All posts by tgabrukiewicz

Improving Literacy

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

As we head into a new week, we wanted to announce that we are transitioning this week to a new distribution schedule for the Superintendent’s Update and memos. You will now receive the update at 11 a.m. on Monday, rather than the previous Friday.  We hope this makes things smoother and more efficient for everyone all the way around.

Vision & Focus

When talking about the Old West with your students, here’s a great one to try on them: Once upon a time, in the Wild West days of Wyoming, a cowboy came slowly strolling into a small cow-poke town on his horse. After riding for days, he came up to the saloon, got off his horse, tied it to the hitching post and walked inside. He moseyed up to the bar and said to the saloonkeeper, “Please, give me a glass of water.”   

The question is, why did he ask for a glass of water? 

If your first answer is, because he was thirsty, you are incorrect – which means, you’re in a mind blind! If you try this on your students, they will most likely fall into one too.  So you might then tell them two things, in terms of teaching thinking: (1) sometimes they can find the right answer by asking the right questions, and (2) they’ll break out of the mind blind faster if they work together as a group rather than by trying to figure it out on their own.

This little exercise has a parallel purpose: to teach kids how to think for sure, but also to illustrate how easily we all fall into mind blinds, which always prevents healthy and constructive thinking. [The answer is (are you ready?) … because he had the hiccups.]   

The Primary Priority

Improving literacy education across this country is so doable because the science of reading is not rocket science — we know how to teach reading well. We know what works and what doesn’t work. It’s no longer a mystery or debate. The jury has long been in on this issue, as well as the verdict. And the verdict is structured literacy, the backbone of which is the phonetic approach. It bears much better fruit and produces far better results than all its competitors.  In real estate, it’s location, location, location; in education, the primary priority is literacy, literacy, literacy!

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship

Just one week after the signing of the WTA Standards with the U.S. Department of Labor, team leaders Dr. Laurel Ballard at the WDE and Brendan O’Connor at the PTSB are certainly not taking a break. They are preparing to present in November to the Legislature’s Joint Interim Education Committee. This will include updates on the progress of the initiative, work with the pilot school districts, and cost determinations.

In the Spotlight

This week the WDE launched its first Career and Technical Education (CTE) Summit – Classrooms to Careers in Cheyenne. The WDE’s CTE team organized the event, which included key stakeholders from government, business, industry, education, and community leaders from across the state.

The focus of the think-tank style event was to understand the barriers to CTE growth and success in Wyoming – and potential solutions. Over the two-day summit, considerations around perception, funding, curriculum, staffing and more were dissected and organized into actionable determinations, some near term and some longer. We know that the pathways for our graduates need to be increased and fortified going forward, and this event has set the stage for that to happen. Well done, Dr. Michelle Aldrich, Ilaine Brown, and Mary Billiter, and for that you are ‘In the Spotlight.’

Mark Your Calendars

This is the last chance to register for the 2022 Wyoming Innovations in Learning Conference. The Innovations Conference will be held virtually on November 3-4, 2022. The Innovations Conference is an opportunity for educators from kindergarten through higher education to share and explore innovative teaching and learning practices for classrooms and distance learning environments. PTSB and UW Credit will be available. Register here.

Monday memos:

Sincerely,

sig

2022 Wyoming NAEP Reading and Mathematics Scores Released

News Releases

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) has released the state’s reading and mathematics results on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, or NAEP.

“NAEP scores are an important indicator of how Wyoming stacks up nationally,” said Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Chad Auer. “In terms of public education in Wyoming – we have a lot to be proud of.”

In 2022 Wyoming’s grade 4 and 8 students continue to outperform national average test results, in reading and mathematics, with the exception of grade 8 reading, where Wyoming student scores were statistically even with the national average in reading for public school students.

