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Activity fees nearly double
Published Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Fergus Falls families can expect to pay twice as much in high school activity fees next year following a decision by the district’s school board Monday.
Currently at $100, the activity fee for each high school program will be $200 next year. Students who participate in more than two activities can expect to pay $100 for their third. At the middle school level, costs will rise from $60 to $100 per activity, and the overall family maximum cost will double from $400 to $800.
The fee increases come as part of the district’s effort to get out of debt and stay financially sustainable for the long-run. To do so, administrators are cutting over $2 million from next year’s budget.
“The situation was, with our $2.36 million cuts, we asked the athletic department to come up with approximately $100,000,” said Superintendent Jerry Ness.
Instead of eliminating any activities, the department opted to raise the cost of participation.
“We feel very strongly that every one of our varsity sports is viable,” said Activities Director Gary Schuler. “And as long as we can do that, we’ve got to bite the bullet somewhere.”
While ticket costs will stay at $4 for students and $6 for adults, punch cards and family passes will also run more next year. Punch cards, good for 10 activities, will cost $32 for students and $48 for adults, up from $24 and $40, respectively. Family passes will rise in cost from $175 to $250.
Jerry Ness
Parents like Mark Kitzman say rising fees will be challenging, but the benefits of extracurriculars are priceless. Kitzman will have two students in sports next year: Susie, a swimmer and track participant, and Joseph, who plans to run cross country, swim and join track. Another daughter, Kelly, is a current senior, cross country and track captain, and a nordic skier.
“I think athletics are such a great way for kids to set goals,” Kitzman said.
Sports prepare students to work cooperatively later in life, he said, teaching them that while “I’m not going to be a professional football player...I can be a good player on a work team.”
For the Kitzmans, the solution to rising fees may mean Sandy Kitzman will work full-time instead of part-time.
“We’ll figure it out,” Mark Kitzman said. “It won’t be easy but we’ll figure it out.”
“I really do worry about people who aren’t as fortunate,” he said. “A lot of times those are the kids that need those kinds of things most.”
According to administrators, students who qualify for free or reduced lunches will be asked to pay 30 percent of each activity fee. Schuler said the athletics department is willing to meet with families individually to discuss payment options.
Fergus Falls is not the only district raising its activity costs. Most schools in the Central Lakes Conference will charge $200-plus per activity next year, Ness said, and Brainerd will require $350 per activity.
“So there’s a number of schools that are in this financial strait and one way we can make up some dollars is through this,” he said.
“It’s just a sign of the times,” Schuler said, “and hopefully we’ll get some help eventually here, but until that time comes, I feel strongly we need to keep things going as they are.”
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by doctipster (anonymous) on March 25, 2008 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
and now i know my choice to send my children to underwood was a good decision. how the school board can con the citizens of the school district into a wasteful bond referendum and ten make every stupid decision they could. they are chasing our students and parents away..
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on March 25, 2008 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Because Underwood school is sooooooooo much better???? Seriously?
Posted by justme (anonymous) on March 25, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seriously.
Posted by klingetb (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 3:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see a lot more overweight kids in our future!!
Posted by TRANYJO (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 4:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can respect having to pay a fee for my child to play sports however this does seem very high. My children go to battle lake school and the most I pay as a family is $100 for the year not activity! I must say it does worry me that we have so many opportunities we are letting pass us by such as the 3m that is now in alexandria, the RTC that could change our tourism entirely and generate alot of money for our community if it were like a valleyfair and ofcourse our schools. I know times are tough but if we dont start investing in our kids we will all be in a world of hurt. To pilsnerurquel please understand I mean no ill feelings but I too would consider open enrollment at another school.
Posted by just_peachy (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can only hope that one family doesnt have a child going into Kindergarten for $250 a month and then have any older children that want to be in sports. I agree totally with the article comment that the children of families that cannot afford the activity fee are sometimes the ones that need the outlet more than anyone. Fergus has been pretty good at "doubling" fees lately, but if they aren't careful then next thing that will be doubling is the amount of students they lose to open enrollment.
