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Duluth adds 'Boost My School' to fundraising regulation, removes prior crowdfunding procedure
Summary
The policy committee approved minor edits to the district fundraising regulation May 12: the district added Boost My School to its approved platforms, deleted an outdated crowdfunding procedure, and emphasized prior approval and facility‑use notification for school‑run fundraisers.
The Duluth Public Schools policy committee reviewed and approved technical updates to the district’s fundraising regulation on Tuesday, May 12. Staff described the edits as minimal but practical: the regulation now lists Boost My School among approved fundraising platforms and removes a previous crowdfunding procedure that is no longer used.
Simone Zunich, the district’s executive director of business services, said the district has focused on outreach to booster clubs, coaches and advisers and recently updated a handbook for coaches and advisers that had not been revised since about 2009. "We had over a 100 people in this room, very well received," Zunich said of a community meeting where staff reviewed the handbook. She also noted auditors view decentralized crowdfunding as difficult to monitor.
Committee members discussed the need for clearer communication to principals and coaches, particularly at elementary schools that do not have athletic directors. Jill Lofeld, a policy committee member, urged targeted outreach and suggested an annual coaches meeting so all advisers understand approval requirements.
The regulation clarifies that school‑run fundraising activities must be approved by administration and the school board before they begin, and requires organizers to notify the district’s facility use coordinator for events held at district sites. Staff reiterated that fundraisers completed by separate organizations (for example, PTAs or school foundations) are not required to be reported to the board because they are independent entities.
The committee directed staff to post the corrected regulation online and to include the policy and regulation on the full school board consent agenda next week. The committee also discussed scheduling another coaches/advisers training session in the fall to reinforce the procedures.