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* = statistically different average score from 2022

 

Average scores in Wyoming were lower than reported in 2019 for grade 8 reading, and lower in mathematics for both grades 4 and 8. For the seven-year reporting period, from 2015 to 2022, Wyoming scores are down in all four reporting areas, but were statistically flat or unchanged for grade 4 reading since 2017.

The NAEP assessments scheduled for 2021 were postponed until 2022 due to the pandemic. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), NAEP testing is administered every two years in reading and mathematics to grade 4 and 8 students. All 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Department of Defense (DoD) schools participate in the assessment.

Results for Wyoming mirror the trends nationally for public schools, with results down dramatically since 2019. For example, 2022 grade 8 mathematics scores fell in 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, compared to 2019. In grade 4 mathematics, scores fell in 42 states, compared to 2019. For grade 8 reading, scores dropped in 33 states from 2019; in grade 4 reading, scores dropped in 30 states from 2019.

“It is not surprising that the pandemic has had a negative impact on student achievement nationwide,” Auer said. “What the NAEP results suggest, however, is that Wyoming’s resolve to overcome the challenges associated with the pandemic paid off.”

A bright spot in Wyoming’s 2022 results is the continued strong performance by the state’s Hispanic, special education and school lunch program students.These student groups continue to outperform their peers nationally in grade 4 and 8 mathematics, and grade 4 reading. These contributions provided a lift, keeping Wyoming’s aggregate or overall scores above the national average.

“Wyoming’s teachers continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to equity and providing a high quality education to ALL students regardless of a student’s ethnicity, socioeconomic status or learning challenges,” Auer said.

Despite lower NAEP scores locally and nationally since 2019, Wyoming continues to hold its ground among states during the 2022 assessments, improving its relative standing among states in all reporting areas since 2019. For example, only one jurisdiction, DoD schools performed above Wyoming’s average score in grade 4 and 8 mathematics and grade 4 reading. Additionally, only four states performed above Wyoming in grade 8 reading during (compared to seven states statistically above Wyoming in grade 8 reading during 2019).

Unlike the WY-TOPP’s census approach of testing all students in grades 3-10, NAEP testing involves a statistical sampling of students, and does not render individual test results for students, schools or districts. Due to the NAEP representative sampling strategy for assessing academic progress, sampling variability is inherent in all results. Consequently, NAEP data are similar to and resemble survey or polling results, where numeric differences in NAEP scores may not reflect statistically reliable or true distinctions in the data reported.

NAEP provides an external reference or point-of-comparison to audit, review, and compare each state’s educational program. It serves as a common yardstick across jurisdictions and a shared, stable trend line over time for tracking student achievement during the continued flux nationally in states’ testing programs.

The NAEP measurement scale represents a standardized national measurement of student achievement, with academic scores ranging from zero to 500 points. Cut points on the scale signify differing levels of student performance, as follows:

naep12

In grade 4 reading, the Wyoming year-to-year results are as follows:

naep2

Wyoming’s 2022 estimated average reading score was 225, which is statistically unchanged from scores reported in 2019 and 2017.

In 2022, only one jurisdiction, DoD schools, performed higher than Wyoming. Additionally, 44 states performed lower, and six were not reliably different. Overall, these counts represent an improved standing in grade 4 reading in 2022.

naep3a

naep3

In grade 8 reading, the Wyoming year-to-year results are as follows:

naep4

The average score in 2022 was lower than 2019, and likewise lower than previous years.

Four states performed higher than Wyoming, 14 states performed lower, and 33 states were not reliably different in grade 8 reading.

naep5a

naep5

In grade 4 mathematics, the Wyoming year-to-year results are as follows:

naep6

Wyoming’s estimated average mathematics score, 243 was lower compared to 246 in2019.

