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Reynoldsburg approves fees, new schedule
(by Anne Holmes, staff writer - June 18, 2009)
Changes to the recommended athletic fees for Reynoldsburg High and Junior High School student athletes were approved at the June 16 district board meeting.
The change to the original recommendation is the removal of the family cap of $1,000 for high school and $600 for junior high with a combined cap total of $1,600 per family with student athletes in both high school and junior high. The family cap has been removed so that each athlete will pay the full fee amount for up to two athletic activities.
Board members were concerned about the fairness of a family with multiple student athletes actually paying less than a family with only one athlete.
Each student athlete in the high school will pay $500 per sport up to two sports. In junior high, the fee is $300 per sport up to two sports. Currently, if a student participates in a third sport, the fee is waived.
The goal of the policy is to make the athletic department self-paying. Superintendent Stephen Dackin said that if it is found that after the 2009-2010 school year the fees collected prove not to be sufficient to cover all athletic costs, then consideration will need to given to the possibility of completely doing away with the athletic program.
The largest single expense for the athletic department is transportation. To address that issue, all athletic contests will be within a 50-mile radius of the district.
The recommendation allows for a decision process to be in place to consider circumstances when going beyond the 50 miles. But, for the most part, the Raiders will not travel far from home. Some thought has been given to participating in only home games, but at this time, that decision has not been made.
Activity fees for music were approved as recommended:
• Band participation: $175
• Orchestra participation: $75
• Chorus participation: $75
A new daily schedule was also approved for the 2009-2010 school year:
• Elementary schools will begin at 8:50 and end at 3:20 p.m.
• Morning kindergarten will run from 8:20 until 11:20 a.m.
• Afternoon kindergarten will run from 12:50 until 3:20 p.m.
• Middle school classes will be held from 8:10 a.m. until 2:50 p.m.
• Junior high school students will be in class from 8:10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
• High school ninth- and 10th-grade students core class schedules will be from 9 a.m. until 2:55 p.m.
• Eleventh- and 12th-grade classes will begin at 8 a.m. and go until 2:55 p.m.
Dackin said that opportunities for underclass students to come in at 8 a.m. will be available for those who wish to arrive at the earlier time.
It will be possible for students to schedule elective classes or participate in a core course, topic specific, study hall during the first period. Juniors and seniors will be eligible to participate in mentoring and other external learning opportunities.
In addition, Dackin mentioned that consideration is being made to develop online courses for students to perform at home.
Organizations used to using the district school buildings for evening meetings will find there are changes in the availability of facilities.
All buildings, except the high school, will be closed at 6 p.m. each night. It will be possible for organizations to pay to use facilities, and a cost schedule is available from the district offices. The high school will be open until 10 p.m.
These changes come after a levy failed in May. The board meeting room was again nearly full, with a good number of the people there voicing their desire for a new levy to be placed on the November ballot.
Board President Cheryl Max reiterated there are many considerations to be made and that the board is continuing to look at the viability of placing an issue in November. A decision will be made by the August filing date.
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