Parents press Jenkintown board for options after 35 students express interest in middle-school soccer; district will survey and report back

A parent who said she has two daughters in the district asked the Jenkintown School District board on Sept. 16 to address middle-school soccer needs after about 35 students expressed interest over two years.

"There really isn't a plan for all 35 kids," Mary Ramirez said during public comment, urging the board to consider additional shirts, teams or alternatives so students who do not make a cut still have playing opportunities. She asked for a future public update.

Board follow-up: board members said the athletics committee had discussed soccer with the athletic director at a recent meeting and acknowledged the interest. A committee member said the issue had been discussed "for, like, a good 15 minutes" in committee and that transportation, schedules and referee costs complicate rapid changes.

Planned next steps: administrators said the district will survey students in grades 6 and 7 after the fall season to measure sustained interest; if numbers support expansion, the district could present coed or multiple-team options and cost estimates to the board. One board member noted league scheduling deadlines and said a decision might be needed by early December to affect spring or next-year schedules.

Context: members said the recent growth in interest is a new pattern and that any change would have multi-year budget and scheduling implications if a boys and girls program were established across middle and high school levels.

The board did not make a formal decision at the meeting; members said they would return with survey results and options.