GCSD board of trustees swears in four new members

Alex Hargrave
Posted 12/11/20

A new Goshen County School District No. 1 school board convened for the first time on Dec. 8.

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GCSD board of trustees swears in four new members

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GOSHEN COUNTY – A new Goshen County School District No. 1 school board convened for the first time on Dec. 8. 

New board members Matthew Cushman, Dylan Hager, Taylor Schmick and Michael Sussex were sworn in, and members appointed Mark Jespersen chairman and Zach Miller vice-chairman. 

In his report, Superintendent Ryan Kramer presented a chart comparing the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Wyoming, Goshen County and GCSD. The comparison showed sharp inclines in cases between November and December in Wyoming and Goshen County as a whole, and a steady increase in cases throughout the school district.

“With our positive cases, we do come close to about 10% of total cases in the county, which is a large number,” Kramer said. “But when you put in the comparison of the trajectory that we see, there is a flattening in comparison to the county. We’re finding that mitigation strategies work, they are effective, but they’re not perfect.”

As of press time Wednesday, GCSD reported 15 active COVID-19 cases throughout the district. There have been 102 total cases since March.

“Just over two weeks ago, we had 41 active cases within our district and along with quarantines, which was not sustainable,” Kramer said. “When we get into a situation where we have positive cases in the teens, it does seem that we can sustain our current level of education by providing appropriate learning environments face-to-face, in addition to what we’ve been able to do remotely for students who are in quarantine.”

Enrollment dropped from 1,610 to 1,601 districtwide from last month. Kramer said students at Torrington High School and Platte River School, the district’s alternative high school, were dropped due to an attendance stipulation in the school’s virtual program. If there isn’t interaction from a student, they are dropped, according to Kramer, so it could be a mistake.

GCSD’s student board representatives gave their final report and will be replaced by students from THS, Southeast High School and Lingle-Fort Laramie High School in January.

L-FLHS representative Callie Fritzler said a student approached her requesting the board consider reimplementing a family and consumer science program at the high school. 

“It would be important to know that the board will always keep in mind that not all kids are college-bound, and we will keep the vocational classes as a means for them to be able to enter the workforce and to receive those life skills,” Fritzler said.

Both Fritzler and THS representative Sera Glass said the district’s new standards-based grading system poses challenges to students and teachers alike. 

The system, implemented this school year for students in grades six through 12, assesses student progress based on learning standards for the course determined by its teachers. Standard scores range from 0-4 and are converted to a letter grade that will be visible on report cards at the end of the semester. 

Fritzler and Glass are concerned with the weight given to a common assessment and the inability for educators to weigh homework or assignments in their final grade.

“Students know that the daily assignments and homework are not important to their final grade, so many of them treat those assignments as optional,” Glass told the board. 

“By giving everyone so many chances and not having to get everything done like we used to, I feel students are going to be in for a rude awakening when they leave Goshen County Schools, and college professors or employers have expectations and there are no second chances or retakes,” Fritzler said.

At previous board meetings, trustees have expressed concern about the effects of standards-based grading on teachers as they juggle learning the new system and teaching students both in-person and remotely. 

The board scheduled a work session on the topic of standards-based grading for Jan. 26.

In other business, the board voted to offer a prorated employment agreement to Alaria Schnase as a school social worker at THS, replacing a school counselor who resigned earlier in the school year. 

The board approved the 2019-2020 district financial audit presented by Stephanie Pickering of McGee, Hearne & Piaz, LLP.

GCSD will hold their next school board meeting on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. at Central Office.