Manteca High’s new Jumbotron — a scaled down version of similar installations at college and NFL football stadiums — scored big points with Buffalo fans.
Not necessarily, though, with some East Union High and Sierra High fans.
Some were questioning why Manteca High was able to get a Jumbotron.
The simple answer: School boosters are paying for the $200,000 plus Jumbotron on the installment plan and not the taxpayers.
The Jumbotron was installed Wednesday and christened Friday when Manteca High defeated Oakdale High to win the 2024 Valley Oak League championship outright.
It was made possible not by the school district, but by the Manteca High Athletic Boosters.
The organization raised the money that included a $100,000 pledge over 10 years from Phil Waterford’s Manteca Ford & Exotic Highline for the Jumbotron.
That is less than half the cost of the actual Jumbotron installation at Manteca High.
Special lighting effects
at Manteca High stadium
The special lighting effects at Manteca High was part of the district financed stadium lighting upgrades.
The latest LED lighting tech allows stadium lighting to flash red, white and blue during the playing of the national anthem.
And it was used to provide flashes of green and white — the Manteca High school colors — at the end of the game to celebrate the Buffalo victory.
The Manteca High Jumbotron is apparently the second such installation at a high school in San Joaquin County. Escalon was the first.
Jumbotrons are also a part of a number of high school stadiums in Sacramento as well.
The basic scoreboard at Manteca High was part of the $13 million stadium renovation project funded by the Manteca Unified School District.
That work included grading, upgrades lighting, new visitors facilities, restrooms, an all-weather track, improved drainage, and more durable as well as water efficient turf among other items.
Boosters groups as well as parent teacher clubs operate independent of the school district.
Under Manteca Unified policy, they are treated as such but at the same time the work they do — or pay for — at schools and their respective educational programs must align generally with district objectives.
Again, scoreboards are a basic part of high school stadiums under district policy. Nothing precludes boosters working in concert with individual schools from enhancing the scoreboards.
The district strives to provide equity in terms of basic facilities and programs districtwide.
That does not ban non-district efforts to enhance specific schools.
As an example, going back a few years every high school in the district had a basic track.
When a boosters group supporting Sierra High wanted to fundraise to install an all-weather track, the district allowed it to happen but did not finance it.
Every school still had a basic track but Sierra High had an upgraded track that an all-weather running surface represented.
The district eventually adopted all-weather tracks as a basic component of high schools based on maintenance, safety, and other concerns. As such, the all-weather tracks at both East Union and Manteca high schools were part of stadium renovation projects funded with tax dollars,
Just recently, the school board approved a Sierra High student trip to Japan under the auspices of World Travel for Education.
It is not being financed by the district.
It is not being made available at all schools.
It is being funded by those in the community supporting students in the Sierra High program.
The school board on a routine basis approves such school trips not paid for by the district but by community funding.
At the same token, individual school sites accept items from boosters and parent teacher clubs that can range from specific equipment to athletic field enhancements.
Many times they are donations that support groups involved with other schools either have no desire to pursue or are unable to tackle.
That was the case years before student devices were universal and even prior to the advent of district funded computer labs when the parent teacher club funded a computer lab at Woodward School.
Even if all schools have the same activity such as Sober Grad, some campuses have support groups that go all out while others do the bare minimum.
District officials noted Monday that not only did the Manteca High Athletic Boosters group pick up the cost and installation of the Jumbotron, but they are also responsible for the ongoing costs to maintain it.
Such Jumbotrons that are a staple at many Texas high schools, cost between $50,000 and $300,000 to install on the prep level according to a story on high school sports in the Lone Star state.
A lot of factors enter into the final cost. The biggest, though, is the size of the stadium where the Jumbotron is being installed.
It is not uncommon for California school districts to allow Jumbotron installations at high school campuses.
As an example, Twin Bridges and Lincoln high schools in the Western Placer Unified School District have Jumbotrons paid partially by San Francisco Coffee Co. with the boosters paying the balance of more than $100,000 over a number of years.
The Western Placer Unified School District, just like Manteca Unified, is not paying anything toward the Jumbotron or its ongoing maintenance.
The district policy in Western Placer does require other sports besides football to have access to the Jumbotron such as flag football, soccer and track. It is also used for school events such as graduation.
Waterford’s message
Phil Waterford noted in a message played on the Jumbotron that “Manteca High School holds a special place in our community. As the oldest high school in Manteca, it has a longstanding tradition of excellence, producing not only champions but high-character individuals who make a difference in our community and beyond.
“With the exciting renovations and state-of-the-art upgrades happening at Manteca High, we’re building a brighter future for our students. But as you can imagine, these improvements come with a significant cost. That’s why I’m proud to announce a $100,000 donation to Manteca High School to help make these enhancements possible.
“No matter the scoreboard, our teachers, coaches, student-athletes, administrators, and incredible alumni make us proud every day. Let’s keep building that legacy of success.”
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
