For the second time in three years Powell’s alternative schools, Shoshone Learning Center and Park 1 Virtual Academy, achieved a combined 100% graduation rate for the previous school year.

The SLC/Park 1 Virtual, with nine total graduates, is one of 13 schools in the state to achieve a 100% graduation rate.

Park County School District 1 also maintained a high graduation rate with 93.3% for the 2021-2022 school year as 125 of 134 students graduated. This is 11.5% higher than the state average of 81.8%. In the state PCSD1 also had the 10th highest graduation rate as a district. 

Park County School District 6 (Cody) and Park County School District 16 (Meeteetse) had 84.9% and 81.8% respectively. The only school district with over 100 students that had a higher graduation rate than PCSD1 was Teton School District 1 with a 93.8%  graduation rate as 196 out of 209 students graduated.

While this year’s PHS graduation percentage is slightly lower than last year’s 94.2%, Superintendent Jay Curtis said this is in line with a statewide drop in graduation rate by roughly 0.8%, although he added that the graduation rate is still very strong. At PHS, 116 of 125 seniors graduated. 

Curtis said the COVID-19 pandemic saw some students fall behind due to quarantine and ultimately make the decision not to return after facing a large workload. He added that through credit recovery programs and adjustments made as more was learned about COVID-19 some students were still brought back and were able to graduate. Additionally, students with special needs who are in school until the age of 21 are currently counted as drop-outs under state standards. Curtis said these students are “anything but.”

Looking ahead, he added that with reading recovery teachers bolstering literacy in first grade, a crucial age for laying the foundation for graduation, he predicts that within eight years PCSD1 will have the highest graduation rate it has ever had. 

Powell High School Principal Tim Wormald said that a graduation above 90% is to be celebrated as a district but achieving a 100% graduation rate as a whole district is always the goal. Curtis and Wormald thanked the numerous stakeholders in the district who help students achieve graduation beginning in kindergarten including parents, teachers para educators, bus drivers, custodians and food service workers. 

“[The graduation rate] is definitely a tribute to a whole lot of folks,” Wormald said.

SLC Principal Steve Lensegrav noted the SLC’s student population is at risk of not graduating due to a number of factors including not meeting graduation requirements as well as physical or mental health issues. Lensegrav applauded the staff for focusing on students’ personal growth.

“A lot of the credit goes to the kids for being willing to work on personal growth,” Lensegrav said. 

At the SLC the staff work to make sure students have a comfortable learning environment with a family culture. Lensegrav said that having a small student population helps provide focus to individual students who need support the most.

“[We’re] very proud of those kids,” Lensegrav said. “The staff puts in a lot of work for each kid.”

Lensegrav praised the work of lead teacher Shannon Blackmore, administrative assistant Lisa Barrus, para educator Susan Nelson, math tutor Caitlin Bieber, school counselor Erin Curtis, English teacher Karen Winter, science teacher Leon Miller, math teacher Nikki Butler, past para educator Holly Kienlen and numerous teachers of record. Lensegrav said that the SLC still works off of and has tweaked structures put into place by former principal Ginger Sleep.

“Obviously I’m the principal of it but I’m not the boots on the ground,” he said. 

He also praised Virtual School Coordinator and School Counselor DeAnne Jensen for her work at Park 1 Virtual. Graduation rates for the SLC include those of Park 1 Virtual which is funded on a two-year grant as a result of COVID-19.