In 2022, only one jurisdiction, DoD schools, performed higher than Wyoming. Additionally, 44 states performed lower, and six were not reliably different. Overall, these counts represent an improved standing in grade 4 mathematics in 2022.

naep7a

naep7

In grade 8 mathematics, the Wyoming year-to-year results are as follows:

naep8

In 2022, only one jurisdiction, DoD schools, performed higher than Wyoming. Additionally, 38 states performed lower, and 12 states were not reliably different. Overall, these counts represent an improved standing in grade 8 mathematics in 2022.

naep9a

naep9

Wyoming was one of only 15 states with annual funding of $15,000 per student or more during 2020, according to most current cost figures available from the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. National Average = $13,489). Wyoming’s peer funding states include Alaska, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Comparing Wyoming results to peer funding states on NAEP’s Basic or Above achievement level metric renders 56 pairwise comparisons with Wyoming’s results in 2022 (14 peer states, across the four reporting areas in both grades and subjects). The results are as follows:

PEER FUNDING STATES ANALYSIS: 

Comparing 2022 Wyoming NAEP Results to States with Similar Education Expenditures

Percentages of Students Scoring At/Above NAEP’s Basic Achievement Level

naep10

The percentage of Wyoming students scoring at or above NAEP Basic was higher than its peer funding states in 38 of these comparisons (statistically even with 16 states), and was only surpassed in two cases out of 56, by Massachusetts and New Jersey, both performing higher than Wyoming in grade 8 reading.

“As we all know, Wyoming makes a strong financial commitment to K-12  public education,” Auer said. “The most recent NAEP scores suggest that this investment is paying off.”

Detailed 2022 Peer Funding States Comparison data can be found at the following links: Grade 4 Reading, Grade 8 Reading, Grade 4 Math, Grade 8 Math.

In 2022, Wyoming continued to perform well in comparisons to the six bordering states on two metrics: average scale scores and the percentage of students performing at or above NAEP’s Basic achievement level. Wyoming was unsurpassed by any adjacent state in the 24 comparisons at NAEP’s Basic achievement level (across the six states and four reporting areas – both grades 4 and 8 and both subjects) and outperformed three of six neighboring states in grade 4 math.

2022 BORDER STATES COMPARISON:

Percentage of Students Scoring At/Above NAEP Basic

naep11

For average scale scores in grade 4 reading and mathematics, Wyoming was above adjacent states’ scores in eight of 12 comparisons.

Detailed 2022 Peer Border States Comparison data can be found at the following links: Grade 4 Reading, Grade 8 Reading, Grade 4 Math, Grade 8 Math.

“I am a strong believer in the promise of American public education and I am proud to see Wyoming leading our nation in so many ways,” Auer said. “I know that Wyoming’s teachers and parents are not complacent – and will continue to make our schools even stronger. The Wyoming Department of Education looks forward to being an active partner in that process”

Find more details on Wyoming’s 2022 NAEP results here.

-END-

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship Moves Forward

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

When we remind our students that the reason they go to school is to learn to think, we remind ourselves that education is that uniquely parallel process that pursues both knowledge and wisdom – the learning side engages knowledge, the thinking side engages wisdom. To become both knowledgeable and wise, then, is the path to an educated mind. Because students crave both, we do well to indulge them. May this week provide innumerable opportunities to do just that!

Vision & Focus

A “mind blind” develops when we’re not in reality about something, when we miss the obvious or when we’re simply in denial.  It is similar to a deer blind or duck blind. The only difference is, with the hunting blind, it’s the animal in danger – with the thinking blind, it’s the human.

When we’re blinded from the truth, we’re in a mind blind. When we’re running or hiding from the truth, we’re in a mind blind. We’ve all been there, we all know what that’s like. And as parents, teachers, and school leaders, we usually recognize it instantly when we see our own children stuck in one or our own students falling into one – whether related to their homework or to life.  The bad news is, this is a real thing. The good news, we can help them break out in any number of ways, not the least of which is breaking out of our own.

