Encampment K-12 School hosts Board of Trustees

Encampment K-12 School hosted the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) November 18, which gave Principal Jake Johnston an opportunity to show off the improvements in the school building.

Improvements include new carpet in the office and hallway, a redesign of the front office for visitors and parents to check in and new bleachers.

Johnston told the board, all the contractors showed up on the same day, which was a challenge for the newly appointed principal.

The final product is beautiful red and black bleachers in both gyms, black carpet with red designs and a fence around the football field to protect it from deer. Johnston was especially happy with this, as he will no longer have to scoop deer scat off the field.

Johnston introduced his guiding coalition to the board, which included Daniel Greenwood, Leslie McLinksey, Noelle Peterson, Jordan Seitz, and himself.

Daniel Greenwood told the board about the shared leadership in the guiding coalition, which includes fostering collaboration, ensuring alignments of specific objectives like improving WYTOPP math scores with math intervention. The coalition will also provide leadership and support to other teachers and communicate how well the changes are working. With any new program, there is sometimes push back and the leadership team is responsible for overcoming resistance by getting buy-in from all involved.

The coalition hopes to enhance decision making as five heads are better than one, Greenwood said.

Peterson introduced the intervention plans for the students, which includes a school-wide period for intervention for the elementary and secondary students. Elementary is from 10:46 to 11:15 a.m. and the secondary students are from 12:15 to 12:46 p.m.

Peterson said intervention is data driven. The data is derived from Fastbridge and WYTOPP scores to help decide the students' needs. They also use teacher input, as the teachers are with the students every day.

Seitz told the board that teachers in the coalition have common planning times which allows for them to work toward the model PLC (Professional Learning Community), allows a consistent meeting time, and helps with mentorship.

Greenhouse

Mandy Westermann, the new agricultural teacher, planning to build a greenhouse on the school grounds. With a grant for $10,000, she purchased an 18 x 30 greenhouse. Westermann told the board of trustees that Greenhouse MegaStore was surprised when she told them about the wind and snow load in Encampment. The greenhouse will be located between the agriculture building and the cafeteria.

Westermann plans to use the greenhouse for education uses including starter plants and garden to table. She will use the greenhouse for a vertical alignment of grade level project based learning and cross organizational collaboration.

She has hopes the students will be able to sell starter plants in the spring.

Westermann was also excited about the new table saw provided to her classroom by the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES).

Work Study Program

Encampment K-12 School has started a work study program for seniors this year and five students have signed up. They leave the school at the last period of the day to learn trades. This semester the students are in work study programs in mechanics, welding and the food industry. Seven students have enrolled for next semester and the work study program will include healthcare.

Johnston is working toward community relationships with the community by offering summer camps, Back to School Night, FFA Nights, Halloween Carnival, Parent Teacher Conferences, Veterans’ Day Assemblies, Internet Safety Night, Christmas Community Spirit Day, Local Legends, Books and Breakfast and having parent volunteers.

This year, the school has also started a Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO).

In Encampment, the school is the heartbeat of the community, Johnston said he wants to increase community involvement.

The school even offers pickleball.