Lovell School Board activities changes: Indoor track discontinued, middle school cheer added

The Big Horn County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees approved several changes during its July meeting last Monday, including discontinuing the district’s indoor track program, adding a middle school cheerleading program, approving the 2026-27 budget and adopting modest increases in school meal prices.

The board voted to discontinue indoor track as a district athletic program after administrators expressed concerns about student safety and facility limitations. When asked whether the move was intended as a budget cut, Superintendent William Hiser said the decision was driven by safety rather than finances.

“It’s more of a facility use,” Hiser told the board. “The more we talked about it, the more things were brought up that are concerns for the safety of students.”

Board members also noted that some field events, particularly the throwing events, presented safety concerns. The motion passed unanimously.

Trustees also approved the creation of a Lovell Middle School cheerleading and dance program. As part of that action, the board later approved an updated coaches and activity sponsors salary schedule that includes a $750 stipend for the middle school cheer and dance sponsor. Other middle school and high school coaching and activity sponsor salaries remained largely unchanged under the revised schedule.

The board held its annual budget hearing before unanimously adopting the district’s budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Business Manager Lane Black-Partridge presented a general fund budget totaling approximately $14.5 million, including about $1.42 million in carryover funds. She also highlighted several changes in state funding, including quicker reimbursements for retirement, health insurance, special education and school bus purchases.

Trustees approved moving the 2027 Lovell High School graduation ceremony to May 24, keeping the event in line with previous years while students will continue classes through the end of the school calendar.

The board also approved updated school meal prices for the coming school year. Elementary breakfast will increase from $2 to $2.05, while high school breakfast will rise from $2.15 to $2.20. Lunch prices will increase by 10 to 20 cents for students, with adult breakfast increasing to $3.15 and adult lunch to $4.85.

Other board actions included:

Approving an updated policy on community use of school facilities to reflect changes made by the Wyoming Legislature while maintaining the district’s current practices.

Reauthorizing local mill levies that support Northwest BOCES and the Lovell Recreation District.

Approving the hiring of Ashlynn Fink as a speech-language pathologist assistant and Logan Blau as Lovell High School assistant football coach.

Superintendent Hiser also updated the board on several summer projects, including refinishing gymnasium floors before fall sports begin and preparations to host cyclists participating in the Tour de Wyoming, who spent a night at the high school campus last Thursday.