Athletics director reports roster and academic gains, outlines budget pressures

Caitlin, the district athletics director, presented the athletic department’s annual update and reported increases in student participation and an improvement in academic metrics, while laying out budget pressures that affect program operations. She said the district is up 19 unduplicated female athletes at the high school and up about 18 male athletes compared with the prior year, and she noted higher academic results: an all-conference group average of a 3.6 unweighted GPA and an increase in the department's core GPA from about 3.4 the previous year. Caitlin told the board that 85% of the athletic budget goes to salaries, event workers, officials and entry fees, which limits available funds for equipment and facilities. She described uniform-rotation practices (most sports on a four-year rotation), a move toward zero-based budgeting for coaches’ requests, and a booster relationship in which boosters operate a separate bank account and consult the athletic office on spending but ultimately control booster funds. Caitlin said teams are limited to one big in-season fundraiser, explained concessions are the boosters’ largest revenue source and illustrated rising costs such as a change in IHSA rules that required replacing many basketballs. Board members praised the department’s competitive success and asked Caitlin to continue collaborating on facility and equipment priorities.