Board hears proposal to raise coach stipends, approves athletics fundraisers

Red Rock Elementary School District No. 5 board members on Sept. 25 heard a presentation on athletics finances and approved a set of fundraisers to support programs.

Garrett Thorne, identified in the meeting as a school member, presented the athletics overview, saying athletics fees are supplemented by student payments, tax credits and fundraising. He said coaches currently receive about $1,000 per sport and that the district average he cited was $1,200 for a head coach and $500 for an assistant. Thorne proposed increasing head-coach stipends to $10,000 (he said the district currently pays $8,000) and establishing $4,500 assistant-coach stipends; the board did not take a final vote on stipend levels during the meeting.

Thorne also said student fees for the 2025 school year will rise from $60 to $70 per sport. He noted swimming and cross-country were new sports this year and that the Parent Teacher Organization offers scholarships for students who cannot pay fees. The board discussed uniform costs, which Thorne said vary by sport and can last from one to five years.

As part of new business, the board approved a motion by President Luis Vargas, seconded by Kayti Kahn, to authorize athletics fundraisers including throw-a-thons, hit-a-thons and jog-a-thons; the motion passed 2-0. Vargas asked staff to provide an athletics fund-balance report at the October meeting.

Members discussed several fundraising formats, including a free-throw-a-thon, a parents-vs-students game, a fun run and candy-bar sales; Kahn asked whether fundraisers would be community-wide and was told most would take place during practices.

The board’s approval of fundraisers accompanies other staffing and budget items considered during the session; no changes to coach stipends were finalized at this meeting.