Lovell school board considers four-day week, revises coaching salaries

Indoor track program is not restored

A possible move to a four-day school week, revisions to coaching salaries and the continued absence of indoor track from the district’s athletic programs highlighted the October 12 meeting of the Big Horn County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees.

The board also heard reports on facilities improvements, technology upgrades, curriculum and statewide recognition for the district’s food services program.

Superintendent William Hiser announced that the district will begin formally exploring the possibility of implementing a four-day school week beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.

The process will include research and stakeholder engagement, giving parents, teachers, staff and community members an opportunity to provide input before any final decision is made.

Hiser emphasized that the proposal remains in the exploratory stage and that any change to the district’s school calendar would require formal approval from the Board of Trustees.

A four-day schedule would represent a significant change for students, families and district employees, potentially affecting everything from instructional schedules and transportation to extracurricular activities and childcare arrangements.

The district has not yet announced what a proposed four-day calendar might look like, which weekday would be eliminated from the regular schedule or how instructional time would be adjusted to meet state requirements.

The exploration is expected to take place during the current school year, with the earliest possible implementation coming in the fall of 2027.

Coaching salaries revised, indoor track not restored

Trustees also unanimously approved adjustments to the district’s 2026-27 coaching and activity sponsor salary schedule, originally released in July.

The revised schedule restores some of the compensation that had been reduced and establishes different pay levels for several sports.

One of the more significant adjustments involves high school track, where head and assistant coaching rates were increased by $50 per week compared with the July schedule. The district also increased the number of listed assistant track coaching positions from three to four.

Golf coaching compensation was also increased. The head coaching stipend rose to $3,250 for both the fall and spring seasons, while an assistant coaching position inadvertently omitted from the July schedule was restored at $2,250 per season.

Middle school football, basketball, volleyball and wrestling coaches had their stipends restored to the previous year’s levels, reversing the $525 reductions included in the July schedule.

Middle school track coaches received smaller increases, while middle school cross country coaching stipends were reduced even further. The high school speech sponsorship stipend also increased from $3,600 to $5,400.

Despite the adjustments, the district did not restore indoor track to the coaching salary schedule.

Several community members, parents and teachers had hoped trustees would reconsider the earlier decision to discontinue the program, but indoor track remains absent from the revised schedule.

The district’s original July schedule represented a significant restructuring of coaching compensation, creating separate pay categories based on sport intensity, time commitment, workload, supervision demands and competitive responsibilities. The October revisions adjusted some of those categories but left other reductions in place.

Facilities and transportation

Facilities Director Kyle Fluty reported that all custodial positions have been filled, and standardized training is being planned. District priorities include winter preparations, parking lot improvements and preventive maintenance.

At Lovell Elementary School, sidewalk repairs are complete, while HVAC and lighting issues are being addressed. Middle school fire alarm backup batteries have been replaced.

At Lovell High School, a submersible pump has been replaced, and HVAC repairs continue. Hiser reported that “bleacher improvements near the track are underway with student involvement in the metal and wood shops.” Other projects include greenhouse heating, accessibility and security improvements.

The district continues seeking part-time activity drivers and substitute route drivers.

Technology

The district continues expanding ParentSquare and StudentSquare to improve communication with families and students.

Hiser reported that the transition to SmartSites has improved website accessibility and management “while reducing annual website costs by approximately 50%.”

Secure Document Delivery through ParentSquare also allows the district to send sensitive documents electronically, reducing mailing costs and improving security.

Food services recognition

Wyoming school food service directors selected Big Horn County School District No. 2’s menu as a model for a statewide menu.

“This recognition reflects the department’s work to prioritize real, minimally processed foods, reduce undesirable ingredients and incorporate local products into school meals,” Hiser reported.

The district continues incorporating produce from its garden, including peppers, cantaloupe and tomatoes, into school meals and Foods classes.

Curriculum and student achievement

Hiser reported that the district’s September 21 inservice focused on professional development, compliance training and the Reading Horizons intervention program.

“October priorities include gathering evidence for the state’s annual accreditation process and updating documentation on the district’s new website,” Hiser wrote.

Staff are also preparing for the new Navvy testing platform. All three schools are developing School Improvement Plans for presentation at the November District Leadership Team meeting.

Other board business

Trustees unanimously approved a staff early retirement incentive and the first reading of revised graduation requirements. The board also approved the second reading of professional staff hiring regulations.

Lovell High School recognized Leland Leyva and Kandace Asay as September and October Students of the Month, respectively.

The board accepted custodian Raegyn Forbush’s resignation and approved the hiring of Logan Phillips.