PORT ANGELES — A proposed fee schedule for student activities and class supplies for the 2023-2024 school year would have families in the Port Angeles School District paying the same amounts as they did in 2022-2023, Director of Finance Kira Acker told the board.
“This keeps the costs low for families,” Acker said of proposed fees on Thursday.
For example, the high school ASB card would remain $40 and the yearbook $50. Sports, clubs and music would cost an initial $50 and $25 for each additional activity (but would not exceed a total of $100). Fees for classes like wood shop ($20), welding ($10), art ($15) and pottery ($20) would stay the same as well.
For the full proposed fee schedule, see tinyurl.com/muxn9ury. The fees will be finalized with a board vote at a later date.
“The fees for classes go right to the department to help offset the costs we have,” Acker said. “It doesn’t cover all of the costs, honestly, but I don’t feel like increasing those fees is something that our families can handle.”
Among the fees were $100 to replace a Chromebook.
“So, these are offsetting our costs but not actually covering the costs, because there’s no way a Chromebook is $100,” board member Katie Marks said.
Acker confirmed fees only partially funded the total cost of providing equipment and supplies.
“I think our Chromebooks are about $250 when we purchase them,” Acker said. “Pottery supplies went up astronomically this year and to charge everything we need to charge, it wouldn’t cover it 100 percent. It would be too much for families.”
Although all district students receive free meals, fees are waived for those students who meet federal income eligibility requirements for free and reduced lunches. Families that do not meet the requirements but need assistance paying student fees may still seek a waiver.
“They can approach their administrator and ask for special circumstances,” Acker said. “They’ll work with them to try to make sure that that’s not an issue, that it doesn’t become a fine and haunt them until graduation.”
There are two new fees on the schedule: for a band uniform ($15) and a music festival fee ($50).
“The band has a casual shirt and hat if they go to games or they go to a parade,” Acker said. “They will pay for those and they’ll own those.”
Acker said she had worked with the music department to determine the fee for festivals and other trips.
“We decided to just have one additional fee that those families will pay for, for these festivals,” Acker said. “They will pay once school starts and then they won’t have any additional fees that are added on throughout the school year.”
Board member Sarah Methner asked Acker if music students, like those in the orchestra, would still need to pay an activity fee in addition to the all music fee.
“Yes, it would be $25 and $50,” Acker confirmed.
Student fees are paid at registration, which is done at each individual school.
In other board news, Acker presented an update of the district’s 2023-2024 budget that is still in development and projects $57,744,457 in revenues and $56,714,752 in expenses.
However, expenses are anticipated to increase after the district and teachers union renegotiate their contract, which ends Aug. 31.
The draft budget is due to the Olympic Educational Service District by July 10 and the final version will be presented to the board for action in August.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached at paula.hunt@soundpublishing.com.
