Many statements about this issue have been made about the “original plans” not including a wrestling room. I can tell you that they did. In fact, I’m looking at them as I write this. The reason the wrestlers are losing “a room of their own” is because it was given to the Gymnastics team. (The original team to get left out of the renovation plans). The wrestling team reluctantly conceded in the hopes of retaining only half of the original room and space that currently exists for them. The School Board voted that away for storage space. Some say, “Why spend money on 50 kids and their parents?” It’s not quite that simple. It’s about 50 kids, EVERY YEAR, for as long as that building stands! I thought education and this referendum was about providing additional space for students to learn. I guess it’s more about storage space these days, because that is why the wrestlers won’t have “a room of their own,” and that is where YOUR tax dollars are going. Money well spent on Education? Hmmm…What is more important? To some students, that room was their home away from home. It was their place to learn and grow as people. Shouldn’t that be what education is about as well? It may not be arithmetic or science, but to a lot of students wrestling was their REASON to WANT to learn. The sport and the coaches help students pass classes, and in the process, help them graduate. It helps them become better people by teaching them how to work hard, set goals, make friends, solve personal problems, deal with stress, win, lose with dignity and class, get back up when their down, and most of all, TO DREAM!!! If the School District of Janesville offers any courses like that, hell, I’ll sign my kid up right now! So if you think that wrestling, or athletics in general are irrelevant to education, maybe you should think about how our schools are going to spend our money.

JP415: Some of the statements you are making and "know for a fact" are not quite accurate. I too went to Parker and also taught at the high school. In the past (and currently) the only time basketball and wrestling had gym conflicts is when wrestling meets or tournaments take place, requiring gym space. The wrestling team hosts, on average, two tournaments a year and an average of 4 home meets a year. That is 6 dates where the gym is being used by wrestling. Basketball conflicts, more accurately, are due to a large number of winter sports and athletes requiring gym time. ie. 9th grade boys and girls basketball, JV boys and girls basketball, Varsity boys and girls basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling.

If the wrestling room is removed, the conflicts will increase exponentially with gymnastics and wrestling BOTH needing gym space for practices on a daily basis. This is space they didn't require in the gym previously.

The whole issue is interesting, in that the field houses were proposed to add space for PE and sports. With the removal of the wrestling room, the district will, in fact, be taking space away from both physical education classes and sports. People who are commenting seem to forget this isn't only a wrestling/sport issue. Physical education classes utilize the wrestling room on a daily basis for their courses.

First off the referendum is for ACEDMICS not sports. Second, all sports lose practice and game time no matter what anyone says. I played sports at parker for 4 years and my two sports lost time because of (most of the time) wrestling. I know that for a fact. My basketball practices either had to be before school or at 10PM because of them. We had to reschedule jv games all the time for them. That isn’t just practice time it is valuable game time. And for some of us players, that was all the game time we got. So get over having to be in the field house for a measly practice. We got robbed of game time.

WOW! What a big response and some very good points. What do you say Scott Angus? Has the Gazette started a follow-up story asking the district to address the concerns of many residents regarding this issue?

Whoever dictated that sports practices have to be immediately after school? If there isn't enough space, could some teams hold practice prior to the school day? Or, perhaps, during the evening? I know this would likely cause inconvenience for some, but I still think the athletes (and coaches) would show up.

Teachers are paid professionals. When I bitch about teachers only working 185 days a year, the teachers say, you should have gone into teaching. So when I hear teachers bitch my answer is, you should have gone into a different profession like football or baseball.

I am not sure what is more concerning; that it took the Janesville School Board 36 years to come into compliance; that 41 year old tradition has been voted out; or that Janesville voters were not told the details of a referendum before voting.

Smashmouth......or maybe take a spelling class.

WAS any floor plans seen by any of the voters?You all wanted more room at the schools so,I guess the voters should have done the homework before voting yes,Quit you crying and deal with it,mabey take out the science rooms,and the the math rooms and add 20 million and build on one of the tennis courts,or mabey on the roof,hay mabey one of the tech ed classrooms would, make you all happy,even the old Shakeys building you could have your practice? Want education or sports? Tell peolpe to quit developing around Parker and build a big giant dome in the back of the school and it will be just for the sports, just throw all the books away in the libary and practice in there.

