ROCK SPRINGS — Students, teachers and staff in Sweetwater County School District No. 1 will be switching to a four-day school week beginning in 2021-22 after the Board of Trustees narrowly approved a motion on a 4-3 vote tonight.
The recommendation came from the district’s Alternative Task Force formed in November to address different schedules other than the current five-day schedule.
Following roughly 90 minutes of public commentary and some brief discussion by the board during a special meeting tonight, the motion passed. The board is required by law to have the schedule in front of the State Board of Education by May 1.
Board members George Reedy, Stephanie Thompson, Max Mickelson and Lenny Hay voted for the measure while Carol Jelaco, John Bettolo and Matt Jackman voted against it.
Prior to the vote, Mickelson said the district doesn’t offer educational opportunities to kids whose parents work swing shifts, nor does it provide daycare services to families.
Trustee Lenny Hay 
Trustee Max Mickelson
“If the decision around moving to a four-day (schedule) or staying with a traditional schedule is based on that child care, then we probably need, for equity, to expand that child care to include those working swing shifts,” Mickelson said. “The reality is that if we move to an alternative schedule, we just have to take a leap of faith that all those components and pieces and details will be put in place.”
Jackman said the task force set April 28th as the date to make its recommendation back in November. But then things changed dramatically here in Sweetwater County and around the world.
“It was before any of us knew that COVID was a thing. So I understand where the public looks at us and says ‘oh you’re trying to shove this down our throats.’ That’s not the case.”
SCSD No. 1 Trustee Matt Jackman
Jackman said he’s in the same position that he was a year ago when the board sent the district back to the drawing board to come up with another solution.
“I think recruiting teachers is really important, but I don’t see the benefits to our students,” he added. “The students’ priorities will always be my number one.”
Part of the task force consideration was finding ways to recruit and retain quality teachers. It felt a four-day school week met this goal as teachers with more time for PLC tend to improve the quality of the classroom experience.
Thompson said she trusts the district will be able to make the proper adjustments and address all the issues over the next year before the new schedule takes effect. She applauded the district’s efforts, particularly the IT Department, for handling the COVID-19 situation so smoothly.
“Our district in a survival mode…and it is concerning. But at the same time, I still look at what we’ve been able to accomplish in such a short time, and to me, I believe we can do it.” Thompson said.
