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Bentonville Steps Back Into Booth (Jan 2013, Pg 12)

Started by Brian G, September 11, 2011, 07:19:51 pm

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Spaulding

Quote from: DiehardFBfan on June 07, 2012, 09:41:49 am
It has been my experience (which isn't much) that the less people know and get involved in a decision the better it can be.  Fly under the radar, so to speak, and the one in charge will ultimately make the best decision anyway.    This is not best in every situation but school's sometimes benefit from things that are run quietly.  There is not a school in Arkansas that wants to be necessarily a (hot) topic in terms of raising property taxes because the people that vote for or against also vote for or against the schoolboard ;D
yes - decisions made by committees generally turn out poorly.

Spaulding

Quote from: GLion Alum on June 07, 2012, 09:07:04 am
Ten years ago, many realtors had signs that read "Bentonville Schools" that they attached to "For Sale" signs in the front yards of homes for sale near adjoining school districts.  I haven't seen one of those in recent years.  Although the elementary and middle schools in Bentonville are still considered by most people to be the best in the area, there seems to be increasing concern about the size of the classes in the junior highs and the senior high...enough so that I'm guessing some of that enhanced property value has already disappeared.  (I'm basing that observation in part on the fact that three professional people who live in the Bentonville School District have asked me within the past year about the Gravette schools, knowing that I graduated from Gravette.)
 
I think for some families, Gravette, Pea Ridge, Shilo, BC School for Arts all benefit by being smaller school and class sizes vs B'ville and Rogers.  I was referring to property values in Rogers/Bentonville mainly.  Pinnacle CC neighborhood in Rogers is split between the Rogers and B'ville school districts.  The B'ville district homes still bring a premium over the Rogers homes.  Even for homeowners with no kids, this is still an issue because if they ever sell, more potential buyers today prefer B'ville schools.

And you are correct, I think there is a bigger difference in the elementary and junior highs than with the high schools.

DogsWin7

June 07, 2012, 01:57:39 pm #452 Last Edit: June 07, 2012, 02:28:45 pm by DiehardFBfan
Quote from: Spaulding on June 07, 2012, 10:35:29 am
Quote from: DiehardFBfan on June 07, 2012, 09:41:49 am
It has been my experience (which isn't much) that the less people know and get involved in a decision the better it can be.  Fly under the radar, so to speak, and the one in charge will ultimately make the best decision anyway.    This is not best in every situation but school's sometimes benefit from things that are run quietly.  There is not a school in Arkansas that wants to be necessarily a (hot) topic in terms of raising property taxes because the people that vote for or against also vote for or against the schoolboard ;D
yes - decisions made by committees generally turn out poorly.

It is if you have idiot's on the committee(that are on there just for the title and not for the betterment of the community) that think they know everything......imho

GLion Alum

There is a comprehensive article in today's (Sunday, Jume 10) Morning News (www.nwaonline.com) about the 6.7-mill tax increase to build a second high school that will be decided by the Bentonville School District voters on June 26.  Early voting begins June 19. 

The feature story begins with the following statement:  "Eighteen cents of every dollar in the Bentonville School District's $128 million millage proposal will go to athletics, according to figures."  The article then proceeds to present what appears to me to be a fairly well-balanced account of the situation, listing the problems involved in having only one football stadium in a district that will have three junior high schools starting in 2013 and detailing how a somewhat-similar situation is being handled in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville.

Some things I learned and/or found interesting from the article:

1.  The proposed second stadium seating 5,000 will cost $120,000 less than the 6,000-seat Tiger Stadium.

2.  The Bentonville district received $1,067,738 in donations to build the present Tiger Athletic Complex.  Donations paid for equipment and furnishings. 

3.  Springdale voters rejected a 2.7-mill increase in 2010 that would have put about $20 million into new sports facilities. 

4.  When Rogers opened Heritage High School in 2008, Heritage took over the facilities that had been located at the old high school and spent $5.8 million renovating Gates Stadium and other athletic facilities, and the Rogers School District spent $15.5 million to build an athletic complex, including a football stadium, at the new Rogers High School. 

