Posted: Sept. 30, 2009 |(0) Comments

Nicolet — Students will be allowed to travel out of state for competitions or cultural experiences but at their own expense based on a new policy adopted by the Nicolet School Board.

Having recently completed a series of painful cuts to bring the 2009-2010 district budget into line, the board decided to limit funding for the trips, deciding to pay for substitute teachers to cover for teachers acting as chaperons on trips but little more.

Member Marilyn Franklin said students should be encouraged to do fundraising to help cover trips costs.

Various student groups take out-of-state trips during the year, some for competition, others for cultural experiences. Regardless of the purpose of the trip, if students are eligible to go, they will pay travel, meals and lodging costs, including a portion of those expenses for the chaperons.

For the current school year, the board agreed to cover several other fees associated with the trips because of timing of its trip decision and because the budget included some funding for the activities.

Next year the budget will likely not contain the funding and that support will be gone.

Gary Stresman, a biology teacher who has taken students to the International Science Fair, said the decision was "disastrous."

"What you have done in the policy is lay the ground work for the continued erosion of the quality of education at Nicolet High School," he said.

Stresman said the additional requirement for fundraising would make his job more difficult.

"Who will want to do work for the program and also have to fundraise," he said.

The school district would pay a $500 affiliation fee to the ISF but none of the other costs, except a substitute teacher at about $100 a day.

Several out-of-state trips were on the board agenda for approval at the meeting.

Teacher David Wyatt explained the educational benefits of a trip to Washington, D.C., for the Model Organization of American States meeting Dec. 2-5. Wyatt said 10 to 12 students might attend.

Student Jason Schwartz said the OAS experience had provided background for him in Spanish and history classes.

"We are able to see a political process at work and to live and breathe that process," he said of his two trips to Model OAS.

The cost for students this year will be approximately $1,000 including the cost of chaperons but not a $900 registration fee the board agreed to pay for only this year. The money was put in the budget last spring and with only two months until the trip, School Board President Laurel Bear said she thought the district should cover that cost.

The annual Music Department trip to New York City, scheduled for May 27-30, 2010, and described as a cultural trip, was approved. The district will pay for only a substitute teacher. Students will do fundraising for the trip.

As many as five out-of-state trips for the Debate Team were also approved. Those trips, to Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota, are partially covered by the 2009-2010 budget but will also require student contributions.