CCSD#2 survey results available

Responses to a Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD#2) survey drew mixed results from community members.

The results from the Nov. 2014 survey were posted on the CCSD#2 website and are now available for public viewing.

The survey asked for the public’s opinion on implementing a common district calendar and randomized drug testing for high school students participating in activities.

No decision has been made yet concerning either one of these items.

The anonymous comments regarding the district-wide calendar ranged from approval to disdain, as well as several comments regarding the benefits or ineffectiveness of a four-day week.

Randomized drug testing saw similar results — many claim testing is a violation of privacy, while others welcome it. Some comments suggested testing should be expanded to all students and even faculty members.

CCSD#2 Superintendent Jim Copeland said after canvassing the comments, most people appeared to be in favor of adopting a district-wide calendar and implementing a drug-policy to different degrees.

Copeland announced at the Dec. 15 school board meeting there have been some preliminary discussions concerning the school schedules with the district advisory council (DAC), a council made up of parents, staff and other community members. Copeland said they discussed three different calendars and examined the “pros and cons” of each schedule.

Out of 48 school districts in the state, only three, including CCSD#2, have different calendars. In Platte Valley schools, Encampment typically runs on a five-day school week and Saratoga operates on a four-day school week.

Talks concerning drug-policy changes have been minimal at these meetings. Copeland said the rationale behind that is a calendar change would have to be implemented in early spring, whereas a drug policy could be applied at a later time.

The DAC will meet again after Christmas break.

Every community was represented in the survey, but a majority of the comments came from Saratoga (52 percent) and Encampment (32 percent) residents. Thirty-three percent of the comments came from parents and 25 percent arrived from faculty and staff.