PINEDALE – Sublette County School District No. 1 received preliminary approval for a $963,000 Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant through the Wyoming Department of Education, Superintendent Shannon Harris told the board of trustees on Dec. 9.

The Wyoming Department of Education sent notice of its preliminary acceptance of SCSD’s application on Dec. 1, Harris said. The district is awaiting final approval and a signature from the Wyoming Attorney General on the grant, she added.

Pinedale Elementary School Principal Greg Legerski introduced the idea to pursue the grant to strengthen reading programs for students at the school, Harris said.

The Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant covers preschool through 12th grade, Harris explained, and she and Legerski met with administrators at each school in the district to get input on the proposal.

Administrators overwhelmingly gave their approval, Harris said, identifying a need to improve literacy education, particularly for at-risk students.

WY-TOPP standardized test scores for English language arts in SCSD1 tend to lag behind results for math and science, Harris added. The ability for students to read at their grade level is crucial to student success in all subject areas, from vocational education to math, science and social studies, Harris told the board.

“We are committed as a district to meeting the literacy needs of all students,” Harris added.

SCSD1 drew up a preliminary budget to use grant money to obtain literacy materials and fund professional development through several literacy programs, including one offered by the University of Wyoming, according to Harris’s report to the board.

The district also plans to use the grant to hire an administrative position overseeing literacy programs across the district, along with three new literacy interventionists – one each at the elementary, middle and high schools, Harris said on Dec. 9.

Identifying literacy needs in pre-K children is a “big push” in Wyoming, Harris said. The district’s grant proposal set aside funds to hire a literacy interventionist with an English language learning focus at the preschool level.

The trustees unanimously approved a motion to contract with Marzano Research to conduct a comprehensive literacy audit identifying specific areas for improvement. The funding is included in the grant, pending final approval by the attorney general.

Board members reelected

In preparation for the new year, the SCSD1 trustees reelected Jamison Ziegler chairman, Chris Nelson vice chairman, Charles Prior clerk and Clayton Olson treasurer.

Following the elections, trustees approved a motion to retain the 2021 board appointments to committees and the BOCES and Pinedale Aquatic Center boards through 2022.

A full list of the appointments is available on the district’s public BoardDoc’s website.

Faculty of the Month

SCSD1 is piloting a Staff Members of the Month award recognizing outstanding employees in the district.

The September Staff Members of the Month included Patrick Rookus, auditorium and tech employee, and Katie Facklam, Pinedale High School art teacher.

The October Staff of the Month were custodian Micaiah Brown and Pinedale Elementary PEAK enrichment teacher Heather Kamp.

Middle School pro Monica Hunt and middle school math teacher Jeremy LaBeau were honored for November.

Additional district news

• The SCSD1 calendar committee presented preliminary draft calendars for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years for input before the calendars are up for a formal vote at a later meeting. The proposed calendars are posted on the district’s website.
• Trustees passed a unanimous motion approving board meeting dates for 2022. The dates are posted on the district’s website.
• The board voted to accept a two-year contract among SCSD1, Western Wyoming Community College and Sublette BOCES.