001Good evening everyone. Um, welcome to the Laram County School District number one board of trustees meeting. If you would all join us in the pledge of allegiance, please stand as Coyote Ridge leads us. Hi everybody. My name is Chelsea Cox, principal of Coyote Ridge Elementary. >> And I'm Michael Pac, fifth grade teacher at Coyote Ridge Elementary School. And this is my class uh reciting the pledge of allegiance. I >> aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. I I should say you might notice we're missing a few of our board members physically here, but I believe all of them are planning to join us via Zoom tonight. Um I know our chair had some
002previously scheduled travel plans to visit a son, so she's out doing that. and and then uh Trustee Hinkle was on travel for work and Trustee Ashby is coming back, but she wasn't sure if she would make it here personally in time. Having said that, um I'm just wondering if there's any adjustments to the agenda. >> Madam Chair, there are no adjustments to this evening's agenda. >> Madam Chair, I move to adopt the agenda. >> Is there a second? >> I second that. >> All right. It's been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> And opposed. All right. The agenda has been adopt adopted. Next, we have a recognition of staff and students for outstanding achievements. And tonight, we are recognizing Nancy Nelson, our transportation trainer. Is Nancy here? Please
003come forward. >> My name is Janet Barber. I'm the health services coordinator for Laramie County School District number one. Um, I would like to just give a little bit of background information. Um, stop the bleed training is a national public health campaign that was originally developed many years ago by the Department of Defense to empower everyday people to act as immediate responders in life-threatening bleeding emergencies. The school nurses in LCSD1 regularly partner with Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to offer stop thebleleed training to any school district staff across the district. That training is provides hands-on learning on how to pack a bleeding wound and how to properly apply a tourniquet. In August of 2024, uh the school nurses along with CRMC trauma services staff provided a stop thebleleed training to all transportation department staff. Nancy Nelson
004is a transportation department trainer. Last month, she put her stop thebleleed training to use when she was able to help a community member who was actively bleeding. Nancy selflessly jumped in to provide assistance while awaiting emergency services. It's very likely that a life was saved that day. Thank you, Nancy, for not only participating in the training, but also realizing the need and taking action quickly. We are thankful you were there that day, and we're very lucky to have you as part of our district transportation staff. Thank you very much. All right, moving on to information and reports. This is the part of our meeting where we have public comments from our visitors concerning agenda topics and non-aggenda topics. Um I believe I need to read a statement which I need to put by the mic.
005Um so for the purpose of the board meeting, it's to conduct the business of the district publicly. The board sincerely values the community input and feedback on school operations and welcomes public comment on both agenda and non-aggenda items. Individuals wishing to comment during a board meeting must sign up by 5:45 p.m. on the day of the meeting or by the day of the meeting. Sign up for public comment can be done electronically by accessing the form available on board docs under the public comment portion of the meeting agenda. Alternatively, individuals may also contact Darlene Davis to be added to the electronic signup sheet. We will begin by hearing public comment on agenda items followed by public comment on non-aggenda items. Please keep in mind this is a time for the board members to listen and
006consider what you have to say but not to comment or debate. Um the board asks that speakers state your first and your last name when you come up. Keep your comments to three minutes or less. And if you wish to discuss matters pertaining to the employment of a district staff member such as the appointment, employment evaluation, reassessment duties and investigation, discipline or dismissal of an employee. This will not be done during public comment portion of the meeting. Such comments should be directed to the executive director of human resources or you may request to meet with the board during executive session. So with that uh looks like we have just a few people on the agenda topics to speak tonight. Um first we'll have Representative Steve Johnson. Thank you board. I'm Steve Johnson, representative of House
007District 8. And my concern is the pay increase that we thought as legislators we passed and would be passed on to the teachers and the support staff of Larry County School District 1. Uh we get a a uh uhformational uh note from LSO saying that the it was only a 3% increase and we did increase it by 8 and a half% I believe. That's what our bill 316 says. That's what I want to know. What you know, I'd like to see that those those teachers and janitors and support staff get that that increase in pay. I'll just leave it at that. Thank you. >> Uh thank you, Representative. Uh the next is Representative Brown. Thank you for letting me speak. Um I'm also going to address the raise issue. Um the thing that uh concerned
008me is I've had staff members come to me um that are in my district and ask me how come they didn't get a larger raise when the legislature did pass in House Bill the um the 8.5% raise and we did fund that to um the extent of $52,300,000 that was to go to Prof. professional and non-professional staff equally. Um, I'd like to know why that's not happening. And then when they question that, they are being told that you need to talk to your legislators because we haven't been given the money. Um, that's not true according to the bill. And the governor signed it. It passed overwhelmingly in the House and the Senate. It was unanimous in the House and there were only two senators that did not vote for this. So, it's overwhelmingly passed and
009then it was decided by the school district not to give the full raises. So, it's not us that did not do that. And I would also like to speak very quickly about this the swim team. We support what the swim team is doing. And when you look at this pool that has been paid for already and it's being maintained already and then to give them an unreasonable amount of money that they have to pay, you're going to throw these kids out. They're not going to be able to continue what they're doing. And we support them doing what they're doing. You need to give them a reasonable amount of money that they have to pay. The tournament county $10 per per month. I think that's reasonable and I think that's something you should look at. >>
