Alta Vista Elementary students were treated to a weeklong visit from Australian performing artist Paul Taylor, who shared Australian and Aboriginal Australian culture through a number of fun games and activities.

Taylor, who describes himself as a storyteller, didgeridoo player and traveler, worked in Alta Vista’s art, music and P.E. classes to introduce the students to many aspects of Australian history, art, music and dance.

Liane McIlwaine, a resource room teacher at Alta Vista, said Taylor was invited to the school to give students an enriching exposure to another culture.

“Paul taught them about how history plays out and impacts our everyday lives,” McIlwaine said. “He showed students how music, art, P.E. and academics can cross-inform and enhance performance in each area, respectively.”

During Taylor’s time there, students made didgeridoos, bullroarers and boomerangs. They also participated in dances and even a makeshift game of cricket.

“The students had smiles on their faces, enjoyed learning new dances and are still singing the songs he taught them,” McIlwaine said.

At the end of Taylor’s visit, students performed these dances for the entire school and for the proud parents that joined the audience.

McIlwaine said the visit was funded by the Laramie County School District 1 Curriculum and Innovative Program Council, the Alta Vista Parent-Teacher Organization and by private donors.

“The students enjoyed the visit with Paul and loved his willingness to share his culture.”

-Story & photo by Brad White

Laramie County School District 1 and the State of Wyoming are not in the direct path of a total solar eclipse occurring on Monday, April 8. According to NASA, residents will be exposed to partial, or 60%, of the eclipse. It is dangerous for anyone to view an eclipse without eye protection.

This presents a unique educational opportunity for students to learn about this exciting astronomical event and an ideal teachable moment for educators as they engage students while also making considerations for the safety of the school district community.

With the health and safety of students, staff and the school community being the district’s top priority, the following information should be considered:

• LCSD1 will remain open on Monday, April 8.
• The eclipse will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and end around 2 p.m., overlapping with lunch and recess times in most schools within the district.
• There will be no outdoor instruction, outdoor recess or outdoor duties for students, faculty and staff between the above timeframe without precautions. This action is being taken as a precautionary measure for the safety of our school community.
• Lunch protocols and services will be provided as usual for students and staff to eat inside the school building.
• If a parent/guardian would like their child at home during this time or throughout the day, they are encouraged to contact the school attendance clerk or their child's teacher for an excused absence.

Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face, it is unsafe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.

If an individual wishes to view the eclipse, LCSD1 advises wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer during the partial eclipse phases.

In an effort to help elementary and secondary schools address the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on schools across the nation, Congress issued funds through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (I and II).

LCSD1 utilized some of this money to hire additional one-year only teachers to assist our students. This grant will no longer be available at the end of the school year. Teachers who were hired in these positions, were aware that these were temporary positions. In accordance with Wyoming Statute, LCSD1 is required to notify staff who are not going to be renewed by April 15. So that they have more time to apply for different positions both within and outside of the district, building administrators hand-delivered letters to the 91 individuals who are affected.

More details about how this money was spent are available on the district website in the district’s detailed American Recovery Act plan, American Recovery Act - Laramie County School District 1 (laramie1.org)

Additionally, the bullet points below specifically outline the funding sources.

• On March 27, 2020, Congress set aside approximately $13.2 billion of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Educational Stabilization Fund through the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER I) Fund.
• The U.S. Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, was signed into law on December 27, 2020, and provided an additional $54.3 billion nationwide for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund.

(Source: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education)

Newton, who has spent nearly 30 years in the education field, has been the district’s acting and interim superintendent since last August. 

Prior to that, since 2015, Newton was LCSD1’s director of instruction. In that role he directed curriculum, instruction, assessment, accreditation, interventions, professional development, athletics/activities and federal programs.

Newton has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming for the graduate school in the college of education as a professional learning consultant for the Center for Model Schools.

He started his career as a high school teacher in 1995 in Arizona. Newton then served as an academic professional for the University of Wyoming before assuming a position as a high school teacher at LCSD1’s Central High.

He became an assistant principal at McCormick Junior High before joining Central High as associate principal and then head principal.

“I feel incredibly grateful and blessed to be able to continue to serve the staff, students and community of Cheyenne,” Newton said.

Newton graduated from the University of Wyoming (UW) with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He also holds a master’s degree in education, educational leadership and a doctorate in education, curriculum and instruction from UW.

