Beverly Will Pay Spring Sports Coaches

BEVERLY, MA — The Beverly school committee voted to pay its spring sports coaches 50 percent of their stipends, even though the entire spring season was canceled and the administration had proposed paying the 17 coaches 10 percent of the stipend.

According to the Danvers Herald, which first reported this story, the stipends had been budgeted for $66,441 was not brought to the school committee. While some districts, including Danvers, have opted to not pay spring sports coaches, Beverly school officials said coaches had continued to contribute and had acted as supplemental counselors.

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"We’ve talked a lot about the importance of social and emotional well-being of our students, and I believe coaches have been doing a tremendous amount with the student-athletes relative to consoling," school committee member Lorinda Visnick said. "I think there’s an incredible value in that – 10 percent almost seems like an insult."

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Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).