Back to school?

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 Trustees, Superintendent Jim Copeland stated that following a weekly Zoom meeting from the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), he was expecting a call from the district's WDE representative.

"Basically, this is the two week check-in to see how our Adapted Learning Plan is going," said Copeland. "Also, they will ask the district how it would look if we went back into session for the last couple of weeks."

With the deadline for the extension of Gordon's orders a little more than a week away, Copeland informed the board that he was told the governor would be making an announcement "very soon."

"So, that tells me there is some talk about possibly opening schools up. What I know, as of today, about schools is that Nebraska, South Dakota, Idaho and Utah have all closed schools for the year either by order or recommendation," Copeland said.

The superintendent added that the WDE had not heard from either Montana or Colorado on what they were doing with their school systems. According to Copeland, in a videoconference last week, Gordon had informed superintendents across Wyoming that he would be working with the bordering states.

"That does tell me that they are considering opening some things back up and it may include schools," said Copeland.

He added that the State of Wyoming may leave it up to the individual school districts as to whether they decide to resume school session for the remainder of the year or continue the year digitally. According to Copeland, Sweetwater County School District No. 2 had made the decision to end their school year. If the decision is left to each district, the superintendent informed the Board of Trustees that a special meeting would need to be held to determine the direction the district would go.

Copeland said that he was expecting a call from the WDE representative on Tuesday, as he had not received one Monday, and would relay any information to the Board of Trustees. 

"I would make a point that there is not a publicly confirmed case in our school district that we know of," Copeland said. "That's a factor, I suppose."

The next meeting of the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees will be at 4 p.m. on May 18 at Elk Mountain Elementary School in Elk Mountain.