The deadline for community members to submit questions for Laramie County School District 1’s superintendent candidate community forums is noon, Sunday, Jan. 21. To submit a question, go to bit.ly/LCSD-1. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, The LCSD1 Board of Trustees announced the superintendent candidate interview schedule, which is listed below.

• Wednesday, Jan. 24: Dr. Stephen Newton is Laramie County School District 1’s Interim Superintendent of Schools.
• Monday, Jan. 29: Dr. Thomas Meyer is Superintendent of Schools at Bellevue Community School District in Bellevue, Iowa.
• Wednesday, Jan. 31: Michael Hamel is Superintendent of Schools at Carbon County School District in Rawlins, Wyoming.

Resumes for each of the candidates are posted on the homepage of the district website, www.laramie1.org, under the Superintendent Interviews button.

Candidates will spend their day touring schools and meeting with district and community stakeholders.

Stakeholders are invited to attend community forums, which will be held from 6-7 p.m. in the LCSD1 Board Room, 2811 House Ave., for candidates on their respective interview day. A Zoom link is available on the website for those who wish to view a livestream of the forums.

Each day will conclude with the candidate’s board interview, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. during Executive Session.

The Laramie County School District 1 Smart Spoon Cafe is holding their annual Junior Chef and Iron Chef recipe contests. Students can submit a recipe for a chance to be featured on school lunch menus in May.

The Junior Chef contest is open to grades K–6 and the Iron Chef contest is open to grades 7–12. Recipes must be submitted by Friday, Jan. 12. Finalists will be chosen by Feb. 10 and the finalists will cook for a panel of judges on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

The recipe must be an entrée with grains and lean proteins. A minimum of three common ingredients are required, with one being a protein item. A maximum of eight ingredients, not including spices, is allowed. Exact measurements must be included in the recipe.

Step-by-step preparation instructions and the number of servings per recipe are also required.

The recipe should contain less than 600 mg of sodium per serving. Less than 35% of its total calories should be from fat. To analyze a recipe, visit www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator.

Photos of the finished recipe are not required but may be beneficial.

For more information or to submit your recipe, email smartspooncafe@laramie1.org.

South High recently hosted a showcase for their We the People team.

The event not only served as a competition, but it also gave students the opportunity to show off their hard work to members in the community.

We the People is a national curriculum available to students enrolled in AP Government and Politics or concurrent POLS 1000 courses. The curriculum focuses on principles and values pertaining to the U.S Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students learn to research and analyze various topics involving political science and civics and then present them for judging.

The judges are selected from a list of community members from different backgrounds such as attorneys, former students, LCCC professors and political scholars. This year, South High was fortunate to have LCSD1 Trustees Christy Klaassen and Susan Edgerton serve on the judging panel.

Social Studies and World Languages Coordinator Reagan Kaufman said she was pleased to see the number of We the People alumni who showed up to support and judge this year's team.

“I think it shows the creation of a South High legacy regarding We the People,” Kaufman said.

The team will now prepare for the District and State competitions. The three LCSD1 triads will be competing in the Wyoming State Finals, which will take place at the Wyoming State Capitol Extension on Dec. 4-5. The competition is free and open to the public.  

—Photos & text by Megan Case

The professional baking class is just one of the career and technical education classes offered at East High to prepare students for the workforce.

In a spotless kitchen, surrounded by cooking supplies, East High professional baking students presented to their classmates the procedures on how to handle food properly. Their presentations showcased what they’ve learned as they prepared to obtain their safety and sanitation certification.

After the presentations, students broke into pairs to locate and identify cooking supplies that they later had to describe to their peers. This activity served to familiarize students with the kitchen and various cooking supplies available for them.

The journey began at the beginning of the school year when baking students learned proper food handling, cleaning, and other essential techniques to ensure they were ready to become certified to work in a kitchen. It is a requirement for everyone handling food to complete a safety and sanitation certification.

According to Donna Woitaszewski, East High family and consumer science teacher, this class is a way for students to prepare to enter the workforce, whether it is with a part-time job during high school or a position that can help carry them through college.

“We use the same training and information found out there in the community. Any restaurant you go to, their employees have been through the same thing our students go through,” Woitaszewski said.

After obtaining their safety and sanitation certification, the students were able to exercise their skills by cooking a tasty taco salad, implementing what they learned during the certification process.

