Old Quarry Booster Clubs Already Planning for Next School Year

Despite the possibility of more budget cuts next year in Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A, fee-based extracurricular activities are here to stay.

At the Nov. 8 meeting of the District 113A Board of Education, representatives from the Lemont Band Boosters and Warrior Booster Club updated board members on the programs and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining as many student activities as possible.

"There are bumps in the road, but we're working through those things," said Brenda Douglass, secretary of the Warrior Booster Club. "…We're planning on being back here next year."

When extracurricular activities were cut from the district's budget in March, parents formed the Warrior Booster Club in hopes of maintaining the programs at Old Quarry Middle School. The group was able to raise more than $100,000 over the summer by charging registration and activity fees for participating students.

This fall, the booster club was able to provide funding for volleyball and cross country teams. Winter activities – including dance, basketball, cheerleading and National Junior Honor Society – have already begun.

Douglass said the booster club is committed to improving communication and increasing its fundraising efforts. The group is also interested in raising money throughout the year, as opposed to charging parents for everything up front.

"I think looking forward to how we fund this next year, our goal is help reduce the costs to families," she said.

The Lemont Band Boosters also reported a successful fall season. Jim Rallis, director of the Old Quarry Band, said the boosters have already started making plans for next year.

"We have over 200 kids in the program, so we should keep going at a pretty good rate," Rallis said. "We'll keep doing whatever we have to do to keep it going."

Unlike the Warrior Booster Club, the Lemont Band Boosters were in existence before the budget cuts in March. When they learned band classes were being cut from the district's curriculum, the boosters were able to step in immediately to create fee-based after-school program.

On Tuesday night, the band played its fall concert to a packed house at Old Quarry. At the event, the Lemont Band Boosters received a $10,000 check from Ats-A-Nice Pizza in Romeoville and Citgo Refinery to put toward future program costs.

"Without the help of the band boosters, this would not be happening at all," Rallis said.

Board President Lisa Wright reiterated to the groups that the district would be unable to provide financial assistance to the programs for the foreseeable future.

"The booster clubs need to plan to be here," she said. "We need to work as though nothing is coming back."

Wright said the school board wanted to hear from the booster clubs to make sure everyone was on the same page as the district heads into budget planning for the next fiscal year.

"This gives us time to plan and move forward," she said.