Craig is really bad on parker space, and more than that exiting lanes and entering lanes. Its a huge mess. Just because you play sports and go and watch them doesn't mean your going to rot in a bar. Thats probably 5-10 kids that grow up and do that. Think about it 2000 kids graduate from each high school, so that would mean the 1000 or so kids in sports that you say will do "rot" doesn't add up. Unless i am missing some big rotting hole. The school is focusing on academics. Many new engineering labs and tech ed labs are being placed, those are jobs needed in todays society.

Also if you think because they are some kids grow up to rot as so, think if their life-line, aka sporting event was cut? I Mean, do you really want them causing problems in the study zones? Because think about it, if they aren't going to have something to study hard for, and work towards, school will be a much more distractful place.

This is just the beginning of what we were not told.The next thing that will happen is the student parking,with the new classrooms that will be on the east side and the fieldhouses on the southside we will lose the staff parking.On a average year PHS has 195-205 staff members,even with the lot that was brought west of the school(remember we were told that was for students) that will not be big enough for staff parking.PHS has 450 parking stalls for students(that they over sell)so next year before you buy that parking permit for $50.00 make sure that your student will have a place to park .

Single A minor leaguers and NBA D leaguers are all "SEMI" professional players. I believe you over exaggerated my comment, but your point is clear! I just believe that the contract dispute needs to be ended.

Great use of economic vocabulary! I <3 supply and demand charts.

RCGladiatorQB12:

I don't believe teachers are willing to be paid like Single A minor leaguers, NBA D leaguers or arena football players-each of them are professionals. Each of these professional athletes earn considerably less than 1st year teachers.

There are 4 million K-12 teachers in the United States and a waiting list of people who aspire to these jobs when openings occur. There are tens of millions of people who have the ability to perform this work if they wanted to. The market-clearing price equilibrates supply and demand. School districts must pay that price to retain current employees and fill vacancies. If there were a shortage of qualified teachers, school districts would be forced to pay more. If there's no shortage, they don't have to. A market economy may be imperfect, but it beats all the alternatives. And that's the way the world works.

Fire all involved!
We should not stand for this!

Craig has never had a wrestling room of it's own. They practice in the basement which is a dungen it's terible down there but that is all they have. i guess you will have to get use to it at Parker no but wrestlers and there parents care about us.

Until teachers are rightfully paid like professional athletes, athletics will always remain a top priority by many. Although I don't agree with the loss of the wrestling room, there are important things like settling the teachers contract issue.

Does anyone know if the director of business services job is an elected position? This guy is a sneaky, misleading creep.

BlackIrish, French club and newspaper do not get left out. First off French teachers at Craig at least do movies nights, honor society, and many traditional activities that are out of school. News paper, is a offered class that you have to be accepted to join. Also most clubs need a school teacher to run and supervise, its not the lack of funding for clubs per say, but the difficulty of finding teachers willing to donate time. They are already underpaid as it is. Sports do so well because they have many teachers and public supporters. I say as long as kids are willing to obied to academic standards, school rules, and team rules they should have a decent place to do so. Yes, no one becomes of pro athlete but sports provide a positive learning experience that will enhance your child's ability to develop self confidence, good sportsmanship and teamwork skills. Sports also teach all of us to work hard and have a little fun at the same time.

Self-esteem is something you cannot give your child. We gain positive self-esteem through accomplishments. In sports, your child can reach goals, big and small, and feel good about themselves. It is not important to be the star. Teach your child to strive to reach personal goals.

In sports there are setbacks, defeats and even injuries. How you handle it says a lot about your character. Your child will be a lot happier if he or she learns to take setbacks in stride and concentrates on doing better next time.

If your child decides to play a sport, make sure you are playing your role the best way you can. Don't pressure your child. Instead be supportive and help him or her through any difficulties or conflicts. It's great to practice with your child, but don't be overbearing and make practice feel like a punishment.

Keep your emotions in check. Avoid criticizing your child or others in public and in private. Instead offer help if there is a certain skill he or she can improve. Never humiliate a child.

Sports help prepare your children for the working world, and life in general. Encourage your child to find a team sport that they will enjoy. Continue to talk with them and support them. Your involvement will enhance their experience.

I do understand that sports provide benefits for many students, especially kids who might otherwise not give a hoot about doing well in school. But I maintain that as long as 18.6% of our 10th graders are not proficient in reading and 31.7% are not proficient in math, we need to focus our limited resources on academics. (DPI data, 2005-2006)

Irishbychoice is right. Somewhere along the way the priorities got mixed up. Academics should be the name of the game.
Sports at all levels has gotten out of hand. It used to be that at least Sunday was reserved for family and church but that too fell by the way a long time ago.
Until people get their priorities straight, it's not going to get any better.