“I chose that recipe because they can experience handling fresh vegetables that will not be cooked and raw meat, and practice using separate cutting boards, keeping their area clean, and making sure they don’t cross-contaminate,” Woitaszewski said.

Woitaszewski said that these classes will continue to prepare students with essential work skills that they can use their entire lives, regardless of what career they decide to pursue.

—Photos & text by Leslie Valencia

September was Deaf Awareness Month and, according to Michelle Maher, Laramie County School District 1 teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, it is essential to bring awareness to our community and engage everyone in this topic.

She explained that it is crucial for the community to start building a rich culture of understanding with the deaf and hard of hearing.

“We all have differences and that’s what makes us unique. Learning how to communicate in various ways and learning the communication styles of everyone we meet, no matter if they are deaf or hard of hearing or have another disability, that’s important,” Maher said.

Maher stated that the best way to communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing is to get their attention. One can wave to them or tap them but avoid yelling or raising your voice. It is a misconception that yelling can make the message being communicated become clear.

Aside from the communication barrier, another challenge that deaf and hard of hearing students face is isolation.

“Sometimes they are the only student in their school that is deaf or hard of hearing and sometimes there’s a loneliness factor,” Maher said, “especially for the ones that need interpreting services, sometimes the only person they can communicate with is their interpreter.”

Niana Williams, a sixth grader at Jessup Elementary who was born deaf, would like the world to know that she is awesome and kind and that she feels accepted when others around her are kind to her. Williams enjoys partaking in outdoor activities with her family and playing with her friends during recess.

Williams uses a bilateral cochlear implant which enhances her ability to hear, and she carries a personal microphone to help her better distinguish what she wants to hear from background noises.

Her kindness doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone around her and, despite the daily challenges she faces, Williams’ biggest motivation is her family and friends. Her smile and personality brighten everyone’s day and she always does her best to thrive academically. Williams is taking an AP math class at McCormick Junior High and ran for president and vice president for Jessup Elementary’s Student Council.

Jaden Vallee is a Carey Junior High eighth grader that uses sign language to communicate with others. His favorite class is math, and he loves playing basketball with friends. Although he faces some challenges when playing, he doesn’t let this stop him from having fun and enjoying time outdoors.

Vallee is an outgoing and smart teenager that appreciates it when people around him take the chance to get to know him. He teaches his closest friends how to use sign language to communicate and writes emails or finds other ways of communicating with his friends that do not know sign language.

Vallee said if he had the opportunity to teach four sign language words to the world, he would teach “I love you,” “friends,” “how are you” and “emergency.”

Educational interpreter Bert Valencia helps facilitate Vallee’s learning at school.

“He’s a funny and good student, he has a lot of personality, he loves video games and is very, very social,” Valencia said.

“I love working with the kids,” Maher said. “They inspire me every day with the challenges they must overcome. I get a kick out of seeing them being successful and learning right along with their typical peers.”

An American Sign Language Club is now available for students at Carey Junior High. The club meets every Wednesday from 3-3:45 p.m. Students learn about deaf culture, learn and practice sign language, play games, learn stories and poems, watch videos, and enjoy snacks together. This year the club sponsors are hoping to plan field trips and projects around the community.

—Photos & text by Leslie Valencia

Flag football, the first sport in the school year, ended in three triad-wide Pro Bowl events that were filled with laughter, cheering and proud smiles.

Elevate Athletics Director and Prairie Wind fifth grade teacher Dayna Erickson said the atmosphere at the Pro Bowls was extremely positive.

“The competitors loved being able to interact with the high school football players they look up to and get to cheer for on Friday nights,” Erickson said.

Students played scrimmages against other teams from their triad, tested their throwing and punting skills, and ran relays to demonstrate the football skills they have worked on. One student patted an opposing player on the back after they made a touchdown, complimenting their running speed. Another giggled and smiled as they missed their opponent’s flag and their opponent sprinted to the end zone.

“Sportsmanship is an important part of Elevate Athletics,” Erickson said. “I heard all kids cheering for each other as they competed in the quarterback throw, punting, and the running back relays.”

Erickson said athletes would volunteer to help fill another team’s relay team or would run again to give a team someone to compete against.

Bain Elementary Principal Tiffany Rehbein said during one of the scrimmages, a team came together to allow their opponents, who had not scored all season, to score.

“Both teams were excited and cheering together to see the success and how happy the other team was after they scored,” Rehbein said.

