This year, new fees charged for clubs and activities have swept through EdinaHigh School. They include a $40 fee for students in Zephyrus and Windigo and an $80 fee for students in DECA. Musical students also felt the financial tightening with an $80 charge for Chamber Singers and $40 for Varsity Ensemble and Mixed Ensemble.

Assistant Principal Jenny Johnson explained that the fees are a necessary step in maintaining activities at EHS. “Please keep in mind that the fees help fund the program and make the program possible in times when state and federal funding cannot,” she said.  But EHS students who signed up for activities or classes earlier in the year, without knowing about fees, are not satisfied. Windigo staff member Maria Rummel said, “Clearly, the district needs money, but I don’t think that charging a fee for a class at the high school is really the right place to go for it. We do not pay fees to take math or even art so why for Windigo?”

Student participants were unaware that the fees for their various classes and extra-curricular activities existed or had grown over the summer.  Faculty advisors, too, seemed to suffer from a breakdown in communication.  Windigo advisor Kim Raskin said, “I first found out about our activity fee when I was interviewed by Zephyrus about it.”

Johnson explained that all new fees were published in the School Board agenda from July 18. Superintendent Ric Dressen also leaves periodic voicemail updates for teachers at EHS, she said, so teachers should have had the information there. Despite the confusion, a meeting held on September 28th brought the advisors of various activities officially up to date.

A full list of 2011-2012 activities and fees can be found on the Edina High School Activities web page.