School Briefs: Lakeview Approves Contracts and Discusses Lakers Hockey

Board approves contracts

Lakeview Public Schools Board of Education has approved contracts with all four of the district's employee unions. All of the four-year settlements include increased health care deductibles scheduled twice over four years and encompass wage, benefit and work load structure changes that are projected to save the district nearly $2 million over the next four years. The master agreements were not set to expire until summer 2011.

“Our employees understood that reductions in benefits and changes to our wage structure would be needed in order to provide financial stability over the long-term,” said Karl Paulson, superintendent, in a release. A merit evaluation accountability structure is also included for the teachers, principals and central office administrative staff. 

Discussions begin on unified hockey team

Lakeview's Board of Education recently directed the athletic director to begin discussions with his peers at Lake Shore and South Lake about the future of the Lakers Unified Hockey Team.

The team, which was formed in 2003 and is comprised of players from each high school in the city, was proposed to be self-sufficient. In early 2009, the districts were approached to help the team financially for items not covered by the more than $40,000 raised annually through fundraisers on a pro-rata basis.

Last school year, Lakeview contributed $12,000 for home ice and referees and Lake Shore contributed about $6,000 for busing the team. At a recent school board meeting, members voted to pull the funding for this year due to the other districts not contributing an equal amount for the program.

"There is enough money for this season," said Sean Zaborowski, athletic director.

The board's action comes at the end of a two-year consortium agreement between the schools.

"This is the time to do it," he added.

The Lakers are comprised of 13 students from Lakeview, seven from Lake Shore and two from South Lake.

Members of the board were unhappy that South Lake did not contribute either a financial, or in-kind service, for the team.

"This is nothing against the program itself. It is all about the finances," said Daniel Dombrowski, board president. "It is all about the finances and those terms were not met."

South Lake's athletic director said he is looking forward to sitting down and speaking with his colleagues.

"I think that's a good thing. It needs to be revisited every couple of years," said Jason Kasparian, South Lake athletic director. "There's no question that Lakeview and Lake Shore have contributed more money to the team. South Lake has contributed a small amount, but you have to remember, this is set up to be a self-supporting team. Anything any of the three schools contribute is something that isn't at all required of them."