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Smithfield High student urges dedicated budget for theater department, cites unsafe stage and failing equipment
Summary
A Smithfield High student urged the school board to allocate recurring funding for the high school theater program, citing a rough stage, malfunctioning microphones and rising production costs that the student said hamper student learning and outside events.
Logan McAleer, a Smithfield High School drama student, told the school board March 13 that the high school’s theater department lacks a dedicated budget and is operating with outdated and unreliable equipment. McAleer said the auditorium stage surface was “rough, patchy, and able to give splinters” and that of 16 lapel microphones, only two are reliably working while six do not work properly and eight require an additional receiver.
McAleer asked the board to allocate a portion of the division budget to the theater department so students have a safe, reliable space and functioning equipment. He described production costs for the planned musical The Wiz: an estimated $2,300 licensing fee plus about $1,000 to book the auditorium stage — costs he said were being covered through fundraisers and the teacher’s classroom budget. McAleer quoted the theater teacher, Miss Loveless, saying, “The money for licensing uses all of my allotted classroom budget. The rest of the money comes from fundraisers.”
Board members acknowledged the concerns and asked staff to investigate the reported booking fee and other operational claims. Dr. Kramer asked staff to follow up and verify the reported $1,000 booking charge; transportation and facilities staff later offered to look into related facility issues. No board action was taken; the comment was part of the public-comment period.
Why it matters: the student tied theater funding to learning outcomes and arts access, and highlighted safety and equity concerns when critical equipment and facilities depend on fundraisers rather than recurring budget lines.
What’s next: Board and staff said they will investigate the booking fee and assess facility and equipment needs raised during public comment.
