All posts by Kari Eakins

Special Announcement

August 1, 2018Superintendent's UpdateKari Eakins

Dear Superintendents,

Earlier today the Federal Commission on School Safety confirmed plans to hold its third listening session of four in Cheyenne on Tuesday, August 7. President Trump appointed members to the Commission in March of this year and they are: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. The Commission is charged with rapidly making recommendations to keep students safe at school. They are discussing a range of issues like social emotional support, effective school safety infrastructure, minimum age for firearms purchases, and the impact that videogames and the media have on violence.

The listening session is held in conjunction with our first statewide school safety summit where school, community, state, and national leaders will have the opportunity to coalesce around safety priorities and needs.

Here are media releases for both events with hot links to agendas, locations, registration, and more:

Statewide School Safety Summit

FCSS Listening Session

I am very pleased that the Commission has chosen Wyoming as the location to hold a listening session. The rural perspective is essential and your participation will ensure our voice is on the record. The first two sessions were held in Washington, DC and Lexington, KY, respectively.

In addition to taking public comment, the listening session will feature several roundtable discussions. I will have the opportunity share comments on behalf of our state and participate in a roundtable discussion.

This is a rare opportunity for our state and an important time for Wyoming voices to be heard. Please plan to attend.

Jillian

School Safety and Security Summit to Follow Federal Listening Session in Cheyenne

August 1, 2018News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will be holding a School Safety and Security Summit in Cheyenne on August 7-8, 2018. The Summit will follow an afternoon of roundtable discussions and a public input session hosted by the Federal Commission on School Safety (FCSS) in Cheyenne on August 7.

“We are thrilled the U.S. Department of Education chose Wyoming as one of four locations for these public listening sessions,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “Important conversations are happening at the local, state, and federal level about school safety and security, and it’s our privilege to assist educators and communities in keeping students safe and supporting them in every way that we can.”

After the FCSS public input session at Little America, the Summit will begin with a networking reception on the evening of August 7 at Terry Bison Ranch. The next day, the School Facilities Division of the State Construction Department is bringing in national school safety expert Randy Braverman as the keynote speaker. Braverman is a Senior Consultant at Facility Engineering Associates PC in Chicago and has more than 25 years experience in managing security operations in a variety of roles, including Security Consultant, Director of Security and Campus Safety, and law enforcement officer.

Throughout the rest of the Summit, participants will rotate between three breakout sessions centered around school-based mental health support, information from the School Facilities Division, and best practices for school and law enforcement coordination.

Registration information and a full agenda for the Summit, along with information on the FCSS listening session are available on the WDE website.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053

Perkins Reauthorization

July 30, 2018Superintendent's UpdateKari Eakins

Dear Superintendents,

This week, the U.S. House and Senate approved bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. President Trump will soon sign into law the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

The Perkins Act was last authorized in 2006. Since that time, the employment marketplace and career paths have changed dramatically. Health care, information technology, and many other cutting- edge fields have growing demands for well-educated and trained workers. Wyoming’s Senator Enzi, a longtime proponent of the Perkins Act and CTE, was a key leader in the development and passage of the final legislation. In the coming days our team at WDE looks forward to unpacking the tenets of the new Perkins Act and aligning them with our priorities, practices, and goals for CTE.

Dressed in pink shirts and cowboy hats, a teacher helps an elementary student learn how to rope at the Challenge Rodeo. — Wyoming’s Teacher of the Year, Sara Reed, helps Challenge Rodeo participants during Cheyenne Frontier Days. For the second year, CFD honored teachers and treated the Wyoming Teacher of the Year to VIP events.

Memos to be released on Monday, July 30:

2018-078: School Safety and Security Summit
2018-079: FBI Active Shooter Detection and Prevention Training
2018-080: 2017-18 ACT, WY-ALT, and ACCESS Student Level Confidential Reports Now Available
2018-081: Seeking Public Input on Proposed Leader Evaluation Rules

Jillian

Public Comment Open On Proposed Leader Evaluation Rules

July 30, 2018News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) seeks public comment on the Chapter 29 Rules: Evaluation Systems For District And School Leaders And Other Certified Personnel. These rules are being revised following the passage of SEA0031 during the 2017 Legislative session, which requires the implementation and administration of a comprehensive leader evaluation system.

The WDE worked with the State Board of Education and the Leader Certified Personnel Advisory Committee to develop a leader evaluation system for superintendents, district leaders, and school leaders. A rationale for the revisions to these rules can be found in the Statement of Reasons.

Public comment is open through September 15, 2018, and may be submitted online or mailed to:

Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Laurel Ballard
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002

All public comments will be recorded, filed and posted on the Secretary of State website as part of the rules promulgation process.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053

Busy Teachers During the Summer

July 23, 2018Superintendent's UpdateKari Eakins

Dear Superintendents,

I’ve had the opportunity to visit with various groups of educators over the past couple of weeks and am humbled by the hard and thoughtful work taking place. From work on standards to curriculum to setting cut scores to traditional PD, hundreds of Wyoming educators are working to improve all facets of education. Thank you!

A WDE employee sits with two teachers at a table developing agriculture focused curricula for Wyoming's science standards. — Teachers develop Wyoming-specific science curriculum through the Wyoming Stewardship Program (Ag in the Classroom)

About 30 members of the standards review committee sit at classroom style tables with their arms raised in excitement to start their work on computer science standards.

Wyoming begins developing K-12 computer science standards

In September a unique and monumental event will take place in Laramie–a Hackathon! We are partnering to create a K-12 Hackathon strand. This event adds to the momentum created by computer science education and blockchain legislation passed in 2018. Chances are good that a few folks in your community or district are interested in attending–Please pass this information along!

