BENTONVILLE — Some School Board members said they hope to decide as soon as possible how many grades the second high school should begin with when it opens in August 2016.
The board met Tuesday for a planning session in which the second high school was one of numerous topics of discussion.
Board members received a revised timeline for design and construction of the school that now includes decisions on grade rollout, the school’s name and attendance boundaries.
“These are board decisions that need to be digested,” said Ron Shelby, chief executive officer of Hight-Jackson Associates, the architectural firm working on the project.
Michael Poore, superintendent, said earlier this week his recommendation would be to open the school with grades nine and 10 and add one grade per year. The timeline suggests the board make that decision by August 2014.
Poore was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting. He 'll present the board his rationale for his rollout recommendation, according to Sterling Ming, district finance director.
Wendi Cheatham, board president, said the sooner the rollout decision is made, the better. She said the item should be discussed in depth at the board’s next regular meeting, which is Nov. 21.
“Once you get the grade rollout, then you can start determining boundaries,” Cheatham said. “The discussions need to start happening now.”
Heritage High School in Rogers opened with grades nine through 11 in 2008. Rogers seniors who were set to graduate that school year were allowed to stay at Rogers High School.
Bentonville’s timeline targets next March as the time the board should begin considering the school’s name and mascot. Shelby said if the decision is made by then, the school’s identity — such as its colors — could more easily be incorporated into its construction.
Mary Ley, district communications director, said the typical practice for coming up with a name is to solicit ideas from the community through social media and advertisements. Then the administration brings the best suggestions to the School Board.
Ley suggested engaging students to come up with the school’s mascot.
“The mascot is really crucial to the school’s culture,” she said.