010It's representative Ann Lucas also here tonight. Okay. Oh, is she on live? should be able to unmute there. >> I am unmuted. >> All right, you have the floor. >> Thank you, board of trustees, for allowing me to speak. I am out of town right now attending to urgent family business. Um, I wanted to let you know, and I'm following a couple of great representatives there, that we discussed raises for teachers, professional and non-professional staff in the legislature at length. And we were all in agreement that our education folks, both professional and non-professional, and that's teachers and non-teers, uh, needed a raise. And we went to great lengths in a year where we didn't pass very many appropriations at all to ensure that our teachers got 8 and a half% raises effective immediately. And this
011wasn't one that it waited until January of the following year. And legislative services, and I can't show you what I'm looking at here, gave us uh a report that shows that Laram County School District 1 raises average 3.02 02%. And so we as the legislature want to send a very clear message to the employees of Laramie County School District 1 that our intentions were good. We know you need a raise and we approved this through the legislature and we don't know why you didn't get it, but um just know that we're with you on this one and we're going to fight you fight for it for you. You deserve nothing but the best because you do the best work for our children and we appreciate you very much. I thank you for your time. >>
012All right. Thank you, Representatives. Um let's move on. Let's move on to our non-aggenda topics. We have uh several folks that are signed up tonight. Um we just ask that if you if someone that precedes you speaks to on the same topic that you limit your remarks to new new um ideas or thoughts. Our first speaker we have on the list is Greta Skagen. Hopefully I said that right. Come on up please to the mic. Thank you very much. Yeah. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Greta Skagan. Um, I'm a nurse practitioner at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center and my daughter is a second generation club swimmer in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I grew up in Larmy, so these are new waters for us. Um, I'm just going to briefly cover some information about the raise
013in the fee schedule that have concerned me about the how this is going to impact our specific club sport, the Capitol City Athletic Swim Club. Um, in particular, um, while I'm not here to question the information that the board reviewed or whether that assessment was accurate, but my concern is whether the assessment was done and the information was looked at in a meaningful way to go beyond just the numbers and where we're trying to make up lack of funding for these facilities. ilities by looking to the people who use them the most and seeing, you know, if we're overburdening them when it comes to price. There's really no other pools in Cheyenne, Wyoming that offer the competitive nature for the blocks and the number of lanes and just the the facilities are just they're unequal
014when you look at what's available in the local community. So it is an I feel like it's an undue burden to ask any club swim team if there happened to be another swim club beside us that'd be wonderful to go settle somewhere else if they can't afford your prices because frankly you know what in my vision like what is the benefit of these increased fee schedules if your most frequent regular customers cannot afford the price you're not going to be reaping that revenue. We're going to be looking for a smaller facility to practice at. These kids aren't going to have the swim lads they need to facilitate what these what these amazing coaches do for them. They're not going to have the blocks to prepare for jumping in and and racing. And there's three high
015school swims. We're the only ones utilizing them in this fashion. There's the high school swim teams, um, men's and women that go from women in the fall, men in the winter, and then since I graduated, there's been junior high in the early late like late winter, early spring. And the swim club uses the high school facilities nearly year round. I want to say probably around nine months. I don't know. I haven't been a part of it long enough to even assess that. But if we're not able to be there to use it because we get priced out, then what is the what is the purpose? >> Okay. >> Thank you, Miss. >> I'd like to um call up next Amber Webb, please. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Amber Webb. Sorry, I
016get weird. Um, and I am here tonight because of this new facility fee policy. This policy is not just about numbers. It's about our kids, um, our families, and the future of our community. Sorry. Right now, Capital City Athletics is being asked to pay $55,000 a year to use district pools. Yet, the actual added costs from CCA, including the chemicals and occasional custodial time, are only closer to $5,000 annually. Charging $55,000 for $5,000 in cost is 1,000% markup. That's not cost recovery. It's exclusion. When you exclude these families, the impact is devastating. Dues that are now only $50 around $50 a month could raise to as much as $170 per swimmer. For families with two or three kids, that's the cost of a car payment or a potential mortgage increase. Public pools should level the
017playing field and not turn it into a luxury facilities for only the wealthy. Let's also remember these pools are taxpayer funded. East High's pool alone cost $18 million and at the ribbon cutting, district leaders promised it would serve the entire community. Families have already paid for these facilities once. They should not have to pay twice. Empty pools and excluded families are not the legacy this district should want to leave behind. Other Wyoming districts understand this concept. Albany County, Campbell County, Green River all wave fees for youth athletics nonprofits. Casper charges $3,300 a year. LCSD1's $55,000 fee is more than 18 times higher than the state's previous maximum. We're an outlier and not in a good way. The consequences go far beyond dollars. CCA provides life-saving swim lessons, CPR and lifeguard training, college scholarships and opportunities.
