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Board waives facility fee for Encompass Recreation inclusive triathlon; district to be reimbursed for direct costs
Summary
The board approved waiving rental fees for a June 29 inclusive 'exceptional triathlon' hosted by Encompass Recreation and authorized reimbursement for expenses the district directly incurs, subject to custodial and safety staffing costs.
The Watertown City School District Board of Education approved a request from Encompass Recreation to waive facility rental fees for a proposed inclusive “exceptional triathlon” on June 29 and agreed to reimburse the district for direct costs such as custodial coverage.
Matt Burdick, Director of Student Empowerment Success for the Watertown City School District, presented on behalf of Kylie Schell, founder and executive director of Encompass Recreation, who appeared in a prerecorded video. Schell described Encompass Recreation as a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) offering free sports and recreation for youth “with higher support needs,” serving kids ages 2 through high school who do not feel accommodated in traditional programs. In the video Schell said the group provided more than 175 programs last year and had more than 1,800 youth participants across the region.
Burdick summarized the proposed event plan: a morning start at 10 a.m. on the track for a run, a bike/scoot/roll segment across the back parking lot, and a final swim in the district pool. He said Schell had requested a rental‑fee waiver after the district’s facilities platform returned a fee of about $1,200 for the day. Burdick told the board that pool safety would be managed by district lifeguards coordinated by Lori Peters and that parents and volunteers would also support supervision; cross‑country coach Anthony Perry had offered to recruit volunteers for the track portion.
Board members approved adding the item to the agenda and voted to waive the rental fee for the June 29 event, with a condition that the district be reimbursed for any direct costs it incurs for the event (for example custodial overtime if required). The motion passed with a routine voice vote.
Why it matters: Encompass Recreation’s programming is explicitly designed to remove cost and accessibility barriers; the board’s action permits the nonprofit to hold a free, adaptive multi‑sport event in district facilities while ensuring the district is not left to cover overtime or other operational costs.
Ending: Encompass Recreation will coordinate final details with district staff and confirm custodial and lifeguard arrangements; the district will receive reimbursement for documented direct expenses per the board action.
