Joining a sport or activity gives an individual a break from school and allows them to clear their mind. It offers a fun and engaging way to stay active and have social interactions with others. Wayne Hills provides a variety of sports including softball, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, field hockey, lacrosse, and more. Some activities also include Leo Club, SDA, Glamour Girls, SADD, FBLA, Photo Club, and many others.
According to the budget presentation presented last month, the district will begin charging a fee for athletics and extracurriculars next school year.
At the most recent board meeting, they discussed the major topic of the school’s financial situation. The district is facing $7.1 million dollars in debt and there are many reductions that need to be placed. Some of them include canceling software subscriptions (DeltaMath, Edpuzzle, etc), replacing the Wayne Police Department, and minimal technology. However, one proposal that raises concerns is called “Pay-to-Play for Athletics and Extracurriculars.” Under this plan, students would be required to pay in order to participate in certain sports or clubs. This idea can raise serious concerns, particularly for low-income families. Limited access to certain extracurriculars can negatively affect a student’s mindset and free time. This can also affect the free and reduced kids because if they can’t pay for lunch they can’t pay for sports.
Junior Andrew Castillo says, “I don’t think as a player I should have to pay to participate in basketball. The equipment we have to buy like shoes and recovery gear already makes it expensive and this just feels like more”.
“I think that it will be different paying for sports because fewer people might do it. Also, it will add to the cost because for lacrosse you have to get your own equipment,” said Junior Deanna Inciardi.
Sophomore Gabby Arcell said, “I play a lot of different sports like basketball, softball, volleyball, flag football. Having to pay for all of these including other activities is not fair. This new pay-to-play thing might affect who is joining the teams now.”
This issue has affected many people and there are still many questions regarding the details. For example, how much is every sport going to cost? Are they all going to cost the same amount? And how is this going to affect the lower-income students?
Donald Pavlak, the President of the Board Of Education, did not reply to a request for comment.
