School Committee deadlocked on facility fee hikes

The Canton School Committee remained deadlocked at its September 20 meeting on a proposal by the CHS Athletics Department to increase facility fees for ice hockey and swimming. The facility fees are in addition to the standard sports user fee of $195 per athlete.

The proposal calls for a $100 increase for hockey players, up from $250 to $350, and a $50 increase for swimmers, up from $50 to $100.

CHS Athletic Director Erickson said rental costs for both programs, particularly ice hockey, have been rising steadily in recent years. The last facility fee increase was implemented six years ago.

Due to the ongoing renovations at Blue Hills Regional Technical School, the CHS swim team has moved its practices and home meets to Randolph High School. Meanwhile, both the boys and girls hockey teams continue to be based at the Canton Ice House, a private rink located on North Street.

The facility increase does not impact the CHS gymnastics program, which leases space at the privately owned Metro South Gymnastics Academy on Revere Street.

Committee members did not second the motion to raise the facility fees and deferred action to its next meeting on Thursday, October 4.

Committee members felt that more financial information and public input was needed before finalizing their decision. They also wanted to hear from School Committee Chairman Kristin Mirliani, who was absent from the September 20 meeting. Vice Chairman Mike Lougran ran the meeting in Mirliani’s place.

The committee decided to look at the entire athletic user fee system at a separate meeting as they plan for next year’s budget. Committee member Reuki Schutt was the most vocal member, stating that the facility increases were quite steep for a lot of families. Erickson said a total of 85 students play high school hockey, including 45 boys and 40 girls between varsity and sub-varsity.

Schutt suggested that the school system could potentially absorb the fee increases for this upcoming winter season.

In other fee-related news, the committee approved a joint recommendation by CHS Principal Derek Folan and GMS Principal Sarah Shannon for a one-time $70 student activities fee for 2018-19.

At the middle school, students will pay a one-time fee that provides access to many clubs and activities throughout the school year. GMS clubs run on a trimester basis and can change based on student and teacher interest. Clubs typically offered at GMS include: soccer, yoga, cheerleading, movie, homework, basketball, musical, chamber orchestra, art, extreme sports, reading buddies, French, mountain biking, walking, running and jazz band. Clubs that are sponsored by grants and do not incur costs by the Galvin or Canton Public Schools will not charge a student fee. These include the GMS robotics and rocket clubs.

Clubs impacted by the $70 fee at CHS include mock trial, math team, robotics, Unified sports club, science team, drama club, fall musical, and cabaret …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Sep 29 2018. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.