DENVER (CBS4) ―
<DL class="cbstv_article_images cbstv_img_border"><DT>
Click to enlarge <DD>Cherry Creek High School Athletic Director Randy McCall CBS
1 of 2javascript:displayDiv("img_1")
</DD>
<DT>
Click to enlarge <DD>
javascript:displayDiv("img_0")2 of 2
</DD>
</DL>Close
<TABLE class=cbstv_enlarge_image style="WIDTH: 320px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cbstv_enlarge_image_descrip>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>numSlides of totalImages
<INPUT id=ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_68755_hdnImageInfo type=hidden value='[{"ImageSource":"CBS","ImageUrl":"http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/19/2008/03/06/320x240/RandyMcCall.jpg","ImageCaption":"Cherry Creek High School Athletic Director Randy McCall"},{"ImageSource":"","ImageUrl":"http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/19/2005/05/26/320x240/images_sizedimage_321151728.jpg","ImageCaption":""}]' name=ctl00$ctl00$ContentModulesPlaceHolder$ContentModule_68755$hdnImageInfo>
Cherry Creek school administrators are calling foul on Cherry Creek High School Athletic Director Randy McCall for routinely spending two, and sometimes three days of every school week out of town "moonlighting" as an NCAA college basketball official.
"That kind of absence is unacceptable and will have to be curtailed," said Tustin Amole, a spokesperson for the Cherry Creek School District.
McCall is paid $87,800 to serve as athletic director for Cherry Creek High School, which has about 3,600 students. But a CBS4 investigation found that during the school year, between November and March, McCall is frequently out of town officiating collegiate basketball games from Honolulu to Las Vegas. He is paid about $1,000 per game plus expenses.
Since November 2007, McCall has officiated 55 college games. Most games were out of state, on weeknights. Take the school week of Feb. 11, 2008. On Tuesday McCall missed school to officiate a game in Indiana. He missed the next day of school to ref a game in Iowa. Thursday he missed a full day of school again to do a game in Louisiana. Over the weekend, when some high school athletic events take place, McCall was back in Illinois for a Saturday game, the following night he officiated a game in Los Angeles.
"I think that's the key objection," Amole said. "Is that he has spent too much time away from school and on the road. His priority needs to be the high school."
The arrangement was apparently okayed by Cherry Creek principal Dr. Kathy Smith several years ago. She agreed to allow McCall to make up all those missed school days during the summer months. The athletic director has tallied 25 missed school days in the last five months and plans to make them up during the summer, helping run summer athletic camps at the high school and taking care of administrative duties.
But Cherry Creek schools superintendent Dr. Monte Moses is blowing the whistle on the arrangement. In a sternly worded letter sent to Smith and McCall Feb. 19, Moses said the number of games McCall is on track to officiate is "abusive of the support I provided to the practice in 2003, believing the number of games he worked was much fewer. Never did I envision Randy's officiating would have him away from his job as … indicated to me."
Moses suggested 12 to 14 out-of-town games per season should be the maximum. Moses went on to write that "Mr. McCall's officiating should be reduced as soon as possible."
The superintendent further hammered the unusual arrangement saying, "I do not approve of adding extra days to Mr. McCall's contract at the end of June and July to offset the days he misses during the calendar year. We all know the work happens when school and athletics are in session."
Asked why McCall had been allowed to miss so many school days for his second job, Amole said the belief was that he "brings back best practices ... networks with others, and raises the profile of Cherry Creek High School among college athletics."
Amole said Cherry Creek High School athletics have not suffered as a result of McCall's frequent absences, citing 48 state championships in the last ten years. Amole said that even when the athletic director is out of town for basketball games, he is in touch and returns all phone calls.
Superintendent Monte Moses has issued an ultimatum: if the veteran athletic director wants to remain on the job, he either needs to come into line with district expectations or else move on.
Via email, McCall declined to discuss the issue and Smith did not return an email seeking comment.
