-What art, PE and technology fees was the principal of Jacobs Well referring to in her email to

parents this week? are they required to pay these fees now/ what is the process for getting the
fees approved?

At no time are parents required to pay any fees as a prerequisite for registration
and WISD recognizes that fees are a hardship for some families, so we offer
waivers and payment plans as well. Let’s be clear that the JWE principal works
very closely with her parents and often requests feedback on campus initiatives,
however there are no plans at this time to charge fees for PE.

-Art fees are also implemented in higher grade levels— is this an elective class and an elective
fee?

Completed art work goes home with our kids. The fee covers these materials. The
projects include ceramic art and framed art.

-High school parents are required to pay $20 dues for each student each school year— what is
that money collected for and how long have the fees been in place?

These fees begin their Freshman year and held until their Senior year to pay for
the Senior Trip, Prom and other Senior related activities. We implemented these
fees several years ago to replace multiple fundraisers. Many of our parents
appreciated us for moving to this fee, so they were not selling items for raising
funds. ANY parent who cannot pay the fee can request a payment plan or
waiver. There is absolutely no requirement for payment of any fees to register or
be provided opportunities to participate.

-There is also a $20 technology fee for middle and high school students— are these fees for
individual laptop take home access or is this required so students can have instructional access?

We are sending out emails to each campus/grade levels explaining the

technology fee and how that fund pays for in-house repair and maintenance.
Again, families are registering for 2019-20 right now and these fees are not a
prerequisite for registration and also we waive these fees or offer payment
options in the case they pose a hardship for a family. The District provides a
device to the students, which they use during the school day. We will share the
emails with you as we begin the process of emailing them out. We are beginning
with our Freshmen, so please look for the emails from our Communications
Director.

-You mentioned that you work with most families who are unable to pay for the fees- please
explain how the district works with families and makes it clear that the fees are optional and not
required.

We want to make sure that our families are aware, and are including a waiver
application for those who cannot afford the fees. This is addressed in earlier
responses. The District also has an extraordinary partnership with all our families
and open door policies. It has been our experience that Wimberley ISD families
truly feel invested in the education of all students and share their feedback with
us, provide better options and also offer to step in to make their student’s
education the best it can be. Knowing that our parents are part of a partnership to
improve public education, we continuously listen to their feedback and adjust the
strategies we deploy to achieve our mission of strength, innovation and
excellence.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond.

Dwain York, Supt.

Wimberley ISD