Middle schools to resume sports competition

GAINESVILLE - The middle schoool principals in the Gainesville and Hall County school systems and at Lakeview Academy have come together to form guidelines to govern athletic competition among the schools - ending a situation that kept the schools in the county system from competing with the others last year. <br> <br> In a joint statement, Dennis Fordham, Superintendent of Schools for Hall County; Steven Ballowe, Superintendent of Schools for the Gainesville School System; and, Ferrell Singleton, Headmaster at Lakeview Academy, said since the middle schools do not have an independent governing body like the Georgia High School Association to establish guidelines and procedures for interscholastic athletic competition, the school principals sought to develop some guiding principles. <br> <br> The officials said the essential issues included designating a central administrator at each school to oversee athletics, specifying the appropriate grade level of competition, and establishing the rationale for tournament participation.<br> <br> As a result of this agreement, Hall County Middle Schools, Gainesville Middle School, and Lakeview Academy will compete against one another in interscholastic competition beginning with the next school year, which begins in August 2003.

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