We are looking for a complete set of basketball uniforms for our high school teams. Due to cost and budget limitations, Seaway last purchased new basketball uniforms in 2014. Loss, damage and general wear and tear have left what remains of the current set in a less than desirable condition. In addition, the overlap in both the girls’ and boys’ seasons and the level of interest in participation do not allow the girls and boys to share a single set. Specifically, we are asking for 50 uniforms (25 girls and 25 boys) to outfit our grades 9 through 12 (both junior and senior) teams. Each uniform consists of a jersey and a pair of shorts, at a cost of $68 each, plus tax.

 Purchasing new basketball uniforms may not seem like a priority but in a rural school, such as ours, team sports are one of the primary social infrastructures. Sporting a quality, professional-looking uniform reinforces a sense of belonging and collective pride. ‘Looking the part’ helps to boost student and staff confidence and morale. School budgets do not generally allow for uniform upgrades and certainly not whole team uniform replacement. It is neither fair nor reasonable to request that students purchase their own uniforms.
Due in part to the socio-economic circumstances of our rural community and the small population of our school, Seaway approaches all competitions (sporting, arts, academic) as the ‘underdog’. The teams attend games and tournaments with the prior knowledge that they are going to have the smaller team, that very likely had the fewest options for player selection. For many of our students, especially those who do not play competitive or club sports, this is their opportunity to try something new and be a part of a team. For many of the aforementioned students, school athletics represents the only opportunity to play certain sports. Given the smaller population at Seaway, most students who wish to participate and play are able to make a team. This also encourages participation and equalizes the opportunity for our students.
Providing respectable uniforms at least helps to level the playing field in regard to school and team appearance. And appearance, which may not seem of high importance to us, is most certainly on the mind of the teenage basketball player stepping onto the court. It should be one less thing that they need to consider. That same sense of pride is also reflected in the parents, grandparents and community members who make the effort to attend our sporting events.

Seaway DHS parent council remains committed to supporting the efforts of our students and staff and fundraising for the things that we know are important to our school community. We support an annual bursary for a graduating student and will continue to do so. We do our best to address the interests that represent our entire school population. Most recently, we have supported an arts showcase, helped to replenish equipment for the Foods class, and purchased a set of jerseys for our intermediate hockey team. We should mention that when jerseys were purchased for the intermediate hockey team, a generous family of alumni donated funds to cover the entire cost of the corresponding high school set of hockey jerseys. For context, we will also be continuing to fundraise to replace complete sets of uniforms for cross country, track and volleyball. Seaway DHS and Parent Council are also looking to expand opportunities for fundraising, including resurrecting an annual golf tournament, which was the primary source of fundraising for uniforms. Until School Council and the school are able to do so, we are looking for some additional assistance.
Our schools, both Seaway and Iroquois, serve as the heart of our town, connecting families, community leaders and local businesses, which fosters belonging and a strong sense of community and civic responsibility. Small rural high schools, such as Seaway, are vital for nurturing close-knit communities and providing personalized education, often resulting in higher graduation rates, stronger teacher-student relationships, and a safer environment. An active parent council is how we do our part to support education in our community. This is one way that you can help us do that. Thank you for taking the time to consider our application.