Schools won't reopen, yet

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editors
 
Weston County School District No. 1 will remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year after Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow announced last week that health orders surrounding schools and educational institutions will remain in effect. 
“We will continue to educate students according to our adaptive or distance learning plans,” Superintendent Brad LaCroix said in a letter dated April 24. “Superintendent Balow did share that under guidance from the Wyoming Department of Health schools may work with their county health officers on possible variances for students in the greatest need as long as adherence to proper guidelines are followed.” 
LaCroix stated that the district plans to continue to explore possible educational avenues and adjust the programs to best fit the needs of the students. 
On Monday, LaCroix told the News Letter Journal that the school plans on looking into implementing some smaller group activities while continuing to use the online delivery for the bulk of the schoolwork through the end of the school year. 
Newcastle Elementary School Principal Brandy Holmes said that the elementary school plans to continue providing education by sending packets through the mail. She said that things are overall going well under the circumstances and that the school understands that the needs of each family are different during this time. 
According to Tyler Bartlett, Newcastle Middle School principal, the alternative learning plan developed by the school’s leadership team and staff has worked well overall, although minor adjustments have been made as needed. 
“In our plan, we put a clear emphasis on keeping priorities in order and focusing on student health and wellness first. With this in mind, we continually reminded ourselves that less is more, and that we should emphasize essential learning targets on grade-level standards that offer the best endurance, leverage and readiness for our students as they continue their education,” Bartlett said. 
The plan, Bartlett said, involved a gradual rollout beginning with math and English the first week and then adding science and social studies the following week. The following week computers and PE were added and lastly the elective courses. 
“Each of our core subjects is given one day of the week for students to focus on that particular content area,” Bartlett said. “However, we also provide flexibility for students
to work at different times or on different days if it fits their family’s schedule better.” 
Teachers are tracking student learning and monitoring progress through the closure, Bartlett said, and they document each contact
or attempted contact so the entire staff can stay up to date on each student’s progress. 
“Overall, I’d say student participation is going well. A majority of our students have been staying up to date on classroom meetings and assignments and are doing a great job like they always do,” Bartlett said. “Of course, we’ve had some students struggle to get started or occasionally fall behind. Our teachers will continue to reach out to these students and their parents to try and help them as best as possible.” 
Districtwide, LaCroix said, engagement in the alternative learning avenues has been good, with only 10 to 15 students districtwide having an issue dedicating themselves to the work. Both principals and LaCroix said that they are dedicated to working with parents through the process and are appreciative of the effort everyone is making to adapt to the new method of public schooling through the pandemic. 
“In many cases, none of us got into public education thinking this would be the way it looked,” LaCroix said. “The struggles are real, and we will continue to look at different things.”
What will take place after the end of the school year, LaCroix said, depends on the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines surrounding schools in the future. 
“We are looking at putting together some jump start programs for all kids. The question is what that looks like,” LaCroix said. “We are still open for business, but that open doesn’t look the same as it used to.” 
He noted that what school looks like in the fall is also uncertain but that the district plans to put together three or four plans that will cover several scenarios. 
Currently, LaCroix said, the district is doing its best to get things as ready as possible for when things open up and restrictions begin to
be lifted. 
“We are doing the summer cleaning at the pool right now so it is ready when it can be utilized,” LaCroix said. 
LaCroix encouraged the community to remember to stay the course when it comes to social distancing to avoid prolonged issues.