Jenkintown SD committee to survey students on expanding soccer; community volunteers offer help

Mr. Roller, a member of the district soccer committee, told the board the group will run a student-interest survey and a feasibility review ahead of any program expansion. He said the plan calls for collecting interest data from ‘‘probably grades 5 through 11’’ in November and sharing initial results with the board and community in December.

The committee’s study will include facility and budget reviews, field conditions, transportation impacts, officials’ and coaches’ costs, and uniform expenses. ‘‘Our overall goal would be if we’re going to expand and move forward with different teams … we need to do that probably by January to make sure that we can get into the Bicentennial Athletic League schedule,’’ Mr. Roller said.

Board members pressed on sustainability, noting past enrollment shifts between middle and high school that could affect whether a separate girls’ or boys’ team is viable. A staff presenter supplied grade-by-grade enrollment counts and cautioned that smaller high-school cohorts could make single-grade varsity teams hard to sustain without feeder numbers from middle grades.

During the public-comment period, Chris Island, who identified himself as a middle-school coach, offered to compile feasibility data and local field resources. ‘‘I’d be more than happy to share anything, from transportation plans to feasibility plans to sustainability plans,’’ Island said, adding he had contact information from dozens of local parent groups and clubs that could provide field space.

Resident Margaret Liri Remick thanked the board for listening and urged support for both middle- and high-school programs, saying the two levels are linked by feeder patterns.

The board directed committee members to proceed with the planned survey and promised a December update; no formal vote to expand programs was taken at the work session.