Board to split $6,200 feasibility study with Lake Placid for possible merged athletic teams

The district will fund a portion of a roughly $6,200 athletics-program feasibility and strategic-impact study shared with Lake Placid, the superintendent told the board May 20.

Russ Bartlett will lead the study, which will analyze athletic participation, enrollment trends, comparable district offerings, and operational and financial impacts of merged teams. The work is expected to take eight to 12 weeks over the summer and will include analysis of participation numbers, financial operations (transportation and other costs), and recommendations for structuring merged teams to preserve development pipelines for student-athletes.

Board members said the analysis will help avoid last-minute decisions and clarify whether some sports should be merged earlier to preserve JV/varsity pipelines while minimizing disruption to student opportunities. The quoted estimate for study cost will be split between the two districts; specific district shares will be determined during implementation.