Ephrata School Board approves updated facility-use fee policy
New teachers greeted, FFA trip also okayed.
Updated
Photos by Randy Bracht
EPHRATA — Greeting new teachers and updating a decades-old policy on facilities use were among the agenda items addressed by Ephrata School Board members during their Sept. 28 monthly meeting.
Superintendent Ken Murray outlined the revised facility-use fee schedule, which had not been updated since 2002. It applies to school-sponsored programs, community use, and for-profit or tournament-hosting groups using classrooms, gymnasiums, kitchen and cafeteria spaces, sports fields, and the high school performing arts center.
Murray said the district wants to continue to make its facilities accessible and often there is no charge for community activities held when school personnel, such as night custodians, are routinely present. But the district does want to recoup some costs for their use, particularly by for-profit ventures and activities, he said.
“This does not make it a wash, but it does make it closer to our actual costs,” Murray told board members Leisha Adams, Casey Devine, Mike Fleurkens, Josh Sainsbury, and Matthew Truscott.
After-hours and weekend events can involve district maintenance and supervisory personnel, plus expenses incurred from increased use of solid-waste receptacles and other utilities. Large softball tournaments, for example, require “lots of preparation,” he said.
For nonprofit community use, fees can range from $20 to $75 depending on the facility and number of hours involved. Rates vary from $40 to $200 for for-profit activities and organizations. No kitchen use or overnight stays in gyms or the high school PAC are permitted unless authorized by the superintendent.
“They can still request a waiver from me,” said Murray.
Fleurkens noted that other institutions — he cited a state university — have experienced “big problems” stemming from bad behavior by attendees utilizing public facilities for overnight stays, such as sports camps.
Murray agreed that such use can sometimes be problematic. But he said the district was told by its insurance carrier that responsibility and liability for student behavior rests with the sponsoring organization.
In other business, school board members also:
— Approved an upcoming out-of-state trip by Ephrata FFA students to attend the 99th national convention in Indianapolis later this month. The local chapter makes the trip to nationals once every three years, said high school vocational instructor Kent Devine. Two advisors and 18 eligible students are currently registered, he said. Most had done their own fundraising along with contributions from the FFA chapter, FFA alumni, and the high school's CTE program toward the $2,000 per-student cost.
The group will depart from Seattle Oct. 20 and return Oct. 25. Devine said two now-graduated FFA members, Ali Drake and Kendra Rickert, will receive their American Degree, the highest recognition awarded by FFA and only achieved by less than 2% of members nationwide. “I’ve never had two (recipients) at the same time,” said Devine. “It’s pretty doggone special.”
Other stops on the trip include touring the self-sustaining Fair Oaks Farms, possibly a visit to Purdue University, and a day spent in Louisville, Kentucky, visiting the Louisville Slugger baseball bat factory and renowned horse-racing venue Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
— Were informed that this year’s high school representatives to the school board will be senior Hannah Malone and junior Kai Kaleohano.
New school district staff members were introduced during the Ephrata School Board’s Sept. 28 meeting. Clockwise from bottom left on the steps: Nathan Kessler (EHS/EMS/Parkway — band), Jessica Mendoza (Open Doors program), Edra Chamberlain (Sunrise Group Home program), Joshua Larson (Parkway Intermediate — English language arts, social studies, Alternative Learning Experience), Paige Wood (Grant Elementary — third grade, high school cheer). On the landing, l-r: Cynthia Valdez (Parkway/EMS — 5-8 grade English Language Development), Don Williams (high school — skilled & technical instruction, football assistant), JoElle Malone (middle school math), Gabrielle Luna (middle school science and career/technical education), Riley VanOverbeke (middle school history), Kayla Goodman (middle school history and English language arts), Ryan Carlstrom (middle school English language arts, high school head basketball coach). Not pictured: Elliott Ahmann (social studies), Taylor Quist (first grade), Andre Guzman (high school business).
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Ephrata School Board approves updated facility-use fee policy
New teachers greeted, FFA trip also okayed.
EPHRATA — Greeting new teachers and updating a decades-old policy on facilities use were among the agenda items addressed by Ephrata School Board members during their Sept. 28 monthly meeting.
Superintendent Ken Murray outlined the revised facility-use fee schedule, which had not been updated since 2002. It applies to school-sponsored programs, community use, and for-profit or tournament-hosting groups using classrooms, gymnasiums, kitchen and cafeteria spaces, sports fields, and the high school performing arts center.
Murray said the district wants to continue to make its facilities accessible and often there is no charge for community activities held when school personnel, such as night custodians, are routinely present. But the district does want to recoup some costs for their use, particularly by for-profit ventures and activities, he said.
“This does not make it a wash, but it does make it closer to our actual costs,” Murray told board members Leisha Adams, Casey Devine, Mike Fleurkens, Josh Sainsbury, and Matthew Truscott.
After-hours and weekend events can involve district maintenance and supervisory personnel, plus expenses incurred from increased use of solid-waste receptacles and other utilities. Large softball tournaments, for example, require “lots of preparation,” he said.
For nonprofit community use, fees can range from $20 to $75 depending on the facility and number of hours involved. Rates vary from $40 to $200 for for-profit activities and organizations. No kitchen use or overnight stays in gyms or the high school PAC are permitted unless authorized by the superintendent.
“They can still request a waiver from me,” said Murray.
Fleurkens noted that other institutions — he cited a state university — have experienced “big problems” stemming from bad behavior by attendees utilizing public facilities for overnight stays, such as sports camps.
Murray agreed that such use can sometimes be problematic. But he said the district was told by its insurance carrier that responsibility and liability for student behavior rests with the sponsoring organization.
In other business, school board members also:
— Approved an upcoming out-of-state trip by Ephrata FFA students to attend the 99th national convention in Indianapolis later this month. The local chapter makes the trip to nationals once every three years, said high school vocational instructor Kent Devine. Two advisors and 18 eligible students are currently registered, he said. Most had done their own fundraising along with contributions from the FFA chapter, FFA alumni, and the high school's CTE program toward the $2,000 per-student cost.
The group will depart from Seattle Oct. 20 and return Oct. 25. Devine said two now-graduated FFA members, Ali Drake and Kendra Rickert, will receive their American Degree, the highest recognition awarded by FFA and only achieved by less than 2% of members nationwide. “I’ve never had two (recipients) at the same time,” said Devine. “It’s pretty doggone special.”
Other stops on the trip include touring the self-sustaining Fair Oaks Farms, possibly a visit to Purdue University, and a day spent in Louisville, Kentucky, visiting the Louisville Slugger baseball bat factory and renowned horse-racing venue Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
— Were informed that this year’s high school representatives to the school board will be senior Hannah Malone and junior Kai Kaleohano.