District Two striving to reduce major testing, focusing more on spring scores

The Big Horn County School District #2 school board met on Monday, Sept. 9, and discussed a plan to reduce student testing this fall.

When the board looked into data from the spring and compared it to data from the fall, the outcomes are quite similar.

Since there is little instruction that occurs during the spring to fall span, the district can look at the spring WYTOPP test for the information needed and focus on smaller assessments as opposed to the larger interim tests like in the past.

The school also uses Fast Bridge as a screening tool that monitors progress throughout the year.

Superintendent Doug Hazen compared the data collected using Fast Bridge and other classroom assessments to a sport.

“Fast Bridge will figure out if you can shoot a layup, if you can dribble a basketball, if you can shoot a free throw,” he said. “Just because you can do those things doesn’t mean you are a good basketball player yet, but you have the skills to be coached on those skills to become better.

“If you can’t do those skills, then it triggers that remediation may be needed before you are put in the game.” 

With that information along with the daily assessments that teachers are seeing every day, the district believes they will still have enough data to make those determinations.

RECOGNITIONS

The board recognized Libby Mickelson as the LHS Student of the Month and Jace Pluhar as the CTE Student of the Month.

Weston Hendershot was also announced as Student of the Month from LMS.

Lovell Elementary School principal Christopher Jensen presented new teachers at his school: Catherine Leithead, Shayla Mayes, Riley Dodd, Emilie Asay and Kelsey Lohof.

Lovell High School track coach Josh Sanders also appeared and thanked the board on behalf of the track program for the work and planning that went into getting the new track put in.

UPDATES

The HVAC project at LMS is down to its final punch list of items at the end of completion.

The track project is finally complete after stripping was finished last week and all fixtures and partitions have been installed in the locker rooms.

Superintendent Hazen has implemented the “Hazen Huddle” to conduct small advisory meetings with groups of seniors to gather information from the graduating students on their experiences in the district for feedback used to improve future students.

Policies DA, DB, JLCD, EEAEA-R all passed unanimously on first readings, and the board approved the special service contracts.

After breaking into an executive session, the board accepted the resignations of Stephanie Mollett as middle school special education paraprofessional and approved the hiring of Rebecca Tiner as LES computer lab paraprofessional and Keli Morgan as a route bus driver (pending completion of CDL certification).

The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 p.m., and the next school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.