Billyo62

Quote from: GLion Alum on June 10, 2012, 02:10:58 pm
There is a comprehensive article in today's (Sunday, Jume 10) Morning News (www.nwaonline.com) about the 6.7-mill tax increase to build a second high school that will be decided by the Bentonville School District voters on June 26.  Early voting begins June 19. 

The feature story begins with the following statement:  "Eighteen cents of every dollar in the Bentonville School District's $128 million millage proposal will go to athletics, according to figures."  The article then proceeds to present what appears to me to be a fairly well-balanced account of the situation, listing the problems involved in having only one football stadium in a district that will have three junior high schools starting in 2013 and detailing how a somewhat-similar situation is being handled in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville.

Some things I learned and/or found interesting from the article:

1.  The proposed second stadium seating 5,000 will cost $120,000 less than the 6,000-seat Tiger Stadium.

2.  The Bentonville district received $1,067,738 in donations to build the present Tiger Athletic Complex.  Donations paid for equipment and furnishings. 

3.  Springdale voters rejected a 2.7-mill increase in 2010 that would have put about $20 million into new sports facilities. 

4.  When Rogers opened Heritage High School in 2008, Heritage took over the facilities that had been located at the old high school and spent $5.8 million renovating Gates Stadium and other athletic facilities, and the Rogers School District spent $15.5 million to build an athletic complex, including a football stadium, at the new Rogers High School.

I would love to see a breakdown on how they came up with these numbers..  I say No way they will resemble each other in any way.

DogsWin7

Quote from: GLion Alum on June 10, 2012, 02:10:58 pm
There is a comprehensive article in today's (Sunday, Jume 10) Morning News (www.nwaonline.com) about the 6.7-mill tax increase to build a second high school that will be decided by the Bentonville School District voters on June 26.  Early voting begins June 19. 

The feature story begins with the following statement:  "Eighteen cents of every dollar in the Bentonville School District's $128 million millage proposal will go to athletics, according to figures."  The article then proceeds to present what appears to me to be a fairly well-balanced account of the situation, listing the problems involved in having only one football stadium in a district that will have three junior high schools starting in 2013 and detailing how a somewhat-similar situation is being handled in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville.

Some things I learned and/or found interesting from the article:

1.  The proposed second stadium seating 5,000 will cost $120,000 less than the 6,000-seat Tiger Stadium.

2.  The Bentonville district received $1,067,738 in donations to build the present Tiger Athletic Complex.  Donations paid for equipment and furnishings. 

3.  Springdale voters rejected a 2.7-mill increase in 2010 that would have put about $20 million into new sports facilities. 

4.  When Rogers opened Heritage High School in 2008, Heritage took over the facilities that had been located at the old high school and spent $5.8 million renovating Gates Stadium and other athletic facilities, and the Rogers School District spent $15.5 million to build an athletic complex, including a football stadium, at the new Rogers High School.

ahhhh, the word proposed..........usually can bank on that figure going up for unforeseen expenses, longer work than expected, change in plans due to etc. etc. etc. etc......

It all sounds good on paper.  Just hope it works out that way for all you taxpayers!  Good Luck.

GrizzlyBaseball

I'm curious about something.  If you know Fort Smith at all you know that there is a tremendous disparity in the racial demographics of the two high schools.  FSNS is 34% Latino, 29% Caucasion, 18% African-American, and 8% Asian.  FSSS is 73% Caucasion, 9% Latino, 7% African-American, and 5% Asian.  When Springdale and Rogers split did you see this sort of racial disparity in the resulting student populations?

GrizzlyBaseball

Another interesting aspect of this discussion could be that there is now a sign at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith advertising the future home of the third Fort Smith High School.  Fort Smith EastSide, if you will.  The population of that school would almost certainly pull from the South Side student population.  Is it possible that Fort Smith could end up with one 7A school (Northside) and two 6A schools?

