ELKHART, Ind. -- A letter sent out to parents of elementary students in the Elkhart Community Schools reveals the elementary athletics program will be paused for the 2026-27 school year.

The official announcement was made at Tuesday night's Board of School Trustees meeting.

District officials noted the decision was difficult but necessary to conduct a review of its current program offerings.

School officials added that the annual costs for the coaching staff alone exceeds $250,000. The pause is intended to give time for the district to identify ways to make the programs more effective and financially sustainable.

The letter reads as follows:

"Dear Elkhart Families, 

I am writing to share an important update regarding our elementary athletics program. As announced during last night's Board of School Trustees meeting, we have decided to pause elementary athletic programming for the 2026-2027 school year. 

This was a difficult decision, but it is necessary. Our primary goal is to conduct a thorough, comprehensive review of our current offerings. We want to ensure that every program we provide aligns with our long-term goals for student development while also addressing our current annual costs, which exceed $250,000 for coaching staff alone; notably, this figure does not include expenses for security, ticket sales staff, or the athletic director's salary. By taking this time to pause, we can identify ways to make our programs more effective and financially sustainable, allowing us to focus our resources directly on classroom instruction and keep academic priorities at the heart of our mission. We acknowledge some may be disappointed, it is important to note that most neighboring school districts have not added or continued to financially support elementary athletic programming. Nothing within this temporary measure will affect student participation in opportunities through external partnerships within the community. 

During this transition, our Athletic Director, Joshua Fletcher, will be working with us to reorganize the athletic department and review these structures. We believe this process will allow us to create a stronger, more sustainable experience for our students and families in the future. 

Importantly, this decision applies only to elementary athletics; our middle and high school athletic programs will continue as planned. 

We remain dedicated to providing meaningful opportunities for your children, both inside and outside the classroom, and I look forward to sharing our progress with you."