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WORLAND — After discussing potential options for opening for the new school year, the board handled several personnel and policy items during Monday’s regular meeting.

A one-time stipend was approved due to a surplus of funds being unable to be carried over to the next year, with $850 to be paid to certified staff and $550 to be paid to classified staff.

During the regularly scheduled meeting the school board passed the third and final reading of policy 2.29 regarding student retention. Under this new policy a retention scale will be added to help administrators and teachers determine whether or not to retain a student.

The board was informed by Business Manager Jack Stott that Picus Odden & Associates will be performing a recalibration of the state’s model for education funding, which may affect future funding for the district. Stott also reported that there would be a 25-30% increase in the premium to the property casualty insurance due to nationwide increases. Stott said it has been around 10 years since the district’s last property claim.

Curriculum Director Jody Rakness informed the board that she is working to ensure that the consolidated grant is lined out and that the budget lines up with the grants that the district receives. Rakness said that she and Stott are working to ensure that students each have a Chromebook assigned to them and students are prepared with the technology and connections to ensure that a smooth transition occurs should the district move online again.

Rakness also reported that a statewide assessment task force is holding conversations about how statewide assessments are given and evaluated, and is hoping to continue to allow for local control over testing the standards to continue, as a “one-size fits all” standard will not satisfy requirements statewide.

ACTIVITIES

New Athletic Director Aaron Abel was appointed as the district’s representative to the Wyoming High School Activities Association. Abel also provided information on athletics to the board, as many sports have been hosting summer activities, but sports known as “high risk” sports, sports that constantly have contact such as football and wrestling, have been unable to have contact practices but are able to lift and run with guidelines.

At this time, Abel and High School Principal Wade Sanford believe their student-athletes are ready to move in to “phase three” according to the WHSAA guidelines at this time, the WHSAA phases work in reverse of the WCSD1 phases, and is equivalent to phase two of the WCSD1 base plan.

The board approved the WHSAA activity enrollment and catastrophic/liability insurance.

The board reviewed and discussed the district’s health and wellness plan which has been in place since 2016 and is reviewed each year. No action was required on this item.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business at Monday’s meeting:

•Chad Rose was approved to be the High School golf coach. Tim Barrus was approved for High School girls softball assistant coach pending certification. Alyssa Lempka was approved as Middle School girls soccer head coach, with Vanessa Caballero approved as an assistant pending certification.

•Casey Shryack-Stone and Hanna Bayha were approved as West Side SPED teachers, Stephanie Montgomery was approved as a K-12 art teacher, and Justin Macy was approved as an activities driver and for maintenance.

•The board approved their annual Washakie County Fair meeting for Thursday, July 30 at noon at the Washakie County Fairgrounds.

•Construction is underway for the entryway of Worland High School and construction at the middle school is expected to begin shortly, both projects are expected to be completed prior to school beginning.

•Pinnacle Bank, ANB Bank, U.S. Bank, Bank of the West, Big Horn Federal Bank, and Security State Bank were approved as district bank depositories.

•The Northern Wyoming News was approved as the district’s newspaper of record.

•Parking lots at the Middle School, High School and the west side parking lot of South Side were seal coated.

•The board approved a date change at the Monday night meeting to hold their July meeting on July 15, and will hold their budget hearing at the beginning of the meeting at 7 p.m.

•According to Middle School Principal Ryan Clark, Worland Middle School will be transitioning from a grade based system to a standards based grading system which is currently used in elementary schools in the district.

•The school board went in to executive session at the end of the night to perform an oral evaluation of the superintendent.