Posted by really (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You all are acting like Fergus Falls School District is the first school to do this. News flash - it's not. I have 3 children in the school district. Next year, I will have 1 in the SR high and 1 in the middle school and 1 at Adams. Yes, the costs are high but if we want to keep the activities then we will have to pay for them. klingetb-Don't blame the rising costs on seeing more over-weight kids in our future. It's just kids being lazy and parents losing control and giving up. Maybe what the sports booster clubs need to do a fundraiser event to keep the fees down? I'd be in support for it!
Posted by just_peachy (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with *really* in the fact that I dont think that this is going to result in over weight kids BUT it has been a proven fact that kids that are in sports are less likely to be in trouble & teenage girls that are active in sports are less likely to end up pregnant..see link http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/r... Dont get me wrong, this isnt always the case and I dont want to make excuses for bad decisions, but I for one want to keep my child as active as possible to keep her on the straight and narrow & if studies have proven this, I am listening, but the parents have to be able to afford it! Active parenting is also the key, but with rising cost of EVERYTHING sometimes it is a 2 income household & there are gaps of supervision so I dont think that is is fair to say that it is parents losing control & giving up--its surviving. You made a good point as far as booster clubs getting involved & doing some fundraising, I would support that as long as it it's not over priced candy & cheezy knicknacks.
Posted by motherof2 (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that the school activities need to do some fundraising, the costs are unbelievable as far as the cost of activities as well as kindergarten...
Posted by really (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Parents need to teach/guide their children on what is expected of them. Routines and such. If there is no rules/guidelines then that's where the laziness falls into place. Keeping kids active is a big part of it. It's not cheap. Any kind of household can manage their children's activities it doesn't just pretain to 2 income households. (Although, it certainly makes things easier!) You have to have balance. I have been at both ends of the household debates. I was a single parent household for 5 years - paid my children's fees for all their activities in the Twin Cities area plus daycare expense which included 1/2 day kindergarden fees. I got through it. It's much cheaper here and my children are much happier here! Anyway, the sports booster clubs need to step up and be creative in their fundraising efforts. I would be willing to help out in anyway! Contact me directly!
Posted by RedWolf (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Look at the big picture. The board loses $20,000 in five years for drivers ed, doesn't account for thousands of dollars in expenses and still keeps the program. But they will cut teachers, raise fees.....Where is the common sense. Ask the board to justify this and watch them squirm.
Posted by PRFISHER (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The bottomline is that this stuff(kindergarten, sports, fine arts in Perham) shouldn't be funded by raising fees, or funded by sports boosters, clubs, business, etc.... It is a public school and it should be funded by the state it is part of the public school system experience and life, but our state government has let each one of us down. This is not a certain schools problem this is a statewide problem I would guess that just about every school in the state will be cutting something unless of course they have passed a operating referendum and passed their higher costs onto the local tax payers. Costs are high, they are high to us, they are also high in a school system.
Right now the system is flawed combined that with a major hike in exspenses and schools throughout the state will be making cuts to key programs.
In my house it is the same way. With gas prices/heating costs and right down to the milk I drink. I have had to cut down on some stuff. I/e make cuts.
I can go out and get another job to make money, in order not to have to make those cuts, I/e raise fees.
In my honest opinion this is no different than the county/city raising fees. The state has not funded these entities at the same rate as inflation.
Then there are two options Cut programs or raise the money with fees
Posted by really (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay- let's just get "something for nothing" then. Be real. Fees are going to go up. I am looking at the big picture. I just choose to be proactive about it. I am not sitting here bashing the school or the school board for this. Common sense is we as parents, students and spectators need to find a way to keep the sports & activities we all love. Not preach to the board or the school about money management. If this school district does help with Drivers Education great, most school don't provide that that I am aware of. It's on your own and on your own time. Remember, if you don't like what the school board does you can always run to be a board member.
Posted by cheif (anonymous) on March 26, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree 100% with that statement, really.
