Dear Superintendents,

Earlier this week President Trump announced the impending availability of millions of COVID-19 “rapid result” tests. Here is a recent article from the Wall Street Journal. In a phone call with other state superintendents, USED Deputy Secretary Mick Zais and Brigadier General David J. Sanford, United States Air Force, who currently serves as Deputy Director for the White House COVID Response Supply Chain Task Force, provided critical information about how K-12 students will be prioritized in the testing initiative. The tests will be made available to students and staff at public and private K-12 schools, with priority going to states with both high COVID rates and large numbers of students receiving in-person or hybrid instruction. There are many unanswered questions at this point but I will update you along the way.

Rural CTE Opportunity

Secretary DeVos announced a new challenge to advance high-quality technology instruction in rural communities. The Rural Tech Project, with a total cash prize of $600,000, invites high schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) to develop competency-based distance learning programs that enable students to master skills at their own pace. This is a great fit for many Wyoming schools!

Memos to be released on Monday, August 31:

Dear Superintendents,

Memos to be released today:

2020-136:    CARES Act Equitable Services Temporary Recommendation

Dear Superintendents,

Staff COVID-19 Testing Program Overview

Surveillance testing will be an opt-in protocol and would extend to all school staff, including volunteers. The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) will ask that 20% of the staff members be tested at least once every two weeks and each sample should include a representation from a range of staff roles. The individuals selected should be rotated every two weeks to get nearly 100% of the staff within 10 weeks. The test will detect current COVID-19 infection. Anyone with a COVID-19 infection within the previous
three months should not participate. Staff cannot be required to participate. Both negative and positive results will be reported by the WDH and staff that test positive will be required to follow the existing state protocols for quarantine and contact tracing.

The goal of this effort is to detect infected individuals who don’t have symptoms, or before they develop symptoms. This would allow public health officials to intervene. The WDH will work with school districts directly if movement between tiers is necessary based on testing results. There is no cost to school districts or staff for participation. The current goal of the WDH is to determine the interest of the school districts, as they try to define contracts for the tests.

Rural Career and Technical Education Event:

At 4 p.m. MDT on August 25, the Rural Tech Project is hosting a virtual panel of experts to discuss community engagement and coalition building.  The panel will share how Rural Tech Project entrants can approach building and maintaining partnerships among schools, school districts, and community organizations.  They will also explore topics ranging from assessing community needs to creating structures and systems for sustainable partnerships.

New National Resources as Schools Reopen:

Fact Sheet – Supporting Safe School Reopenings 

School Reopening Recommendations

CDC Guidance on Face Coverings for K-12

Content and Performance Standards

Content Standards are the content and skills students are expected to know and be able to do by the end-of-grade or gradeband.

Performance Standards are the standards all students are expected to learn and be assessed on
through the district assessment system. They specify the specific degree of understanding or
demonstration of the knowledge and/or skill for a particular content standard. Districts give students multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency and provide appropriate supports for student success.

Standards work in Wyoming is ramping up. Here’s a (very) brief primer of the upcoming work:

• Public input opportunities for Computer Science Performance Standards memo and press release.
• Educator input surveys for Science and PE Performance Standards and Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) memo.
• Call for Health Content and Performance Standards Review and Development Committee memo. Committee members include educators, parents, practitioners, business and industry.

Memos to be released today:

Dear Superintendents,

Memos to be released:

2020-130:    COVID-19 Guidance Updates 8-19-2020

Dear Superintendents,

The United States Department of Education (USED)  launched a new website with Title IX resources for parents, students, schools, and other partners. The resources were released in conjunction with final Title IX rules.

The new website serves as an online hub for information and resources that students and others can use to understand rights and due process under Title IX. It also provides a fact sheet specifically for students and schools.

Here is a link to the news release.

Marissa Cornelison was named the Wyoming Ag In the Classroom Teacher of the Year during the Wyoming State Fair and received awards presented by Congresswoman Cheney, First Lady Gordon, and Superintendent Balow

Memos to be released today:

Dear Superintendents,

Memos to be released:

2020-124:    COVID-19 Guidance 8-12-2020

Dear Superintendents,

Recently, I referenced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tool kit designed to assist with the safe re-opening of schools. The CDC released an audio recording and transcript of its July 24 media telebriefing on new science-based resources and tools for school administrators, teachers, parents, guardians, and caregivers. The CDC’s guidance supports reopening schools safely by providing key information to assist decision-making and adapt to local conditions.

Also, earlier this week Governor Mark Gordon unveiled a website that tracks CARES Act spending (including on education) in Wyoming. The website, Wyoming Sense, can be found here. 

Memos to be released on August 10:

Click here for a video message from Superintendent Balow

Dear Superintendents,

Tuesday is the last day to register for Wyoming’s Native American Education Conference (virtual – Aug. 5-6). Here’s a link:

Wyoming Native American Education Conference 

FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF

Please see this week’s memo containing information about the first round of CARES Act GEER funding. As of writing this update, there are three versions of a second major relief bill in Congress (HEROES, HEALS, and CCCERA). All three versions contain funding for K-12 education. I am keeping a close eye on negotiations.

CDC UPDATE

Last week new guidance, Preparing for a Safe Return to School, was released by the CDC. It’s worth the read.

Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC Director, said, “It is critically important for our public health to open schools this fall. The resources released today will help parents, teachers, and administrators make practical, safety-focused decisions as this school year begins. I know this has been a difficult time for our nation’s families. School closures have disrupted normal ways of life for children and parents, and they have had negative health consequences on our youth. CDC is prepared to work with K-12 schools to safely reopen while protecting the most vulnerable.”

Please check the WDE website for updated links to resources for schools and parents.

FALL SPORTS

The Wyoming High School Athletics Association released Smart Start Guidelines for fall sports. Here is the media release.

Shameless plug for fall sports and amazing kids!

Memos to be released on Monday, August 3:

Dear Superintendents,

Memos to be released:

2020-115:    COVID-19 Update 7-28-2020

Dear Superintendents,

Enclosed are the memos to be released on July 27, 2020

Memos to be released: