Communities come together to discuss possible co-op

Trisha Benton

Randolph Times

OSMOND —   A potential co-op between Randolph and Osmond schools for junior high football and basketball, and high school basketball has the opportunity to extend beyond the field and court.

But the schools won’t consolidate as part of the plan.

“The purpose of a co-op is not to consolidate,” said Osmond Principal Kurt Polt. “I think a lot of people have that misconception. The purpose of a co-op is to gain a partner so that both schools can work together to give their students positive experiences to be able to keep their school in their community.”

About 100 people from both communities gathered for a meeting last week in Osmond to discuss the potential co-op between the schools.

Jim Scott, Randolph board’s vice-president, said board members from Osmond, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, Winside and Randolph got together at a conference three or four years ago and expressed interest in helping each other out if the going got tough.

“We wanted to tell everybody we were all open to doing things together and here we are today,” Scott said. “Things came about.”

Osmond school officials approached Randolph about a potential co-op last fall and the two boards and school administrators have been discussing it ever since. At last week’s meeting, administrators and board members fielded questions and comments about the potential co-op and shared current enrollment and projected participation numbers in those particular sports.

While Osmond’s projected numbers show a dip in the number of boys participating, Randolph’s need is more on the girls’ side.

Both schools would utilize their own facilities, and coaches from both schools would be involved. The co-op if realized would put the joined team in Class C2 competing in the Lewis & Clark Conference, said Randolph Athletic Director Ted Stubbs, and both athletic directors will work together on game schedules.

“I’m not going to lie to you, putting together game schedules at this late date will not be fun for anyone,” Stubbs said as other schools that are dropped from the playing schedule have to scramble, too. “Everyone’s going to be in the same boat and we’re going to have to do a lot of work together to try to get it to work out. I think we can do that.”

The initial thinking is that any school coming from the west will play at Osmond. Schools coming from the east will play in Randolph. Big games may have to be played in Randolph as the facility can accommodate more seating, Stubbs said.

A co-op for high school sports is under the direction of the Nebraska School Activities Association and must be a two-year commitment. Junior High sports aren’t bound by NSAA rules.

How expenses and income are handled will be modeled after how Randolph currently handles finances with its wrestling co-op with Laurel-Concord-Coleridge. The cost each district has to bear will be similar, said Randolph Superintendent Jeff Hoesing.

Gate admissions will be receipted to a co-op fund that is shared, he said.

Options for a new co-op mascot and colors would be led by each school’s student councils and voted on by the student body, said Randolph Principal Brandi Bartels.

“I know we have our students who are proud to be Randolph Cardinals. I’m sure you have students who are proud to be Osmond Tigers,” she said.

Some from the crowd expressed a more long-term relationship may be beneficial to both schools, beyond the two-year co-op agreement.

“I think we need to focus more on a friendship and having each other’s backs along with this co-op as to where one school is not going to be left hanging,” said Osmond Resident Tiffany Rice.

Although the hope is for a long-term commitment neither school knows whether or not the co-op will work out until it’s tried and tested, Polt said.

Scott agreed.

“Before you got married, did you date or did you get married right away? … If we do go ahead with this, I think you’re going to know a lot more after two years if you want to get into a marriage or not,” he said.

Randolph Superintendent Jeff Hoesing said the boards are restricted from entering into any other interlocal agreement beyond the co-op agreement of two years.

See Co-op, Page 3