Published Tuesday, March 19, 2002
SHARON
Board makes booster clubs more accountableBy Kristen Garrett
Herald Staff Writer
Booster clubs operating in the name of Sharon City School District students will be accountable to the school board for their fund-raising activities.
School directors Monday unanimously approved a policy that requires all booster clubs to submit annual fund-raising reports to the district.
There was no discussion.
The policy was proposed in January by Director Dominick Russo after he looked into similar policies at other districts. Russo said the policy would prevent embarrassment to the district and avoid duplication of efforts.
The policy also requires booster clubs to:
Private booster organizations raise money for scholarships and awards, to help students pay for field trips, or to supply students with jackets or other auxiliary items that the district doesn't give them, said James Wolf, business manager.
"I feel very good about this," Russo said. He said the policy will "protect our kids from being taken advantage of."
In October, Russo questioned the validity of some Sharon Touchdown Club fund-raising activities. The club benefits the Sharon Tigers football team.
He called for an investigation of the club's fund-raising activities, including a car raffle that never took place and a wall of commemorative bricks that was not built at the football stadium.
Wolf said once the weather warms, the remaining bricks will be placed. He said it took 99 bricks to complete the other walls; there are far fewer bricks so the display will be smaller. He added that the district still has all of the money from the brick sale.
The Touchdown Club refunded money from the car raffle.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharon-herald.com