Schools

Committee to Review Student Activity Fee

Dolan expects official announcement in June

The Board of Education will convene a committee of parents, teachers and residents to review details of the new student activity fee before an official announcement of the fee in June.

Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan announced at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting that while school district officials have been drafting the details of the fee, she would like an outside committee to review the proposal before an official announcement is made. She cited suggestions and concerns that have been communicated to the school district during town hall meetings and in emails.

The student activity fee was implemented by the BOE will passage of the new school budget last month. The fee was born out of a response to proposed program cuts following Gov. Chris Christie's decision to slash $4.22 million in state aid to the school district in March. Following the governor's decision, Dolan and BOE officials had proposed such cuts as the elimination of intramural sports, the intermediate school dramas and eighth grade athletic programs.

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The fee was proposed in the week following Dolan's March 23 announcement of the cuts, when parents lobbied for the saving of the programs. The fee is expected to help offset the cost of running extracurricular programs in the school system.

While no details of the student activity fee have been released, it has been suggested the fee will be a one time $100 fee per student for participation in after school activities. There will be no al a carte fee for each program a student participates in. Dolan and her staff have been communicating with other school districts with student activity fees in place.

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Concern has been expressed over students whose families would not be able to afford the fee. Dolan said those issues are being addressed by her office and will be addressed by the new committee. During an April town hall meeting about the budget, Dolan announced that she has been approached by a local resident interested in donating money to offset the fee for those who cannot afford it.

During Tuesday's meeting, Dolan said the committee will be led by BOE Business Administrator Bob Berman, Athletic Director Ed Tranchina and officials from the fine arts staff. Other members will include one school board member, teachers representing a cross section of student activities and parents.

Dolan indicated the committee will not be a time intensive commitment for members.

"This is a committee that will meet once or twice," she said. "We want parents who will be living the fee to review it."

She said the committee's recommendations will help shape the final proposal released to parents in June.

BOE members expressed support for Dolan's proposal.

"I think it is an excellent idea," BOE member Mitch Slater said.


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