Freshmen, We Have A Problem

We accept the fact that students learn from their errors, and our job across all curricular and extracurricular activities is to provide feedback, and guidance, and occasionally enact consequences.
On Tuesday, a number of freshman soccer players were causing a disturbance as they waited for the team bus right outside the SAU 70 Administrative offices at the high school.  An administrator came out to speak to them.  They were disrespectful.  The staff summoned Athletic Director Megan Sobel, who spoke to the boys, confirming that they were soccer players.  Megan then contacted me and I spoke with her on Thursday.  I then spoke to some of the players as they waited for the Wednesday bus, and then to the entire team on Wednesday prior to the game.  I made it clear that this behavior cannot be repeated, and why.  I also made it clear that bystanding players had the opportunity to help keep their teammates in line.

Today, I was pulled aside by a HHS staff member who told me that this behavior was repeated on Thursday:  noise, blocking the sidewalk, leaving a great deal of litter. The SAU administrator who is most upset about this is the one who has the power to curtail or eliminate the practices busses for freshmen altogether.

I will speak to the team when I see them next, but damage has been done.  I can understand and tolerate frisky behavior after school.  But to have this happen a day after a specific and stern warning is troubling.  I am going to move to protect the vital practice bus service provided by the school.  Going forward, the only waiting spot for the freshmen is in front of the school, near the flagpole. Under no circumstances can any soccer players wait or idle near the SASU office.  I will also be reviewing the surveillance film footage of the area.  It's well-covered by cameras, as you would expect.  I will investigate the possibility of parent chaperones during the 45 minutes between the end of school and the bus departure time.  In this instance I am not going to waste my time depending on the maturity or reliability of the players. They will. have other opportunities to demonstrate proper behavior, but this situation will be remedied in other ways.  I am afraid that the tentative plan for ice cream after the Central game is not appropriate at the point.