District staff described a new head coach job description and a tied evaluation tool that will be used alongside end-of-season student and parent surveys to assess program culture. The tools were presented as part of the athletics strategic plan rollout and discussed during a district-wide coaches meeting.

Trevor and Katie said head-coach evaluations will incorporate multiple inputs: end-of-season student surveys, ongoing day-to-day communications (emails and event feedback), principal and athletic director observations and periodic practice walk-throughs. "These are not evaluable to you," one presenter said when explaining that student surveys provide input to athletic directors rather than direct public posting.

Board members asked specifically how assistant coaches will be evaluated and raised concerns about objectivity if head coaches — who commonly hire their assistants — conduct evaluations for staff they selected. Board member Mister Becker said the new evaluation tools "will hopefully continue to move those things in the right direction" and expressed concern that unequal treatment can push students from programs. Another board member noted the potential for conflicts of interest when assistant coaches are family or friends of the head coach.

District presenters said the initial rollout focuses on head-coach evaluations, and they plan to refine assistant-coach evaluation processes after school staff and athletic directors have used the head-coach tools and worked through observation protocols. The district said evaluative inputs will include walk-through observations, conversations with principals and staff and student-survey results.

Why it matters: Coach evaluation and accountability are central to program culture, player safety and equitable treatment of athletes. The district plans to gather multiple inputs but board members asked administrators to ensure assistant-coach evaluations are objective and transparent.