Activity Fees Increase for Great Valley Students

The voted Monday night to increase fees for student activities as part of its . 

The increased fees were based in part on feedback from parents. The new amounts were designed to generate about $295,000 in revenue, or a quarter of total costs for the Extra Duty Responsibilities (EDR) programs to which they are attached.

The new fees are $40 per activity in elementary schools and $95 per activity in the middle school and high school.

See the full fee details in the photo above.

The motion to adopt the new fee arrangement passed by a vote of 5-4. The motion was raised at the , but was tabled as board members disagreed over the per-family cap. That cap, set at $750 per family, remained a point of contention before the vote.

"I think the community has given a lot, and the parents, I appreciate that," board member Stephanie Gunderson said. "And my understanding from talking to Chuck Linderman was that we had a cap of $400 last year, and ... no one applied for that cap."

Gunderson voted against the new fees, as did Ellen Behrle, Andrew Daga and Jennifer Armstrong.

Board president David Barratt said he thought the elementary school fees should be lowered, because donors cut checks expecting their contributions to cover the EDRs. In fact, the $50,000 that Write the Future allotted for EDRs will only help defray the costs, not cover them entirely.

Barratt voted for the new fees, along with Ted Leisenring, Mary Ravenfeld, Bruce Chambers and Phil Foret.

Responding to a question from the audience later in the meeting, superintendent Alan Lonconus explained that the fees would affect sports and other activities that involve EDRs, but not entirely self-funded programs or student council. He said he would compile a list of all affected activities.