District to charge for sports, clubs

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by Amanda Harnocz

Reporter

Tallmadge -- The pay-to-participate program proposed by Superintendent Jeff Ferguson will be in effect for the next school year and is estimated to save approximately $200,000 annually.

Ferguson explained during the April 16 Board of Education meeting that there will be a cost for every extra- or co-curricular activity scheduled outside the classroom.

The costs were determined by the projected enrollment for next year, he said.

The program is being implemented as part of $2.1 million in cuts the district is making after the failure of the 8.-9-mill operating levy in March.

The cuts are needed to "stop the downward spiral we are in" since the district will not be seeing $3.56 million a year for the next five years, Ferguson said.

It will cost each student $250 per year to play a varsity sport in high school. Students in seventh and eighth grade will need to pay $150 to participate on a sports team.

Some sports are offered at the freshman level, Ferguson said, adding, it will cost $200 for a non-varisity high school sport.

All clubs and activities such as the Art Club will cost $50. Choir is a separate activity and will cost each student $75 to participate.

It will cost $150 to participate in marching band on the high school level.

Ferguson said there will be a $1,000 cap offered for each family.

Also, families that may need help paying for the pay-to-participate program will be on eligible to pay on a sliding scale, Ferguson said.

A few concerned parents who attended the April 16 Board meeting were fine with the pay-to-participate program on a non-academic level.

However, many voiced concerns about having to pay for all-day kindergarten. Parents will have to pay a $2,500 fee for a student to attend all-day kindergarten. The half-day kindergarten session will remain at no cost to parents.

Many of the parents said they were "disappointed" that money-saving techniques were used in an academic situation and that all-day kindergarten is critical to do well in the many later years of schooling.

Paid all-day kindergarten is estimated to save an additional $200,000.

E-mail: aharnocz@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3911