DogsWin7

Quote from: GrizzlyBaseball on June 14, 2012, 02:32:59 pm
I'm curious about something.  If you know Fort Smith at all you know that there is a tremendous disparity in the racial demographics of the two high schools.  FSNS is 34% Latino, 29% Caucasion, 18% African-American, and 8% Asian.  FSSS is 73% Caucasion, 9% Latino, 7% African-American, and 5% Asian.  When Springdale and Rogers split did you see this sort of racial disparity in the resulting student populations?

Have no idea but good question.......

Quote from: GrizzlyBaseball on June 14, 2012, 02:40:23 pm
Another interesting aspect of this discussion could be that there is now a sign at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith advertising the future home of the third Fort Smith High School.  Fort Smith EastSide, if you will.  The population of that school would almost certainly pull from the South Side student population.  Is it possible that Fort Smith could end up with one 7A school (Northside) and two 6A schools?

School determination size depends on #'s doesn't it?  So, I guess it could be possible...

Billyo62

June 14, 2012, 06:47:19 pm #459 Last Edit: June 14, 2012, 06:49:11 pm by Billyo62
Quote from: GrizzlyBaseball on June 14, 2012, 02:32:59 pm
I'm curious about something.  If you know Fort Smith at all you know that there is a tremendous disparity in the racial demographics of the two high schools.  FSNS is 34% Latino, 29% Caucasion, 18% African-American, and 8% Asian.  FSSS is 73% Caucasion, 9% Latino, 7% African-American, and 5% Asian.  When Springdale and Rogers split did you see this sort of racial disparity in the resulting student populations?

Who cares about Fort Smith.. They are what they are already..They split like 50 years ago..

SouthpawSensation

Quote from: GrizzlyBaseball on June 14, 2012, 02:40:23 pm
Another interesting aspect of this discussion could be that there is now a sign at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith advertising the future home of the third Fort Smith High School.  Fort Smith EastSide, if you will.  The population of that school would almost certainly pull from the South Side student population.  Is it possible that Fort Smith could end up with one 7A school (Northside) and two 6A schools?
One would think that Fort Smith school will redraw the district lines to balance out the three schools.
Another question would be how much a school would draw from, say, Lavaca.
Southside is at 1,626 and at No. 11 in the state in attendance, while Northside is at 1,439 and No. 14. Either school would have to drop below LR Hall, which has 1,203 students, in order to drop below Class 7A status.
Another factor will also be if Bentonville builds its second high school or not.

Billyo62

Man the signs are everywhere and the money is flowing to support a new high school..

AirWarren

Someone is gonna walk into a gold mine of depth when that coaching job opens.

GLion Alum

Quote from: Billyo62 on June 24, 2012, 11:38:10 am
Man the signs are everywhere and the money is flowing to support a new high school..

I know what you're saying.  I've been amazed that more organized opposition hasn't surfaced.  The latest 6"x11" postcard from the supporters that is captioned "Vote YES To Alleviate Our Overcrowded High School" shows a throng of students...but it appears they are lining the street between the two parts of the high school to watch a homecoming parade!  My gut feeling continues to be that there is a huge silent majority out there waiting to be heard, but, if I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.

SouthpawSensation

Quote from: GLion Alum on June 24, 2012, 06:03:42 pm
Quote from: Billyo62 on June 24, 2012, 11:38:10 am
Man the signs are everywhere and the money is flowing to support a new high school..

I know what you're saying.  I've been amazed that more organized opposition hasn't surfaced.  The latest 6"x11" postcard from the supporters that is captioned "Vote YES To Alleviate Our Overcrowded High School" shows a throng of students...but it appears they are lining the street between the two parts of the high school to watch a homecoming parade!  My gut feeling continues to be that there is a huge silent majority out there waiting to be heard, but, if I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.
The photo used was interesting because anybody with knowledge of Bentonville High School knows vehicles aren't allowed in that area when school is in session, and the gates are locked!
Still have to wonder with the 4-to-1 advantage in advertising for those for the millage, will it be enough to make for up for the throng of Bella Vista voters who don't have a kid in the school district and refuse to have their property taxes go up.

