School Predicts $30k Activities Deficit by End of 2023-2024 School Year

Activities and their revenue, or lack thereof, were the hot topic of the November School Board meeting, held Tuesday, November 7th in the elementary library.

Superintendent Hannah Nieskens detailed the total expenses, revenues, and loss of the fall season of sports - which includes Cross Country, Football, Volleyball, and middle school sports.

“Our increasing fuel costs, transportation costs (provided by Harlow’s School Bus Service), and costs for MOAs/referees (these rates are determined by the Montana High School Association), have outstripped our revenue. Revenue is generated by the gate entry and also by activity fees. Although we have increased both activity fees and entry fees in the past few years, the rate of increase has not been enough to keep pace with increasing costs,” said Nieskens in a detailed email to the Ledger.

“We were also in the southern B conference for football and MHSA redistricted us to Western B, increasing our travel distance. Similarly, MHSA redistricted wrestling to a super-division rather than a district, increasing our travel distances for that sport also. This year we have made $15,160 in activity fees. This won’t even cover our reffing and travel expenses for our fall activities season, which amounts to $16,489.16 before coaching costs,” Nieskens added.

The coming winter season will include activities such as drama, boys and girls basketball, and wrestling. Spring will include track and golf. The E-Sports team also has a spring travel competition.

“We have many activity expenses yet to come this year,” Nieskens said.

As middle school sports do not currently charge an entry fee, the Board discussed whether this should be addressed. Also discussed were the possibilities of raising activity fees overall for next year, paying a per-activity activity fee as many students participate in multiple events (Nieskens noted that this would generate about triple the revenue and likely cover costs almost in full), detailing the rising costs at games and asking for donations, and more.

The current deficits are as follows:

• VOLLEYBALL: Total expense $7696.80, revenue $2288.00 = loss of $4,408.80.

• FOOTBALL: Total expense $9,310.95, revenue $4, 445.00 = loss of $4,865.95.

• CROSS COUNTRY: Total expense $1,318.46, revenue $0 = loss of $1,318.46.

• MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS: Total expense $2,447.75, revenue $0 = loss of $4,895.95.

• COACHING COSTS: Coaching costs are not included in the total expense of each sport, as they are paid from the general fund, not the activities fund.

- Volleyball: $5,417.02.

- Football: $8,425.77

- XC: $6,598.78

- MS Sports: $9,153.26

“This is not a challenge unique to Whitehall. Rising costs are affecting all schools. Some schools have chosen to cut programs, particularly things like sixth-grade sports or specific high school sports programs. That is not something being discussed at the current time,” Nieskens added.

“But all in all, it is the increasing costs, caused largely by inflation and increased travel distances that have brought us to this point,” Nieskens said, adding that being aware of the situation and thinking ahead

OTHER NEWS:

• Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on 11/17 during the day. The Book Fair will be open during this time as well.

• The district saved about $1,000 by switching to digital report cards.

• HIRES: Josie Jenkins as MS assistant girls basketball coach. MaryBeth Hunter as 21st Century program staff. Sara Bates as a paraprofessional.

• The new WHS FFA chapter was approved for opening a student account at Rocky Mountain Bank.

• The next school board meeting will be held Tuesday, December 7th at 7 PM in the elementary library.