MONROE - The Monroe school board approved guidelines Monday, April 8 specifying when athletic programs and co-curricular clubs can petition the board for funding - a move that could open the door for the high school boys and girls soccer programs to become district-funded sports.
The guidelines, first proposed in March, include provisions for when a sport or team can be added, dropped or when a paid assistant coach or advisor can be added. A sponsoring organization can petition the board for a sport to become district-funded if the program has been self-funded for five years; coordinated the process with the principal and athletic director; maintained enough participants so it can field a team for five years; and remained competitive or shown improvement in winning games or competitions.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the soccer program has contacted the district about making another presentation to the board to become district-funded. The Monroe High School boys and girls soccer programs made a similar request last year.
There are currently three self-funded sports in the district, including high school boys soccer, girls soccer and boys hockey. The soccer program started in the district in 2002 and hockey started last year. The self-funded sports don't receive any funding from the district, but rely on fundraising to remain a program.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the soccer program has met all the new criteria to become funded by the district.
Board member Larry Eakins supported the proposed guidelines, but he wants the board to consider the decision it will have to make to fund another sport when the time comes.
"I don't know if we will do it with fund balance or if we will take some from other sports," Eakins said.
The guidelines, first proposed in March, include provisions for when a sport or team can be added, dropped or when a paid assistant coach or advisor can be added. A sponsoring organization can petition the board for a sport to become district-funded if the program has been self-funded for five years; coordinated the process with the principal and athletic director; maintained enough participants so it can field a team for five years; and remained competitive or shown improvement in winning games or competitions.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the soccer program has contacted the district about making another presentation to the board to become district-funded. The Monroe High School boys and girls soccer programs made a similar request last year.
There are currently three self-funded sports in the district, including high school boys soccer, girls soccer and boys hockey. The soccer program started in the district in 2002 and hockey started last year. The self-funded sports don't receive any funding from the district, but rely on fundraising to remain a program.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the soccer program has met all the new criteria to become funded by the district.
Board member Larry Eakins supported the proposed guidelines, but he wants the board to consider the decision it will have to make to fund another sport when the time comes.
"I don't know if we will do it with fund balance or if we will take some from other sports," Eakins said.