018And let's not forget CCA CCA athletes are LCSD1 students. They compete on your school teams and represent Cheyenne and Wyoming at regional and national levels. When the district charges these excessive fees, it tells students that money matters more than them, more than their sports, more than their safety, and more than their future. That is the wrong message for a public school system to send to its children. I urge you to reconsider this policy. Bring fees back in line with actual costs. Work with the community organizations instead of against us. Let's fill our pools with kids, not lock them out because the families can't afford the access to them. Please show our children that they matter more. I mean, thank you. Natalie, please. >> Okay, Natalie Lumis, please. >> Hi everyone, my name is Natalie Lumis
019and I am a student in LCSD1. I'm also a swimmer for Capitol City Athletics. At the beginning of the school year, a message was sent out to everyone in the district saying, and I quote, "As we begin a new school year, we're excited to welcome back our students, staff, and families. However, all of the swimmers on CCA are students in this district. Why are you not welcoming them either? Or why are you sorry? So, why aren't you welcoming us back at? And many of the coaches and other volunteers on CCA are teachers and staff members for the district. Why are you not welcoming them either? The unfair fees that the swim team is potentially having to pay are not only unreasonable, but also harming the students. It tells us that to you, money matters more
020than the students, and that's not okay. We are only asking that you work with us and not against us. For the middle and high school swim teams, a lot of the reason they are able to excel against Laram and other schools is because of CCA. A large amount of the swimming records broken in the schools in LCSD1 are broken by swimmers on CCA. Club teams are the foundation that school teams are built on. If you take away our ability to train, you're welcome. You're weakening the very teams that represent LCSD1. By trying to shut out the students on Capital City athletics, you're not only harming the students, but also the district, the city, and the state. The students on your swim teams are going to be able to perform so much better if they are
021able if they are able to practice year round with CCA rather than just a couple of months with the district. Also, by shutting out the swim teams, you are potentially also cutting students off from earning swimming swimming scholarships as colleges look for athletes who train year round. Some of the kids on CCA even have potential to go to the Olympics someday, but not if they are shut out and cut off from their sport. The fees are completely unfair and harmful to not just the swim team, but the students. The students are the whole reason that the swim team exists. CCA athletes aren't outsiders. We're your students. Show us that our hard work, our futures, and our opportunities matter more than money. Thank you. >> All right, the next person on the list is also a
022student. And we didn't, sorry, we didn't know the former was a student, but we're not going to say their name. It's just student BB. If you know who you are, come on up. You don't have to announce your name because you are a minor. Okay. >> Hi, I'm here today as a sophomore at Cheyen Central High School and a representative of Capital City Athletics to address a decision that deeply impacts our community. I've attended the meetings. I've read the articles and frankly I'm struggling to understand the idea behind this decision. This isn't just about dollars and cents. It's about taking away opportunities from young children eager to learn to swim, high school students seeking scholarships, and those who find freedom, fun, and friendship in sports. It's not just swimmers who are affected, but wrestlers and
023anyone who benefits from our school's gins. Your notification that these fees are necessary for maintenance simply just doesn't uphold. Our dedicated janitorial staff is already on site diligently cleaning up after countless school activities includes including things like volleyball clubs, basketball clubs, and that also run during offseasons. Why can't they acculate a few extra minutes to ensure the pool's chemical balance is correct or that the heaters are functioning? These are tasks our coaches are often capable of already handling. It feels like we're being asked to pay twice for services already covered by their salaries. I understand that running a pool is expensive, but the board made the decision to build and maintain it. Now, instead of finding creative solutions, you're pushing students and families out of the very activities the pool was meant to support. You
024risk killing our swim clubs, diminishing our school teams, and driving away dedicated coaches. At a time when families are struggling to make ends meet, and when teachers are leaving in droves, the decision sends a clear message that our students wellbeing is not a priority. You spend millions of dollars to make your basketball, volleyball, and football teams look good. When sports like swimming and wrestling are pushed aside, that money is coming from every person in this room. And from my understanding, every person in this room wants the money to go to every kid and every sport because every kid is deserving to do of an equal chance for an equal opportunity to do the sport they love. In a time when taxpayers already contribute significantly through taxes, imposing additional high prices on essential services service activities
