Board Report

The ACCHS Wrestling Team finished as Class 321A State Runner-ups at this years State Wrestling Meet at Fort Hays State University.

Team Members included:

Grant Swendson, Mason Bottorff, Luke Smith, Cody Falk, Evan Falk, Colton Lowe, Rance Vessar, Max Bottorff, Kain Koontz, Elijah Webb, and Houston Schletzbaum.

Coaches: Cody Kramer and Lane Chew

Managers: Trinity Sigmon, Madison Bessette, and Makayla Crossland

Max Bottorff - State Champion

Elijah Webb - State Champion

Houston Schletzbaum - 4th Place State Finish

Tessa McAlexander - 6th Place State Finish

Max Bottorff, Madison Martin, and Elijah Webb have recently been featured by MSC News as Athletes of the Week.

Madison Martin had 16 blocks against McLouth on February 17, 2026. The previous record held by Madison Martin was 11 in one game.

Congratulations to Ashton Neill for a successful NE District FFA Day yesterday!

State FFA Degree receipt

District Winner Placement Proficiency

District Winner Entrepreneurship Proficiency

Both of his applications will now go onto state for judging!

Senator Bowser invited several students from ACCHS to serve as Senate Pages for the day. Students included: James Gaddis, Bristol Eagle, Ashton Neill, and August Neill.

All team members who participated at the NEK League forensics tournament performed well and were great representatives of ACCHS.

Makenna Grace placed 6th in Serious Solo

Cora-Bella Tull placed 6th in Original Oration and 4th in Prose

Trinity Brooks placed 3rd in Prose - qualifying for State Champs

Nathan Palmer placed second in Poetry - qualifying for State Champs

Ethan Brooks placed 3rd in Poetry and 2nd in Humorous Solo - qualifying both events for State Champs

The NEKL High School AD Meeting will be held on March 9, 2026 at Oskaloosa. Here are a few highlights from the meeting: (I will add details about meetings on Monday)

1. Commission Report:

1. Double First Base - if one league school is going to use the double first base this year and the other team does not want to use it, the school has to remove it for that game. His suggestion is that the league vote to agree to use the safety bags if other schools in the league are using them this year.

2. Old Business:

1. Voted to purchase 2 new Art Dividers for League Art - $4,500

3. New Business:

1. Set a JV Baseball and Softball

2. Double First Base -

1. The league voted that all schools agree to use a double base if the hosting school is using one.

3. League Wrestling -

1. The League is looking to move the Girls and Boys League on the same night moving forward. An email is going to be sent to all league wrestling coaches to determine a permanent date for League Wrestling - Discussion and voting has been tabled to the April Meeting.

4. Bill 244

1. All locker rooms/classrooms/bathrooms used for visiting teams must be labeled as Boys or Girls - $2,500 fine for getting turned in.

• Our next regular meeting will be April 1, 2026 at JCN.

The NEKL Middle School AD Meeting will be held on March 9, 2026 at Oskaloosa. Here are a few highlights from the meeting: (I will add details about meetings on Monday)

1. Commissioner's Report:

1. Nothing to report for JH

2. HS Report

1. The next meeting for HS will be at 12:30pm due to meeting at State Softball site that morning. Would JH be willing to move their

3. Old Business:

1. Discussed changing start times to 4:00pm for JH activities. Discussions was against the idea, due to loss of class time, issues with host site dismissing when teams would be arriving, and difficulty of officials being able to get to games for a 4:00 start time.

2. JH Boys NEK League Basketball Tournament - Updated the Handbook to reflect a 12 team tournament instead of an 11 team tournament with Xavier planning on having a girls and boys team next season and moving forward.

• Next year for Boys and Girls, Pig tail games on Monday, 4 sites, 2 games at each site.

• Hand Book Change MS Basketball-

1. If 12 teams are involved in the end of season tournament, we will have 4 sites with a 20 minute break between play-in game and following game. The #6 vs #11, #7 vs #10, #8 vs #9, #5 vs #12 will play.

4. New Business:

1. Updated Scholars Bowl Results

2. Updated Overall Points - for All Around

3. April Meeting Time

• Voted to move the JH meeting to April 1st at 11:00 am, still to be held at JCN.

• Our next regular meeting will be April 1, 2026 at JCN.