2bhsboys

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 25, 2012, 12:29:20 am
Quote from: GLion Alum on June 24, 2012, 06:03:42 pm
Quote from: Billyo62 on June 24, 2012, 11:38:10 am
Man the signs are everywhere and the money is flowing to support a new high school..

I know what you're saying.  I've been amazed that more organized opposition hasn't surfaced.  The latest 6"x11" postcard from the supporters that is captioned "Vote YES To Alleviate Our Overcrowded High School" shows a throng of students...but it appears they are lining the street between the two parts of the high school to watch a homecoming parade!  My gut feeling continues to be that there is a huge silent majority out there waiting to be heard, but, if I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.
The photo used was interesting because anybody with knowledge of Bentonville High School knows vehicles aren't allowed in that area when school is in session, and the gates are locked!
Still have to wonder with the 4-to-1 advantage in advertising for those for the millage, will it be enough to make for up for the throng of Bella Vista voters who don't have a kid in the school district and refuse to have their property taxes go up.

Funny we commented on that photo Saturday, it was taken during the parade for the football team in 2011, when they were leaving for state.

GLion Alum

Thanks for that explanation 2bhsboys.  I didn't know enough about how things work at BHS to know why, but that photo didn't pass my smell test.  Probably the strangest thing I've noticed so far was when the leader of the Patriots in Bella Vista, a group which make Tea Party members look like craze-spending liberals, was quoted in the paper as giving his reason for opposing the millage increase--that he thought a second high school should be built in Bella Vista, not Centerton.  I detect there's a lot of arm-twisting going on!  One last thing, and then I'll just shut up and watch what happens--There's been a lot said about the effects of the millage increase but no comparison with adjoining districts that I've noticed.  As one who owns property in both the Bentonville and an adjoining district, I already have noticed how much more I pay on the Bentonville property, and, if this millage increase passes, the difference will be staggering.       

Billyo62

I think we need two high schools, but I'm voting NO! 

SouthpawSensation

I just wonder what it would take for Bella Vista, since it is now a city and not a POA, to decide it wanted to have its own school district and pull away from Bentonville schools. Same goes for Centerton, which has enough people residing there to have a Class 4A or Class 5A school.

Billyo62

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 25, 2012, 04:02:20 pm
I just wonder what it would take for Bella Vista, since it is now a city and not a POA, to decide it wanted to have its own school district and pull away from Bentonville schools. Same goes for Centerton, which has enough people residing there to have a Class 4A or Class 5A school.

I think the city of Bentonville would love it in both cases.

Spaulding

Quote from: Billyo62 on June 25, 2012, 05:57:13 pm
Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 25, 2012, 04:02:20 pm
I just wonder what it would take for Bella Vista, since it is now a city and not a POA, to decide it wanted to have its own school district and pull away from Bentonville schools. Same goes for Centerton, which has enough people residing there to have a Class 4A or Class 5A school.

I think the city of Bentonville would love it in both cases.
yep - you are 100% correct.

Interesting, I would have thought that Centerton would have overwhelmingly supported this.  But, today's paper implied that their early voter turnout was not particularly strong.  This could give the city of Centerton a real identity- sortof something for them to hang their hat on other than good ol' boy politics.

Billyo62

I think it's going to pass this time by a close margin.

Billyo62

It's going to be interesting after the polls close, the 10 people I've talked to today that VOTED were 6-4 against.  I think the Bella Vista registered voters are the decision makers on this.

OPoraquê

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 25, 2012, 04:02:20 pm
I just wonder what it would take for Bella Vista, since it is now a city and not a POA, to decide it wanted to have its own school district and pull away from Bentonville schools. Same goes for Centerton, which has enough people residing there to have a Class 4A or Class 5A school.

Thing is, Bella Vista is itself already split between two school districts (Bentonville east of Camden Road, and Gravette west of that road).  BV influence from the Highlands really has helped Gravette get their nice current facilities.

