Booster Clubs Play Big Role at East High School

As the deadline for an internal audit of the East High School athletic department looms, questions about the financial role of supporting organizations have surfaced.

Last week, the St. Charles Police Department announced it was from the East High School athletic department. While information surrounding the case is vague, police spokesman Paul McCurtain told Patch the investigation is focusing within the school district.

Donald Schlomann, superintendent of St. Charles School District 303, did not reveal much information regarding the alleged theft. Schlomann said he could not specify how much money is missing. He did say the missing money did not make its way into any other system fund.

“That opens up a lot of questions as to where it went outside our school system,” Schlomann said.

The alleged theft is not the first incident of misuse of funds in the athletics department, or its supporting organizations. There are also incidents of East High School coaches receiving outside payments as well as questionable fund-raising practices surrounding a at the same school.

Schlomann said he is hoping an independent audit of the athletic program at East High School, set to be completed June 17, will yield some answers. The school’s sports program has been the subject of scrutiny after allegations of hazing and bullying arose. A review of the program also confirmed an elaborate fund-raising effort by various sports booster clubs.

The booster clubs play an integral role in providing extra financial support to the various teams throughout each school. District 303 has 53 booster clubs throughout its high schools—one for each sports team.

The district conducted a survey of parents at East High School and found “there are significant inequities between these various booster clubs, with some clubs actively involved in extensive fund-raising, such as baseball and football, while others, such as tennis, raise significantly smaller funds. Booster club funded end-of-season programs vary from very modest to extremely elaborate, which contributes to the impression that some athletes and sports are given preferential treatment.”

The audit will also review incidents of high school coaches receiving payments from the outside sources. Schlomann said the payments were returned after school officials learned of the transactions.

“That’s not how I want our system to operate,” said Schlomann, who did not say who made the payments or why they were made.

Kurt Gibson, assistant executive director of the Illinois High School Association, said outside organizations, such as a booster club, can provide financial gifts to coaches provided the funds are routed through the schools. He said outside organizations cannot make direct financial gifts to coaches or other school staff. 

According to District 303 policies, monies given to the school by a booster club or other organization cannot be earmarked for any particular expense. The organizations may suggest how the funds should be used, but the schools have final say in how the funds are spent.

Gibson said the IHSA does not have an umbrella set of rules for how booster clubs must operate within the state. He said the IHSA allows the individual school districts to set their own rules on how those organizations can operate. 

“We just don’t have any specific rules that say ‘here’s what they can do and what they can’t do,’” Gibson said. 

Schlomann said the booster clubs are typically designed to operate on their own, but must comply with school policy and IRS reporting standards.

On its website the St. Charles East High School Football Boosters Club calls itself the volunteer “team behind the team” and says its purpose is to enhance the quality and positive experience of the school football program. Part of that mission is to raise funds for the program. According to the website the booster club raises funds to provide the football team with a variety of needs, including training assistance, team meals, scrimmages, video equipment, team apparel, and a team banquet.

According to IRS records, the booster club has raised $370,397 for the football program since 2006, all from donations. According to the report 2009 was the weakest year for fund-raising as the organization only collected $54,695. They topped $75,000 in each of the other four years. 

Due to the misuse of funds regarding coaches’ pay, Schlomann said the booster leaders throughout the district, along with other PTOs, will be required to meet with the district’s chief financial officer for a lesson in “good accounting practices.”