Over 50 percent of all Austin Public School students are involved in some type of sport, according to Activities Director Lisa Quedrow.

In the 2017-18 school year, there were 701 students involved in sports. And that, she said, was an unduplicated number. All told, 1,337 participants were involved in the district’s 24 sports. Those sports are representative of two categories that may or may not have junior high programs.

Sports like football, volleyball, softball and boys and girls soccer for instance are 9-12 grades so those numbers would only reflect athletes in those grades where sports like gymnastics, boys and girls golf and adaptive bowling don’t have the numbers to sustain junior high programs so participant numbers represent grades 7-12.

“The high percentage is telling us that we are meeting the needs that are out there,” she told the Austin School Board Monday.

Football drew the highest number — 90 — followed by boys’ soccer (81) and boys’ track (78). Girls’ track (71) drew the highest number for girls’ sports.

On the activities side, 623 participated in the 22 activities offered. The highest number was in DECA, a business club, where there was a membership of 92, and the clay target group, which had 90 members. In third was National Honor Society, which has 51.

Quednow also presented results of the chemical use among athletes in the past three years. The 2017-2018 year is the first under which a new policy was initiated.

Under that policy, which was less punitive than in the past, there seemed to be fewer instances of second and third violations.

In 2017-18, there were 13 first violations, three second violations and one third.

A year ago, there were 11 first violations, six second violations and four third violations. Violations include drugs, alcohol, tobacco (or vaping device). In any case, violations make up a very small part of the student population.

In other business Monday, the board:

In appreciation: Celebrated and applauded the two years that graduating senior Tara Watkins spent as a student representative on the Austin School Board.

2019-2020 calendar: Approved the 2019-2020 school calendar, with a start date of Sept. 3 and last day of school of June 3. Graduation will be June 5. Christmas vacation will run from Dec. 23-Jan. 1 and spring break will span March 23-27.

Referendum: Reauthorized a $300 per adjusted pupil unit board-approved referendum allowance for five years, beginning with taxes payable in 2019.

Abatement: Approved the base bid of $39,540 with VCI Environmental, Inc., for the abatement of asbestos in the tile floor at the annex. The work is scheduled to occur from June 25-July 12.