We have the ability to report on a student’s growth toward expected skills and Wyoming State Standards.  Through this approach, we can celebrate specific areas that your child is doing well in and also target areas that need improvement.

     The focus is on mastering skills based on targeted assessments and not on points accumulated, an average of all the scores in a semester, or on school behavior (i.e. turning in homework). We will now have conversations about academic proficiency relative to the standards taught and the results of formal grade level assessments. In addition, and most importantly, the school behaviors that are critical to success will also be reported on and discussed in conferences.

Emergency Drills

      In October, we practiced fire and earthquake drills.  Staff and students excelled at both of these.  However, whenever we conduct drills there is always more structure and supervision than will be possible in an actual situation.  For example, if a fire started during lunch, few of our children would be with their teacher.     

     Because we never know when we might have a fire, earthquake, or unwelcome intruder; we teach our students the principles for action and decision making. I believe knowledge is power and a sense of control alleviates anxiety. Students know we have plans and they know (in general) how to react in emergency situations. However, we need to do a little more preparation with them in the event we have a threat in the building.

     In school-wide discussions, we talk about three basic principles I believe they can remember: HIDE (securely), FLEE (until you are completely away from any chance of the threat), and FIGHT (when all else fails in the face of the threat).  The idea of a threat is scary, but I believe we need to empower students for their emotional benefit and physical safety, so they can respond if such a tragic event ever came to our campus.  We are working on an addition to our school-wide response protocol and that is the process for reunification for students and parents after an event.