Posted by doctipster (anonymous) on March 27, 2008 at 2:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Alright peachy, Are you dense or just ignorant. You say that keeping kids in activities keeps them out of trouble. What part of the High School raising taxes are you agreeing with. I mean, the kids most affected by this are the ones who are already sitting on the fence post with both parents working to support them. You all act like we all make six figures in this city. WE DON"T WAKE UP.... Fergus falls school and its choices is basically raping our district. For those who voted for the 32.5 million dollar bull diddley bonding bill aren't you a little bit ticked off that you are having to pay double for these things... I know I am and I didn't vote for it.
As far as the comment of Underwood being Sooo much better. Maybe, maybe not but guess what its SOOOO MUCH CHEAPER !!!!... So if you want scarcasm there ya go.
Basically, the school district is cutting programs, cutting teachers, doubling costs, to do what, offer some chinese and Latin classes. Im sorry the school just doesn't have their priorities straight as far as I am concerned.
Fergus Falls better watch out, becuase people are running for the door and its not to get into District 544 is to get the heck out through open enrollment. Wait and see the disrict is headed straight for the toilet, their going to kindegardeners to Underwood, Rothsay, Pelican Rapids, and Ashby. THAT IS A FACT....
They are going to lose High school and some middle school student athletes because parents are not going to want to pay that much for their kids to be in athletics. I was a 3 sport standout all through high school. If both my kids want to do three sports I will support them 110% but my wallet dictates my decisions. I've got no loyalty to this district not when they have no loyalty to me. FF School District you have lost two athletes. We have already enrolled my daughter for Underwood for next year, My son comes next.
Pathetic just plain pathetic.....
Posted by doctipster (anonymous) on March 27, 2008 at 2:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
But Seriously lets get down to the real problem here....
I have held discussions with a few of the board members as well as a few of the members of the last task force. Our first mistake was to waste money on rebuilding these old school buildings. I know we all want neighborhood schools and we all don't want to see such lovely building disappear. But lets be real. They are old, not worth fixing, and in ten to twenty years they are going to see that and want more money.
Now what should have happened if the school board would have listened to some of the district constituents, Is that we should have built a school out on Hwy 59. Join districts with Pelican Rapids. Call it Maplewood Area High School or somthing along those facts. Build it out there, and you grab students Pelican Rapids, Dent, maybe Frazee, Vergass, Rothsay,... But this allows for more funding. To get students to want to come to your high school you need to offer them something. Parents go for new schools, innovative technology, not program cuts and teacher cuts....
best of all, it allows each of the cities to grow. It has pretty much been a proven fact that cities tend to grow towards the high schools. Best example would be Minnewaska Area High School. If you knew of Starbuck and Glenwood before the school was built you would know that both those towns have grown immensly towards that high school. Both cities in essance are growing. We here in fergus are offering a crappy old school with a few band aids on it...
You want Balance... We just gave them 32.5 million dollars, Can't see why they need more and if they did, they should have been straight up with people. I bet they wouldn't have gotten this thing passed if they would have told people
"By the way after you pass this we are going to have to cut jobs, increase feees, and still be under operational debt.
WHAT GOOD IS A REBUILT HIGH SCHOOL IF YOU ARE IN OPERATIONAL DEBT...
we are still right back to where we started from....
Posted by jat1961 (anonymous) on March 27, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
doctipster
Do you really know anything about Minnewaska, they have closed the Villard elem and then Starbuck Elem was closed and they are in terrible financial shape. Starbuck has opened a charter school that is in its second year and is full. How about all the students that open enrolled to Alexandria. And I am from that area and have not seen any growth in that area due to the school.
I agree with all of you Underwood is awesome, and the smaller school tends gives you a better education.
Posted by TKay (anonymous) on March 27, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
jat1961, you made me curious so I went to Minnewaska district website. You are right. They are in S.O.D. and have made some very significant changes.
The majority of the FF community did not want new buildings so we get what the majority wants. There were multiple tries for new and clearly that is not what the majority of the community wanted.
As others have said the scenario here is not unique to FF. It is a state wide issue with many affected.
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