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Board approves New York City trip for high school choir in 2026
Summary
The board approved an out-of-state trip to New York City proposed by the high school choir director; the trip will be funded by participant fees and fundraising, with a limited district-funded scholarship option for economically disadvantaged students.
The Byron Public School District board approved a proposed 2026 New York City trip for the high school choir after a presentation by the choir director, Katie. The itinerary includes Broadway performances, visits to the 9/11 Memorial and the Statue of Liberty, and a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall.
Katie told the board the trip would be organized every four years so different classes can participate, and that the tour company priced options based on projected participant counts. "It is 1 big difference this time around is that this is a, we're gonna fly there rather than take a bus," she said, explaining logistical changes related to bus access in Manhattan.
She described fundraising plans used in prior trips (student-run fundraisers with individual credits applied to participants' balances) and said the choir director maintains a spreadsheet that tracks student balances. To improve equity, she proposed covering up to 25% of one student's trip cost from choir fundraising funds for an economically disadvantaged student; the board discussed logistics and enrollment thresholds and approved the trip.
The director said there would be no district cost for the trip; parents and participants will pay travel costs and fundraising will offset balances. If the trip is canceled for low enrollment, deposits would be returned, she said.
Why it matters: Approved student travel expands curricular and cultural experience for choir students. The board recorded that the trip will be funded by participant fees and fundraising rather than general fund dollars, and that a limited scholarship mechanism is available within choir funds.
What's next: Administration and the choir director will finalize participant registration and logistics with the tour company and report back to the board as needed.
