The Broadus school board met last week for their regular monthly meeting. Several items of note on the agenda included Jacy Collins commenting to the board on this year’s Homecoming, which will feature a propane fueled bonfire, as opposed to the cardboard box fire of year’s past. Collins mentioned that due to the current weather conditions with high fire danger and recent fires in the area, an open air fire wouldn’t be appropriate, along with the safety concerns and additional stress on fire fighting resources to manage a bonfire.
Activities Director Mike Richards gave a report on the potential of a reclassification of Broadus from 8 man football to 6 man. Due to low numbers of students (both out for the team and in terms of high school age enrollment), Broadus is looking into moving into the realm of 6 man. Enrollment ranges for 6 man is 1-65, and next year Broadus is expected to have around 63 kids, dropping down from the current 71. The team currently has 12 players.
Richards touched on the numerous changes inherent in the 6 man game versus that of 8 man, such as all six players being eligible receivers, and the player to whom the ball is snapped cannot advance the ball past the line of scrimmage, and point-after kicks count for two points. 6 man is generally a lot faster game than 8 man, as those who witnessed the 6 man game in Broadus in 2018 may remember, featuring the Montana team at the time (Westby-Grenora) versus the top Wyoming team, Kaycee. Mondak (Westby-Grenora) featured a spread offense, while Kaycee pounded the running game. At the time, Mondak had an enrollment of 64, and Kaycee 50. Mondak won the game 54-12, snapping Kaycee’s 31 game win streak.
Richards noted that a decision in order to move to 6 man or remain would need to be submitted by November 1st, meaning any decision is likely to come in the next month.
Teams may choose to re-align on a bi-annual basis, so as classes with more kids move up the ranks into high school, or if Broadus moved down and decided 6 man wasn’t for them, changes could be made in two years.
Richards noted that while he wasn’t for or against a change, regardless of 6 or 8 man, more kids needed to be convinced to play next year, as 6 of the 12 current players will graduate this year, and the replacement levels from junior high aren’t likely to make up the difference.
Frank Benson was hired as JH basketball coach, and Darron Alderman as a volunteer assistant football coach, pending a background check.
Next on the agenda, Eli Jurica, a home school student from rural Powder River County, spoke to the board.
Jurica’s request was to join the local FFA chapter. He had been previously denied, due to not taking the ag class through Broadus. Jurica mentioned that he opted for an online ag class from outside the Broadus school system. Jurica cited his health, schedule, and the long mileage driving into town as factors for why he could not attend the ag class in person.
The reason for approaching the school board was due to the local FFA chapter’s constitution, which FFA Advisor Faith Dyrud cited as including language which necessitated students in FFA to be within the school system.
Jurica cited letters of support from individuals such as the state FFA parliamentarian in support of him joining the program. Five current Broadus FFA students were at the meeting in support of Jurica.
After some back and forth, the matter was forwarded to the FFA Chapter Board, which features local FFA alumni, and is in charge of the chapter’s rules. We had not heard back on a decision as of press time.
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