A multi-use agreement for swim meet and practice facilities to accommodate the Crystal Lake Community High School District 155 girls and boys teams, for the 2015-16 season, will not go forward.

A multi-use agreement for swim meet and practice facilities to accommodate the Community High School District 155 girls and boys teams, for the 2015-16 season, will not go forward now, leaving the district to search for a comparable venue by the Aug. 12 start date.

The district’s Board of Education approved an agreement with the Algonquin-based Lifetime Fitness, Inc. at its June 16 meeting to re-locate its swim meet events and practice sessions from the Sage YMCA of Metro Chicago in Crystal Lake, largely as a cost-effective measure. The Lifetime Fitness agreement was negated due to a potential negative impact on its membership.

In an email response, Lifetime Fitness’ public relations director Natalie Bushaw, the decision came directly from the Chanhassen, MN-based corporate headquarters, and said, in part: “…as a member-based organization, our commitment is to provide our members with an experience of uncompromising quality that meets the health and fitness needs of the entire family.

“With respect to our decision, providing that experience at all times of the day is of the utmost importance and as such, were unable to accommodate the school district’s request for this agreement.”

District 155 Communications Director Shannon Mortimer concurred that the firm indicated the reason for denial encompassed the club membership’s ability to use certain areas and equipment being curtailed. “After the agreement was approved by the board, it was given to them for signature. They did not sign it, as they felt it would negatively impact their members. There were individuals there who tried to shepherd it through, but ultimately it was a corporate decision.

The Sage YMCA had hosted the district’s swim teams in 2013-14, for approximately $11,000 in rentals. The cost rose to $45,987.50 in 2014-15, with a higher asking price for the coming 2015-16 season. The amount was perceived as cost-prohibitive and initiated board considerations and efforts into looking at other options.

“The agreement, approved by the board, was not to exceed rentals of $16,000 for the year, with another $4,000 for expenses associated with meets, and using the starting blocks for practice sessions,” said Mortimer. “The girls swim team season begins Aug. 12, and the boys swim team season starts later, during the winter, which I don’t have a date for.”

A July 2 meeting was convened at Crystal Lake Central High School, designed as an opportunity to confer with parents to discuss options that were available. “The parents heard about what the circumstances were, and possible alternative actions,” said Mortimer. “They also presented their own options, and those were also discussed.”

Mortimer said that discussions are taking place with “multiple facilities” locally that contain swimming pool areas such as the Centgra Health Bridge Fitness Center, which has lodgments in Crystal Lake and Huntley, as well as continuing to negotiate with the Sage YMCA. “We are currently meeting, and in discussions with Health Bridge,” she said.

The Board of Education next meets July 21, at the Center for Education, One South Virginia Road in Crystal Lake.

In other district news, students at Crystal Lake Central High School succeeded in mastering a total of 13, 253 words, as part of the inaugural nationwide online Vocabulary Bowl, which inspires participants to learn new words. The total amount of words set them in fourth place on the state of Illinois level, and 95^th place for competition across the country.

A press release said that Michelle Streit, the lead person in the humanities division and Central teacher, integrated the program for home studies to underscore the academic vocabulary initiative. Several other central teachers followed suit as the challenge extended into their own classrooms.

The effort was created by Vocabulary.com, with participating students, ranging from kindergarten to 12^th graders in high school, in the United States and Canada. The ranking is allotted by points to the schools through the number of the words learned, and mastered.

— Crystal Lake swim teams seek pool —