Hello 2024!
Hello, 2024 (well, almost)!
Have you started counting the days until your kids return to school yet?
Don’t worry. It will be here before you know it. Students start back on Monday, January 8th, and we are excited to see your kids back in the halls of the schools.
As we enter the new year, here are a few things you should know.
Next School Board Meeting
The next meeting is Monday, January 15th, at Moorcroft Elementary School. Wyoming State Representative Chip Neiman will be there to talk about educational priorities in the coming legislative session. This is an excellent opportunity to hear firsthand about some proposed legislation concerning education. Our meetings are open to the public, and we would love to see you there.
Did you know you can view the minutes for previous meetings online?
We Want to Know What You Think
Recently, we sent out a survey to all of our parents asking for feedback concerning your child’s school and education. So far, we have had about 250 responses. Thank you to each of you for taking the time to complete that. If you haven’t had a chance to fill out the survey, it is completely anonymous and takes around 10 minutes to complete.
When we do these surveys each year, a few questions arise. Let’s see if we can answer a few.
Why do you send out these surveys?
Great question! We have this crazy idea that your child’s education is important, and we want to ensure we are doing the best job possible. We measure our effectiveness in several ways, and receiving feedback from students, staff, and parents is a great indicator. A lot of feedback comes from good old-fashioned conversations, but the surveys are just another tool to ensure we are hearing from you.
Do you actually do anything with these survey results?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: Yes, and here is the process. With over 250 responses (and counting) to the parent survey, you can imagine that the answers are all over the place. Several people rave about their child’s school and teachers. Some people think that education in Crook County is on the brink of absolute destruction. Most are somewhere in the middle. So, what do we do with this spectrum of opinions? We look for themes. If 20% or more of the responses discuss the same issue, we will look at that and see how we can address it. We research, make a plan, execute, and reevaluate. If the plan worked, excellent! If it didn’t, then back to the drawing board.
What is the worst part about the surveys?
These surveys are anonymous, which is excellent for increasing the number of responses, but this also makes it impossible to have a conversation. Fortunately, there is a solution.
Please fill out the survey, but take it a step further. If you are super proud of your kid’s teacher, please let them know. Shoot them an email, give them a call, or buy them a winning lottery ticket. Whatever you do, let them know! Teaching is tough, and your kind words will make their day! Have an issue with something at the school? Let’s talk. Reach out to the principal. Talk to the superintendent. Call a school board member. Have a conversation. This matters. Things are explained, facts are determined, and change is made.
Here is what matters. Crook County School District works daily to ensure your child gets the best education possible, but we need your help. To be successful, we have to work together.
So thank you. Thank you for letting us partner with you in your child’s education. Thank you for trusting us with your kids. Thank you for filling out this survey and having conversations. Thank you for making Crook County the best place in the world to be!
Did You Know?
There is a massive correlation between student attendance and academic success. At CCSD#1, we have around a 93% attendance rate. This is better than the average school district, but we can do better. Check out this short video illustrating the importance of student attendance with blocks.
As always, if there is anything we can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Brodrson at brodersonm@crook1.com, to any of our school board members, or feel free to call Central Office at 307-283-2299.
Let’s have a fantastic new year!
CCSD #1