Billyo62

Quote from: OPoraquê on June 26, 2012, 03:47:03 pm
Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 25, 2012, 04:02:20 pm
I just wonder what it would take for Bella Vista, since it is now a city and not a POA, to decide it wanted to have its own school district and pull away from Bentonville schools. Same goes for Centerton, which has enough people residing there to have a Class 4A or Class 5A school.

Thing is, Bella Vista is itself already split between two school districts (Bentonville east of Camden Road, and Gravette west of that road).  BV influence from the Highlands really has helped Gravette get their nice current facilities.

Good point I forget that.  I don't think most folks know how big Bella Vista is as far as square miles and population. 

Baitshop


Billyo62

Quote from: Baitshop on June 26, 2012, 07:21:00 pm
Is the election today..??

Yes it is, and I think it's going to pass this time!

SouthpawSensation

Early and absentee voting totals:
For — 2,120
Against — 2,207
And down the stretch they come!

Billyo62

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 26, 2012, 07:34:07 pm
Early and absentee voting totals:
For — 2,120
Against — 2,207
And down the stretch they come!

WOW- Thanks

SouthpawSensation

Was told that there are still a couple of polling places still open after hours because of long lines.

Billyo62

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 26, 2012, 07:42:28 pm
Was told that there are still a couple of polling places still open after hours because of long lines.

Did you vote?

SouthpawSensation

Unfortunately, I didn't ... couldn't get over there today.

Billyo62

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 26, 2012, 07:49:00 pm
Unfortunately, I didn't ... couldn't get over there today.

How WOULD you have voted?

SouthpawSensation

Probably no, unless something came across that would have really changed my mind.

Billyo62

Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 26, 2012, 07:55:37 pm
Probably no, unless something came across that would have really changed my mind.

I voted NO and I want two high schools.. >:(

OPoraquê

Quote from: Billyo62 on June 26, 2012, 08:05:05 pm
Quote from: SouthpawSensation on June 26, 2012, 07:55:37 pm
Probably no, unless something came across that would have really changed my mind.

I voted NO and I want two high schools.. >:(

I'll tell you, Billy...today the D.C. Federal Appellate Court ruled in favor of the EPA and against the rest of us...if this stands we're going to get NAILED in higher costs on a whole bunch of things.  I don't know how much longer I'll be here in NWA but I would have been tempted to vote against it just because of this news, and I, like you, am thinking of all these kids who are going to get sardine-canned into the BHS complex if this doesn't pass, big as the current Bennie High School is.

There's going to be a limit to how much people (in general) can keep paying...

SouthpawSensation

June 26, 2012, 08:45:20 pm #486 Last Edit: June 26, 2012, 09:56:20 pm by SouthpawSensation
With one precinct left to count, here's how it stands:
For — 3,766
Against — 5,018
Down it goes!

Brian G


Brian G


x14113

Cue many folks replacing stripes with manes.

Or maybe talons.  It's their choice.

Baitshop

I bet that Barry is breathing a sigh of relief..... 8)

urhog


Baitshop


urhog


x14113

But if they went there, could they continue in Springdale?

There's a reason Shiloh requested to jump two classes.

Baitshop

Quote from: urhog on June 26, 2012, 10:32:43 pm
Quote from: Baitshop on June 26, 2012, 10:30:00 pm
I bet that Barry is breathing a sigh of relief..... 8)
Jr. and Sr.

True dat....a split would be bad news for both...

urhog

I guess today wasn't a good day for DP to eat lunch at Fred's Hickory Inn with his Championship trophies and current issue of Hootens.  May have swayed some votes.

2bhsboys

I find it funny that not one precinct was for the 2nd HS, where were all those people that wanted a 2nd school. Maybe they changed there mind when they found out where it was going.

Baitshop

So what do you B'viller's think was the issue....the cost of matching facilities....the potential loss of athletic advantage.....didn't matter, "we ain't paying no more school taxes"....??

AirWarren

Hello growth of gravette and pea ridge.

And possibly a centerton high school.

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