{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"25580801","dateCreated":"1278621270","smartDate":"Jul 8, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"alinch","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/alinch","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/msdactivityfee.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/25580801"},"dateDigested":1532253589,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Letter to Arcola\/MHS Families","description":"Dear Parent\/Guardian:<br \/>\n<br \/>\nThe Methacton School District is committed to provide the best education for our students, and we believe that extracurricular opportunities are an important part of a well rounded education. However, the restraints of Act 1 and reductions in revenues due to the nation\u2019s financial crisis have forced us to examine how we can continue to provide these opportunities, without placing an unfair burden on the community\u2019s taxpayers.  <br \/>\n<br \/>\nThe Board of School Directors, after careful review and consideration of the recommendations presented by the Finance Committee of the Board and District administration, approved the establishment of an Activity Fee during their June 15 meeting. <br \/>\n<br \/>\nThis fee has been adopted in order to help maintain and offset the budgeted costs of the variety of activities currently offered at Arcola Intermediate School and Methacton High School.  We believe that without this fee, the district would be forced to consider elimination or reduction of the activities and programs. <br \/>\n<br \/>\nA Student Activities Fee of $50 per secondary school family (grades 7-12), per year, to cover participation in all Arcola and MHS sponsored athletics and activities will be assessed this fall, with all fees due by September 21, 2010.  This is a yearly fee, not a per activity\/sport fee.  This program will help reduce the operational costs for co-curricular activities and athletics that otherwise may have been reduced because of the lack of funding. <br \/>\n<br \/>\nNo student shall be denied participation in extracurricular or athletic activities due to their inability to pay the fee.  Therefore, students or parents may contact the office of the Assistant Principal for Athletics and Activities to determine if other arrangements may be made for payment of the fee.  Arcola students may also contact the office of the assistant principal with concerns about their ability to pay.<br \/>\n<br \/>\nThe Board believes all learning experiences offered by the school including extracurricular activities\/sports are fundamental to the Methacton education.   The Board makes every effort to balance any fee or additional cost incurred by our families against the goals and objectives of the District.  For more information about how the fee will be collected, and to review frequently asked questions regarding this program, please visit high school homepage on the district\u2019s website at www.methacton.org\/studentactivitiesfee.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"25386517","dateCreated":"1277400241","smartDate":"Jun 24, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"JaneenM","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JaneenM","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/msdactivityfee.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/25386517"},"dateDigested":1532253589,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"General Activity Fee","description":"The proposed activity fee would include one fee per family.  Since every students participates in school pictures, yearbook, spirit days, school activities, this fee would be a general fee, not specific to a sport or activity.  Every student would be charged the fee for the general operations of athletics and activities.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"25413861","body":"then I guess you can't call it a &quot;pay to play&quot; fee like was discussed at the school board meeting<br \/>\n<br \/>\npersonally, I feel that kids who participate in extra curricular activities should help shoulder those costs...they are something extra that those kids are getting that other kids do not get. You can call it an activity fee, but I'll bet most of the money is going to sports and music. It should be paid at K-12 levels...after all, don't K-6 kids get school activities, pictures, etc? Either make it 7-12 pay to play fee or a K-12 activity fee. I think the pay to play fee is an easier sell to the community; people understand those things cost money. As a parent I would be wondering why all of a sudden I have an activity fee; perhaps a fundraiser where it is suggested you &quot;donate&quot; $50 for activities. Activities will dependent on the amount of money collected?","dateCreated":"1277554108","smartDate":"Jun 26, 2010","userCreated":{"username":"pmcginnis1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/pmcginnis1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/ssl.wikicdn.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":false},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}