We are meeting with our new MPS superintendent and the Athletic director Thursday at Marcy Open School. We hope to discuss and impress on them what the change to middle school athletics has done to students, schools and families as well as the under represented groups and why we are concerned. Please sign the petition or pass it on to supporters so I we can give that as proof that parents do not want their 6-8 graders with out the opportunities of sports in their middle schools and k-8's and have to go to a high school in their attendance area that where they are with older kids, unfamiliar, after school hours and away from their own school as well as may not be the high school they intend on going to as a 9th grader. The link below you should read defines the Minnesota high school rules on participation. You are not allowed to participate in another high schools sports after you have done so already ( like a 7-8 grader) unless you move or have different address. Meaning that if for example; If Jane played volleyball for Edison and played Varsity as an 8th grader, she would not be allowed to play Volleyball on any other high school on varsity unless she sat out for 1 year. If she wanted to play for her chosen high school she would have to play Junior Varsity and not Varsity. She would only be eligible to play varsity at the "area high school" (Edison) she played with for that year with out moving or changing her address. Parents do not realize that their are specific and defined rules for playing sports in high school and eligibility and that participating in the area high school may impact whether your student could play later at their planned or choice of high school. Please send you comments and support to others and consider attending the meeting Thursday at Marcy Open Elementary School 415 4th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 12 Noon. Look for parents. Fair warning they may limit the meeting but the support of your attendance or addition of a comment or letter would speak volumes on the impact and support. http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/publications.asp#2