachers were back in the building on Wednesday.

Teachers and staff, so we had everybody come for a kind of introductory session.

Steve talked, and it was great.

The energy is so fantastic when people get back into the building.

We were there Wednesday morning, we're in the auditorium, which

has kind of had a refresh and so there's like it smells new and there's new carpet in there and we're all in there and I was so so awesome to see the teachers like they had seen each other all summer and you see hugs and you see like just all these great things happening with the staff and it is

There's just an energy that comes with it that is so hard to replicate any other time than the beginning of the school year.

Right.

Well, I mean, you are a family, obviously, during the school year.

And if

you don't see each

other for a couple of months,

it's crazy.

There's all these little pockets of, oh my God, hi, how are you?

What did you do?

Oh my gosh, all these things happening.

And it's so happy.

It's such a happy environment.

And everybody's excited to be back and excited to welcome students back.

And it's just, it's great, so great to see.

Well, let's get a construction update if we could.

That's been moving along feverishly.

Has

been for sure.

So yeah, we were in the auditorium on Wednesday for our opening session and that is moving along for sure on the carpet is in most of the auditorium.

I think the front half is done and the back half kind of has some some little updates to go still.

There are things if you look around that you see.

I noticed the where the doors

there's little like holes on the floor where they, the latches go in and those aren't cut out of the carpet yet.

So we're kind of in those little, little pieces left to finish.

They were waxing the floors outside auditorium before we got there.

They're doing another section this weekend so it can sit.

But we're, we're moving along the bathrooms.

If anybody came for super registration, the main bathrooms were not open cause they didn't have the partitions yet.

So I mean, one person could have used it.

But those went in, I think, this last week.

So those are just about ready to go.

The parking lots at the high school got striped with the yellow lions yesterday.

So those are all ready to go.

You can park anywhere again.

Primary school didn't have very many updates going on this summer.

They kind of had their big chunk last summer.

Intermediate is getting close.

They had the biggest

chunk of construction going on.

Air conditioning is now available in the intermediate school.

So heard from some teachers that that was a breath of fresh air, if you will.

Literally, right?

Exactly.

That they had AC in that building.

So we're getting we're getting there and should be ready to welcome students on Thursday for back to school night.

Next, this next Thursday.

Yeah.

Yep.

I know.

Hard to

believe it sure is.

And then school starts a week from this Tuesday.

Tuesday.

Yeah.

So, um, it should be a great day.

I mean, we're really excited to get students back in the building.

There will, there's definitely some, um,

some last minute stuff happening and probably will be all the way until kids come in the building, waxing, cleaning, that kind of stuff that's going on.

I know the intermediate school gym was kind of the last place to get cleaned up because there was furniture and things like that stored in there, but we will have it ready, ready to roll for that first day of school.

Yeah, and I think kids deny it, students deny it, but they're probably, most of them are excited to be back,

I think.

I think so.

talk about athletics and stuff.

I have a couple athletes in my house and I know for them it's been great to get back with their teammates as much as they might hate the early mornings or have to kind of transition there.

It's been great for them to get back into a bit of a groove and get some of those activities back in.

Yeah.

And I think they were out running this morning.

The soccer team was

in there.

Yeah, it's been hell week for the soccer team.

So, uh, been some early mornings for those guys and, uh, should be a great season though.

They had good numbers this year.

So, um, yeah, I think, I think they were all up bright and early and getting it done.

Hit

the ground running.

Exactly.

Silas Coleman is here.

Silas says you look after the start of the season.

You get the students back, the athletes back.

That's, that's when the school year.

Actually begins today, isn't it?

Yeah, like we're saying for the last few weeks fed our athletes back and it's it is kind of like seeing a family come back together again Lots of smiles when even they're getting ready for those early morning practices They're still smiles because they're on their buddies again And so that's like kind of like a little bit of excitement for the big show for them right when they get to finally have their games and so just

even though the practices aren't always maybe the most fun thing, they get that chance to get around their friends again.

And it's great to have them back in the building for that.

This is a new role for you, Silas.

Can you tell us about kind of what the job will entail then?

Yeah, so I've spent the last several years in the classroom as a FIED teacher.

And then the opportunity came forward to move into this role.

I'm going to be working with our 7-12 athletics, as well as all of our clubs and activities as well, helping the advisors with that, you know, officially.

scheduling all those things like that.

