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Board approves varsity girls volleyball position 5-4 amid questions about funding and uniform replacement
Summary
The board voted 5-4 to approve a memorandum of understanding adding varsity girls volleyball coach positions effective 2026-27. Athletics director Sarah Oswald said interest supports both varsity and JV; some board members pressed for clearer funding sources and a uniform-replacement plan before adding new teams.
The Salisbury Township School District board narrowly approved Feb. 18 a memorandum of understanding to add a varsity girls volleyball position (and an assistant position) to the Salisbury Education Association contract exhibit effective with the 2026-27 school year, passing the MOU 5-4 after questions about financing and resource allocation.
Sarah Oswald, who the board introduced as the district activities/athletics coordinator, said the JV program and last season's interest show demand: "Last year, we had 37 girls sign up who were interested in volleyball," she said, representing sufficient depth to support a varsity program and the ability to offer dual-sport participation.
Several board members expressed concerns about where incremental costs would come from and whether the district was adequately funding existing athletic and extracurricular programs. "We can spend another $11,000 on an additional team," said Mrs. McKelvey, pressing for transparency on whether that amount is already budgeted or would require shifting funds or adding dollars. She urged administrators to provide a replacement cycle and budget detail for uniforms and equipment before future additions.
A finance committee member explained that some stipend dollars previously budgeted for positions that were not filled could be reallocated to cover the new coaching positions; administrators also said they were reviewing uniform replacement cycles and vendor estimates and would provide a more detailed budget schedule within a month.
The board approved a separate motion earlier to recognize a girls soccer booster club (7.1). For the MOU on varsity volleyball (7.2) the roll-call vote recorded 5 yeses and 4 nos; the motion passed.
What happens next: The varsity position will be added to Exhibit E for 2026-27; administrators said they will return with a uniform-replacement schedule and clearer budget detail during the budget review process.
