Handbook Revisions Draw Dissension

Proposed revisions to the high school handbook were tabled amid questions and dissension among trustees of Sheridan County School District 2 in a meeting of the board Tuesday night.

The chief point of contention seemed to be the grading system proposed in the revision. Mitch Craft, an assistant superintendent with the school district, said the proposal was to switch from a grading system to a pass/fail system for high school students for this semester only.

Trustees including Tony Wendtland questioned the 60 percent figure as the basis of passing. He said he was very concerned that the handbook revisions were being done too quickly and not being thought through.

Trustees said they wanted to hear from teachers and from students before deciding on whether to adopt the handbook revisions, and called for a survey of those two groups before they make a decision.

Craft said a decision needs to be made before the trustees’ next regularly scheduled meeting, which would be in May. Trustees Chair Craig Achord suggested that a special meeting be called, possibly by no later than next week.

Craft said because grade point averages would be impacted by going to the pass/fail rate, the district’s superintendents and high school principals have recommended that GPAs not be calculated for this semester only.

He said the recommended changes to the student handbook have already been approved by the Wyoming Department of Education. He added numerous high schools across the country have instated pass/fail grades for this semester, and over 150 major universities have done the same.

He said the Wyoming Department of Education is working to address potential implications to the Hathaway Scholarship if these revisions are made.