While the Pro Bowls were overflowing with positivity, Rehbein said she has seen a decrease in behavior issues during the flag football season. She said she believes being physically active might have promoted the students’ mental health and increased their engagement.

“There was an increased sense of pride in their schools,” Rehbein said.

Erickson said she believes the lesson of unity is one of the greatest long-term benefits of Elevate Athletics, with students showing unity with their teammates, with other teams and even with other triads.

The community rallied to support the program, with the Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne (BGCC) providing uniforms, equipment, warm-up shirts, coaches and gameday assistance.

BGCC also arranged for University of Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley to be at the South Triad Pro Bowl.

The Elevate Athletics basketball season began Oct. 30 and will run until Dec. 7. Volleyball will run Feb. 5–March 14, and track will run April 8–May 9. Any fifth and sixth grader in the district can participate in all programs, and the track program is open to fourth through sixth graders.

—Photo & text by Brad White

Amy Corbin, a second grade teacher at Dildine Elementary, and her husband, Andy; have been growing pumpkins for 30 years. They have been growing massive Atlantic Dill pumpkins for over a decade, and this year they beat the record for the largest pumpkin grown in Wyoming with a 2,062-pound pumpkin. The record they broke was their own: an 1,800-pound pumpkin that they grew in 2022.

Amy Corbin said she and her husband have been bringing the pumpkins to Dildine to show the students for a decade.

“We love to see the expressions on the students’ and the adults’ faces. It is fun to see and hear their excitement,” she said.

As students climbed around the pumpkin this year, their expressions were filled with awe. They hugged and gently patted the pumpkin, and they were full of exclamations and questions for the Corbins.

Amy Corbin said she often hears, “You can make a lot of pumpkin pie!”

She said that she and her husband start the plants indoors in April, then move them outside when they are big enough. As the plant grows, they bury the vines to develop new roots. They pollinated this pumpkin in early June and harvested it on Oct. 9. While the pumpkins are growing, they require a lot of water and must be covered with blankets at night.

During their peak growth, Atlantic Dill pumpkins can grow by around 40 pounds a day.

Now the Corbins have their sights set on the world record for pumpkin size, which is 2,749 pounds.

Having a disability can be challenging, especially for teenagers trying to fit in with their peers. That’s why East High School took the initiative to launch a Best Buddies Club.

“Best Buddies is an [international] inclusive club of friendship that connects kids with disabilities with kids without disabilities, so that we have a more inclusive school,” club member Franni Dobler said.

The journey to launch the club took a couple years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the process that needed to be completed with the international organization. Despite these obstacles, the club officially started at East High last year with more than 20 active members.

Parent adviser Rebecca Millett contacted PALS teacher/faculty adviser LuAnne Cook-Ludwick to pitch the idea of starting the club. Being the parent of a teen with a disability, Millett knew that her son needed a little push to make some friends.

“My inspiration was my son,” Millett said. “We didn’t know anybody when we moved here in 2020 and I was trying to help him make friends.”

Club members meet every Thursday to discuss ideas on how to improve the club, participate in monthly events and go on field trips together.  

Millett said, “Part of the core of the program is one-to-one friendship matching. We connect a peer with a disability with a peer without a disability and they can connect outside of school or during lunch.”

Group members expressed the joy that they get from being part of the club and emphasized that they have fun with the friends they have made. Not only do teens with disabilities enjoy being part of the club, but other peers are thrilled to participate.

Dobler said, “I’ve always had a spot in my heart for kids with disabilities. I think it’s a great club to have everybody join and we always have so much fun, it’s always just a blast. We’ve gone ice skating, last year we had a pie event and it’s always lots of fun events.”

Cook-Ludwick said, “This has been an awesome opportunity for East High to expand and get kids more involved. The social aspect of Best Buddies is great, I see a growth in all students.”

East High students interested in joining the Best Buddies Club or parents interested in volunteering can contact Millett at 303-710-6179 or dsmother82@gmail.com. QR codes are placed around the school for easier student registration. For more information, visit https://www.bestbuddies.org.

Laramie County School District 1 will be hosting town hall meetings to provide information and answer questions about the district’s kindergarten through eighth grade Eureka Math Squared pilot program.

The meetings are scheduled as follows:

Monday, Oct. 30, 5:15-6 p.m., LCSD1 Administration Building, 2810 House Ave. room 306.

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 5:15-6 p.m., LCSD1 Administration Building, 2810 House Ave. room 306