Hardesty invites Guymon students with new bus route
Through a new bus route to-and-from Guymon, Hardesty Public Schools is opening its doors. Starting next year, students in surrounding schools districts will have a way to attend school in Hardesty.
Recent changes in the transportation rules in Oklahoma now allow school districts to go into neighboring districts to transport students. This will allow children from around the area to take advantage of Hardesty’s smaller class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratio.
Seventh through 12th graders have an interesting course catalog to choose from that can open up a world of possibilities. These grades can take courses such as archaeology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, criminal justice, cosmetology, culinary arts, early childhood education, fashion design, game development, hospitality and tourism, hotel management, introduction to nursing and medical terminology, to name just a few opportunities.
Beginning in the seventh grade, students are able to take classes for high school credit.
Hardesty Public Schools also utilizes a hybrid schedule that adds one virtual day to the school week. This keeps the system prepared for any potential required distance learning events.
“It gives our parents the opportunity to be a part of their child’s education with assigned reading and activities and assignments to be completed at home,” Hardesty principal Chad Fox, said.
“The virtual days give students and staff the opportunity to schedule healthcare appointments without missing school, thus, alleviating the need for substitute teachers and helping with student absenteeism.” Fox said.
The district will save money on utility bills and bus routes on those days. The teachers feel less stressed and this has been a big selling point to bringing in new teachers.
While no family has approached the staff about this being a problem, Fox said that the four-day week could cause some scheduling conflicts for those students who need childcare while their parents work.
Thanks to a wind project that has been installed, a boost to the school’s revenue was created. With the addition of bond funds, each classroom has been updated with a state of the art smart board.
To keep class sizes small and select, there is a limit of 10 students per classroom.