Montoursville Area SD board tables proposal to start PIAA volleyball program after public comment and cost concerns

The Montoursville Area School District board heard strong public support for creating a PIAA volleyball program but ultimately tabled the agenda item because members wanted more precise cost estimates and funding options.

Multiple residents and a teacher urged the board to approve volleyball at junior-high, junior-varsity and varsity levels, arguing the sport would give girls additional opportunities and local students would otherwise travel to other districts. One teacher said the travel burden would fall on families if the district does not provide the program: "if you don't approve this then we'll have to travel to Loyal Soper," she said during public comment.

Board members and the superintendent raised questions about the startup estimate and the program's annual operating cost. The superintendent explained that the startup estimate came from vendors used by nearby districts and included gym work (sleeves/anchors drilled into the floor for game and practice nets), equipment, officials, coaches and travel; he reduced some line items in discussion and said he had lowered his estimate to about $65,000 for startup and projected annual recurring costs in the roughly "$20,000–$33,000" range depending on schedule and staffing.

Several board members supported the idea in principle but said the $70,000 figure was too high to approve without exploring alternatives. Suggestions included starting as an in-house club team, seeking bids to reduce equipment and installation costs, launching booster-led fundraising, and applying for grants. One board member urged students and families to pursue summer fundraisers or business sponsorships while staff pursue grant funding and lower-cost bids.

After discussion the board rescinded the earlier approval motion and voted to table agenda item 3.3, directing staff to gather additional estimates, examine lower-cost options (including a club model and booster support), and return with funding options at a future meeting. The record did not show an itemized vote tally in the transcript for the tabling motion.

Next steps: staff will seek additional bids and fundraising/grant avenues and return to the board with updated cost estimates and a recommended funding plan so the board can revisit whether to start an official PIAA program.