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Continuing education, drivers ed and facility rentals post increases; volunteer numbers rise, district reports
Summary
The district reported growth in continuing education enrollments and revenue, drivers education completions, Spartan Field House use and approved volunteers; facility rental revenue rose about $30,000 versus 2023.
The Gates Chili continuing education program reported enrollment and revenue increases at the board’s April 22 meeting, and district staff reviewed drivers education outcomes, volunteer approvals and facility rental activity.
Director of Continuing Education Marla Shafalo said the district offered 486 continuing education courses across four sessions in the 2023-24 school year, with 1,497 community members enrolled. Shafalo said fall 2023 was the program’s most popular and profitable session; gross income for continuing education was just under $63,000, expenses were about $50,000 and the program produced a net of $12,441 for the year. Shafalo said registration for summer programs and swim lessons opens June 1 and that a community band event is scheduled June 7.
On drivers education, staff reported driving instructors covered about 7,669 miles in the district car last year and that 61 students completed the program; the summer 2023 session enrolled 37 students (seven out-of-district) and the winter–spring session enrolled 35. Staff said drivers education produced a net of just over $10,000 for the district in the most recent reporting period.
Shafalo reported Spartan Field House use rose to 9,624 visitors in 2024 (about 1,000 more than a recent low year) and that the district processed 370 volunteer applications in 2023 and currently has 1,730 approved volunteers. Facility rentals received 10,213 requests in 2024; 9,312 were approved. Shafalo said roughly 74% of requests were district activities, 23% were rentals and about half of rental requests were feeder programs (discounted because the majority of participating students attend district schools). She said rental revenue totaled about $70,000 in 2024, an increase of more than $30,000 from 2023.
Shafalo credited staff and partners — including Derek Yacono (facility rentals) and many program instructors — with the increases and invited the community to upcoming concerts and events. Board members asked a few routine questions; staff said a district-wide volunteer form and updated manual are forthcoming.
Ending
Staff asked the community to watch for a spring continuing education brochure and invited the public to a community band concert scheduled for Thursday evening.