The Primary Priority

I strongly believe that parents are the sole authority when it comes to teaching their children about sex and gender identity. Further, I am greatly concerned about the actions of teachers who are circumventing parental authority and imposing their personal views of sex and gender ideology on children without parental consent or notification. Even further, I intend to give voice to the vast majority of Wyoming parents who believe that school libraries are not the place for sexually graphic material.

Although I believe it is well within my duties as State Superintendent, I have decided to separate the press conference scheduled for October 25 from the Wyoming Department of Education. No state funds will be used in connection with this event and the final venue for the press conference is yet to be determined.

I want the focus of the discussion to be on the issue of parental authority and standing up against the inappropriate sexualization of Wyoming’s children.

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship

sign1

This past week the WDE and PTSB hosted representatives from U.S. Department of Labor to sign the official standards for the WTA. What an exciting milestone for the project and for Wyoming.

Read the media release here. Watch the media conference event here. Visit the WDE’s teacher apprenticeship website here.

sign

In the Spotlight

This week we want to honor the contributions of Brendan O’Connor, Executive Director of the Professional Teaching Standards Board.

Brendan has taken leadership in Wyoming to support districts by ensuring districts have access to high-quality teachers. Most recently, Brendan has co-led the efforts to establish the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship Initiative. He led a team of district and postsecondary staff to develop Wyoming’s K-12 Teacher Apprenticeship Standards. This work has been described by the U.S. Department of Labor as the Cadillac of K-12 teacher apprenticeship models.

So this week, for your incredible service to Wyoming Education, Director O’Connor, you are ‘In the Spotlight.’

Mark Your Calendars

We are seeking your thoughts on the role of digital learning in the classroom to inform the state’s strategic direction. The first round of in-person listening sessions have been completed, but we have a virtual session set for 4:30-5:30 p.m. on October 25. Register for the Zoom event here.

For more information on the listening sessions, including the next round of in-person sessions, visit the WDE’s DLP website.

Monday memos:

Sincerely,

sig

WDE, PTSB Sign Teacher Apprenticeship Standards, Creating Additional Pathways for Candidates to Seek Teacher Certification

News Releases

CHEYENNE – Representatives from the The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), the Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB), and the U.S. Department of Labor have signed an agreement creating the standards for Wyoming’s Teacher Apprenticeship initiative, which will allow pilot school districts to begin taking applications from candidates for the spring 2023 semester.

“This is an important milestone in Wyoming’s education journey,” said Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Chad Auer. “I have no doubt that Wyoming’s Teacher Apprenticeship initiative will make a tremendously positive contribution to our state.”

The WDE will begin conversations with interested school districts statewide in the fall of 2023 for apprentices that will be applying for the spring of 2024 school year. The three pilot districts chosen earlier this year to participate in the initiative include Laramie County School District #1, Teton County School District #1, and Fremont County School District #24.

“We are thrilled to be selected as a pilot district, and find additional pathways to certify individuals who have already committed to serving students in Wyoming,” said Gillian Chapman, Ed.D. Superintendent Teton County School District #1. “We look forward to supporting the WDE as we find ways to recruit and retain exceptional educators dedicated to supporting public schools in Wyoming.”

The WDE and the PTSB began work on the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship initiative in the spring of 2022. That work included key stakeholders from government, education, business, community leadership, industry association and more. In July 2022, the three pilot school districts were chosen to work along with the core team in progressing the application to the Department of Labor and determine the roles and responsibilities the school districts would need to plan for.

“The apprenticeship is an opportunity for school districts to support and grow future teachers and educators from within the school district and community,” said PTSB Executive Director Brendan O’Connor. “Apprentices will be mentored along the way as they complete an educator preparation program that meets PTSB licensure requirements. Apprentices will finish with more classroom experience than those in a traditional preparation program.”

Working closely with the Department of Labor, Tennessee was the first state to sponsor Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship programs. Registered apprenticeship programs allow for high-quality, industry-driven, work-based learning pathways that provide individuals with hands-on work experience while earning a wage that increases during the progression through the initiative.

