WEATHERSFIELD Board tables fee plan

The choir director said the concerts are used as fund-raising activities for choir participants.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield school board tabled a policy that would have set a $1 charge for students to attend performances during the school day.
The policy also would have set a $1 fee for students for after-school activities such as band concerts, choir concerts and elementary programs.
Sue Jones, middle school choir director, spoke about the policy at the board meeting Wednesday. Jones had been instructed by district officials to return money charged for admission for a middle school choir Christmas program on Monday.
Board member Debbie Maust said parents and grandparents complained to her that they were charged to go to the program.
Jones said a sign at the door said that donations were being accepted for the concert, but Maust said a lot of people had no idea that they had to make a donation.
What was done: The money made was ordered returned and schools treasurer Angela Lewis said the returned funds were mailed Wednesday.
The board plans further review of policies on paying for school events.
Dr. Douglas Darnall, board president, asked Superintendent Rocco Aducci and his staff to review policies on admission charges and come back to the board with a policy idea.
Jones said the choir has only one fund-raiser and two concerts annually to raise money for the musical group to help pay for gowns and tuxedos for the concerts and for attending regional competitions.
She added that students may now have to pay to participate in those competitions, and a planned trip to Cedar Point amusement park is in jeopardy.
The charge for the concert had been a $2 donation for adults, $1 for students and $5 for a family pass, which included extended families as long as they all entered together.
Health insurance: In other business, the board approved participation in the Trumbull County Schools Insurance Consortium for health insurance for the 2002 calendar year, but the district will have a 40.6 percent increase in health-care premiums.
Lewis said the district's traditional health-care plan will cost $265,000, and will cover teaching staff, custodial staff, cafeteria staff, secretarial staff and administrators.
Twenty school districts are included in the consortium, which was able to negotiate the health premium down from an originally expected 60 percent increase.