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Parents and varsity swimmers told the Lansing Board of Education Monday that repairs to the high school pool are subjecting the team to challenges they fear will impact the team's performance.  The pool was closed in May when issues were discovered, and repairs are currently underway.  Superintendent Chris Pettograsso said that it is unlikely that the pool will reopen before the girls varsity swim season is over.  Lansing's  top ranked Varsity Girl's Swimming and Diving team practice began last week at the Ithaca Swim Club, prompting fears that they will be forced to practice in an outdoor pool next month as temperatures begin to drop.

"The only swim facility that we're aware of that we'll be swimming at is the Ithaca Swim Club.  Unlike other sports, as the temperatures start to drop in September the girls are in the pool and they really can't put on another layer," noted parent Ewan Barr.

Pool repair was also part of a $3,033,054 capital project in 2013.  At that time the team was bused to Ithaca College for practice.  Construction delays kept the pool closed beyond its anticipated October 3rd reopening date.  Lansing's Girl's Varsity Swimming and Diving team is a powerhouse team with years of remarkable success and one of the highest ranked swim teams in the state.  Coach Dianne Hicks-Hughes is nationally recognized as a top coach who has well over 350 career wins to her team's credit.  Parents worried the extra travel and stress on swimmer's time would impact their ability to excel.

"It's very difficult on these girls to go back and forth," said Gail Dennis, who's daughter was on the team during the 2013 repairs.  "There are no home meets.  There is no home practice.  It becomes very difficult to keep their grades up.  It becomes difficult for the girls to be a united group because they are constantly working around a horrible schedule."

Barr said he is worried that patchwork repairs could mean closing the pool again in another two or three years.  but Pettograsso said that her team and the architects are working with specialists who are addressing that issue.  Pettograsso said that the district administration shares parents' and students' concerns, but has limited options.

"I just can't fill that pool without it being fixed," she said.  "We understand it is difficult.  It's just part of the process sometimes.   We are trying to do some different things to alleviate some of the stresses on the students.  It's not that we don't agree with what you're saying, but we're still at the same point right now.  We'll do whatever we can to make it as easy as possible."
 
Parents and Pettograsso acknowledged that part of the problem is communication.  Pettograsso corrected some misconceptions, but did not want to officially announce remedies that are only in the discussion stage that may never come to pass.  She said that the administration is looking for an alternate pool to practice indoors, and is trying to find ways to relieve stress on the swim team.


She said that one possibility would be to replace a weekday practice with one on Sunday, freeing at least one school day from a 7pm to 9pm practice at a remote site.  She said another possibility might be to offer PE credit for the swim season, enabling team members to replace their regular PE class with a study hall so they can get homework done during the school day, but added that state education law may or may not allow it.

"I've just got to see if that is something we are legally able to do," she told the school board.  "I have to talk to our Athletic Department about it because clearly they would be missing some part of the curriculum that we deem valuable."

The Swimming and Diving team aren't the only ones to be displaced this fall.  Modified swimmers are also impacted, as are students participating in concerts and dramas.  The middle school auditorium has been closed all summer and will likely remain closed until the end of the year.  The district is exploring alternate sites, including the Hangar Theater, for fall performances.

School Board and Facilities Committee member Glenn Swanson reported that progress on the construction is going well.

"The pool repairs are progressing, and we're confident we got to the root cause," he said.  Swanson and fellow board member Aaron Thompson toured the construction sites Monday.  "We saw not only the pool itself, but also the whole new filter and pump system that has all been replaced, kind of behind the scenes stuff.  It certainly will save some energy.  We put a UV system in, so we're not going to have as much chlorine.  So a lot of that chlorine smell that was always in the pool -- most of that will go away.  That's very exciting," Swanson added.

Varsity Girl's Swim Head Coach Diane Hicks-HughesPettograsso said school officials hoped the pool would not be closed for as long as it will be, saying it was drained last spring in the hope that the team would be able to use it for at least part of their season.

"We pushed it up early, draining the pool in May, which affected the elementary school program, with hopes that it would be done by September.  So this is not (something that just crept up on us).  We've been trying to work on this since we new there was a concern.  We value the team and the impact this is having on our students by doing all these things to get them in early.  It's unfortunate for everybody."

Pettograsso said that head coach Diane Hicks-Hughes is in communication with Athletic Director Adam Heck, and has been apprised of progress on the pool repair and other related discussions.  She said when a firm plan is worked out the coach will be notified, and she, in turn, will notify team members.  Pettograsso said she would address the communication issues, and hoped to have a plan worked out soon.

"I'm going to get back to the head coach," she said.  "And she can reach out to me at any time.  She hasn't yet, but I have seen emails between she and the Athletic Director over the past couple of weeks, so she should be pretty up to date on timelines."

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