Tennessee has paved the way for other states and is graciously sharing the results of multiple years of work in a playbook and other key materials and supports. In a meeting with Tennessee’s team, the WDE and PTSB were able to gather important information that not only confirmed various aspects of its own evolving framework, but will also allow both entities to keep things moving forward. While the WDE and PTSB do not intend to simply mirror what Tennessee has done, the entities will use these valuable resources to accelerate the process in Wyoming.

The implementation of the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship initiative will be accomplished utilizing a three-phased approach, addressing the need for varied pathways to certification. The first phase focuses on staff currently employed within the district who have an associate’s degree.

The second phase will connect staff currently employed within the district that do not have an associate’s degree, as well as people outside of the district who want to become teachers. The third and final phase will focus on building pathways for high school students interested in teaching.

“Shoshoni Schools are excited to be part of the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship pilot,” said Bruce Thoren, Superintendent Fremont County School District #24. “We have been growing our own teachers for a couple of years now, and look forward to the development of this formalized program in conjunction with the PTSB and our higher-education institutions. This program will be a win-win for our employees and for K-12 education.”

The minimum requirements or qualifications for a candidate for the apprenticeship are as follows. School districts can then add requirements or qualifications that they consider necessary, and evaluate candidates based on alignment with the needs at the individual school level:

  • Employee of the district, seeking a Wyoming teaching certificate.
  • Completed application with letter of recommendation from administrator within the district.
  • Must complete an interview by district personnel, followed by entering into an agreement to complete the degree, to complete the on-the-job learning, to obtain the Wyoming PTSB teacher certificate. Ensure the individual has the personality, skill set, and disposition that will be a good match to the profession
  • Minimum work history in the same district of one academic year.

“Educational leadership requires the courage to create innovative solutions to complex challenges,” Auer said. “The Teacher Apprenticeship initiative is another example of how Wyoming’s educators are the best in the country.”

Fore more information on the program, including frequently asked questions, visit the WDE’s Teacher Apprenticeship website here.

– END –

Link to a high-resolution photo of the signing event

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

District Teachers ‘In The Spotlight’

Uncategorized

Dear Superintendents,

‘Tis trite but true, teaching is loving – loving both the subjects we teach and the students.  That connection is crucial, because (though just as trite but no less true!), they really don’t care how much we know until they know how much we really care. May we again set out this week to do both well, and may we again discover how true it is that the only thing more interesting than the subjects we teach is the students we teach!

Vision & Focus

Picking up on last week and further illustrating the human propensity for falling into various kinds of “mind blinds,” here is a good question for our classroom teachers to pose to their students at the start of class, just to get their wheels turning:  What is the one word that every Harvard graduate pronounces wrong? (Watch the mind blind overtake them!)

Let them struggle with it for a minute (they’ll typically say Harvard, graduate, word, etc.), then if you want to play with it a bit, follow-up with this question: What is the one word that EVERY college graduate in America (who speaks English) pronounces wrong? After a bit more banter (if you’re enjoying it), end with one final question: What is the one word, in fact, that every high school graduate in America (who speaks English) pronounces wrong?

Once you’ve milked it as much as you dare, write the word WRONG on the board. Then say, “The word that every (English-speaking) Harvard, college and high school graduate in America pronounces wrong is … WRONG!”  Get it?

The salient point here is to simply illustrate how easily we all fall into those pesky mind blinds, and that the purpose of education is to help us break out of the same, by teaching thinking via those core academic disciplines. The other point is that this whole project can be lot’s of fun!

The Primary Priority

If the purpose of education is teaching thinking, then it begins with teaching reading. That’s the foundation, and we must get really good at laying a strong foundation: the literacy of every child in every classroom in every school in every district in every county. This must be our standard and our primary priority, and may we never rest until we meet it.

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship Q&A

Question:
If I already work in the school district, do I still need to go through an application process?

