FAIRFIELD - The freshman and senior high school football programs here lost about 40 players after a pay-to-participate program was instituted this month.

Athletic director Eric Higgins said 115 boys in grades 9-12 were on the roster for the start of practice last year, compared to 75 for those grades this year. Freshmen players will play on the junior varsity team this year.

Other changes in the fall lineup:

• There will be only one football team for seventh grade and one for eighth grade.

• Freshman cross-country competitors will participate on the varsity team. At the middle school they will play on a combined team for seventh/eighth graders.

• Freshman cheerleaders will move to the junior varsity level, while tennis players move to the varsity level. There will be no middle-school girls' tennis team because of a lack of interest.

• Freshman boy golfers will compete at the junior varsity level while middle-school golfers will have one combined team.

• Girls volleyball will consist of a varsity team, freshman, sophomore and two eighth-grade teams.

Kindergarten parents orientation to begin

MASON - Kindergarten parent orientation will be in the Mason High School Commons, 6100 S. Mason-Montgomery Road, Monday and Tuesday. Monday, parents whose children are assigned to morning kindergarten and whose last names begin with A-L should arrive between 5 and 6 p.m. Those whose last names begin with L-Z should come at 6:30 p.m.

Parents whose children will go to afternoon kindergarten will go to orientation Tuesday. Those whose last names begin with A-L should arrive at 5 p.m. Those with last names beginning with M-Z should arrive at 6:30 p.m.

Office technology program offered

LEBANON - The Warren County Career Center Adult and Community Education division will offer a business-office technology program next month.

The 900-hour program runs from Sept. 13 through June 8, 2005. Classes will be Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuition is $4,050 for the three-term program, plus books. Information/registration: 932-8145.

Middletown picks interim sports chief

MIDDLETOWN - Gary Lebo has been named interim athletic director for the Middletown Schools. He will serve for one year, replacing Eric Tudor.

Lebo had been the district's athletic trainer and facilities manager. One of his first actions has been to establish boys' and girls' bowling teams for high school students.

The athletic department will pay for uniforms. Eastern Lanes will be the home lanes.

Lakota employee on national committee

LIBERTY TWP. - A Lakota Schools central office employee has been elected to a national committee.

Susan VanGorden, Educational Management Information Systems coordinator, was elected vice chair of the Policies, Procedures and Implementation Committee for the National Forum of Education Statistics.

In her role, VanGorden will work with the staff of the National Center on Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education.

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