Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 356
The final quarter of the 2019/2020 school year saw students learn new ways to use technology. Not only in terms of how to complete their school work, but how to compete in a virtual competition. While Saratoga’s speech and debate team was able to compete in the State Meet through virtual means, they weren’t the only ones to do so. The State FBLA Conference was also held virtually and three Saratoga students placed extremely well. Saratoga Middle High School (SMHS) students Campbell Graybow and...
Since 1993, the Platte Valley Arts Council has been enriching the quality of life in the area and expanding educational opportunities for all forms of the arts, whether it is music, literature, dance, visual arts, or theater. It’s mission is to “to foster awareness of and participation in any form of the arts, with the aim of developing vibrant and cohesive communities.” The arts council’s purpose is to keep Art in our everyday lives. In the year 2000, the arts council began awarding scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrated that ar...
COVID-19 was not going to spoil the 6th grade graduation ceremony for the Medicine Bow Elementary School (MBES) graduates. The school went door to door on May 20 to celebrate the sixth graders accomplishments. "Usually we have a little ceremony for the kids each year and we wanted to have one this year," Courtney Priest, secretary at MBES said. "Obviously we couldn't do it the same as in the past where we would have a party for the kids at the school." Priest said the imperativeness of doing...
When COVID-19 started to hit epidemic portions in parts of the United States, one of the casualties was the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It was the first sign schools were facing changes. Spring break was starting for many schools and, in a matter of weeks, spring break turned permanent It caught many off guard. Suddenly kids were at home and parents found themselves as educators and teachers were educating students remotely. Seniors of 2020 have it particularly hard having missed out on rites...
For many students, the graduation ceremony is arguably one of the most important events of their high school career. Under normal circumstances, the planning and execution of the event can be frustrating for students, staff and parents. For Wyoming and Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2), circumstances have not been normal since March. With each extension of public health orders issued by Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, questions arose as to how schools...
Some residents of this county might know Shelly Cooper as the Carbon County School District No. 2 Teacher of the Year. She won that honor last spring. Others might know she was a strong advocate for Medicine Bow Elementary and its community on why the school should stay open last year, although its enrollment was not high. This year, she was the teacher that had her 10 students in grades 2-6 achieve the goal of reading 500 books this year. The school year isn't over and the kids arn't done on...
While the main reason for the special meeting of the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees on May 4 was to decide whether to continue with the districts Adapted Learning Plan, they also made a decision on property owned by the district in Medicine Bow. As was reported previously (see “School district left with a ‘lot’ of questions” on page 14 of the April 22 Saratoga Sun), MedBow Lodging, LLC had informed the school district in a letter that they were not interested in extending their lease, which was set to expire on Ma...
Jason Greenway, principal of the three elementary schools in the north of Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) is leaving after the school year ends. He supervised Hanna Elementary, Medicine Bow Elementary and Elk Mountain Elementary. “I am going to miss the students, parents and staff members,” Greenway said. “COVID has made that more clear the past few months.” He said the change of not seeing students and staff on a day-to-day basis has been challenging because he felt persona...
Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) entered the fourth week of its Adapted Learning Plan as the CCSD2 Board of Trustees held a special meeting on May 4 to determine how the schools in the district would finish out the school year. As was previously reported (see “Putting a plan together” on page 3 of the April 1 Saratoga Sun), State Superintendent Jillian Balow had directed school districts throughout the state to submit their Adapted Learning Plan for approval to either complete par...
It is no secret that the closure of Wyoming schools, has tested both students and parents. Now the 2020 school year will be completed at home. Some parents think this a good idea. “I believe finishing the school year at home is smart. I know doing online school at home is difficult for many families but for us, it has meant extra time with our children,” Hanna resident and Hanna Basin Museum Director Sunshine Solaas said. She has six children, most in the Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM)...
At the beginning of the year, Medicine Bow Elementary School second through sixth graders had a goal to read 35 books a student by the end of the school term (See "Getting kids to read" on page 7 of the April 8 Saratoga Sun). Shelly Cooper, their teacher was surprised how quickly they hit their goal and the kids were in the process of going for a higher target when school shut down. "I think it is amazing they hit 350 books," Cooper said of her 10 students. "We were well over 400 when school...
