New school will impact sports cost

Athletic director: Budget to rise by about 40 percent

BENTONVILLE — The opening of a second high school next year likely will cause the School District’s athletic staffing budget to increase by about 40 percent, according to Scott Passmore, athletic director.

The total cost for coaches and other athletic personnel for Bentonville High and West High schools will be $1.25 million for the 2016-17 school year, when West High is expected to open. That’s an increase of about $352,000 from the budget for the 201516 school year, according to projections Passmore presented at last week’s School Board meeting.

Those costs include the money paid to coaches as well as athletic department support staff members, such as athletic trainers, groundskeepers and office assistants.

Passmore’s plan, which the projected budget reflects, is to reduce the number of coaching assignments per high school from 52 to 42 when West High opens.

“And that’s really as lean as we can get and still be able to run successful programs,” he said.

Bentonville High’s football team currently has a head coach, two coordinators and seven assistant coaches. The number of assistant coaches would drop to five at both high schools next year under Passmore’s plan. Both the boys and girls basketball teams would lose one of their three

assistant coaching positions.

Passmore also introduced his vision of a new athletics administration flow chart starting next year. There would still be one athletic director overseeing both high schools. The administrative staff would change from having four athletic coordinators to having an assistant athletic director, one facility coordinator, and two athletic coordinators.

The support staff would increase from 12 to 17 people. Both high schools would have two athletic trainers, as Bentonville High does now.

The opening of West High School is expected to add more than $4 million to the district’s annual operating budget, according to Michael Poore, superintendent. The athletics program is one piece of that cost.

“One of the things you’ve tasked us as an administration is to create equitable programming in everything we do — in academics, performing arts and athletics,” Poore told the board last week. “And that’s what (Passmore’s) report reflects. It’s just trying to make sure everyone understands what that looks like if you maintain the same level of support.”

Board member Wendi Cheatham lamented the cost of sports at last week’s meeting.

“I am so tired of catching flak for how much money we spend on athletics,” Cheatham said.

Passmore, in response, said the only real way to reduce athletic costs would be to cut programs. He said the athletic department’s expenses always come in “way under our budgeted numbers,” adding revenue from fundraising and sponsorships is on the rise.

Board President Travis Riggs acknowledged the amount of money put into sports — at all levels — can be “dumbfounding.” But he said the district must spend a certain amount to maintain the quality programs the community has come to expect.

“Every parent that moves into the district is asking us one of three questions: How is your academic program, how is your arts program, and how is your athletic program,” Riggs said. “Those are the main driving sources to our growth. And I think if you get rid of one of those, or hurt or start affecting any of those, our growth starts to go in the other direction.”

Bentonville High School offers baseball, basketball, bowling, cheer/dance, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling.

The school also offers an intramural sports program. Officials expect the same will be offered at West High.

West High School is under construction on Gamble Road in Centerton. It will open for grades nine through 11 in August 2016 before adding a senior class the following year. Administrators have estimated the opening-year enrollment at 1,250 students. The school will have an ideal capacity of 2,250 students.

Bryan Pratt was the first coach hired for West High. Pratt, who coached football the past nine years in McAlester, Okla., will spend this season with the Bentonville Gold ninth- grade team before taking over the West High Wolverines in 2016.