SD#3 loses a music teacher, hires coaches

Big Horn County School District No. 3 lost a music teacher, but gained a pair of coaches as a result of personnel items approved during a June 26 meeting in the central office.

 Adam Craw, who taught music at GHS, resigned to take a math teaching position at Lovell High School, an opportunity he described as “a better fit” for him and his family.

In his letter to the board, Craw acknowledged that because he had previously signed his contract for 2025-26, he would be subject to a $1,500 penalty for early breach of contract.

The other two personnel moves were hirings, as the board tapped Mark Sanford to replace Rob Nuttall, who will take over as the principal of the elementary school in the fall.

Sanford led the Greybull-Riverside program for 20 years before his retirement in March 2019. At the time, he’d logged 31 years as a head wrestling coach, a run that started in Saratoga.

The board also approved the hiring of Kelbi Davila as an assistant high school volleyball coach.

In addition to needing a high school band and choir teacher to replace Craw, the district must also fill openings for a school nurse and an elementary special education teacher as well as paraprofessionals and coaches.

Budget

The special meeting is an annual occurrence, as the board typically convenes the final week in June to make budget amendments just prior to the start of the new business year.

Last year, the district approved a transfer of $56,000 into its capital reserve account, pushing its balance to $2.16 million.

The district took the same step this year — but instead of $56,000, it moved $350,000 from total instruction to capital reserves.  With that, the capital reserve balance increased to $2.44 million.

Business Manager Sara Schlattmann advised the board that once money is directed into capital reserves, it can only be used for capital expenses; it cannot be used for salaries and benefits.

In addition to the transfer into capital reserves, the board also agreed to move $120,000 from total support services to total instructional support. 

As of the night of the special meeting, the district’s cash-carryover balance stood at $2.75 million.