School Committee Provides Relief for Newton Families

With the vote to cut school fees were reduced, including a significant drop in the family "supercap," the School Committee hopes Newton students will take up more activities.

This week, the School Committee voted to reduce certain fees, and also dropped the family maximum - the supercap - from $1,800 to $1,200, according to a report in the Boston Globe. 

School Committee chairwoman Claire Sokoloff said she hoped the easing of fees will encourage students to join more activities, the Globe reported.

Some fees were eliminated all together, such as high school fees for being on the school newspaper and the mock trial team, according to the report. Fees will still be charged for student on athletic teams and taking part in drama productions.

Other fee cuts include:

• Newton South Parking Fee from $360 to $310
• Grade 4 and 5 instrument music and all-city ensemble fees from $200 to $150
• Students who pay the instrumental music fee won't have to pay the all-city ensemble fee, too

Some School Committee members said they did not think the cuts went far enough, according to the Globe.

The district could make the cuts because the Newton Schools have a budget surplus and one-time savings from health care savings.

Read the entire Boston Globe article by clicking here.