Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Performing Arts Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North Middlesex panel shifts performing-arts fees: musicals $100, plays $50
Summary
The North Middlesex Regional School Committee voted Sept. 16 to set a $100 participation fee for school musicals and $50 for plays districtwide, a reversal of the spring schedule. Administration said the aim is to align funds with production costs; members pressed for refunds, middle-school parity and support for students who cannot afford fees.
The North Middlesex Regional School Committee voted Sept. 16 to change student-performing-arts participation fees so that musicals carry a $100 charge and plays $50.
Superintendent Brad Morgan told the committee the shift would ensure production accounts—separate student activity funds—have sufficient funds to cover expensive musical costs such as rights and costumes. "I'm asking the committee to flip it so that the first event, which is the play, is $50 and the second event is the musical, which is $100," Morgan said.
Committee members pressed administration on practical effects. Randy Rausch asked whether crew and set volunteers would be required to pay; Morgan said required class activities are not charged and that students who are financially stretched have been supported in the past. "If a student is financially stretched, that is something that we do work very hard to take care of," Morgan said. Jackie White asked whether fees already collected would require refunds; the superintendent said those families can be offered refunds or credits toward the musical.
Members also discussed consistency across grade levels: Keenan Francois noted the middle school previously ran different productions and questioned whether the fee structure would match there. Morgan responded the proposal would apply to both middle and high schools, but said he was addressing an immediate high-school concern driven by rising musical costs.
Kim Craven moved to adopt a $100 fee for musicals and a $50 fee for plays for all schools; Jackie White seconded. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with the committee voting to approve the revised fee structure.
The committee asked administration to handle refunds or credits as needed and to clarify whether any required class activity (sets built as part of a class) would be excluded from fees.
The change takes effect for the current season; staff said they will monitor how the structure works and may adjust in subsequent years.