So really just trying to cover all things, athletics, activities.

That's a huge undertaking.

And I think a lot of us don't realize when you talk about your role, it does include middle school and it does include a lot more, I don't want to say headaches, but you've got to make sure you have officials everywhere and people to work at and everything.

So there's a lot involved,

isn't there?

There is a lot involved.

And it's like, I'll find that I'm getting one thing done.

And then all of a sudden it's like, Oh, hey, you should do this too.

And

It just kind of, it piles up, but you just kind of chip away at it.

You know, and I think the more we get into it, the easier that'll become the organizational side of that.

And I'm excited for it.

We've talked a little bit about it, but Laura Sullivan will be officially retiring at the end of this month.

Yeah, she'll be retiring.

She's been a great help for me this summer.

I've been able to work with her and any question I have, whether she's directly with me or not, she's able to.

give me the best answer that she can and I'm extremely grateful that she's been able to help me out this summer with that.

What excited you about this when you thought about maybe applying for this role then?

Yeah, sports star has been a huge part of my life and I think back of like all the most exciting

times that I've had and all the relationships I've had.

A lot of those have revolved around sports and just opportunity to be able to give back to the school that I attended in this role.

That really excited me.

And then the chance to just give these athletes the opportunities so they can excel and be the best that they can be as well.

Football underway with the first game tonight.

Yeah.

Football has been rolling for a few weeks now.

Tonight's first varsity game in Veracruz.

Play at seven o'clock.

Last night, our JV team went to Salk.

Experienced a tough loss there, but they talked to Coach Magnick this morning.

They played well.

He's excited with where they're at.

You know, things are light years ahead of where they even were at their scrimmage, which is really good to hear.

But yeah, we're excited for the first game tonight next week because our home opener for the varsity against Potosi-Cassville.

So we're excited to see where they're rolling.

And what about other sports?

Silas, I think all the fall sports are underway now, aren't

they?

Yeah, so football starts a little bit earlier than everyone else, but soccer, cross-country, they started as well.

This Saturday, we have cross-country inner squad scrimmage, sorry, at Crosscut Park at 10 o'clock.

We have a soccer alumni game at 11, and then volleyball also has a scrimmage at the high school starting at 9.

And they stay busy because I know volleyball's got another tournament next week.

Just about every weekend they have a tournament.

Yeah, just about every weekend and it seems like every Tuesday and Thursday they're playing somewhere.

It's really good to keep them busy like that.

That's for the athletes, the exciting part is playing in those games.

Get them ready for the tournament time at the end of the season.

What do you see as challenges with the new role?

I think just trying to stay as organized as I can and finding those things that will work well for me as keeping organized, finding those systems and other people that can help me with that when needed.

So just kind of finding that initial flow of what I need to be doing.

I think that's going to be a little challenging, but I'm excited and I think I'm starting to find that a little bit.

The schedules for all of the sports for the year are usually made out a year in advance at least, aren't they?

Yeah, at least a year in advance.

So we're actually working on the next school year already, finding officials for those games.

And all that stuff will be found on our new system that we have.

It's called Bound Sports.

So anybody that would like to find all of the schedules for the upcoming years, you can go to Bound Sports, search for Richland Center, and you can find scores, stats, anything that you want for all of our sports within that.

That comes in handy.

Not only for, but even for poor old media guys too, to kind of follow what's going on there.

But your coaches are all going to be

Applying you know the stats and rosters everything to that.

Yep, absolutely rosters everything will be in there and I told our coaches in here It's really nice that way if you have an athlete whose grandma and grandpa live farther away, and they're like I can't make it to the game I'd like to find out You know what the score was or anything like that they can go ahead and they can look at that you can send them a link to it And they can find that out anybody that's Unable to make it to our games.

They're able to find all that information

there

Yeah, that's a good thing to have.

We're talking on the morning show about the Richland School District School getting underway soon.

Carrie, as you look at some of the things that we've been talking about, the construction.

Also, you recently took down some trees, I understand.

Yeah, so the former UW-Richland campus, we have not closed on it yet, but we are

of purchasing for a dollar, the gym, and then that attached garage, which the gym we've been able to utilize for a while.

We had an MOU with the county just to be able to utilize that space.

And it's kind of ironic that when we do finally take ownership, that MOU will switch and then the county will have one with us so that they can use the gym for, I've seen pickleball.

people in there and all that stuff.