025feels like a double burden. These tax dollars are intended to fund public goods and services, making them accessible to all citizens. When high prices are laid on top, it c creates a financial barrier, particularly for lower inome families, effectively limiting access to not to opportunities and resources that should be available to everyone regardless of their economic status. It not only strains household budget, but also undermines the principal and equitable access that taxf funded services are meant to uphold. And if people's money isn't going to things like sports, where's their money going? We're here today to United in our desire to swim, to train, to represent our school with pride. Please reconsider these fees and work with us to find a solution that allows everyone to participate. >> The next on the list is Larry White.
026Um, again, thank you for the opportunity to let us come here and speak. Um, I'm Larry White. I was one of the original founders and head coaches of the CCA program, um, that started up approximately 15 years ago. Also was one of the coaches for South High School swimming and diving uh, for about 10 years. Um, you know, the idea of this club program was put in place to support these high school programs to provide an opportunity to the kids to practice and train year round and to do it at an affordable price, something that everybody had access to. um sports and sports in this community should be available to all uh you know whether it's the swimming or it's basketball or it's track or it's volleyball these things should be accessible to all students
027all athletes and everybody in the public uh the school district um you know uh enforcing these fees and these dues eliminates all of that takes out the ability as many have said for these kids and these families to afford to be able to come to these uh programs outside of the school season. And as many people have said here, without that, those school programs suffer. You don't have the state champions. South uh alone over the last 10 years has had eight state champions, and they would not be there without the club programs. Central has had many. East has been back there again because they unite. Uh my daughter is a freshman this year. She has been on the club team um coming into high school. She's ready, excited, and ready to go for this high
028school season. and mostly because she's had the opportunity to know everybody from Central, to know everybody from East, to be a part of a club program that says, "Hey, this is what we do as a community. We're going to separate together during high school, but every single time that they go to those pools, they're cheering each other on and supporting each other." This has given the kids an absolute amazing um ability and resource to reach out, make new friends, and and to unite um whether it's sports or outside of sports. Over the last few years, CCA has become one of the most premier clubs in Wyoming. We've won several state championships. Um, and this is due to the club um supporting the high schools, all three of them. Um, again, I know that we're here
029on behalf of CCA, but this affects all club sports. It's not just the swim programs that are affected. it it is the all clubs, all kids, all public students that want to use these facilities and increase their ability and their athletic ability to train for these high school teams. Um, you know, we ask that you reconsider these fees. We ask that you look again to how these affect, you know, going from a $50 monthly due to nearly tripling or or quadrupling that price is outrageous and families can't afford to accept those. Um again, that causes these programs to deteriorate, fall apart, numbers diminish, and there's nothing left to support these high school programs. Um we ask you reconsider these. We ask that um you take notice to the amount of people that have showed up
030here in support of this. I know that had this been a public notice of the prior meeting, we would have had just as much support at that. Um you know, so we ask again that you reconsider that, grant our attorney the hearing that he's requested in the past. Thank you. Uh, Nicholas Davidson, please. How you guys doing? Good evening, people of Cheyenne. I'm here speaking on behalf of myself, my business, 5ps basketball, and the kids of Cheyenne. Why are we raising the prices on rental fees when we are already limited on gym space? How can you be a part of a community that claims that they want the best for the kids, but give them so less? Being an athlete who has not only lived here, but has grown up here from elementary school to
