PANDEMIC CLOSES PCSD1 FOR BALANCE OF SCHOOL YEAR
Online learning will continue; district now working on re-entry plan for 2020-21
More stories from Mr. Jay Curtis
Students, faculty and community members received this alert on Friday afternoon.
(ADVISER’S NOTE: Park County School District 1 Superintendent Mr. Jay Curtis transmitted the following letter via school e-mail and universal messaging at 2:07 p.m. today — Friday, April 24. It has been edited to adhere to journalistic style.)
April 24, 2020
Hello PCSD1 Parents/Guardians, Staff and Students:
Yesterday afternoon (Thursday, April 23) Wyo. Gov. Mark Gordon held a press conference where he announced that he is not extending school closures beyond April 30. He instead transferred that decision to public health and local school officials. At that same conference, State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist announced the continued health orders of social distancing and most businesses to remain closed, though they are opening some businesses slowly. Park County School District No. 1, working in conjunction with County Public Health Officials, have determined that any type of opening of the schools is still a ways off.
This decision does not come lightly, but we do feel it is the best decision for the health and safety of our students, staff and community.
— Mr. Jay Curtis, Superintendent, PCSD1
After consulting with local health officials, school administration and neighboring districts, it has been decided to continue our Remote Learning Plan for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. This decision does not come lightly, but we do feel it is the best decision for the health and safety of our students, staff and community. Some services for special populations may be modified to provide limited in-person instructional delivery, but likely not within the school buildings. Our staff will be in direct contact with parents whose students may need a modified delivery.
In order for our school district to re-open, whether that be to some limited degree this school year, during summer school or for the 2020-21 school year, we will first need to develop a re-entry plan and have it approved by our local and state Public Health Officers, as well as the Department of Education. We have already begun the process to determine components of a transitional re-entry plan.
We are currently making plans for a robust summer school option for students K-8 and credit recovery for students 9-12, which will tentatively begin on July 6. This will clearly be dependent on public health orders, current status of C-19 and approval of the WDE. We are extremely hopeful that we can get kids back in the buildings on that date.
Parents, please continue to work with your students in helping make sure they are staying engaged with their educational activities. Students, please commit to finishing the school year in a strong manner by continuing to attend and participate in your classes. Staff, please plan on finishing the school year under our current delivery model knowing there may be a very limited number of you that may be expected to work with a small number of students on a limited basis.
We will continue to keep the health and safety of our students, staff and community as a top priority. We will continue to work with our local Public Health Office in order to ensure any plans to return students and staff to school will be designed in such a way as to protect the health and safety of all involved.
Further communications will be forthcoming as more details are available.
Sincerely,
Jay Curtis
Superintendent
Park County School District 1
Colby Bennett • Apr 26, 2020 at 10:10 pm
It was said that this decision was made well over a month ago, just not brought out to the public until just a couple days ago. I can see schools closing with higher numbers of people with the virus, and more cases statewide, but I feel that Wyoming’s decision should have rested more on the individual counties and districts rather than the entire state. That may have been what the governor left it up to, I just wasn’t aware if so. Wyoming is spread out enough that it could have probably stood just fine for some districts to possibly at least open for the last couple 2-3 weeks of the school year for the seniors to finish out the right way. It all depends on what the virus looks like when that time comes, but I feel that the decision should have been postponed. But we don’t have the ultimate authority in the end of it.