Answer:
Yes, the apprentice candidate will apply for a new position with the school district. If selected by the school district, the candidate will be required to sign an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor as well.

In The Spotlight

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The WDE and U.S. Senator John Barrasso celebrated the 2023 District Teachers of the Year last week in Casper. Each district has the opportunity to select an outstanding teacher to represent them as their Teacher of the Year.

For all your efforts, you are ‘In the Spotlight’ this week.

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Mark Your Calendars

The State of Wyoming, Department of Health, Public Health Division has contracted with Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care to conduct the Wyoming Young Adult Survey – now open to Wyoming residents aged 18 to 29.

The survey measures substance use and other health-related behaviors, is anonymous, does not record personally identifying information, and should take about 15 minutes. Participants who complete the survey will be able to enter a drawing for one of twenty-five $25 gift cards and one of two $100 gift cards. Share the survey here.

Monday memos:

Sincerely,

sig

WDE Releases ACT Results For 2022 Graduating Class

News Releases

CHEYENNE – Wyoming’s graduating class of 2022 had an average composite score of 19.2 on the ACT according to The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2022. This is ACT’s annual report on the progress of U.S. high school graduates relative to college readiness.

“We are very proud of Wyoming’s class of 2022,” said Deputy Superintendent Chad Auer.  “This group of students, along with their teachers and parents, battled through a lot of adversity during their high school careers. Their perseverance and determination are commendable. As a state, we clearly have a lot to be proud of, and we have more work to do. I have no doubt that Wyoming’s outstanding professional educators will continue their long tradition of using data such as ACT scores to inform instruction.”

Wyoming state law requires all grade 11 students to take the ACT. Wyoming’s ACT graduating class data is based on students’ results from their last test taken before graduation.

Wyoming is among only six states that have participation results for 100 percent of graduating seniors. Of these, Wyoming ranks number one for average composite score. The percentage of Wyoming graduates who met ACT College Readiness benchmarks is above the national average in all four indicators of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. About 70% of Wyoming students scored 17 or better and qualified for the Hathaway Scholarship Program.

Wyoming students, on average, scored 3.7% higher when they took the ACT multiple times. As part of the pandemic recovery effort, the Wyoming Department of Education is offering senior retakes in the Fall of school years 2022-23 and 2023-24, free of cost.

Graduates also have an opportunity to earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) by participating in the ACT WorkKey exam. Wyoming graduates earned more Bronze and Silver level NCRCs compared to the national average.

The Wyoming Readiness Report and ACT Profile Report can be found here.

ACT chart

– END –

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

WDE and PTSB to Host Teacher Apprenticeship Standards Signing Event

News Releases

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education and the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board will host representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor for a signing event starting at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19 in the Capitol Complex Auditorium, Basement Level of the Herschler Building. The Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship standards will be signed, allowing pilot school districts to begin taking applications from candidates for the spring 2023 semester.

Media partners wishing to view the signing can access it via the Zoom link here.

– END –

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

Chapter 26 Rules, Institutional School Accreditation, to be Repealed

News Releases

CHEYENNE – Chapter 26 Rules, Institutional School Accreditation, will be repealed and removed from the Wyoming Department of Education’s (WDE) list of rules.

This rule set originated in 1993 and is out of date and no longer relevant. The relevant aspects of institutional school accreditation were included in the Chapter 6 rules in 2021, but the Chapter 26 rules were not rescinded at that time. The WDE seeks public comment on this repeal.

Public comment will close on November 29, 2022. Submit a comment here.

Supporting documents include:

– END –

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

FAFSA Website is Live

Uncategorized

Dear Superintendents,

Having once served in the roles of both a classroom teacher and professional counselor has helped inform the conviction that our work as educators is not only about understanding the subjects we teach, but also the students we teach. We are daily faced with the challenge of bringing them to a better understanding of the subject matter, as well as bringing ourselves to a better understanding of them – a good reminder not only for a new week, but (perhaps) also for a discouraged or frustrated teacher.

