March 29, 2024

School board approves 1-year, $5K agreement with GRMC

Community schools currently utilize GRMC services for free

Creston Community School Board unanimously approved a one-year agreement with Greater Regional Medical Center for athletics services for a cost of $5,000 to begin with the 2017-18 school year.

Currently, Creston Community School District utilizes the various services for free.

“We had a contract that was offered to us, a three-year contract, for athletic training and physical therapy services that we have been enjoying,” said Creston Community School District Superintendent Steve McDermott. “The hospital, Greater Regional, has provided those services at no charge in the past. Outstanding services. It’s been great.”

The hospital providers assist in pre-hospital care for sports injuries at night contests or games, after practices and the morning after games, and also can help when making the decision to allow student athletes to resume play after a possible injury, such as a concussion.

“We don’t expect to get the services for nothing forever,” McDermott said. “The original contract was a ratcheting, or a gradation, the first year being $5,000, the second year being $10,000, third year being $15,000. Well, we balked at the extended contract at this point.”

McDermott said he visited with two trainers and Greater Regional CEO Monte Neitzel and they came to the agreement of a one-year time frame at the $5,000 level.

“Let’s look at this, see how it goes for a year, see how the services go and then reconsider and renegotiate for another year,” McDermott said.

The agreement was also offered to Southwestern Community College and other local school districts. SWCC, by specific junior college NCAA rules, is required to offer certain services, but local school districts are not. The other school districts have not opted for the three-year plan, but some are considering the same one-year plan as CCSD. If a school district negotiates with GRMC for a lower cost for the services, the hospital will lower the cost of services to everyone else, as well.

The agreement is going to the district’s attorney and insurance provider to be reviewed, as McDermott said, to “cover all bases.”

Creston Community School District will pay $1,250 each season, totalling $5,000, to cover the services. Additional services include wrestling body fat testing at $10 per student and away varsity event coverage at $36 per hour including travel time, and mileage will be compensated at the annual federal allowable reimbursement rate per mile.

However, the additional services may not be utilized, as a budget was set before the agreement was offered.

“We’re trying to stick to this budget as close as possible,” McDermott said. “I think this is a great plan and it shows a willingness to be a partner on both ends while we’re also taking care of the safety of our students.”

According to the agreement, Greater Regional “shall provide qualified, certified, licensed, employed athletic trainers and affiliated sports medicine physicians to administer athletic training services.” They also will make a reasonable effort to attend events, and if they’re unable, they must allow the school to make alternative arrangements.

Creston Community Schools, in the agreement, will be responsible for obtaining parental or guardian consent to treat for the student athletes and providing space and equipment for the physicians to work. The schools also can hang Greater Regional signage throughout buildings and athletic space, and they cannot have another individual or entity provide similar services unless previously agreed upon by the district and Greater Regional.

In other school board news:

• School board members unanimously approved the resignations of Jon Thomson as eighth-grade head football coach, Tonya Green as cook, Maggie Arnold as middle school government teacher (1/3 position) and Britt Roberts as assistant girls’ basketball coach. They approved the transfer of Maggie Arnold as high school communication and service technology teacher, and the contracts for Bryant McCabe as teacher, Ruth Avazian as paraprofessional, Erin Dodge as paraprofessional, Rebecca Slick as paraprofessional, Mallory Peterson as seventh-grade girls track coach, Jon Thomson as assistant high school football coach and Britt Roberts as head girls basketball coach.

• Another two vehicles were approved for the school’s fleet. School board members approved the purchase of two Ford Tauruses from Creston Automotive for the cost of $42,440. After a trade of $700, the total cost will be $41,740. Other bids were by Stalker Chevrolet for two Chevrolet Impalas, plus a $2,200 trade, for a total of $42,300, and two Dodge Chargers, after a trade of $2,000, for a total of $41,800 at M and M Motors.