For the last 15 to 20 years, funding for extracurricular and after-school programming has dwindled in some public school systems, leading parents to seek other educational choices for their children, according to Black Mountain Schools Parent Teacher Organization Vice President Frank Cappelli. 

Some of the community’s other employees and citizens who would organize clubs are no longer participating. Paired with less focus on compensating educators for organizing and running after-school programs, fewer options have led to fewer students in attendance, which in turn reduces the amount of overall funding these schools receive. With funding lower than needed, teachers have no source of compensation to lead after-school programs.

“We’re a pretty affluent community, yet we have a Title I school in Black Mountain,” Cappelli said. “Even some local elected officials are choosing to send their kids to charter schools in Asheville instead of their own public schools. With little funding and little options, other schools look better on paper to parents.”

Currently only able to host three after-school programs, all of which cater to a small portion of the student body, parents are eager to expand extracurricular options for their children. The Black Mountain PTO is currently working with local businesses, concerned parents, and community members to offer more options.

“We need our options to be both marketable and sustainable,” Cappelli said. “We’ve created a basic structure for programs within three pillars — humanities, STEM, and athletics. With each pillar having its own director and a faculty member or leader for each club, all of which are compensated, we should be able to carry this model forward and allow it to grow.”

With multiple fundraising efforts, the PTO launched a pilot program using this model in the Spring 2024 semester, and Cappelli said it was a great success and demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. The community has shown support and businesses have been generous with donations and sponsorships for current large fundraising events.

“It’s a small town, so we’re hesitant to ask for too much, but I’ve been pretty heartened,” Cappelli said. “Local businesses that have employees with kids are there. They’ve been mouthpieces to spread the word and donate time and things like auction items. They’re seeing the benefit of having these programs available.”

As funds are available to compensate teachers fairly for their time and efforts, more educators are willing to discuss running clubs and programs. As more programming options become available, more families are likely to return to their own public schools. As more children return and repopulate the classrooms, there will be more funding available for the public school and compensating the teachers for running its programs moving forward.

Cappelli has already heard feedback from principals who say they’ve seen an increase in interest since the pilot programs have been in place, not from people moving to the area from out of town, but from local families who have their children enrolled in private or charter schools and are now interested in returning to their public school.

This model has been successful in a nearby public middle school. Cappelli said a United Way grant offered a large sum to compensate teachers for after-school programming at Owen Middle School. Creating a robust set of clubs, the popularity and reputation of the school are improving and people are returning.

“We’re so lucky to live in this community,” Cappelli said. “We’ve had everything except the schools as top-notch. By providing after-school programs, clubs, and extracurriculars that both parents and students need, we’ll have the best of it all. We’ve seen it done, and we know we can do it, too.”