LSRV switches to four-day schedule

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• Final approval still pending from state.

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

Last week, the Carbon County District 1 School Board unanimously approved the four-day school week for Little Snake River Valley School.

The schedule was endorsed for the next three years. But before it can be adopted, it must go before the Wyoming Department of Education for approval. Principal Rick Newton estimates a decision could be made by July.

The three-year stint is to allow the schedule to iron itself out, Newton said. In their research and promotion of the calendar, the school’s staff developed goals to meet. Among them is preserving class time.

Newton acknowledged that next year’s schedule would have trouble meeting that goal. LSRV Activities Director Ann Wille was unable to work several athletic events around the proposed schedule because it was not yet approved.

“Our staff is really excited about the possibilities and, for the most part, our community is too,” said Dale Wille, LSRV vocational agriculture teacher. “It’s not going to happen in one year and it’s going to take tweaking.”

One of the community concerns about the change was eased by the knowledge that a day-care center exists in Baggs. Many slots are vacant, and the center has a capacity of 36 children. However, parents still question being able to pay for the care.

School board members voiced concern about academic performance being compromised with the new schedule. LSRV staff found that schools operating in a four-day week neither improved nor reduced their PAWS scores. However, school board members thought the new schedule might open a door for improvement.

“District-wide, we’re not stellar performers,” Board Chairman Jim Espy said. “We want to give you guys the chance to do something different.”

If the schedule is approved, LSRV administrators have much more work to do, particularly in planning Friday tutoring, activities and teacher in-service days.