As of Wednesday, the athletic fee policy at Austin Public Schools is "buy two, get one free.

Friday, October 22, 1999

As of Wednesday, the athletic fee policy at Austin Public Schools is "buy two, get one free."

The Austin Board of Education unanimously approved a two-sport participation fee cap per student at Wednesday’s school board meeting. That would mean a maximum of $120 in fees per student at the high school level – where the fee per sport is $60, not $50 as previously reported in the Austin Daily Herald – and a maximum of $90 for middle school athletes this year, $80 in years after. That reduction comes because the board also approved a reduction in the actual fee at the middle school level, from $50 to $40, effective with the winter season. Parents whose children participated in fall sports will not receive a refund.

The Ellis participation fee actually doubled from last year after a July school board vote.

Despite the fee increases, Ellis athletic director/science teacher Todd Waterbury reported to the board that participation in fall sports at Ellis Middle School actually rose by 10 to 15 students this year. At Austin High School, however, fall participation decreased by 23 students. The high school fees were increased from $50 to $60 before this school year.

"We see capping the fees per student as one of the solutions to help us insure continuous participation," Waterbury said. Waterbury also spoke for activities director Naomi Hatfield, who was at the meeting but suffering from acute laryngitis. "Capping after two sports will also have a limited impact on the General Fund Balance."

The projected number of three sport athletes based on participation during last year was 81 total between Ellis and AHS.

Wednesday’s vote, once again, put Austin somewhere in the middle of the Big Nine Conference. However, there is not one consistent policy or charge for athletic fees among the Big Nine schools. Prices range from $50 to $84 per high school student and $35 to $50 per middle school student. While four of the seven districts have a per family cap in place, only two – Rochester and now Austin – cap per student. Rochester also has family caps in place. Albert Lea and Winona do not cap anything.

The fee cap only applies to the athletic fees, which are generally the most expensive of the school fees. At the end of Wednesday’s meeting, the board agreed it will discuss other activity fees at an upcoming workshop, possibly Nov. 4.

In other matters Wednesday, the board:

– approved a cooperative sponsorship with Pacelli and Lyle High Schools for a joint high school wrestling program under the Austin Packers umbrella.

– approved a list of annual extended field trip requests from various organizations at Austin High School.

– heard a report on several innovative ideas implemented as a pilot program at Sumner Elementary to support ESL (English as a Second Language) students.

– approved a request for a high school diploma for WWII veteran Robert J. Dunn, who will join the other area veterans on Nov. 11 to receive their much-delayed diplomas.