School District #4 board delays decision on guns

The Big Horn County School District No. 4 board of trustees will wait to act on the implementation of a gun-free school zone policy until after a county-wide school and law enforcement gathering to discuss how to handle Wyoming’s new law as it comes into effect in July. 

“Since the last time I talked to you, there’s been a movement to put together a meeting of all the Big Horn superintendents, law enforcement and SRO leadership to discuss kind of a county-wide, unified policy or rule,” outgoing superintendent Jory Thompson said at the board’s June 10 meeting. 

Thompson stated that an official date for the county-wide meeting is not set, but could take place July 2 or July 7, after the Repeal Gun Free Zones Act becomes law on July 1 but before school starts. 

 Previously, the board had discussed requiring staff wishing to concealed carry to take a certification course. 

“If you’re going to train, it would be a lot cheaper to have all the districts together to pay that if that’s the direction we want to go,” chair Heath Hopkin said. 

SEX-DESIGNATED FACILITIES
POLICY ADOPTED WITH
AMENDMENTS

Also handed down from the state was a new sex-designated restrooms policy. In accordance with the Protecting Privacy in Public Spaces Act, public buildings must adopt policy to enforce sex-designated restrooms, showers, sleeping quarters and locker rooms. 

“You can quote me if you want, but our legislature did a horrible job making this statute,” vice chair Greg Gloy, sitting in for Hopkin due to scheduling issues, said at the meeting. 

He explained that as the proposed policy read, for sports and activities separated by sex, a coach of the opposite sex must be accompanied by an adult of the students’ gender when entering the locker room. However, for combined boys and girls sports, such as track or wrestling, the wording suggests two adults are not required if both male and female students are present. 

“If a suitable meeting room or area is not available and the coach is the coach of a school-sponsored activity with members of both the male and female sexes on the team or in the activity, the coach may enter a locker room before, during or after the school-sponsored activity if all students are fully clothed. The coach shall be accompanied by not less than one (1) additional adult at all times but an additional adult shall not be required if members of the activity of both sexes are present in the locker room,” the policy reads. 

Additional exceptions for opposite sex entry of sex-designated facilities include custodial purposes, rendering emergency medical assistance and assistance due to disability or age.

The board voted to approve the policy with an amendment requiring that opposite sex coaches be accompanied an additional adult the same sex of the students for combination boys and girls sports as well. 

“I don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to have another adult in the room,” trustee Kristen Schlattman said. 

REC SPECIAL USE AGREEMENT
PUT TO BED

The school board unanimously voted not to enter into a new special use agreement with the Basin Recreation District and Town of Basin, which would require a $10,000 fee from the school in exchange for priority use of its facilities. 

“At this point, the recommendation from Kolpitcke Law Offices is to stick with the original,” Thompson said. 

The original agreement would require that the school district put their name on a list to utilize rec facilities for sports practices and events with no specified prior payment. However, the school has previously made the annual $10,000 allocation to the rec district regardless. 

“Even though we’re not going to change agreements, there is an understanding … that we will let them know if we can do the donation in June and the donation is coming,” Thompson said. 

LUNCH DEBT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF
EMPLOYEES’ LAST PAYCHECK

The board approved two policies allowing the district to deduct outstanding lunch debts from professional and classified staff’s last paycheck at the end of the school year. 

“We had one individual that had a pretty good debt on it and ended up leaving the district, and we were not able to collect monies on it because we are not able to withdraw it from the last paycheck … We’re putting it in to make sure that doesn’t happen so we don’t get burnt again,” Thompson said. 

OTHER NEWS:

New superintendent hire Keith Campbell was present at this month’s meeting; Campbell will take over superintendent duties starting July 1. 

Trustee Pricie Butcher resigned from her position as the Manderson representative on the school board after relocating outside the bounds of the residence requirement. Her position is open immediately. 

Riverside Middle High School Principal Matt Jensen was moved from assistant football coach position to head football coach next season. He will be joined by new assistant coach Chad Duncan. 

The board approved the resignation of assistant track coach Chad Lindsey.

Business Manager Trevor Whitaker was appointed as the SRRP Representative for the district.

Whitaker reported that the school’s cash is coming in at 15% as expected, with 86% of the budget spent, same as last year. 

“Like I’ve said for the last couple of months, we will be over this year; so we’ll probably go for a budget amendment in July, we’ll do it just before we pass our new budget,” Whitaker said. 

Construction on new outdoor restrooms and concessions stands are progressing, a scoreboard for the high school football field will arrive in late June to early July. A commemoration ceremony will be held this fall, regardless of if construction is finished. Completion of the restrooms will determine if the field is open for use at the beginning of next sports season. 

Thompson recommended the board look into a policy to pay teachers for unused leave days by allocating them the $135 it would take to pay a sub or rolling time over into sick leave in order to incentivize consistent classroom time. 

Special Education Service Provider Contracts were accepted for Gottche OTPT, CRC and Andrea Whitaker. 

A Fall Roundup event will be planned for early August, with the possibility of a catered golfing event discussed.