SECTION 47. Athletic programs; school organizations; student activity accounts

The committee may supervise and control all athletic and other organizations composed of public school pupils and bearing the school name or organized in connection therewith. It may directly or through an authorized representative determine under what conditions the same may compete with similar organizations in other schools. Expenditures by the committee for the organization and conduct of physical education, athletics, sports, games and play, for providing proper apparatus, equipment, supplies, athletic wearing apparel, including appropriate souvenir garments and trophies, and facilities for the same in the buildings, yards and playgrounds under the control of the committee, or upon any other land which it may have the right or privilege to use for this purpose, and for the employment of experienced athletic directors to supervise said physical education, athletics, sports, games and play, shall be deemed to be for a school purpose. Expenditures by the committee for making special awards to pupils who have performed meritoriously in the fields of art, debating, distributive education, music, science, social studies or languages shall also be deemed to be for a school purpose. Cities and towns may appropriate for the employment of coaches to supervise in public schools physical education, athletics, sports, games and play, and for the transportation and expenses of public school athletic teams, coaches, cheerleaders, bands and any other groups composed of public school pupils which bear the school name and are under the control of the school committee, within and without the commonwealth, to places where athletic contests or physical education, sports, games, play, musical festivals, competition or other events are held, and for the purchase of band and cheerleaders' uniforms and musical instruments for the members of bands composed of public school pupils and bearing the school name and under the control of the school committee. All receipts by the committee in connection with the conduct of activities provided for under this section or any other activity not expressly provided for in this chapter but sponsored by the school committee in which participation is contingent upon the payment of a fee by the participant, shall be deposited with the treasurer of such town or, in cases where the town is a member of a regional school district, with the treasurer of such district and held as a separate account and expended by said school committee without further appropriation, notwithstanding the provisions of section fifty-three of chapter forty-four. No moneys may be expended from an appropriation or from the separate fund authorized by this section except upon the approval of the school committee, or of the selectmen in towns and of mayors in cities, for travel to other states.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph or section fifty-three of chapter forty-four, the school committee of a city, town or district may authorize a school principal to receive money in connection with the conduct of certain student activities and to deposit such money, with the municipal or regional school district treasurer, into an interest bearing bank account, hereinafter referred to as the Student Activity Agency Account, duly established by vote of the school committee to be used for the express purpose of conducting student activities. Interest earned by such Student Activity Agency Account shall be retained by the fund and the school committee shall determine for what purpose such earnings may be used. In addition to such Student Activity Agency Account, the school committee may authorize the municipal or regional school district treasurer to establish a checking account, hereinafter referred to as the Student Activity Checking Account, to be operated and controlled by a school principal and from which funds may be expended exclusively for student activity purposes for the student activities authorized by the school committee. Such account shall be used for expenditures only and funds received for student activities may not be deposited directly into such account.

The school committee shall vote to set the maximum balance that may be on deposit in such Student Activity Checking Account. The principal designated to operate and control such Student Activity Checking Account shall give bond to the municipality or district in such amount as the treasurer shall determine to secure the principal's faithful performance of his duties in connection with such account. To the extent that the funds are available in such Student Activity Agency Account, funds up to the maximum balance set by the school committee shall be transferred from the Student Activity Agency Account through the warrant process to initially fund such Student Activity Checking Account.

Periodically, to the extent that funds are available in such Student Activity Agency Account, the municipal or regional school district treasurer shall reimburse such Student Activity Checking Account, through the warrant process, to restore the limit set by the school committee. The principal shall adhere to such administrative procedures as the municipal or regional school district treasurer or accountant may prescribe. There shall be an annual audit of the student activity funds which shall be conducted in accordance with procedures as agreed upon between the school committee and the auditor based upon guidelines issued by the department of education.