So kind of a the school will own it, but a community space still definitely.

So we have the gym.

We have an attached garage, which used to be the the campus's maintenance, you know, pickup trucks and stuff were in there.

And then also Melville Hall.

So if anybody went to UW Richland might have fond memories of of Melville Hall being right there.

So those will transfer to the school district.

and really have some great plans for those spaces.

So the garage, we're hoping to utilize a little more for our partner students for some automotive training.

I know they have been working on snowmobiles and some four by fours.

those kind of things.

And so they're hoping to get a lift so that they can really do some more automotive training on that stuff and kind of have some projects designed around those things.

So that should be a great benefit for them.

Partner schools at that old East campus.

So it's right there kind of walking distance, just a little jump over there.

And the Melville Hall is going to be used for alternative programming.

So we would love to have been in there a little earlier and had some more time to get ready.

But

We should, near the beginning of the school year, be able to have kids in there.

So our off-campus alt-ed can be housed there.

That's been...

previously housed at the Brewer Library, and Brewer's been just so gracious to us to allow us to have that space and to be able to have that program there.

But we are hoping to move over to a little closer to home at the campus.

And then our Hive program, which has been the online schooling program, the Hive kids kind of had a space in the high school library that they were kind of utilizing when they needed meetings with their advisor or something like that.

That's going to move to the campus, the old campus.

I don't know what we're quite calling that place yet.

And then eventually our I Thrive Academy, which has been at Rockbridge, will be moving there as well.

So that one will probably take a little more time.

The kiddos who are in that program have some more specialized, just like.

dividers and walls and furniture and that kind of thing.

So that will take a little bit longer to have that one move over there as well.

But hopefully can utilize all those buildings in a way that really improves learning for our students.

You had a chance to use the campus gym, the former campus gym, during volleyball camp.

Because I know you had the opening, you had the...

Yeah, super registration.

Super registration was at the high school.

As a parent of a volleyball player, I will say I heard about that one and it was very hot that day in the gym.

We heard some choice words about the gym.

That was old school though.

Doesn't hurt him to sweat

a little bit.

I know we were at mineral point and they don't have air conditioning in their high school gym.

And somebody was joking one time like that's why they went state championships.

There

you

go.

Our players should be happy for the opportunity, but they were not.

The one in my house at least was not very pleased.

But yeah, so the gym will be a great asset to us.

You would think the high school is a beautiful gym and it's large and you look at it and you're like, gosh, why would you ever need more space?

But the truth is you really do.

And if we look at hosting some more large tournaments and that kind of thing, the volleyball, the JV2 players are playing over at the campus on Saturday.

So it really is.

you know, you can have three courts in there, but when you're running tournaments and stuff, you really need all the space you can get.

So being able to use that space, um, you know, kind of turning a negative into a positive that that space is available for the school district is just awesome and really excited to, to have that be a part of our campus.

Right.

And Silas, that's, it's a little easier when you're logistically, you know, it used to be go to the, the former middle school gymnasium, a little bit harder for folks out of town to find and everything like that,

but

nice to be.

kind of in the same space.

Yeah, all in the same space and it works really well for our seventh and eighth grade students now for any practices that they have.

We don't have to try and worry about how are they going to get to the intermediate school to use that gym there.

They can just walk down to that campus gym.

So that's just a really good like logistically sound.

idea for us is for them to go there.

But then yeah, when we're sending out information to schools like this is where we're going to be playing at.

Everything's all in that one location.

So it's just, even though we don't have AC and they might not love it, it's a really good option for us to have.

That won't be a problem after just a few weeks probably.

No,

absolutely.

Yeah, it'll cool down and maybe crack a door or something.

We'll be all right.

Yeah, once it cools down, they'll be all good.

Yes.

Are there plans to utilize it, like especially coming up for winter sports, for like JV2 games and things like that?

Yeah, so especially when we get into the basketball season, we have three levels there with our boys team.

There'll be times when we'll have to use that gym, especially when there's scheduling conflicts at times.

We have that opportunity to move games down to that gym.

So we'll definitely be used more than just the seasons where we have middle school sports.

We'll also have our high school sports that move down there.

Has there been any talk about varsity sports, uh, having a game there or a match there?

Um, I, you know, I've kind of thought about that a little bit in my head, you know, we've had those conversations there, but, um, nothing in play right now for that.

Okay.