McCall was scheduled to miss school Wednesday and Thursday of this week officiating games at Louisiana Tech and the Missouri Valley Tournament.
<DL class="cbstv_article_images cbstv_img_border"><DT>
1 of 2javascript:displayDiv("img_1")
</DD>
<DT>
javascript:displayDiv("img_0")2 of 2
</DD>
</DL>Close
<TABLE class=cbstv_enlarge_image style="WIDTH: 320px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cbstv_enlarge_image_descrip>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>numSlides of totalImages
<INPUT id=ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_68755_hdnImageInfo type=hidden value='[{"ImageSource":"CBS","ImageUrl":"http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/19/2008/03/06/320x240/RandyMcCall.jpg","ImageCaption":"Cherry Creek High School Athletic Director Randy McCall"},{"ImageSource":"","ImageUrl":"http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/19/2005/05/26/320x240/images_sizedimage_321151728.jpg","ImageCaption":""}]' name=ctl00$ctl00$ContentModulesPlaceHolder$ContentModule_68755$hdnImageInfo>
Cherry Creek school administrators are calling foul on Cherry Creek High School Athletic Director Randy McCall for routinely spending two, and sometimes three days of every school week out of town "moonlighting" as an NCAA college basketball official.
"That kind of absence is unacceptable and will have to be curtailed," said Tustin Amole, a spokesperson for the Cherry Creek School District.
McCall is paid $87,800 to serve as athletic director for Cherry Creek High School, which has about 3,600 students. But a CBS4 investigation found that during the school year, between November and March, McCall is frequently out of town officiating collegiate basketball games from Honolulu to Las Vegas. He is paid about $1,000 per game plus expenses.
Since November 2007, McCall has officiated 55 college games. Most games were out of state, on weeknights. Take the school week of Feb. 11, 2008. On Tuesday McCall missed school to officiate a game in Indiana. He missed the next day of school to ref a game in Iowa. Thursday he missed a full day of school again to do a game in Louisiana. Over the weekend, when some high school athletic events take place, McCall was back in Illinois for a Saturday game, the following night he officiated a game in Los Angeles.
"I think that's the key objection," Amole said. "Is that he has spent too much time away from school and on the road. His priority needs to be the high school."
The arrangement was apparently okayed by Cherry Creek principal Dr. Kathy Smith several years ago. She agreed to allow McCall to make up all those missed school days during the summer months. The athletic director has tallied 25 missed school days in the last five months and plans to make them up during the summer, helping run summer athletic camps at the high school and taking care of administrative duties.
But Cherry Creek schools superintendent Dr. Monte Moses is blowing the whistle on the arrangement. In a sternly worded letter sent to Smith and McCall Feb. 19, Moses said the number of games McCall is on track to officiate is "abusive of the support I provided to the practice in 2003, believing the number of games he worked was much fewer. Never did I envision Randy's officiating would have him away from his job as … indicated to me."
Moses suggested 12 to 14 out-of-town games per season should be the maximum. Moses went on to write that "Mr. McCall's officiating should be reduced as soon as possible."
The superintendent further hammered the unusual arrangement saying, "I do not approve of adding extra days to Mr. McCall's contract at the end of June and July to offset the days he misses during the calendar year. We all know the work happens when school and athletics are in session."
Asked why McCall had been allowed to miss so many school days for his second job, Amole said the belief was that he "brings back best practices ... networks with others, and raises the profile of Cherry Creek High School among college athletics."
Amole said Cherry Creek High School athletics have not suffered as a result of McCall's frequent absences, citing 48 state championships in the last ten years. Amole said that even when the athletic director is out of town for basketball games, he is in touch and returns all phone calls.
Superintendent Monte Moses has issued an ultimatum: if the veteran athletic director wants to remain on the job, he either needs to come into line with district expectations or else move on.
Via email, McCall declined to discuss the issue and Smith did not return an email seeking comment.
McCall was scheduled to miss school Wednesday and Thursday of this week officiating games at Louisiana Tech and the Missouri Valley Tournament.