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On Monday. March 9, 2026 there will be a hearing in the Kansas Senate Education Committee on a bill that would authorize nonpublic schools to permit non accredited private students to participate in activities and unlawful to discriminate based on enrollment status. Basically this allowed homeschool students to pick a private school for activity purposes.

On Monday, March 9, 2026 there will be a hearing in the Kansas Senate Education Committee on a bill that would authorize students to participate in activities immediately upon transferring school. Basically if passed this bill would eliminate the KSHSAA Transfer rule.

1. Curtain indoor batting cages or ones that drop down from the ceiling. Looking at this as one of our top purchases for this year.

2. New scoreboards, backboards, shot clock, and scoreboard controller. KSHSAA Update: By 2027 2A/3A Schools will need to have a shot clock system installed if they wish to host any post season events in basketball. By the start of the 2028 season all schools must have a shot clock system in place. I have already reached out to Daktronics and I received a quote for a new shot clock system.

Daktronics Quote

3. Custom Life Co out of Sabetha has continued to work with me on updated designs and ideas to enhance our facilities and our school. We are looking to move toward upgrading the outside of the new addition and athletic entrance for the next year. We also plan to also move forward on Mr. Malms windows. We would be using Sponsorship money for these two projects. Booster Club as agreed to donate the money to pay for the signage in the Weight Room.

1) Football Stadium Bleachers: This summer the custodial staff went through and replaced and braced boards that were soft. Still want to pursue options to get all new bleachers and press box at some point in the future. Update: David Kesinger works with companies that build bleachers for stadiums. I have asked David to reach out to a couple companies to get some quotes.

2) Track - Our track has been unusable for hosting track meets several years now and is only getting worse. With the track being used by community members, elementary students as well as JSH students for PE and other activities, and the track teams, there needs to be some concern about injuries taking place on the cracked and peeling track. Update: We had a representative from Pro Track and Tennis come out to look at resurfacing the tennis courts into Pickel Ball Courts and making some improvements to the track. He will get back next week with estimates.

• Track Quote
• Tennis Courts to Pickle Ball Courts Quote

3) Drop Down Batting Nets: David Kesinger has some connections with companies that can help with this project and he is in the process of getting some quotes.

4) Baseball/Softball Upgrades:

1. Fixing outdoor batting cages poles and nets -David Kesinger would like to know if he donates his time, could he move ahead with getting these fixed before practices begin?

2. Getting Shade Built for overtop of the bleachers: Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.

3. Installing a Hydrant closer to baseball field - will also benefit JH Football practice with access to water

4. Update and remodel dugouts to include better bleachers, cubbies for helmets and gloves, storage closet within the dugouts for easier access to equipment. Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.

5. New board and padding on the backstops for softball and baseball fields. Update: getting quotes for this project.

6. Large bleachers for the softball field - they are much smaller than baseball. Update: waiting until the asphalt is replaced with concrete.

7. Real press boxes that are elevated for filming and scorekeeping

8. New Scoreboard (which would include pitch counts).

9. Storage building for equipment closer to the fields. Update: Mill Iron V has been contacted to help find the type of storage shed we are looking for.

5) Storage system for wrestling mats: David Kesinger was going to ask the company he is contacting about the drop down batting cages to see what the cost of a system that would hoist the wrestling mats and store them up in the ceiling of the new addition instead of storing them up on the mezzanine.

Gold Sponsors:

L & L Construction

Bottorff Construction

IRB

Thrivent - Jennifer Maxwell

Mill Iron V

HB Custom Printing

Grain Craft

Martin Trash

The Shed House

Silver Sponsors:

Ag Risk Solutions

Exchange Bank

Martin Construction

Rubble Reprocessing

Advanced Hydraulic Supply

Jones Ag

Carrigan Lumber

Atchison Auto Plaza - Lewis Chevrolet

Bronze Sponsor:

Rainbow Communications

Black Level Sponsors:

Anderson Eye Care

Kex Rx

Wheatland

Michael's Crafty Momma

Orange Level Sponsors:

Southwind Orchards & Apiary

Holton Livestock Exchange

Wilson Tire - Holton

Mr. G's

Pep Club Sponsorship Level:

Chris & Courtney Caplinger

Dillon Tire

Atchison County Booster Club

Gateway Treasurers

5th Quarter Sponsors:

Mill Iron V

Rainbow Communications

Chris & Courtney Caplinger

Holton Livestock Exchange

St. Ann's Knights of Columbus

Atchison County Booster Club

St. John's Church