Pembroke presents FY26 athletics budget: participation high, costs rise for officials, ice and transportation

Pembroke school officials presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 athletics budget at the March 25 meeting, telling the school committee the program shows high student participation even as certain costs rise.

Why it matters: Athletics are a major activity at Pembroke High School, with participation that district staff say supports student leadership, academics and community engagement. Rising costs for officials, facility rentals and transportation are increasing pressure on the program’s operating and revolving accounts.

Key points - Participation: district presenters said fall season participation was about 40% of students, winter participation reached approximately 45% (above a five-year average of 34%), and overall participation remains strong despite declining enrollment in the district. - Budget drivers: district staff identified roughly $250,000 in contracted services for athletics (largest components: rink/ice rentals and other facility rentals), about $29,000 for supplies and materials, $8,000 to recondition football equipment, and an annual uniform replacement reserve of $10,000. Officials’ pay and the post-COVID shortage of qualified officials were noted as major cost increases. - Transportation: the district owns two buses (PM 1 and PM 2) and uses them where possible to offset costs; additional trips often require contracting with First Student or other providers, which invoices by the hour and by the mile and increases costs. The district said it has sometimes been unable to secure private contractors and must rely on other vendors in the region. - Staffing and services: Pembroke pays for a full-time athletic trainer (contracted via Brigham and Women’s Hospital) who runs strength-and-conditioning and injury-prevention programs year-round. The athletic department funds 59 coach stipends and employs one athletic maintenance custodian whose salary comes from the athletic revolving account. - Capital and reserves: the district has been setting aside funds for turf replacement; presenters said the current turf field is eight years old (useful life commonly quoted at about 10 years) and that athletic user fees and youth-sports contributions are used to build a replacement fund.

Committee discussion and next steps School committee members asked for more specifics on line-item costs and transportation per-team estimates; staff said that costs vary considerably by sport and travel distance and that they could provide more precise breakdowns on request. Presenters also flagged recurring capital requests such as a press box that must meet ADA and sprinkler-code requirements and work on the softball/baseball fields funded by prior community preservation allocations.

Ending The presentation was informational; no committee vote was required or taken on the athletic budget at this meeting. Staff said more line-item detail can be provided when the committee moves to the overall district budget review.