By TONY MARQUIS | The Marlton Telegram
The Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education approved, on first reading, a policy regarding a new student activity fee — a charge that’s become almost a necessity after the district’s budget was defeated in school elections April 20.
If the Board passes the policy at its May 19 meeting, students will pay a one-time fee to participate in one or more athletic and extracurricular activities. The district would allow any student who is on a free or reduced lunch plan to opt out of the activity fee. A student can also apply for a waiver, if they have a unique financial hardship, Superintendent Emily Capella said.
When the possibility of a fee was introduced at a March 31 public hearing, the district planned to raise $500,000 with the fee.
The Board’s next step after approving the policy will be to determine the cost per student and the amount for the cap. At the March 31 meeting, Capella said the fee could run anywhere from $75 to $150 per student.
See this week’s print edition of The Telegram for the full story.