Vision & Focus

As suggested in the previous update, the liberal arts of education (the humanities and the languages, math and science, music and logic, etc.) are the liberating arts. They not only can free the mind from ignorance in all its shapes and sizes (pooled ignorance, groupthink, etc), but also help it break out of the myriad of “mind blinds” to which all humans are so susceptible and into which we all so easily fall if left to ourselves.

What is a “mind blind”?  It is that most curious phenomenon when members of the human species struggle to see what is obviously there, or can’t see what is really happening or won’t see what many others see. Sometimes referred to as the Ostrich Syndrome, it most certainly has nothing to do with one’s level of intelligence – some of the smartest people in the world were riddled by mind blinds (Howard Hughes and Antony Flew).

For example, it is not a low I.Q. or a learning disability that develops a mind blind, but things like stubbornness, pride or dishonesty. Propaganda and nefarious ideologies serve only to solidify mind blinds while authentic education challenges and exposes the same. Our role is clearly the latter, consistent with the liberating arts of freedom that comprise and sustain education’s transcendent vision and focus.

The Primary Priority

By the time you read this, my daughter and I will be flying high over the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Rwanda, Africa. We will be working there for 10 days with one of the fastest growing schools in the country on a two-fold mission:  (1) To train their teachers and students in structured literacy, (2) To help them deal with their generational trauma wounds. Concerning the latter, many of these Rwandan youngsters have parents who endured the genocide back in 1994. Consequently, much of their pain and trauma gets passed on to their children.

This will be an effort, therefore, that deals with both the cognitive and the affective – not only the mind, but the emotions as well, reinforcing again both head and heart as the primary priority.

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship Q&A

Question:
When will the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship be available in other school districts besides the pilot districts?

Answer:
The WDE intends to begin conversations with interested districts in Fall 2023. The soonest these districts would be recruiting apprentices would be in Spring 2024. The WDE and pilot districts need time to begin and refine the apprenticeship program once it is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

In the Spotlight

fafsa

Last year, the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) launched a campaign to encourage and support the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The statewide campaign includes digital media, a website, and support tools for schools and communities. UNLOCK YOUR FUTURE…FAFSA IS THE KEY encourages students to unlock the possibilities, and reach the next level in life.

On October 1, 2022 we launched this year’s FAFSA Completion Challenge. The WDE will track FAFSA completion (this will not be based on submission, but confirmed completion) percentage rate by high school, in four size categories just as we did last year. A cash prize of $500 will be awarded to the winning schools in the name of their counselor. Root your school on, students, parents, and school staff can track their progress on the FAFSA website dashboard.

I want to give a shout-out to all our Wyoming high school counselors. Helping students find their pathway forward after graduation is key to their success, and completing the FAFSA is a big part of that. For all your efforts, you are ‘In the Spotlight’ this week.

Mark Your Calendar

Join the Wyoming MTSS Center Tier 2 & 3 in-person training on October 14 at Little America in Cheyenne to learn the essential features of interventions.

Register now before it’s too late.

Monday memos:

Sincerely,

sig

Congratulations, Tom Wright

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

The older I grow, the more mindful I become of the inexorable link between liberty and literacy. The one cannot live without the other. Our best leaders are our best readers, and we effectively sustain American liberty by producing a generation of adept and voracious readers. May this edition of the Update serve to help reinforce our commitment to both as we constantly take steps to renew our vision for the one and our focus on the other.

Vision & Focus

The liberal arts of education are the liberating arts, or sometimes called the arts of freedom. They liberate the mind from ignorance and free the mind from mind blinds. These “thinking arts” serve as the fuel for a free society because they provide the kindling for a constitutional republic, and they fan the flames of civic virtue because they pursue the true, the good and the beautiful. Moreover, they help to form a solid foundation for our young because they lay the necessary groundwork for an invested and involved future citizenry.

