School board approves switch to 8-man football

La Conner Schools officials tackled the status of Braves football and student enrollment to kick off a lengthy hybrid school board meeting Monday night.

District financial chief David Cram reported to board members that K-12 enrollment had dipped from 497 to 485 full-time students since the start of the calendar year, with most of the losses coming in the fifth and 12th grades.

“It’s not unusual at this time of year,” Cram told the board, noting that student movement tends to increase during semester breaks.

Enrollment is a major driver when it comes to state funding support for La Conner Schools. But the district cushioned itself for a possible mid-year enrollment decline by budgeting for 490 full-time students during the 2023-24 academic year.

“We should be fine,” said Cram, who also noted that the district now has around $700,000 cash on hand at the Skagit County Treasurer’s Office.

“I’m pretty happy with where we are,” he said.

The district, which implemented a series of painful budget cuts last year to get its reserve fund back in the black, also anticipates receipt this spring of federal impact aid monies. Those funds are designed to assist school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to having exempt federal property such as military installations or Native American lands within its boundaries.

“What we’re waiting on now,” said Cram, “is for Congress to pass a continuing resolution.”

Cram doesn’t know when or how much federal funding the district will receive.

“We received it mid-March last year,” he said, “but it could come in May. It’s a significant amount of funds.”

Tied to declining enrollment, which has seen La Conner in the span of a generation drop from 1A to the smallest 2B high school in the state, is a downsizing of the Braves’ football program. The board on Monday, following extensive public comment, approved a plan for La Conner to play an independent eight-man schedule the next two seasons.

In doing so, members also endorsed a recommendation by La Conner High School Principal and Athletic Director Christine Tripp that a benchmark committee be formed to monitor progress by the grid program ahead of the 2024 season.

“We need to have things done before summer vacation is over,” said Tripp, who will serve on the panel with Cram. Its other members will be determined later.

Tripp identified a weight program, summer camp, and off-season training as key benchmark standards going forward.

“We can use eight-man ball to try to grow the program back,” Tripp said.

Tripp said under the new format there likely will be fewer home games for La Conner this fall.

Football head coach Charlie Edwards thanked the board for retaining La Conner football rather than eliminating the sport or combining with defending 2A state champion Anacortes.

“We don’t want to lose our program,” said Edwards. “As much as I appreciate our friends from Anacortes, I want our kids to wear the blue.”

In other district business:

The La Conner Rotary Club gave a $2,000 donation toward food and snacks at the Braves Hub and another $600 earmarked for the end-of-year senior class trip. “We’re blessed that La Conner Rotary supports our programs,” said La Conner Schools Superintendent Will Nelson.

School Board student representative Josie Straathof said fundraising continues for the senior class trip. She said Santo Coyote Mexican Kitchen is pledging 20% of its March 22 sales to the cause. Plans are also afoot for a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at Maple Hall in the spring, a March 9 car wash at the Swinomish Casino & Lodge, and a boat tour around Anacortes in late April.

District Teaching and Learning Director Beth Clothier presented data showing middle school students making strides using a new math curriculum. She said some students started the school year performing below grade level but are showing significant growth. “The hope is that after a couple years the students who are behind can achieve grade level capability.” She said that after six months several students have advanced as much as two grade levels in math.