And speaking of tournaments and wrestling, are you going to be hosting any big wrestling tournaments this school year?

Yeah.

So this school year, we obviously will be hosting our annual RC invite in December there, but then we're also going to be hosting the girls regional tournament for the WIA.

We were able to get that this year.

The boys sectional moved to Evansville, I believe, but we were able to get the girls regional.

Okay, that'll keep you busy as well.

Yeah, that'll be here before we know it as well.

Let's come back and talk a little bit more about the Richland district in just a moment.

We'll take time out of the morning show and be back in just a moment.

We're focusing on the Richland School District today, having a little fun during the break there as we were talking about some upcoming things.

Talking about the shot clock that might come into high school basketball Silas here in the future.

Yeah, the shot clock there.

They've approved that at one level in the WA and working on improving that.

So that way it will be present in all games.

So you'll see that a lot of schools are starting to move that way already.

Just kind of talking to some of the other conference ADs.

A lot of them have already purchased a shot clock or getting that system installed.

So I think you're going to start seeing that more and more.

And then obviously when we move that way as being that full requirement of having the shot clock, we'll see that more in high school basketball.

So have you inquired about that for Richland Center High School?

Yeah, yep.

So we do have that in works.

I've been talking with different administrators in the district as well.

And we're just trying to figure out the best plan as well as the best system that's going to work well for us.

It will require another table worker, won't it?

Yeah, it will.

And so at times that can be difficult trying to find an extra worker.

But, you know, luckily in our community, we have so many people that are just

fans of high school sports and fans of you know original center high school athletics as well and so they're always willing to help us out.

So I'm confident when we get to that point that we'll be able to find that worker.

Maybe Bill Twining can hit the shot clock with his big toe while he's running in a regular clock.

I mean we can figure it out.

We can figure it out.

It does bring up an interesting point though.

We talked earlier, Silas, about finding help and, uh, boy, officials, uh, you know, some of those nights when you're out there with all the football teams are going and middle school and everything else, it's difficult, isn't

it?

Yeah.

You know, you think about just our, our building alone and all the potential games that we have in a week and all the officials that we need.

Um, then you look across the state and the same thing, right?

And there's only so many officials out there.

And so if, you know,

You're interested in being official.

I encourage you to do that.

It's a pretty simple process through the WIA and to definitely make your money back and what you're going to pay to register for that.

There's tons of opportunities.

Maybe you're not confident in your officiating yet to be a varsity official, but you're like, I'd like to get started at the middle school or lower levels in high school.

You can absolutely do that.

And there's never a shortage of work.

You have officials that strictly do just middle school or maybe JV.

games as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

We kind of have a list of these are people that, you know, if we wanted to ask them to do a middle school or JV, they're always going to be available for us.

You know, and then that's always super helpful to have that because sometimes it can be difficult finding officials.

They're like, oh, we're not going to answer your email or anything right away because we're holding out for a varsity game, right?

So it's nice to have people that are like, you know, we'll take that for you right away.

Indeed.

Kerry, do you have your officiating license yet or

not?

I don't think you want me on there.

I am strictly a stand fan.

You're just the mom and then the picture-taker,

too.

I am the mom, yes.

Yeah, I know.

I actually got different cameras, so we're going to be out there.

I'll be at Baroquewood at night and volleyball and soccer tomorrow, so I'm learning.

I make no guarantees to the kids.

Some of them will be like, oh, get good pictures, and I'm like,

Yeah, I'll try.

I'll do my best, so we'll see.

Yeah, it's a great time.

I love activities and athletics, and I did sports and music when I was in school, so I have definitely a heart for those things, and I'm so happy the season's here.

I'm so happy it's coming back.

We were talking about it, homecoming especially.

Which is a little later in the year, but even these first games there's just if you've never been to Original Center football game or or basketball or volleyball or any of those things like please come out like just come out come enjoy with us There is an energy in that room that you just do not get in any other place And it's fantastic and I mean we won't have musical events for a while coming up They need to obviously practice and get the kids back in but those are amazing too.

So any opportunity are

community has.

Please come.

Please come.

You can be solo.

No one will judge you.

No one.

There's always someone to sit by.

Come and enjoy this time with us.

These are our kids, our community's kids.

And they love the support.

They love to see, you know, I think the pep band is going to be there for 28th.

And it's just, it's

an experience you need to have.

If you live in our community, please come and join us.