Parents concerned about coach replacement, board appointment

From the Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Parents concerned about coach replacement, board appointment
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

JOHNSBURG – District 12 school board members spent about an hour assuaging concerns from parents about how an athletic coach who resigned will be replaced and defended their decision to reappoint a former board member to the school board.

Johnsburg High School men's basketball coach Matt Ryndak resigned last week both as a coach and physical education teacher. Several parents came to the meeting to express their concern over his replacement process.

"There's been so much turmoil in the sports program the reputation of this town is in jeopardy," said Ellen Cravens, whose son is a sophomore at Johnsburg High School and plays three sports. "I think we're forgetting who we have to put first."

District Superintendent Dan Johnson told Cravens and other parents who attended the meeting that preserving the athletic program's reputation was a top priority. He cited his own experience as the parent of three students in the school as evidence of his dedication to that cause.

"We will do everything we can to make sure that pride stays here," Johnson said.

The board also was questioned by former Athletic Booster Club President Kathy Ignoffo about why a former school board member, Bob Preston, was appointed to the board earlier this month.

Preston was chosen from a pool of 12 applicants to replace board member Jayne Thompson, who resigned in September. He will hold the position until the spring election. He was on the school board for more than 20 years until 2006, when he decided not to run for re-election.

Ignoffo, who left the booster club in May after controversy about the high school athletic director's resignation, called Preston's appointment irresponsible.

"Why would you reappointment [him] when you have some great candidates?" Ignoffo said.

Another parent at the meeting said she thought Preston was handpicked by the board.

Board Vice President Mike Wolf responded by saying the board considered all the applicants.

"It was amazing to us ... the quality of the candidates that came forward," Wolf said. "We had a very difficult time narrowing this down."

Other board members chimed in to the response and defended Preston's appointment.

"It's going to take you at least a year before you have a clue what's going on," said Tom Liston, board president. "One of the traits we were looking for was somebody who knew what was going on."

All the board members were present at the meeting.