CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Laramie County School District 1 Board of Trustees convened Monday evening for a regular meeting following a work session, addressing topics ranging from school improvement initiatives and the free lunch program to a major renovation project and concerns raised during public comment.
McCormick Junior High School renovation
The board approved a contract for construction with Richardson Construction Inc. for the McCormick Junior High School renovation, not to exceed $17,632,292, plus a 5% contingency.
To facilitate the project, the board also approved a $14 million amendment to the major maintenance budget. According to Andy Knapp, the district’s director of facilities, the renovation will be completed in five phases, starting this summer, with initial phases expected to finish around Christmas. The project includes work on the front vestibule, administration offices and classrooms.
Superintendent Stephen Newton noted that a budget amendment of this size for major maintenance was unusual due to the comprehensive nature of the McCormick project.
Progress on School Improvement Plans
During the board’s work session, trustees received an update on school improvement.
“Two years ago we had six schools in ‘schools in need of support.’ Last year, we had five — Alta Vista dropped off. And this year, this coming year, we’re going to have four,” LCSD1 Director of School Leadership Eric Jackson said.
He congratulated Arp Elementary for exiting the “schools in need of support” category.
Principals shared various strategies being implemented, including strengthening Tier One instruction, focusing on professional learning communities and increasing stakeholder involvement. Challenges such as substitute teacher shortages and staff turnover were also discussed.
Community Eligibility Provision for Free School Meals Success
The board received an update on the first year of the Community Eligibility Provision, which provides free breakfast and lunch to all students in 13 South Triad schools.
Ashley Roth, the district’s director of nutrition services, reported that 4,449 students have access to free meals without application. She highlighted significant increases in average daily participation, with a 21% increase at lunch and a 35% increase at breakfast compared to the previous school year.
Roth explained the financial mechanism of the CEP, noting the district claims a high percentage of meals at the free reimbursement rate based on the number of directly certified students. The district intends to opt into the program for the 2025–26 school year and will continue efforts to increase participation.
Public addresses teacher support, district transparency
Two East High School students spoke in strong support of a government teacher, who was not named, highlighting his innovative and engaging teaching methods that involve real-world applications and community involvement.
Prior to their comments, board Chair Alicia Smith warned that any comments reflecting on the employment status of a teacher would be redirected or shut down, citing a court ruling on school district employee status discussions in open meetings. She attempted to conceal the students’ identities, citing their status as minors, despite their intention to partake in the public meeting. Both students cited their names anyway when taking the microphone.
Also in public comment, Dylan Ford, president of the Cheyenne Teachers Association, presented results from a recent CTA climate survey. He noted largely positive feedback for building principals but highlighted concerns at the district level, stating that “only 25% of those who took the survey felt the district was transparent” and “only 15% of the respondents felt that the district valued educator input when it made decisions”.
He said there were 155 respondents to the survey that was sent out during the legislative session, meaning 135 felt the district handed down decisions without seeking any teacher input.
