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Tewksbury officials review higher fees for athletics and clubs as costs outpace revenue
Summary
School business manager presented recommended increases to athletic and club fees after a multi-year review, prompting questions from committee members about equity, impact on participation and alternatives such as payment plans and targeted transportation fees.
Tewksbury — The Tewksbury School Committee heard a detailed presentation April 30 from Business Manager Dave Libby on proposed increases to extracurricular fees intended to help the district cover rising costs for transportation, stipends and supplies.
Libby said the district’s athletic and activity fees have not been meaningfully revised in many years and that rising transportation and operating costs left revenue trailing expenses. “Everything from the stipends, transportation, just supplies, materials, everything is costing more,” Libby said during the committee meeting.
Why it matters: The proposed changes would affect families who pay for multiple sports and clubs and could alter participation for students in lower‑income households. Committee members pressed for protections for families eligible for free or reduced‑price meals and for phased or tiered implementation to limit abrupt impacts.
Details of the review and recommendations - Athletics: Libby described the current athletic fee as $150 per sport with a family…
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