EL TORO : El Toro High May Start Bingo Games

By early next year, El Toro High School may become the first school in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District to hold fund-raising bingo games on campus.

The Board of Education this week agreed to amend an administrative policy which had prohibited holding any “game of chance,” such as bingo, at district schools.

The bingo games have been given “conceptual approval” by the board and could begin as soon as the El Toro High School booster clubs, which will run the games, apply for a county permit.

The booster clubs must maintain liability insurance and will be responsible for the loss or theft of any money generated by the games, district officials said.

“With the change in policy, El Toro would become the first school in the district to have bingo,” schools official Anthony Ferruzzo said. “This will open the doors for other schools to hold bingo games, provided they go through the application process.”

The booster clubs also asked trustees this week for an exemption to a no-smoking policy in the school’s faculty lounge for one evening a week when the bingo games are to be held. They agreed to provide an air purifier at their own expense.

School Principal Don Martin said the bingo games could bring in up to $5,000 per week, which would help fund athletic and performing-arts activities, which have historically been the victim of budget cuts.

“There really is a lack of money for many of our activities,” Martin said. “The bingo games are a much more preferable alternative than holding 8,000 car washes and 8,000 candy bar sales.”

A large portion of the profits generated from the bingo games would also go toward funding the school’s grad night, Martin said.

Saddleback Valley Unified School District has four high schools, three intermediate schools and 21 elementary schools.