School athletic director resigns

by PAUL MORTON

Associate editor

After leading Oberlin High School and Langston Middle School athletics for three years, Nancy Boutilier has stepped down from her position as athletic director.

At the May 26 meeting of the Oberlin board of education, the school board unanimously approved her resignation, effective with the 2009-10 school year. Boutilier said she resigned in order to devote more time to other pursuits.

"I've decided to return to my primary career as a teacher and writer," Boutilier said. "I am pleased with the progress the program has made and the success we've had over the past three years. When I took the job, my plan was to help point the program in the right direction and lay the groundwork for the future. I've loved working with the coaching staff, the administration, the boosters, and, of course, the student-athletes themselves."

She said she will continue to serve as the high school girls varsity basketball coach. At the May 26 meeting, the board also approved a supplemental contract for Boutilier to continue in that capacity.

"As I hand the (athletic) program off, I want to thank all those people who have supported these efforts," Boutilier said. "And as a coach I hope to be part of the program's future progress."

During her tenure as athletic director, Boutilier oversaw the transition of the school mascot from the Oberlin Indians to the Oberlin Phoenix. She also engineered a new athletic eligibility policy approved by the board at the May 26 meeting.

That policy allows high school student athletes to play if they maintain eligibility under Ohio High School Athletics Association rules. But if the student's grade point average for the previous quarter falls below 2.0 or the cummulative GPA falls below 2.5, the student will have to participate in an individually tailored academic success plan.

Any high school student athlete participating in two sports in one season must have earned a grade point average of 3.0 in the previous quarter. The student must also have the approval of the head coaches of both teams, and must declare a priority sport in the case of scheduling conflicts.

At the middle school, any student athlete who receives an F in any course, either at mid-term reporting or for the quarter, will be required to participate in an academic success plan.

Superintendent Geoff Andrews said while Boutilier's services as athletic director will be missed, the resignation will allow the district to save the amount of her contract. He said with the schools expecting to lose considerable funding from the state for the 2009-10 school year, not having to pay an athletic diirector will save $30,000.

Andrews said he, high school principal William Baylis, and middle school principal John Crecelius will divide the athletic director responsibilities.