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The Tomah School Board unanimously approved the inclusion of sixth-grade students in the golf and track and field programs offered at Tomah Middle School.

In a presentation made to the board at LaGrange Elementary School on Thursday, Tomah Area Schools Athletic Director Tom Curran lobbied for the participation of sixth graders in these athletic activities. He believes it may not only help the programs, but will be beneficial to the students.

“This issue has been coming up for the last couple of years,” Curran said. “Middle school is a time in a kid’s life when they start to flow into certain areas. The athletic part is not the most important part, but it is important to be involved and to be supervised by an adult.”

Sixth graders are already allowed to participate in cross country, gymnastics and tennis. The board’s approval will allow sixth grade students of both genders to participate in golf in the fall, and track and field in the spring. The sixth graders will get their first chance at participating during the 2008 seasons.

The Three Rivers Conference holds rules against the inclusion of sixth-grade students for conference scheduled events. Curran said that he plans to lobby the conference for their inclusion, but also believes that even without the opportunity for conference play, the involvement would still be beneficial.

“I plan to attempt to get the conference to let sixth graders compete,” Curran said. “We want to at least have them involved in practices and perhaps some invitational meets.”

Several members of the board voiced their support for Curran’s plan. Gary Grovesteen said that he believes an emphasis on participation for Tomah’s youth is an important and beneficial idea.

“This gives the kids an avenue that they can take,” Grovesteen said. “It is a tremendous thing to have.”

The school board also approved the members that will make up a new ad hoc committee to explore the issue of 4-year-old kindergarten. The board members that will serve on the committee are Pam Buchda and Mary Ellen Justinger. School board appointees will include Rick Murray, Marna Matthews, Todd Meyer, Stephanie Kaebisch, Steve or Verna Dechant, Dr. Mary Jo Lanska and Fran Pollard. Five at-large members were also selected by a random draw. Those members will include Julie Zingler, Jane Schave, Deb Granger, Mary Wierschem and Teresa Linzmier.