Dear Parent/Guardian,

I would like to thank the Barker Community for a great first year as Director of Athletics at Barker Central Schools. We had an extremely successful 2022-2023 year in athletics celebrating several championships, winning seasons, scholar-athlete teams, individual scholar-athletes, and sportsmanship team awards. Throughout the past year we also successfully implemented an Athlete of the Week program that is supported by many of our local businesses including Crosby’s, The Grain House Eatery and Taphouse, Harris Farms, and the Barker Cafeteria. These businesses have graciously donated many items weekly and posted pictures within a display of these standout athletes at their locations. 

Moving forward into the 2023-2024 year, we have many exciting things in the works and changes in our athletic program that parents, student-athletes, staff, and the entire community should be aware of. We want everyone to know that we are going fully electronic using ArbiterSports/Family ID in creating athlete eligibility. This means that athletes and parents must use the links posted at barkercsd.net to register and submit their seasonal paperwork. These documents will be monitored by our medical staff in determining athlete eligibility.

In addition, over the summer we have installed a 9-basket disc golf course on campus. The baskets have been installed with temporary tee boxes for use by everyone this fall. Mr. Mallon and his classes will be working throughout the year to create permanent signage to thoroughly mark out the course, including the hole number, distance, par number, and picture of the hole. In the fall of 2024, permanent tee boxes will be installed.

This year we will stop using paper copies of our extracurricular handbook, health forms, and transportation waiver. Instead, we will be using Family ID as an electronic way to collect and track these documents. You must register with Family ID using the link provided on the school’s homepage. Here, you will find simple step-by-step instructions on how to register, along with all of the necessary documents to be filled out and submitted for your child to be eligible to participate in sports. All future sports sign-ups will be through Family ID and you will track their progress in the eligibility process through this account. As in the past, please familiarize yourself with the extracurricular handbook, which has modifications for the 2023-2024 school year, and agree to follow the procedures and regulations by submitting an electronic signature within Family ID. You will also find a tab to fill out and submit your mandatory health history forms. These documents should be submitted after an up-to-date yearly physical is on file with the health office. Lastly, there is a transportation waiver that you may elect to fill out if your child participates in a sport that is combined with another school or has practice/contests off campus regularly. This will allow your child to drive themselves to these events. See the extracurricular handbook under the athletics transportation section for all the rules concerning this opportunity.

The extracurricular handbook now has language to include not only athletics but all students involved in after-school clubs and activities, as it was originally intended. Parents, students, coaches, and teachers should look closely at the changes to the Academic Plan, School Attendance, Practice/Game Attendance, and Transportation Policies. These changes have been put in place for convenience purposes and to be more consistent with enforcing school policies, with an understanding that flexibility may be used in extenuating circumstances. Thank you for taking the time to read and understand these new procedures. I can assure you that once you have registered, it will make the future eligibility process much easier for everyone involved. I look forward to working with your child to help them reach their full potential as a student-athlete.

Lastly, we will be working with the school cafeteria in offering a reward to all student-athletes that are recognized as being part of a scholar-athlete team. At the end of each season, these athletes will have the opportunity to enjoy a special breakfast that is provided for them from the Barker Cafeteria. We would like to thank Julie Fuerch for this unique opportunity in celebrating these hard-working student-athletes. 

I look forward to the upcoming school year where we will continue to work hard for the community in establishing a new mascot and logo, finish the details of building the new turf athletic facility, and watch our student-athletes succeed in numerous ways. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the athletic department. GO BARKER!

Sincerely,

Rob Mucha
Director of Athletics
716-795-3201 ext. 5242
rmucha@barkercsd.net