A student at Medicine Bow Elementary placed second in the Wyoming State Arbor Day poster contest. Samuel Heward, a 4th grader in Shelly Cooper's class, submitted his poster in the tradition of the Heward family. Other siblings have placed in this contest in years past. The Wyoming State Forestry Division partnered with Wyoming Project Learning Tree again this year to host the annual Wyoming State Arbor Day poster contest. This year's theme was "I Spy Trees." Over 175 4th and 5th grade students...
Carbon County School District 2 graduating seniors may now apply for the $500 Youth Citizenship Award offered by the Valley Service Organization (VSO). Applications may be obtained by emailing: [email protected]. If the student does not have access to email, he or she should call Carol Beach, VSO award chairman, at 307-326-8012. Completed applications should be returned to Beach by email or according to arrangements made when the application was requested. Deadline to apply is May 15, Beach said. Beach emphasized that the award is not a...
The nurses of Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2) may not be seeing students on a day to day basis, but the kids are not forgotten. “We want all the kids to know that we miss them terribly,” Melissa Copeland, Assistant District Nurse said. “We are still working here as nurses during this time period making some plans to have safety measures in place when reentry back to school becomes possible.” Copeland, retiring District School Nurse Karen Patton, new District School Nurse Nikki T...
The closure of schools in the different communities has not been easy for parents, students and staff of schools. But during these tough times, there are those who see good come out of this difficult situation. “Above all else through this closure, I miss being able to interact and work with the students in our district,” Drew Leach Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2) psychologist said. “A large portion of my role as the District School Psychologist is to interact with the kids and help...
Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) has completed two weeks of working with its Adapted Learning Plan following the extension of a public health order issued by Governor Mark Gordon that closed public schools through the state along with other public gathering places. In that time, teachers have had to learn how to conduct class through digital means while parents have had to learn how to turn their homes into an extension of the classroom. At the April 20 meeting of the CCSD2 Board of...
by Joshua Wood The Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees is facing a dilemma of land ownership after receiving information that the current lessee of property in Medicine Bow is not interested in renewing their lease for another year. Currently, property owned by the district surrounding the old Medicine Bow High School is leased to MedBow Lodging, LLC. There are approximately 10 contractors staying on the property at the moment. As was previously reported, (see...
Staff Report Each year in April, the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins (SER) Conservation District promotes two conservation events, Earth Day, which is April 22, and Arbor Day, which is April 24. Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues so this year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary. By raising public awareness of pollution, reducing the use of our natural resources, reusing materials and recycling many products through the years, we all contribute to the conservation of our natural resources. Arbor Day...
“The Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2) decided to use the Saratoga High School stadium to honor all our seniors who were not able to participate in their spring activities this school year, as well as show our support of our local first responders, medical personnel and all others who are risking their own well-being during this pandemic by participating in the nationwide ‘Be the Light’ campaign this Friday,” Zach Schmidt, assistant principal and former Saratoga High School head wr...
It started when Principal Jason Greenway handed Medicine Bow Elementary teacher Shelley Cooper the book "Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller early in the school year. The author of "Book Whisperer" is a teacher who says she has yet to meet a child she couldn't turn into a reader. Her method is unconventional. Miller does away with traditional reading instruction of book reports and comprehension worksheets and instead, focuses on letting students choose books and independently read. Miller's...
A week after the initial public health order closed schools throughout Wyoming, along with other public spaces, it was announced that Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Alexia Harrist had extended that order, along with two others. With an original date of April 3, that order was extended to April 17 on March 27. As was reported previously (see “CCSD2 continues to work for students” on page 12 of the March 25 Saratoga Sun), Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) has been wor...
Following the recommendation from Governor Mark Gordon and State Superintendent Jillian Balow on March 15 that all schools in Wyoming close their doors until April 3, Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) has been working to keep parents updated on what can be done to try and continue education outside the classroom. At the March 16 meeting of the CCSD2 Board of Trustees, Superintendent Jim Copeland explained that, at the time, the district couldn’t offer online education as they were u...