One game, $300: School Commitee takes up activities fee complaints

Marblehead school officials are taking a closer look at the district’s $300 extracurricular activities fee following complaints from parents, including families whose children participate in just one event. Meanwhile, Superintendent John Robidoux is recommending that the district give up control of the former Eveleth School, citing costly repairs and little foreseeable need for the building.

Both issues came before the School Committee at its Nov. 5 meeting, with officials emphasizing the financial pressures facing the district even after voters approved a three-year, $15 million operating override in May.

$300 fee draws scrutiny The district currently charges students a flat $300 annual activities fee, which covers unlimited clubs and extracurricular activities at Marblehead High School, Veterans Middle School and Village School.

Swampscott and Marblehead girls compete in the annual Powderpuff game Saturday, November 19, 2022 at Blocksidge Field in Swampscott. CURRENT PHOTO / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD But the one-size-fits-all approach has frustrated some parents, particularly those whose children participate only in Powderpuff, the annual girls flag football event. Several families have contacted the committee about the issue.

“My concern remains that Powderpuff is a one-day senior tradition, not a season-long club activity. Treating it like ongoing clubs and applying the full $300 fee does not reflect the nature or cost of the event. Families are also charged for tickets,” dad Stephen Walker wrote to the committee.

School Committee member Henry Gwazda raised the possibility of waiving or reducing the fee for students who participate in a single, one-day activity.

“Is there any mechanism to provide those people with a waiver so that that one-day volunteer event isn’t $300?” he asked.

Robidoux acknowledged the concern but cautioned that changing the fee for one activity could create inequities elsewhere.

“I don’t have the answer yet, but I think the equitable piece is really important to me, and how we do that in the most equitable way is what I’m striving to do,” Robidoux said.

The superintendent said the current system was already in place when he arrived and that the district needs a comprehensive review before making changes.

School Committee members noted that Powderpuff previously carried a separate fee but was folded into the districtwide activities fee when the structure changed in 2024.

Committee members requested data showing how many students participate exclusively in Powderpuff compared with those who also belong to other clubs.

Separating the event from the $300 fee could benefit some families but increase costs for students who participate in multiple activities, members noted.

The discussion also highlighted the cumulative financial burden on families, particularly high school seniors who may face athletic fees, Advanced Placement exam charges, senior dues and other expenses.

District needs $213,771 to cover activities Robidoux presented a breakdown of the district’s extracurricular costs, explaining that the fees primarily pay contractual stipends for teachers and staff who supervise clubs and activities. They also cover certain expenses, including theatrical licensing and production costs.

If every planned club operates this school year, the district’s projected stipend obligations total $213,771. That leaves a difference of $148,971 between collections to date and the projected full-year stipend costs.

SOURCE: MPS However, Robidoux stressed that the figures do not represent a final deficit. Some activities have not yet begun, additional fees may still be collected and some planned clubs may not operate.

“We are not looking to make money off user fees,” he said. “That is not the intent. It never has been the intent.”

The superintendent said the administration is working to improve financial tracking after discovering that athletic and extracurricular fees had previously been deposited into a common pool and used to pay stipends.

Those accounts have now been separated to provide a clearer picture of revenues and expenses.

Robidoux also acknowledged weaknesses in the collection system, which has relied in part on club advisers to verify whether students have paid.

He said that responsibility should not fall primarily on teachers running extracurricular activities.

The district also provides automatic fee reductions for students who qualify based on economic need.

Committee members asked the administration to examine not only participation and fee collections but also additional costs families face, including supplies, fundraising requirements and other expenses associated with particular clubs.

Robidoux said he expects the review to continue throughout the school year, with the goal of developing a fairer, more transparent system for next year.

“In the perfect world, we wouldn’t have fees,” he said.

No changes to the fee structure were approved at the meeting.

Eveleth School could return to town In a separate discussion, Robidoux again recommended that Marblehead Public Schools relinquish custody and control of the former Eveleth School at 3 Brook Road, a building the district no longer needs for classroom space.

The recommendation follows an earlier vote by the School Committee’s Facilities Subcommittee urging the full committee to consider returning the property to the town.

The building currently serves several limited purposes. The town uses space for document scanning and storage, Recreation and Parks uses portions for programming, and the school district stores materials there.

But reopening Eveleth for regular school use would require substantial investment.

Robidoux said an initial estimate for a feasibility study was approximately $250,000, while replacing the building’s failed boiler would cost another $140,000.

Those expenses would come before other potentially significant repairs, including possible asbestos abatement.

“You’re talking half-a-million before you walk in the door,” Robidoux told the committee.

The district had explored several possible uses for the property, including an early childhood education center, a program for students ages 18 to 22 and central administrative offices.

However, Robidoux said declining or stagnant enrollment projections, available space in other school buildings and the district’s financial constraints make those options impractical.

Space at Marblehead High School has already been identified for a potential 18-to-22-year-old program, while planned improvements to the district’s Widger Road administrative offices could allow staff to remain there for the foreseeable future.

Committee members generally agreed with his assessment.

Member Ann-Marie Jordan noted that buildable land is scarce in Marblehead, making the prospect of surrendering a school property difficult.

But maintaining a deteriorating building without a clear educational purpose carries its own costs and risks.

“Holding on to Eveleth would be a luxury, and despite the override, I don’t think that we are operating in a luxurious posture right now,” Jordan said.

The discussion also touched on the former Coffin School, which deteriorated significantly after closing, as an example of the challenges associated with retaining unused school buildings.

Robidoux said Eveleth still requires attention to utilities and winterization, even though it is not being used as a regular school facility.

The building’s failed heating system and other maintenance problems add to the district’s financial responsibilities.

He said the property could potentially serve town purposes that would not require the same level of renovation necessary to accommodate students and school staff.

No formal vote to transfer the property was recorded during the discussion.

Other School Committee business The committee also reviewed the first quarterly financial report required under the agreement governing the town’s operating override.

School officials said the district is not using override funds for its current operating budget but has received some capital funding for projects, including snow removal equipment, a Veterans School clock system, shade structures at Brown School, gym lighting improvements and work at Village School.

The committee also voted 4-0 to approve its fiscal 2027 goals, which emphasize using measurable data to guide decisions and developing a dashboard to track district performance.

One game, $300: School Commitee takes up activities fee complaints

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