Several new hires and recognitions presented at May District Two school board meeting

There will be a number of new faces in Big Horn County School District No. 2 beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

At the May 12 monthly board meeting, the school board approved the following new hires: Kristin Lloyd, LHS administrative assistant; Allison Kitchen, LES teacher (pending PTSB approval); Tess Peterson, executive assistant; Lydia McCracken, LMS principal; Shayla Welling, food service employee; and Porter Blau, Kameryn Allphin, Jacob Thomas, Owen Edwards and Kaeson Anderson as summer maintenance help.

With the hiring of Peterson in the district, she has resigned from her seat on the school board, and the remaining board members will look to appoint someone to fill that position. A board member appointment meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, at 5:30 p.m. Josh Gruell’s resignation as activity bus driver was also accepted by the board.

Dan Wolvington has been assigned to be the eighth-grade boys basketball coach next season, while Madison Hecker will be the new LHS dance coach.

RECOGNITIONS

Lovell Middle School student Haven Hecker received special recognition for placing second in the Wyoming Department of Health’s statewide promotional poster contest. The poster art competition was to promote radon testing, and nearly 170 students competed.

Ribbon winners from the state art symposium and medal winners from state SkillsUSA were presented to board members for recognition of their achievements.

Students of the Month were: Hayden Workman (LMS), Karson Mollett (LHS) and Avery Layne (LHS CTE).

For their many years of service to the district, Scott Murphey and Alana Thackeray were honored as retirees.

“Alana has officially been with the district since 2013 but subbed in the district well before that,” Superintendent Doug Hazen said. “A big hole is going to be left in our district with her absence.”

Murphey has been driving buses for BGH2 since 1989, which will be 36 years at the completion of this school year.

“He has been a driving force, whether that be route driver, activities driver or substitute driver,” Hazen said. “He has been a mainstay in our district. My suspicion is that we may see him again someday, but for now, we will let him ride off into the sunset.”

Lastly, Ken Febrache received his plaque as this year’s Friend of the School.

MONTHLY FOCUS AND REPORTS

This month’s monthly focus was on the May 19 graduation set for 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Graduation practice was to take place that morning at 9 a.m., followed by the graduating seniors parade through LES and LMS.

Hazen gave brief updates on the spring assessments, a new platform called Veracity and the preschool’s Ellbogen grant. He also discussed the upcoming budget hearings on what is to be expected from the proposed preliminary budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

The board also found itself to be in compliance on the topics of facilities, transportation and food services.

Lovell Elementary School principal Chris Jensen brought in the LES student council members to report on the 2024-25 school year’s activities and efforts to improve the school and enrich the student body.

The students addressed the board with fundraisers and assemblies that the student council planned and arranged throughout the year that included high school sports teams and clubs.

For the high school student council report, Avery Layne spoke on behalf of the Make-A-Wish fundraising week that she spearheaded and the events’ success.

BUSINESS

In old business, all were in favor to approve Policy EJ/E.1000 on sex designated facilities on second of third readings.

Policies DJE (bidding procedures) and EHAB (artificial intelligence) also passed unanimously on their final readings.

The only item on the agenda for new business was the approval of the preliminary budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

The board broke into an executive session to discuss matters of personnel and/or legal matters that necessitate confidentiality at 8:03 p.m. The motion was made to end the executive session at 8:38 p.m. and the meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m.