District No. 2 opts against four-day week for 21-22 school year

TEN SLEEP – A task force on a four-day school week recommended that the Washakie County School District (WCSD) No. 2 Board of Trustees not seek a four-day week for the upcoming 2021-22 school year.

Andrew Mills, a parent on the task force, presented the task force’s findings during the meeting on Monday, March 8. The idea came from an increase in support from staff. District 2 began exploring the idea of a four-day school week at the beginning of February. A task force was formed and a public meeting was held in order to gauge public support for the potential change.

Community responses to a survey sent out to parents led to a 44% yes response with a 35% no response to changing the schedule to a four-day week, along with 15% voting maybe in the future.

The responses going against the change included the schedule already being great for the school, not having compelling enough reasons to make a change, it would not have a significant enough impact to justify the change and force parents to rework their schedules and that there are more pressing issues at the school at this time.

Support included better mental and emotional health for students as a longer school day helps students prepare for the workforce. Another comment was that they will not know for sure if the district likes it until it tries it.

After making the decision to maintain the current schedule, the school board approved a similar calendar to the 2020-21 version.

School for students is set to begin on Aug. 18, 2021, with homecoming set for Oct. 19-24. Winter break will begin on Dec. 18 and the third quarter will begin on Jan. 4. Easter break is scheduled from April 15-18, graduation is set for May 15 and the school year is scheduled to end May 19, 2022.

ELEMENTARY

DISCUSSION

The board discussed a situation brought up by vice chairman Megan Truman regarding kindergarten and first-grade not being an effective combination in order for both grade levels to learn.

The board discussed with kindergarten teacher Kodi Schwarz what her opinion was regarding having kindergarten and first grade where she told the board she did not believe it was a good combination for students to learn in.

Superintendent Jimmy Phelps offered three alternative combinations one of which would be to hire another teacher, which Phelps believes they would not have the funds to do that with pending budget cuts. Making kindergarten separate which would have made fourth and fifth-grade combine which would make the classroom size 22 students, or to combine fifth and sixth-grade which would make a classroom size of 25 students.

Phelps said the fifth and sixth-grade combination would not be a good idea as sixth grade students are essentially middle schoolers and would not work well with fifth graders.

The projected classroom size for kindergarten and first grade this next year will be 12. The board did not hold any vote, and the current classroom combinations are expected to remain the same next year.

OTHER BUSINESS

Phelps discussed with the board the uncertainty of how much funding will be cut from the state as multiple policies affecting funding are coming through and being discussed by the Wyoming State Legislature this month.

The board approved a change on first reading to policy 3.10 regarding the hours of employment for teachers. This change would allow teachers to head home on Fridays at 1:10 p.m. unless the day is scheduled as a teacher workday which will have teachers stay in the building until 3:45 p.m.

This change was implemented in order to add clarity to the policy; students are already released on a half-day schedule for Friday and this change would allow for teachers to leave earlier unless required to stay until 3:45 p.m.

The board decided to look into potentially creating an employee of the month award in order to connect the board more with staff.

The board set a date of April 29 at 7 p.m. to hold a budget workshop.

Before adjournment the board entered into executive session to discuss personnel.

After the executive session, Principal Levi Collins had his contract renewed through June 30, 2023.

Schwartz was hired as the middle school head track coach and Gabrielle Fox was approved as the assistant coach.