School committee approves 1-year pilot allowing booster-club advertising at Grafton High athletic facilities

The Grafton School Committee voted to permit a one-year advertising pilot to support the Grafton Boosters Club at the high school stadium and athletic fields.

The pilot, presented by Keith Jensen, president of the reinvigorated Grafton Boosters Club, would run from August to August and allow standardized sponsor signage at selected athletic venues, with final approval and the ability to terminate any advertiser reserved by the school committee or its designee.

Jensen said the program is designed to be flexible and low‑maintenance. "Flexible is the duration, the advertisers, and the and the location with the school committee and or your designate having final approval really over over everything," he told the committee. He said the club's goal for the coming year is to generate $10,000–$20,000 annually to help offset athletic fees and support teams.

Committee members asked how advertisers would be identified and approved, where signs would be placed and how revenue would be allocated. Laura (school committee member) thanked Jensen and moved the motion to allow the advertising pilot, saying: "Thanks for taking on the booster. Thanks for volunteering. It's wonderful to see this program come back." Leora (school committee member) asked whether the stadium field would be the initial location; Jensen said the stadium and the upper turf field were likely starting points and the booster club would expand to other fields later.

Committee members discussed content restrictions and review. Jensen said the boosters would propose a list of disallowed advertisers (for example, "no liquor stores, no cannabis, no political stuff") and that the committee or its designate would maintain final approval. The committee also discussed directing funds to reduce athletic fees and to support coaching stipends; Jensen said the booster mission is "to support Grafton athletes and Grafton High in general," including scholarships.

After questions, Laura moved to approve the pilot for a one‑year term; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The committee did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the chair declared the motion carried.

The committee did not adopt a permanent advertising policy at the meeting; the pilot carries return‑to‑committee controls and a one‑year sunset to allow review.

Votes at the meeting record the motion as approved; the committee will exercise final approval authority on individual advertisers and the boosters will manage sales and signage production during the pilot.

Ending: The boosters plan to begin sales and installation in the June–August timeframe, with the committee keeping oversight and the option to remove advertisers midterm if necessary.