Wish list for Cape schools targets athletics

Students in Cape Girardeau could be playing in an athletic complex with brand new scoreboards, outdoor concessions and well-lighted fields next fall when the new Central High School opens.

That is, if the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation is successful in raising $600,000 -- more than 12 times the $51,000 it raised last year.

Superintendent Dan Steska said the district couldn't have included those or other athletic extras in the original budget without a tax increase.

"We didn't feel like we would have been successful if we would have put a tax increase on the ballot," Steska said. "We knew it wouldn't be a completed facility, but we also knew when people saw the success they would be willing to finalize the project."

Instead of a tax increase, the district asked voters to approve an extension of the debt that financed the construction. They said yes.

But Steska said the amount of the April 2000 bond issue still limited what the district could build, so they had to take cuts in athletics instead of academics.

That's why the foundation is trying to raise money to add back to the school the items that had to be cut. It is well on its way.

Two new ballfields

Rich Payne, executive director of the foundation, finalized a project Friday for an additional baseball field and softball field to be built at the new school with fencing around each.

"The entire project has a cost of $85,000," said Payne. "But it's costing the taxpayers nothing and the foundation only $32,500."

All of the labor costs, 32 yards of concrete and field surveys were donated to the foundation by Illiana Fencing, FGR Mechanical, McDonald Concrete and Bowen Surveying Company. An additional $32,800 was donated by local businesses and community members.

"The foundation's No. 1 priority is to address the unmet needs at the new Central High School and issues surrounding the reconfiguration of the district," Payne said.

Besides athletic equipment like bleachers and wrestling mats, the foundation is trying to raise money for academic materials.

All of the fifth- and sixth-graders will be moving from the district's five elementary schools into the new Central Middle School, but not all of the music and art materials will. Some will remain in the elementary schools.

That's why the foundation needs to raise money for new instruments and supplies for the middle school.

And Central High School principal Mike Cowan said his school is having the same problem. Right now students at the junior high school can walk over to the high school for music classes. Next year they won't have that luxury.

"If you had to, you could take a clarinet to the junior high every day, but you can't take a xylophone or a piano," Cowan said.

Music equipment is just one of many items on the foundation's wish list. Other items are flagpoles, a pressbox and a wrestling mat.

'Neat things to be done'

But the only way to make those wishes a reality is for the foundation to raise the money.

Hoping to gather support and generate ideas on how to go about raising money, athletic director Terry Kitchen contacted Don Zimmer with the Zimmer Radio Group.

Together Kitchen, Zimmer, Payne and other school board officials called together a small group of community members Monday night at the Career and Technology Center.

Sarah Schermann, mother of three Cape Girardeau students and an alumna of the district, attended the meeting to see what is next for the new school. Her husband, Paul, is a member of the foundation board.

"There are a lot of neat things to be done," she said. "But it all comes down to the classroom. That's where the learning takes place."

The foundation began raising money for a new track at the current high school in 1995. Its mission was to enhance the instructional and extracurricular programs throughout the district in the areas of academics, arts and athletics.

After the initial project, the district realized the potential effect the foundation could have in the district. In January 2000, Payne was appointed to the executive director position. Since then, Payne has overseen the day-to-day operations, and the board has met monthly to delegate the over $200,000 donated.

Payne said people can donate money to the foundation's general fund and the board will decide where to use the money, or they can donate money to a specific area, extracurricular activities or any of the schools.

hkronmueller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

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Want to donate to the foundation?

To make donations of any amount to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation contact Rich Payne at 334-3358 or send checks payable to the foundation to Cape Girardeau Public School Foundation, P.O. Box 399, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0399.