Park County School District 1’s special education program is in good shape according to special services director Ginger Sleep’s annual report.

Sleep reported that 345 students came in and out of the program throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. This continues the trend of growing enrollment in PCSD1. Of these students, 21 came from outside of the state. When new students come into the special services program it is required by law to offer them comparable services to what they were previously receiving within 10 days. Sleep said at the meeting that in her 20 years in administration this has been one of the most stressful years. Despite this, PCSD1’s special services program has met all needs required by the state. However, Sleep notes there is always room to improve.

“You have all throughout this year, even though it’s been very difficult, you guys have stepped up,” Sleep said. “But the kids are definitely the best part of our days and our hours and our minutes, and everyone on their team is definitely solid gold. I tell them often they are the best educators, parents, teachers, specialists and teams that I’ve ever had.”

The school board was also updated on the Wyoming School Board Association’s current stance with the National School Board Association by trustee Greg Borcher who had just arrived at the PCSD1 board meeting following a special meeting of the WSBA. On May 20 the NSBA released the results of an independent investigation ordered by executive director John Heim. The independent investigation was ordered to look into a controversial letter sent out by the NSBA in September 2021 that asked for federal law enforcement assistance from President Joe Biden, alleging that numerous parents had threatened schools because they enforced COVID-19 policies. The letter resulted in many state school board associations leaving the national association and some are still continuing to do so. The report revealed the letter was driven by former CEO and interim director Chip Slaven and reviewed by four board officers. The report did find evidence of contact between Slaven and the White House but nothing that indicated the White House had requested the letter be created. The letter was not reviewed or approved by the full board of directors or NSBA members prior to submission. Policy changes have now been enacted to prevent this from happening in the future.

Borcher noted that even if the WSBA withdrew membership, school boards will still have access to the NSBA conferences at extra cost.

The NSBA has requested that its current officers resign, but they have refused to do so.

Superintendent Jay Curtis said the NSBA can be a useful resource for school boards despite political differences, and the right steps have been taken by Heim to attempt reparations after the release of the letter, but the officers should resign.

“Problem is the officer team, they really ought to do the right thing and that ship might sink because they refuse to do that,” Curtis said.

The WSBA held a virtual meeting for school board chairs on Thursday that has not yet been discussed by the PCSD1 board. As of the May 24 meeting, a decision about the WSBA’s membership with the NSBA has not been made.

Other items mentioned in the meeting included an update on the Home Ec Cottage, which will begin moving in teachers with only some electrical work still being completed.

PCSD1 has also filled all the special services positions it set out to hire earlier this year and has only one job opening remaining after the resignation of high school English teacher Robert Hunt. The next school board meeting is scheduled for June 14. This meeting will discuss whether or not the school board will approve the addition of sixth grade cross country and wrestling, the addition of a middle school soccer team, the addition of girls wrestling, and the addition of a high school indoor track team.