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Parent and sponsors urge more equitable meal support and supplemental pay for non‑athletic activities
Summary
A Junction City parent told the board her debate team son had to pay substantial out‑of‑pocket costs for food while traveling to state forensic competition; sponsors and board members discussed the district’s $5 per‑student athletic meal stipend, fundraising reliance for non‑athletic clubs, and frozen supplemental pay for coaches and sponsors.
A parent told the board that her son, a Junction City High School student who competes in debate and forensics, paid hundreds of dollars during a state tournament because only a small set of meals were provided. “He also spent a hundred and $25 on food at States because he was only provided with 3 meals,” the parent said during public comments, asking the board to consider better meal support for non‑athletic activities so students who cannot afford extra spending can still participate.
Board members and staff explained the district’s current practice for travel meals. A staff member said the district allocates $5 per student for meal reimbursement for athletics when travel exceeds a threshold (distance/hours), and “a couple years ago only $3 and so, we did everything to increase it to 5.” The staff member said athletic programs often rely on booster or parent groups to supplement meals; in contrast, many non‑athletic clubs depend on fundraising run by the students and sponsors.
A sponsor who addressed the board confirmed that non‑athletic clubs and sponsors typically must raise money to pay for travel and meals. She told the board that supplemental pay for coaches and sponsors has been frozen and that the supplemental base pay is behind by roughly $5,000 compared with earlier expectations: “We are $5,000 behind because of the last years of being frozen. And last year, they only bumped it up a thousand.” The sponsor urged the board to address supplemental compensation and the disparity in travel support for athletic versus non‑athletic student activities.
Board members asked staff to provide more information and said they would look into mechanisms to support equitable access to activities. One board member suggested exploring fundraising and community partnerships. The superintendent and staff acknowledged the comment and said they would follow up; the parent said she wanted other students who cannot afford extra meals to be able to attend state competitions without added financial barriers.
The board did not change policy at the meeting; it requested additional information and flagged the matter for follow‑up during negotiations and future budget discussions.
