North Middlesex’s “Patriot Card” Controversy: A Paywall on Student Involvement?

By The ClearScope Network | @ClearScopeNet

September 15, 2025

TOWNSEND, MA – When the students of North Middlesex Regional High School (NMRHS) walked into their first few weeks of the 2025-2026 school year, they weren’t greeted with school spirit, excitement, or empowerment. Instead, they were greeted by a strict policy rollout and dozens of new changes that grow more unpopular by the day. 

One of these new requirements, the Activity or "Patriot card" we now know more about thanks to a schoolwide email sent out on September 14, 2025 - which informed students that participation in most school clubs and extracurriculars will now cost them $75, to be paid through the Arbiter Registration system. Dubbed the Activity Card or “Patriot Card,” it’s already sending shockwaves across the student body and faculty alike. And, as students are starting to understand, this fee is not optional for most clubs.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a minor administrative update. This is a policy that threatens to completely reshape the culture of extracurricular life at North Middlesex. 

A Club Culture Under Siege

Historically, extracurricular clubs at NMRHS have been inclusive, enriching spaces that allowed students to explore passions, build leadership skills, and contribute to their community. But with the introduction of the Activity Card, this accessibility is crumbling.

Students who once participated in multiple clubs are now being forced to pick and choose—or drop out altogether. Some club advisors are reportedly dismayed, seeing dwindling interest and membership in what should be the peak of back-to-school engagement.

A few select clubs are exempt from the Activity/Patriot Card requirement, but the overwhelming majority of other clubs are not. Even Student Council, a group that should champion student voice, requires members to pay to participate. Ironically, students on Council, who volunteer their time and effort to represent the school, are now being asked to pay to serve—a move that has already led to resignations from within the group.

Spirit is Sinking

If administration thought this would be a smooth roll-out, they were sorely mistaken. School spirit is plummeting, fast.

Evidence? Just take a look at the recent Senior Week Planning Survey. Sent out to the Class of 2026 on September 4th, the form had received only 15 responses by September 12th. In a class of over one hundred, only a handful of students even bothered to voice their opinions. This isn't apathy—it's disillusionment. Students are disengaging because they no longer feel heard and no longer feel proud of their school in the same way they have in previous years.

This level of student detachment speaks volumes about the administration's failure to involve students in meaningful conversations about the direction of their school.

Arbiter: Pay to Play

As per the emails sent out by administration, all club, activity, and arts registration must now take place via the Arbiter platform. This system—designed for athletic and activity registration—now functions as the school’s paywall for student engagement.

Programs

"The Student Experience at North Middlesex

The programs at North Middlesex — including athletics, clubs, activities, and the arts — provide our students with opportunities for growth, discovery, and participation across a wide range of interests. Whether on the field, on the stage, or in a classroom setting, these experiences are an extension of learning where students develop physically, mentally, socially, and creatively. The North Middlesex administration and staff want every student who chooses to participate to enjoy a rewarding and meaningful journey.

"WE ARE NM"

• We do well academically and promote “Student before Athlete, Artist, or Activity.”

• We compete for, and capture, Championships and Achievements with integrity.

• We operate with sound administrative principles.

• We enhance the student experience, but do not engulf it.

• We are committed to life-long learning.

• We actively engage the NM community & surrounding region.

• We embrace innovation by stepping outside our comfort zone.

The athletic program at North Middlesex offers a wide range of interscholastic sports that allows our student-athletes the opportunity for participation in both team and individual sports.  The sports fields and arenas are an extension of the classroom and a learning experience where we see students develop physically and mentally. The North Middlesex administration and staff want all of the students who choose to participate in athletics to enjoy a very rewarding experience.

"WE ARE NM"

• We do well academically and promote “Student before Athlete”

• We compete for, and capture, Championships with integrity

• We operate with sound administrative principles

• We enhance the student experience, but do not engulf it

• We are committed to life-long learning

• We actively engage the NM community & surrounding region

• We embrace innovation by stepping outside our “comfort zone”

Programs

Name

Dates

Price

Registration

2025 Fall Athletic Registration

Aug 15, 2025 - Nov 28, 2025

$100-$350

Open

North Middlesex Regional High School Club and Activity Card

Aug 12, 2025 - Jun 26, 2026

$75

Open

North Middlesex Regional High School Performing Art Programs

Aug 12, 2025 - Jul 01, 2026

$50-$350

Open

North Middlesex Regional Middle School Clubs and Activities

Sep 03, 2025 - Jun 19, 2026

$0

Open

That’s how it reads on Arbiter. 

The middle school, meanwhile, charges $0 for clubs and activities. Why should the high school—which serves older students often more reliant on extracurriculars for college and career paths—charge more?

The Bigger Picture

What’s happening at North Middlesex isn’t just about a card or a parking fee. It’s about student voice being ignored, about school leadership pushing forward with top-down policies, and about community stakeholders—students, parents, even staff—being left out of the conversation.

The Patriot Card was never voted on by students. Students were never consulted. Teachers weren’t asked. Parents weren’t informed until after the fact. It’s not a partnership—it’s a decree.

And the result? A school where school spirit is at an all-time low, where students are leaving clubs, where class surveys are ignored, and where Seniors feel more disconnected from their school than ever before.

We Are the ClearScope Network. And We’re Listening.

If administration won’t hear you, we will.

This is why the ClearScope Network exists. To document, to advocate, and to amplify the voices of the students and community members who are being pushed aside.

The students of NMRHS are smart. They’re capable. They care. But they need to be heard—not managed. They need a seat at the table, not a bill at the door.

We stand with students. We stand with teachers. We stand with anyone who believes a public school should not operate like a pay-to-play club. If leadership wants to rebuild school spirit, the first step is simple:

Start listening.

Until then, we’ll be here. Watching. Reporting.