Athletics director outlines safety‑focused budget: more AEDs, professional development and fitness‑center upgrades

Ken Packer, speaking for the Locust Valley athletics program, told the board the department prioritizes students first and proposed several modest budget additions aimed at safety, professional development and student experience. He said athletics supports more than 80 interscholastic teams across grades 7–12 and highlighted recent competitive successes including county championships and three wrestlers advancing to state tournament competition.

Packer described proposed budget items for the next year: a Positive Coaching Alliance professional‑development package for coaches; additional portable AEDs assigned to teams for away contests; and a three‑year fitness‑center improvement plan funded entirely from the athletics equipment budget (year 1 roughly $20,000, year 3 roughly $24,000). He also proposed initially purchasing two motorized tackling dummies—presented as a concussion‑mitigation tool used elsewhere—and updating scoreboards and uniforms on a multi‑year rotation.

"They really are students first and athletes second," Packer said, emphasizing alignment with district academic and character goals. He noted that 100 percent of the district’s coaches are CPR, AED and first‑aid certified and that New York State requires coaches to maintain such certifications.

Board members voiced support for professional development that benefits both day‑time teaching and after‑school coaching; trustees also praised the department’s emphasis on multi‑sport participation and youth pipelines with local leagues. Packer said the fitness‑center plan would be paid from his equipment funds and would not increase the overall district budget line substantially.

No formal vote on athletics capital items was recorded in the public meeting; the athletics items were described as part of the budget development process and will be revisited as the budget is finalized.