This is the work we have chosen for such a time as this, and it is surely one of life’s greatest opportunities as well as its highest honors. As difficult as it truly is sometimes, we nonetheless can count ourselves lucky to be a part of it.

The Primary Priority

This week’s Superintendent’s Update will mark the transition from the Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship (WTA) as the Primary Priority of the WDE to what is unarguably the unmitigated foundation of education, i.e., linguistic literacy.

Weekly updates, of course, will continue in the segment directly below regarding ongoing WTA progress, but moving the literacy emphasis front and center will not only reflect our celebration of all the progress made in recent years (in both our department and in the districts), but will also seek to fan the flame of continued exponential progress and success that is both necessary and anticipated.

Deepest heartfelt thanks to all our literacy teachers in every school in this state for working so hard at laying this sure foundation for all our early learners. This is where it all begins.

Wyoming Teacher Apprenticeship Q&A

Question:
What are the requirements or qualifications for a candidate for the apprenticeship?

Answer:
Minimally, the state guidelines are as follows. School districts can then add requirements or qualifications that they consider necessary, and evaluate candidates based on alignment with the needs at the individual school level.

  • Employee of the district, seeking a Wyoming teaching certificate.
  • Completed application with letter of recommendation from administrator within the district.
  • Must complete an interview by district personnel, followed by entering into an agreement to complete the degree, to complete the on-the-job learning, to obtain the Wyoming PTSB teacher certificate. Ensure the individual has the personality, skill set, and disposition that will be a good match to the profession
  • Minimum work history in the same district of one academic year.

In the Spotlight

Tom Wright has served on the school board of the Weston County School District #1 since 1975. You read that right, since 1975 – that is 47 consecutive years, which may be a record in this state! Think of the contribution this great man has made over all those years to the students of Weston County and their families. He easily gets choked up just talking about it, so deep goes that commitment.

Superintendent Brad LaCroix himself has served 30 years in this same district, no small feat in its own right. He is obviously (and rightly) very proud of his school board, and especially of Tom Wright. “Tom has seen a lot and is so incredibly knowledgeable,” LaCroix said. “He can weigh in intelligently on virtually every subject, from school funding to legislation policy to ranch water.”  Most importantly, LaCroix said, what marks Tom most is his “…integrity and how much he cares. He takes great pride in his family, his ranching and this district.”

All of this and more makes Tom Wright a living Wyoming legend, and one of the major reasons Wyoming schools still are (exceptions notwithstanding) what all schools in America used to be. For Tom, this is a very special legacy worth protecting and preserving, whatever it takes.

Truly, it is the old-school character of men like him that makes this state what it is.  Thank-you, Tom, for your unmatched commitment. It was such an honor to meet you last week, and it is an equal honor this week to put you “In the Spotlight!”  What a profound example you are to the rest of us. May your leadership continue to bear much fruit.

Mark Your Calendar

The Daniels Scholarship Program provides the opportunity for motivated students to attend the college of their choice. Daniels Scholars® will receive up to $100,000 to be applied at any two- or four-year, nonprofit, accredited college or university in the United States, depending on financial need.

We’re looking for students with great potential, strong character, and big dreams. Daniels Scholars are America’s next generation of leaders, persevering through life’s challenges and rooted in the values important to Bill Daniels. They are free and entrepreneurial thinkers who are proud of this country and their community and work hard to improve it.

Apply for the Daniels Scholarship Program by October 15 here.

earth

Earth Science Kits Available

The 2022 Earth Science Week toolkits are now available for Wyoming classrooms. The 50 toolkits, provided by the American Geosciences Institute to the Wyoming State Geological Survey, are available at no cost to Wyoming educators on a first come, first served basis.

Earth Science Week is Oct. 9–15 and celebrates the theme, “Earth Science for a Sustainable World.”

Request a toolkit by emailing Christina George at christina.george@wyo.gov.

Monday memos:

Sincerely,

sig