Category Archives: Superintendent’s Update

State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder sends an update to school district superintendents so they can see the memos which will be sent out the following week and highlight statewide education work.

A New School Year

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

As the school year begins, I remind you that the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) stands ready to support your schools. We sponsored, supported, and attended dozens of trainings across the state over the summer and we understand that “sit and get” is the least effective professional development. We intend to continue supporting, coaching, and providing guidance throughout the school year.

Congratulations to new superintendents in the state and we look forward to seeing you throughout the year in your community, and at statewide gatherings.

It was a remarkable experience to attend the Solution Tree PLC and RTI conference recently in Worland. What struck me most profoundly was the enthusiasm of the teachers (mostly from Wyoming). Even on day 3, the energy was contagious. I am so proud of our work together in the RTI and school culture arena to support all schools, especially those that are struggling the most. This initiative is a hallmark that positively and immediately impacts students. Thank you for your commitment to the initiative!

Kayla stands and speaks at the podium inside the Casper Events Center.
Kayla was named Youth of the Year at the Central Wyoming Boys and Girls Clubs breakfast in Casper this week. The event brought thousands of community members who support learning opportunities outside of the school day.
The runners up for Youth of the Year hold their plaques and pose with the State Superintendent at the Casper Events Center, next to a sign for Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming
Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming Youth of the Year runners up


SPED STAFFING

In the coming weeks, we will be asking for staffing data for special education in your school district, via survey. This information is being collected in fulfillment of our statutory obligation under 2018 House Bill 140 (Enrolled Act 68), Section 4(b) which states:

“On or before January 1, 2019, the state superintendent of public instruction shall establish statewide guidelines for adequate special education staffing levels as required by W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xxiii).”

In advance, I thank you for your effort in completing the survey expeditiously.

The State Superintendent stands with Andy Jones inside the new B.E.A.S.T. facility, which is a large warehouse-type building with basketball and volleyball courts and wide open space for a variety of activities.
Andy Jones, Founder of B.E.A.S.T. in Cheyenne, welcomes visitors into the community facility (rec center and STEM space) this week.
Memos to be released on Tuesday, September 4:

Jillian

Back to School

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Welcome back to the 2018-19 school year. There are lots of memos this week. It was wonderful to see so many of you, faculty, and staff at trainings this summer.

Havely Holt, teacher in Douglas, was recognized for her contributions to agricultural education.
Havely Holt, teacher in Douglas, was recognized for her contributions to agricultural education.

Attendees at the Solution Tree PLC/RTI conference celebrated their learning on day 3 with the Electric Slide
Attendees at the Solution Tree PLC/RTI conference celebrated their learning on day 3 with the Electric Slide

Memos to be released on Monday:

Jillian

End of Summer

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Summer is winding down and I know many of you are already welcoming back your staff to prepare for the start of the new school year. Thank you to all who attended one of our conferences this summer. Special thank you to the sponsors who helped us put together the first School Safety Summit a couple of weeks ago.

School Safety Summit logo. Thank you to our sponsors: Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, Hat Six Travel Center, Wyoming Education Association, School Facilities Division, Laramie County Community College.

Earlier this week, Governor Mead approved changes to rules for Chapters, 6, 10, and 31 regarding accreditation, statewide standards, and graduation requirements. More info is in the press release sent earlier today, available here.

Memos to be released on Monday, August 20:

Jillian

Special Announcement

Superintendent's Update

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.

School Safety Summit Logo

Jillian

Perkins Reauthorization

Superintendent's Update

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:

Jillian

Busy Teachers During the Summer

Superintendent's Update

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.

School Safety Summit

Memos to be released on Monday, July 23:

Jillian

Girls State

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

I hope summer is going well. Only one memo this week.

From left-to-right: WDE Communications Director Kari Eakins, Girls State delegate Riley, State Superintendent Jillian Balow, Girls State delegate Bailey, and WDE Chief Policy Officer Megan Degenfelder stand in front of the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming at the WDE.
Bailey from Cheyenne was elected State Superintendent at Girls State. She visited the WDE on Friday with her alternate, Riley from Rock Springs, to talk about education and leadership.

Memo to be released Monday, July 18:

Jillian

JEIC Meeting

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

It was good to see many of you at events and meetings across the state this week. Legislative interim work is in motion after this week’s JEIC meetings. Here is a link to meeting materials including a number of WDE memos that were requested or required by the legislature during the 2018 session. I anticipate a number of committee-sponsored bills to come forth for 2019.

Chief Academic Officer Brent Bacon announced his retirement and we wish him well in whatever the future holds. Brent has been an instrumental leader in Wyoming education for decades and with my administration since 2015. We are actively seeking candidates to replace Brent. Here is the link to the job description and application information. Please consider sharing the link with your networks.

In my role as a state land commissioner, I had the privilege of helping dedicate a parcel of state trust land to former Treasurer Joe Meyer. Treasurer Meyer was an avid outdoorsman and “rock hound.” He and his family spent free time near the parcel of dedicated land, just outside of Dubois. The treasurer’s son, Vince Meyer, is a long-time and valued employee at WDE. He works behind the scenes with data and reporting. Congrats to the Meyer family on this homage to a Wyoming legend!

The State Board of Land Commissioners is made up with the five statewide elected officials (governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent). Our fiduciary responsibility with state trust lands is to maximize revenue to be used for education in our state. Revenue is realized by leasing land for grazing, exploration, and more.

Superintendent Balow stands with Vince Meyer next to the sign that explains the dedication of the land behind them to Joe Meyer.
Vince Meyer of WDE helps dedicate a parcel of state trust land to his father and Wyoming’s late Treasurer Joe Meyer
A landscape in Wyoming with a fence in the foreground and prairie that turns into hills covered with pine trees in the background.
With Rams Horn Peak in the background, the dedicated parcel is a full section–640 acres

Memos to be released on Monday, June 11:

Jillian

Start of the Summer

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

As summer approaches, I hope you all find time to relax with family and friends. In that spirit, memos from me will continue to go out on Friday and will intermittently be accompanied by an update. WDE is gearing up for numerous trainings across the state and we look forward to seeing many of you as you take opportunities to learn and network alongside educators and leaders from your districts.

Graduates don orange safety vests and gold hardhats as they hold their certificates next to three staff members from the Regional Training Center.

Students in Natrona County School District No. 1 received their Heavy Equipment Operator certifications (backhoe, excavator, bulldozer, and front end loader) from the Wyoming Contractors Association prior to their high school graduation. This inaugural graduation is the result of an innovative partnership between the school district and the Wyoming Contractors Association, with funding support from Skilled Careers Foundation and the WDE’s Career Technical Education team.

WDE staff sit with AIR staff and members of the Technical Advisory Committee in a conference room.

The Standards & Assessment Division had their quarterly meeting with American Institutes for Research (AIR) on Wednesday. The meeting was followed by two days of Technical Advisory Committee meetings.

There are no memos this week.

Jillian