School approves track co-op

Elliott Belquist, New Rockford-Sheyenne’s athletic director, appeared at the NR-S school board’s regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 11 to present a potential co-op agreement for track and field between New Rockford-Sheyenne and Four Winds.

Belquist said he was approached by the athletic director at Four Winds, Rick Smith, about the potential for a track and field co-op.

As Belquist explained to board members, the Four Winds school hasn’t had its own track program for 11 years.

“They’re just basically looking for somewhere to go,” said Belquist. “He doesn’t think he has a whole lot of kids that are interested, but he has a handful of good ones that he wants to see have an opportunity.”

According to the summary of proposed action on the subject, an estimated five females and eight males from Four Winds have expressed interest in joining track and field.

Belquist told the board that the potential cooperative with Four Winds would be comparable to the agreements NR-S has with Carrington School District for softball and wrestling.

The co-op agreement would keep their team name as the New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets, and would simply allow a few more area kids to compete in the sport.

The financial impact would also be minimal, explained Belquist.

“They would provide a coach, they would pay for that coach, and that coach would be responsible for bussing them down here,” he said. “... so there’s really no added expense for us.”

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a co-op agreement with Four Winds would be free access to their track, which encircles the football field in Fort Totten.

The primary unknown discussed by board members had to do with remaining in Class B. If the combined enrollment of two smaller schools in a sports co-op is large enough, the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) could reclassify them in Class A.

As of Monday’s meeting, Belquist was unsure if a co-op with Four Winds would make them too large for Class B. If that turns out to be the case, Belquist said they wouldn’t move forward with the co-op.

For now, however, the school board unanimously voted to carry a motion to move forward with a potential co-op between NR-S and Four Winds.

Before the co-op is official, it must be approved by both the NR-S and Four Winds school boards, as well as the North Dakota High School Activities Association by January 15, 2024.

Also at the meeting on Monday, the school board considered a recommendation to hire Jennifer Whitman.

Whitman has already worked at the school district teaching third grade, but only as a long-term substitute. In September, Whitman officially earned her full teaching license, and therefore became eligible for a full-time teaching contract, which was unanimously approved by the board.

Before adjourning, the board also approved the resignation of Jim Fleming, who had been the school’s technology and engineering teacher.

There was no discussion among the board members regarding his resignation and Fleming’s letter of resignation does not state the reason for his departure.

The school board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.