Zacher: Changes needed in sports physicals

by Kathy Duff
Grand Island Dispatch, September 29, 2006

Grand Island’s Josh Doermer and Lockport’s Paul Strusienski battle it out on the soccer field at Grand Island High School earlier this week. Parents have criticized the way in which the Island school district handled sports physicals this summer for prospective members of the Vikings’ teams. (photo by Joe Eberle)

Concerns over the handling of physicals for student athletes surfaced immediately at Monday’s Grand Island Board of Education meeting held at Eco Island on Staley Road. Dr. Robert Lutnick spoke during the “Voice of the People” portion of the agenda as a parent, “physician and taxpayer,” reiterating concerns his wife, Elizabeth, had brought to the board two weeks ago.

Later in the meeting, Interim Superintendent Dr. Larry Zacher agreed with critics that changes need to be made in the way the physicals were conducted this past summer.

The Lutnicks and other parents have complained to the Grand Island Athletic Department, the Board of Education and Zacher about the conditions under which their middle and high school students were examined at the high school by University Sports Medicine during the month of August. The parents say there were basic safety and infection control violations, such as lack of hand washing or sanitizing between examinations, and missing identification tags on the health care personnel.

Contract Concerns

Dr. Lutnick expressed concern over the contract between the school district and University Sports Medicine, which provides for personal trainers to the athletic department as well as outlines the cost to the schools for the examinations. Lutnick and others question whether the district should pay for examinations they say were not done properly and also whether student physicals should be done by an outside agency at all, instead of by a family physician.

Zacher addressed the sports physicals issue later in the meeting, during his Superintendent’s Report, stating that parents have “real and serious concerns” and that “changes absolutely need to be made.” He said that he discussed the problem with Athletic Director Jon Roth and Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance, Loraine Ingrasci. Zacher said he and Ingrasci were in the process of reviewing three contracts that involve the physicals. He said he would be meeting with University Sports Medicine officials this week, and would then prepare a report with recommendations for the board to consider.

ELA Assessment Rankings

In other business, Dr. Karen Karmazin, assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, reported that, according to the state Education Department, Grand Island students are progressing at an adequate rate for performance on the English Language Assessments. Out of 28 districts, Grand Island ranks ninth for grade 3; seventh for grade 4; 11th for grade 5; fourth for grade 6; seventh for grade 7; and ninth for grade 8.

Capital Improvements

Also, in continuing reports to the board regarding the capital improvement projects, the district’s architect, Richard Gehring of Trautman and Associates, said the paperwork process for the health and safety improvements to school buildings can begin soon. He emphasized that, between state building aid and special EXCEL grant aid, the cost to Grand Island taxpayers should be zero. The total dollars expected to be spent will be close to $4 million.

A special Board of Education meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 3, to discuss a specific personnel issue in the District Office Board Room at 5:30 p.m. From 6 to 7 p.m., a meeting will be held with Donald Ogilvie, of Erie 1 BOCES, to discuss the superintendent search process. Following this meeting will be the advisory committee’s first orientation meeting with the board in high school Room 108.

The next regular board meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m., in high school Room 108.