Questions from parents have been percolating the past two weeks about district level cuts in the budget for athletics and activities. Apparently information has been a little unclear because the school district has not cut the budget for athletics and activities.

The revenue for the athletics budget has been the same amount for the past twenty years. Unfortunately the costs have not been the same. Officiating costs have increased, so has transportation. Last year there was an over- expenditure in transportation due to rising prices in transportation of approximately $12,000.  Over time, the budget situation has been addressed through reduction of operating budgets, use of gate revenues, booster club monies and donations. However, this year fall sports equipment and operations were paid for prior to a notification of the $12,000 transportation over-expenditure. After paying that $12,000 to clear the overage in spending, the operating funds for winter and spring sports are non-existent. The Booster Club has stepped in to help with some those costs, though that is a challenge due to the large amount already donated to our programs.

Budgets take on more over time and then there comes the pinching point before everything tips over the edge. Athletics is currently at that point. Unfortunately, some of our coaches may have interpreted this information given to them at a staff meeting, as “the District had cut the budget for athletics.” This erroneous information has spread as well with parents reaching out to ask about this report.

Nevertheless, it is important that we take a look at the athletics and activities funding for the upcoming years, says Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza. She add that "we will need to look at whether the athletics department needs to operate differently or whether we need to look at the current cost of participation or increase funding to the budget. If the latter is the case, we will need to determine whether the increase will come from general fund reallocation or student fee increase/reallocation. The fee conversation will be part of the bigger budget conversation later in the year."