IHSAA gives OK for ’Velt athletics while school is in turnaround transition

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Updated: March 1, 2012 9:48AM

GARY — Competitive high school sports will continue at Roosevelt Career and Technical Academy even as it prepares for take over by a turnaround operator, the state announced on Monday.

Indiana High School Athletic Association Commissioner Bobby Cox said the school meets the requirements to continue competing against other schools. It has at least one sport for boys and girls in fall, winter and spring, and it remains an accredited high school with the state Department of Education.

“If you’re a member right now and you meet our requirements, then you can participate,” Cox said Monday. “If you’re being taken over by a private company or whatever, then we’re obviously not gonna take away membership.

“As of this point, it’s my understanding (Roosevelt) is still fully accredited, and they meet the minimum requirement. I can’t imaging the state of Indiana is going to allow a private company to come into a school that doesn’t have the proper accreditation.”

Cox said the turnaround operator will get a major say in whether athletics continue at the school, but Roosevelt should be able to continue competing no matter who takes over the school, said Michael Serpe, a spokesman with EdisonLearning, a turnaround operator that is assessing and evaluating the high school.

Serpe also said it isn’t certain EdisonLearning will be Roosevelt’s turnaround operator.

“It’s premature to talk about what we would do with athletics, because we don’t know who Roosevelt’s turnaround operator will be, yet,” he said. “The state has pretty much spoken on Roosevelt continuing to participate in athletics.”

At a recent community meeting, EdisonLearning’s Senior Vice President of Educational Services Vanessa Ronketto said that officials see sports as an integral part of how the school will attract talented students.

“We see that as playing into the legacy of what made Roosevelt successful,” she said.

There was never any confusion about Roosevelt competing in any athletics, said Gary School Board president Darren Washington.

“We had already known that,” Washington said. “We were told all along the issue with EdisonLearning was about dealing with academics, not athletics.”

Jim Larson, director of school improvement and turnaround for the Indiana Department of Education, said the letter from the IHSAA to the Department of Education should help clarify some confusion.

“I don’t know where the talk or rumors began,” he said. “I think somewhere along the line, some people got their wires crossed, but this is to clarify Roosevelt will continue to participate in the IHSAA.”

Obviously, the news was met with enthusiasm from players and coaches.

“I’m glad that there will be athletics here next year,” Roosevelt girls basketball coach Ron Swain said. “It’ll give the kids something to do to keep striving for excellence.

“I hope the alumni and the people come support the kids — that’s the No. 1 thing. Everybody wants Roosevelt to stay open and keep the tradition, but one of the traditions is for the alumni and fans to come out and just support the kids.”

Boys basketball coach Larry McKissack added: “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

Junior Reginald Hill is a basketball player who wouldn’t be at Roosevelt if not for athletics.

“I’m happy,” Hill said. “I was actually thinking of going to Emerson (next year) because the reason I came here is because (Emerson) didn’t have an athletic department.”

Staff writer Christin Nance Lazerus and correspondent Candance Buckner contributed to this report.