JJIBB Financing of an Athletic Program

FINANCING OF AN ATHLETIC PROGRAM

It is the strongly preferred policy of the Wayland Public Schools that all operating costs associated with the athletic program be funded from within the regular operating budget of the school system.

In the event, however, that it is not possible for all expenses to be covered by the school budget, and if the Superintendent and/or School Committee wish to utilize alternative sources of funding of an athletic program, the following guidelines are applicable:

(a) The schools, within the athletic budget, should pay for the following elements of a school athletic program:

(1) Coaches’ stipends

(2) Transportation to games and, when necessary, practices

(3) Protective equipment (except footwear) which meets or exceeds the standards of the sport

(4) Officials’ fees

(5) League or other dues or fees

(6) Uniforms

(7) Basic recognition items

(b) Individual team fundraisers may generate revenues to be used by that specific team to supplement the above-listed expenses of the athletic program, subject to such limits as the Superintendent may establish. Examples of uses for funds raised by individual teams include transportation upgrades (for a long trip to a distant away game, a comfortable touring bus with a bathroom may be substituted for a standard school bus, the additional costs being fundraised) and non-essential equipment (gym/equipment bags, warm-up jackets, etc.)

(c) Additional financial support for the athletic program comes from the town-wide Booster organization. Booster fundraising activities are general and the benefit is intended for no one exclusive sports team. Funds from Booster fundraisers may be used for such supplementary items as the following:

(1) Awards and trophies beyond basic recognition

(2) Wayland athletic jackets

(3) Facilities for making games more comfortable (e.g., operation of the concession stand behind the field house)

(4) Additional equipment for general use (e.g., weight room, non-sport specific equipment, etc.)

In addition, such supplementary financial support may, subject to approval by the Superintendent and School Committee, be received from private sources other than the Booster organization.

(d) If the above application of funds and access to funding sources are inadequate, user fees, as determined by the Superintendent and approved by the School Committee, will be paid by all athletes who participate in the program. User fees should be limited for families with multiple High School students in multiple sports. Funds collected through user fees are used to offset the athletic department costs in general.

(e) Gate receipts collected from attendance at any athletic program are used to offset the Athletic Department costs in general.

(f) In the event that, despite the presumption of this policy that the core operational costs of a sport be financed from within the school system’s operating budget, consideration is given to permitting a sport to be financed entirely outside such operating budget, the following procedure shall be applicable, subject to the 2/3 School Committee vote set forth in subparagraph (f)(4) below:

(1) The sponsor (i.e., an individual or group wishing to add a sport not currently available with the Wayland Public Schools) shall present a proposal to the Athletic Director and School Principal at least 18 months before the sport is to begin. The proposal must be approved by the Athletic Director and the Principal on the basis of: (a) agreement with the overall philosophy of the athletic program; (b) a sufficient interest, as represented by the number of actual and potential athletes, in the sport; and (c) the impact on the athletic program of this additional sport.

(2) Upon approval of the Athletic Director and the Principal, the sponsor may then submit to the Superintendent of Schools a “Facilities and Financial Plan” detailing the facilities to be used and the method of financing the costs to operate the sport. The Superintendent will act upon the proposal no later than 12 months prior to the proposed beginning of the sport.

(3) The following considerations shall be applicable to sports proposed by a Sponsor for consideration under this policy:

(a) The Superintendent may require additional information.

(b) If approved by the Superintendent, the sport will operate within the scope of the Wayland Public Schools, subject to School Committee policy, and administered entirely by the Superintendent.

(c) A sum of money, not less than what the Superintendent determines is needed to operate the sport for two years, will be maintained in escrow under the control of the Superintendent, to be used if and when annual funding sources are sufficient to run the program.

(d) The sport, if approved and operating, even with the escrow account, is subject to reductions within the athletic department.

(e) The sponsor accepts responsibility to raise the funds for the escrow account and the annual operating costs, in the event the sport is not funded by the School Department budget.

(f) If the sport is discontinued, the money in the escrow account shall be returned to the Sponsor for final disposition.

(4) Upon the Superintendent’s approval of the “Facilities and Financial Plan”, the proposal shall be presented to the School Committee for approval. A decision by the School Committee should be made no later than six months before the sport is to begin, with approval requiring a favorable vote by 2/3 of the members of the Committee. The Committee’s decision shall be final.

(5) This policy and procedure serves as guidelines and is subject to change when it is determined to be in the best interest of the Wayland Public Schools.

CROSS REF.: JJIBA, Adding/Dropping a Sport