It sounds like the school board is just like many others, out of touch with reality. They are going to spend 70 million and eliminate things, sounds like fiscal mismanagment to me.
Start a recall election against the board.
Make the basketball teams practice outside on the blacktop courts they have.
Better yet have a UFC match between the basketball team and the wrestling team and whoever wins gets the gym.

To those who mentioned just get rid of the room: What about tradition and all those whom wrestling has helped. It doesn't matter the size of the person who is going out for wrestling. Wrestling takes in all people, shapes and sizes (not to mention life directions).

Wrestling helps guide, direct and prepare people for life. How? Life is a battle, day by day, if you're not prepared to do your best, someone else will do better than you - you lose.

I try my best every day at work. I will not give anything less than my best effort. This is but just one life lesson I learned from wrestling!

NVgrf -
I was not trying to diminish what basketball OR wrestling have accomplished, merely pointing out that many athletics depend on the schedule of others.

When I was in school we sometimes walked to the elementary schools to practice because all the other spaces were being used. Cheerleeding was in the cafeteria or other common areas. Wrestlers ran on the outside of the gym dodging the basketballs or down the halls. We dealt with it because we loved the sport. Students are required to keep grades up to participate. But if they start cuting programs or taking away funds for these programs what will you be complaing about next? Grades will drop, obesity will increase, they will turn to smoking, drugs, drinking, gangs. Students need something to do after school. Sports and acedemic programs should be treated equally. It is both of these programs that keep kids motivated and the ones that are involved seemed more likely to go on to college then the ones who wern't.

In reply to previous comments, be careful about using revenue to justify different programs, many more programs would not match up to wrestling. (By the way this is not college)

Currently cheerleaders do use the wrestling room for practice and warm-ups before every basketball game.(Because it is the safest place)

Don't forget about the Janesville Youth Wrestling Club that practices twice a week in the Parker wrestling room. Members have gone on to both high schools with great distinction.

If Todd Bailey who is on the School Board did not know about these plans, I might suggest that there may be many more surprises that our school district has yet to disclose adequately.

When the school district fully funds academic programs for gifted and talented students in all buildings, after school homework clubs at all middle and elementary schools, and provides enough social workers to serve the increasing number of children with serious issues, then we can give a rodent's behind about cheerleading, wrestling, basketball, and all other athletics. Janesville's priorities are all out of whack.

$70.8 million just doesn't buy what it used to, I guess. Let's continue to watch for the reports stating nobody will be able to use either school unless the citizens cough up another 30 million to finish it.

They should just cut the program. How much revenue does the wrestling program bring in compared to basketball and football?

Here is what will happen to the cheerleaders and pom pons practice space.....NO ONE KNOWS. Not only are they losing their storage rooms, there will be virtually nowhere for them to practice as it will be impossible to secure gym space when it is being "shared" by all of the other sports teams. Perhaps they will be forced to move practice to another middle or elementary school? I don't feel as though anyone really gave thought to those groups.

Mile5k2......Basketball loses PRACTICE time due to wrestling???!!! You can't be serious! You are equating practice time for basketball with a wrestling meet. Give me a break!! Same Janesville basketball attitude. You would think with all of the baskeball emphasis that there would be more than ONE boys state championship in the history of humankind there.

If I recall, basketball often loses practice time due to wrestling and gymnastics meets in the current gym. It is unfortunate that wrestling will have to share a facility now, but lets recall that the referendum is supposed to be about academics, and that any athletic benefit is merely icing on the cake.

In the article it mentions that a lot of sports will now get their own facilities. It also states that the wrestlers will loose "their" room and it's not fair. While I do agree, I also need to be an advocate for equality. Once the renovations are complete, will the pom pon girls and cheerleaders still be practicing in the common areas (orchestra rooms, hallways, "the commons", classrooms, etc..,) or will they too now have their own practice facility? Which also begs the question, if the wrestling mats are going to be hoisted up and down (potentially), will the schools do that for the cheer teams during their stunting times?

It's OK!
Let's just add $xx million dollars to the existing $70+ million project so 50 more athletes (and their parents) can have their way.

I can't imagine that this would have happened had it impacted the basketball program. The Parker wrestling room, with all of the State qualifiers names on the wall, has been an important part of the program's success. Once again the school's traditions seem to mean nothing to those in charge. How sad!!