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Committee weighs modest pay‑to‑participate athletics fees and facility rentals
Summary
The committee reviewed a proposed pay‑to‑participate model ($100 high school, $50 middle school), facility rental fee schedule and waivers for students on free/reduced lunch; several committee members expressed concern about equity despite modest projected revenue.
Christian presented an initial pay‑to‑participate and facilities‑fee model and said the district is treating the proposal as an entry point for additional revenue. "We looked at a differential of a $100 per student participant at the high school level and $50 at the middle school," he said, and added the model assumes waivers for about one‑third of students who receive free or reduced‑price lunch.
What was proposed: The presenter showed a draft facilities rental schedule (examples: high‑school auditorium $50/day; additional lights/sound $75; high‑school stadium $100/day; classroom $10/day; athletic fields $10/day) and said the district estimates roughly $10,000 in annual facility‑rental revenue and believes pay‑to‑participate could produce modest additional income (the presenter referenced a previous $25,000 estimate combining both streams).
Committee reaction: Multiple committee members objected on principle. One member said, "If the school offers that program, the students should be able to do it," arguing extra charges could discourage participation. Another member said the proposal's revenue would equal a fraction of the budget (one member called an estimate on the order of $20,000 "about 0.0006% of the overall budget" in the transcript discussion) and urged protections for low‑income families. The presenter confirmed the intent to waive fees automatically for students receiving free/reduced lunch and said the administration would return with refined club‑by‑club recommendations and possible family caps.
Operational questions: Committee members asked how the fees would work with existing co‑op arrangements and whether booster clubs would absorb new burdens; the presenter said co‑op partners and local boosters could be part of any solution and that the district would evaluate threshold costs for non‑athletic clubs (e.g., marching band) separately.
Next steps: The administration will refine the fee model, include club‑specific details and propose any family‑cap or waiver mechanisms for further committee consideration before finalizing budget choices.
