To help offset $67,000 in costs, North Branford student athletes will need to kick in a new “activity fee” to participate in sports programs at the town’s middle school and high school this year.

This is the first time such a fee has been imposed on the town’s student athletes, but the idea is not uncommon (nearby Madison has fees) and it has been discussed for several years as an option here, should the need arise, said Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker.

“The activity fee is to offset the exorbitant cost of running comprehensive middle school and high school sports programs,” said Schoonmaker, such as hiring umpires, coaches, security personnel and providing transportation for teams.

Students participating in 2016-17 sports at North Branford Intermediate School (NBIS) will pay a $50 activity fee and student athletes at North Branford High School (NBHS) will pay a $75 activity fee. Fees are capped at $300 per family.

To date, no calls from residents opposed or concerned by the fees have been received by the district office or as letters, nor have any been made during public comments at recent Board of Education (BOE) meetings, said Schoonmaker. A letter notifying residents of all budget cuts impacting the 2016-17 school year was sent out in May.

“We have had people call to say ‘I want to sponsor a student,’” said Schoonmaker, adding families in need, such as those with students receiving free or reduced lunch, will receive assistance from the district, so that “no one will be turned away.”

The decision to seek activity fee support from families will help reduce the overall athletic budget by 15 percent. An alternative would have been to cut another certified position in a school year already set to begin with four teaching positions eliminated, said Schoonmaker.

While the BOE had submitted a budget with a requested increase of over $1 million, the Town Council, in keeping with past increases approved for schools, approved an approximate year-to-year school budget increase of $465,000 (including an expected $165,000 in state rendered Special Education Excess Funding).

In May, the BOE worked to winnow some $1.2 million from its 2016-17 budget plan. The savings were found by adding the new activity fees and making several cuts. A proposed school librarian position at Jerome Harrison Elementary School (JHS) was cut, as was a proposed literacy coach for grades 6 – 12. Four existing teaching positions were eliminated, including a JHS classroom teacher, an NBIS classroom teacher, a NBHS guidance counselor and a NBHS physical education teacher. The BOE also eliminated four paraprofessional positions, one custodial position and cut an NBHS clerical position from 12 months to 10 months. Requests for new athletic uniforms were eliminated. Tuition reimbursement available to certified staff was reduced by 60 percent. Modifications were also made to health insurance, communications and energy expenses. The BOE also altered the school calendar to remove one professional development day and one student day.

The budget alterations mean class sizes won’t increase and thriving programs won’t be cut. The anticipated $67,000 covered by activity fees also allowed district to avoid cutting one more certified staff member, said Schoonmaker.

“We tried come up with creative ways to offset and still keep our class size and programs; while knowing there would still be a significant impact and a lot of emotion around this issue,” said Schoonmaker.