Wyoming Hackathon link

Hackathon Press Release

Finally, the discussion about school safety is ramping up and, in my opinion, the conversation is more productive than in previous years. At the national level, leaders from various federal agencies are taking on tough subjects that compromise the safety of students including violence, mental health, and more. I serve on a national steering committee charged with the development of a repository of data and resources for states to use. The Wyoming Legislature is studying school safety as an interim topic. And, next month, Wyoming will host the first-ever school safety summit. The dates of the summit have changed and some very exciting plans are in development even as I write this update. Please make sure your plans include early arrival on August 7 as we anticipate discussions ahead of the summit. There is also a networking reception planned for August 7. Here is a rough agenda for the event:

School Safety Summit Dates and Draft Agenda

Please look for more information about this in the coming days.

Memos to be released on Monday, July 23:

2018-076: WDE Searching for EL District Facilitators as Trainers
- 2018-076 attachment a: WIDA Letter
- 2018-076 attachment b: WIDA Flyer
2018-077: CTE Professional Development Funds Available

Jillian

Grant Awards $295,000 for Computer Science Implementation

July 20, 2018News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – Seven innovative education programs across Wyoming have been selected to receive 2018 Wyoming Education Trust Fund grants, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow announced Friday.

Applications that showed the creation or improvement of computer science programs and professional development activities specific to computer science and computational thinking were given priority in the scoring process this cycle, Balow said. Each winning project will create computer science opportunities for students just entering kindergarten to high school seniors who will be going onto college, a career, or the military.

“Through the Wyoming Education Trust Fund, we were able to award funds for seven unique computer science projects across the state,” Balow said. “I am excited about the opportunity these schools have to blaze the trail for the rest of the state as we implement Boot Up Wyoming.”

In April, the Wyoming Department of Education launched its Boot Up Wyoming 2022 initiative to help school districts implement computer science in all Wyoming classrooms. During the 2018 Budget Session, the Wyoming Legislature passed Senate Enrolled Act 0048, which added computer science and computational thinking to the state educational program.

The seven winning projects include: Shoshoni Code Wranglers; Full STEM Ahead (Diamondville); Fremont @Coder (Lander); Computer Science-Roosevelt High (Casper); The Middle Space Project (Buffalo); CTacs-Computational Thinking and Computer Science (Wheatland); and Sublette School District No. 9 Cyber Academy (Big Piney). A full description of each project is available here.

In Big Piney, Superintendent Steven Loyd said his teachers set out to create an after-school ‘Cyber Academy’ for students in fifth through eighth grades. The program will focus on four integrated threads within the context of computer science, all while increasing the availability of computer science opportunities to low-income and female students.

“Thanks to the Wyoming Education Trust Fund Grant, the SCSD #9 Cyber Academy will provide students with a rich learning experience in STEM and computer science education,” Loyd said.

All seven grant projects funded this year will help expose Wyoming students to a host of new educational opportunities around computer science, Balow said.

“Each award will positively impact students, Wyoming communities, and our state,” she said. “Funds were awarded to bold and innovative computer science projects that range from targeting economically disadvantaged students to partnering with local businesses.”

Wyoming Education Trust Fund monies are available for one-year grants to any public school district. Districts may apply individually, or in conjunction with other districts. A total of $295,728 was granted this year. More information about the trust fund is available on the WDE website.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053

21st Century Community Learning Centers-Cohort 12 Awards

July 18, 2018News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) Cohort 12 grants. With $1.63 million in funding available, the WDE is awarding a grant to each of the following school districts and community-based organizations across the state.

Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne – $108,677
Fremont County School District #1-Lander -$140,653
Greater WY Big Brothers Big Sisters-Albany County – $174,500
Lincoln County School District #2 – $190,000
Mercer Family Resource Center – $190,000
Teton Literacy Center – $122,446
Uinta County BOCES Education Center – $179,450
Washakie County School District #1 – $145,500
Weston County School District #1 – $190,000
Youth Emergency Services, Inc. – $190,000

The 21st CCLC program is authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Recipients of 21st CCLC grants must serve students and families from low-performing, high needs schools with before/after school programs as well as summer learning programs. The grants are awarded for up to five years, with continued funding dependent on performance and Federal funding allocations. For more information about the individual programs, contact the recipients.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053

School Safety and Security Summit

July 9, 2018Superintendent's UpdateKari Eakins

There is one memo to be released next week. Here is a preview:

2018-074: Revision of Transportation Rules

Also, please reserve time to attend Wyoming’s school safety and security summit on August. 13-14 in Casper. A formal invitation is forthcoming.

Jillian

Wyoming Awarded USDA Grant to Expand Farm to School Programs

June 25, 2018News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education has been awarded a Farm to School Grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service to expand and evaluate Farm to School Programs in Wyoming.

“Farm to School programs offer some of the best ways to engage students with hands-on learning about themselves and their community,” said State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “Giving children a better understanding of where their food comes from, before it shows up on their lunch tray or family dinner table, is so very important.”

The $95,607 grant will provide training on Good Agricultural Practices for school gardens, youth gardening programs, and culinary arts. It also will facilitate partnerships with the University of Wyoming Extension and Cent$ible Nutrition programs to support the incorporation of high tunnel gardening into school programs.

The USDA Farm to School Grants fund efforts to increase local foods served through child nutrition programs, teach children about food and agriculture through garden and classroom education, and develop schools’ and farmers’ capacities to participate in farm to school practices.

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USDA Release

FY 2018 Farm to School List of Awardees

Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053