D159 Pay-To-Play Fees Lowered, District Also Kicks in Cash

Following the move of band and choir back to schedule B, the reexamined another area of schedule B that drew many comments and concerns: the fees for activities in schedule B. Fees for what board member Patrick Markham called the four “major sports,”—basketball, volleyball, track and cross country—were all above $215 per student, which had drawn serious criticism from parents in the district.

However, with Markham and board members Mike Ford and Kathy Moore leading the charge, administrators decided to reduce all schedule B fees by 20 percent, which district will pay for at a cost of about $22,000.

The chart below shows the initial cost of each “major sport,” along with its new cost for the coming year and the number of students currently signed up for each sport.

Principal Mike Rolinitis noted that sixth grade basketball teams have a max of 20 students per roster, seventh and eighth grade teams have 15-student roster limits, while volleyball has 15-student limits. Track has a 65-student roster minimum, while cross country has a 25 student minimum.

The decision by the district to go for the 80-20 split, came after a presentation by Rolinitis. During the presentation, Rolinitis said that the high costs of certain sports seemed to be limiting the number of students willing to sign up for sports and could potentially force the district to not have any sports in the coming year.

“My opinion would be that if we were to lower the costs, we would have full participation in every area,” Rolinitis told the board.

Board member Scott Peters said that the 80-20 split should be among all of the schedule B activities, so as not to show favoritism to certain sports or activities.

“My preference would be everyone get help, not just the big spenders,” Peters said during board discussion.

The decision to add the 80-20 split allowed the district to inform the Des Plains Valley Conference that Mokena schools will be part of the conference this year, allowing for full season schedules for all sports should there be enough interest from students.

For students that already signed up and paid for sports and activities next year that have seen their costs reduced, the district is still working on how to reimburse those families said Superintendent Steve Stein.

Board president John Troy said that ideally the board will be able to continue to lower costs in the coming years.

"We're moving in the right direction, we know it's hurt some parents, all of them," said Troy. "This board doesn't like the fees, but the reality of the sitituation is they're necessary. As soon as we can, we'll look at them again, as we go down the road. Fees are not the way to run a school system, they aren't."