Elizabeth School District board approves fee changes, adopts phone policy and ratifies schools-open resolution; reviews 2025–26 budget and middle school plan

The Elizabeth School District Board of Education on May 19 approved a package of student fee changes, adopted a revised student cell‑phone policy, ratified a resolution committing to keep schools open and reviewed the district’s draft 2025–26 budget while hearing a presentation on plans for Elizabeth Middle School.

The board voted unanimously, with Directors Fletcher, Olson and Powell recorded as “Aye” on the formal roll calls. Director Callahan and Director Waller were absent.

Tam Smith, introduced by the board as the middle‑school leader who will serve as principal next year, told the board the building’s restart work began with relationship‑building and a professional‑development kickoff April 25. “It’s really exciting because it’s a fresh start for everybody,” Smith said, describing plans to move to a pod‑based configuration (separate grade wings for sixth, seventh and eighth grades), a new bell schedule with two electives, interior painting and low‑cost facility improvements intended to reduce hallway traffic and transition time.

Why it matters: The fee and budget decisions affect family out‑of‑pocket costs for athletics and field trips, and the budget review signals how the district plans to address deferred capital work and technology needs next year.

Budget and capital needs

Justin Henry, identified to the board as the district’s new chief financial officer, and district staff presented a draft 2025–26 budget that they described as “tight.” Henry said the administration plans to put $880,000 into the capital projects fund next year to begin addressing building and infrastructure needs. The draft includes line items the board flagged for follow‑up: a middle‑school gym floor refinishing project with an estimated cost discussed at roughly $39,000, and replacement of end‑of‑life network switches and a firewall in technology that staff estimated at about $50,000 in additional spending.

Henry said the district is working to end the year with a roughly 7% fund balance and the board has a goal of reaching a 10% fund balance within three years. The budget presented is a near‑final draft with additional revisions expected before adoption in June.

Student fees: transportation and field trips

After the budget presentation, the board approved a set of student‑fee changes intended to move some transportation costs out of the general fund and into a transportation fund supported by new fees.

Key fee changes approved (as presented by staff): - Athletics transportation fee: proposed $50 per high‑school athlete who participates on teams that travel; $25 at the middle school for comparable traveling teams. Esports was explicitly excluded because the team does not travel. - Athletic participation fee (middle school): increase from $75 to $100 (staff described $100 as the common fee among neighboring districts). Staff did not say a final change to high‑school athletic participation fees beyond the transportation fee implementation; schools will publish final fee schedules. -…