031high school, the gap in sports between the players here and other states has been detrimental. One of the main reasons I believe is never having the space to be able to put in that extra work to be able to go play with friends on the weekends or get in the gym with a coach, parent or trainer to correct, critique and work on the right things to get better. Where you see in other states the growth of athlete skills have been exponentially better because they have been because they have had the resources we are still struggling with to obtain till this day. We live in a town where we we have no rec center, a rundown YMCA and the BIS and the beast facilities that was bought without the acknowledgement of the people only to be
032used for events and leagues that the city wants to do and have being for adults. We have coaches and trainers like myself who are willing to invest in these kids so that they can grow in their respectful sports. These type of decisions kill that and the opportunity for them. Don't we want to see the kids go and play at higher levels so that they can come back and invest into the invest in the community that helped shape them? take the time to look in the mirror and say it's not about me but about we. We have to come we have to come together at a time in this world where you are seeing deaths from kids and young adults and be a part of the reason that that kid doesn't make that that bad decision
033or end up dead. Not every child has a good home life. They use practice/training with their team to get away and stay grounded and continue to be a positive person in the community. We have to keep in mind the single parent who is already paying for everything else for their child and now you expect us to give them to give them more only to turn around to give the money back to the school district. Will this money be even be used for the kids? How will it be invested? Have you ever took the time to ask any of the parents of the athletes how much they spend to drive to Colorado to take their child to practice or train because there are no space for them to train here? That's all. Ryan Lumis. Okay, I'm
034going to move on to Gayen. Is it go? Oh jeez. I'm sorry I'm not set up. Gayen. Gayen. >> I really apologize. >> So it's Galen golf. Um I'm the I'm lucky enough to be the father to two beautiful students uh in Laramie County School District and a coach to many of the wonderful students you see in front of you tonight. Um, as the board for LCSD1, you know that youth sports are integral part of every student's development as they encourage not only uh physical activity but teamwork uh when they participate in sports in Cheyenne. When you combine the city facilities with the school district facilities, we are lucky enough to have the following publicly funded facilities. Six football fields, 14 soccer fields, 20 baseball soft and softball fields, 48 basketball and volleyball courts, majority
035of which are operated and managed by the school district. However, we only have five pools, one of which recently closed down permanently. That leaves us with one city pool which is unfit to host club swimming because it's doesn't have backstroke flags resulting in injuries because kids can't spot the wall when they're trying to finish backstroke. doesn't have starting blocks, so kids can learn how to start in a race. And it's kept at a temperature that's too high for athletes to participate in highintensity uh athletics. It' be akin to having all of the affforementioned sports participate in a sauna arena. Uh so we can't use that facility for our club. So that leaves us with three facilities, all owned, operated, managed by LCSD1. One of the biggest differences between all of these sports and and swimming
036is that categorically you can say that swimming saves lives. Uh growing up in Australia, I've seen and rescue kids and adults from new drownings whilst a lifeguard at my local pool. As a coach for CCA, while it be great to coach Olympic and national and state champions, we have many state champions uh here. It's not the core of what we do. Being a USA swimming club, we align with their mission to promote swimming not only as a competitive sport, but as a life-saving skill. In Cheyenne, again, we're lucky enough to be located close enough to great recreational facilities like um Granite Crystal, uh Kro Creek, close enough to Glendo, close enough to the south of us to Red Feather Lakes and to Horsetooth Reservoir. um without access to learn to swim programs in the pools
037that the uh school district operates uh our kids are at risk of losing the ability to enjoy all of those recreational endeavors. When it comes to learn to swim in Shen, you're probably wondering, well, how much capacity do we have? There are three options. We have the Y, we have the municipal pool, and we have CCA. CCA currently pretty much locked out because of the fee increases. That leaves us the Y and the MUN. Effectively combined, they have 80 slots every month for kids. Um, taking a rough ballpark, there's about 14,000 students in LCSD1. If you broke that down, just based on average per grade, you're looking at about a thousand, if not more, kindergarten kids. The district should have a commitment to those kids to offer the ability to learn to swim as a
038life-saving skill. Currently, we can only accommodate less than 10% of all kindergarteners getting access to learn to swim. It takes roughly six to two year six months to two years for a kid to become water safe and that's uh shown through studies by USA swimming. Um we're asking that the board reconsider the fees that are being proposed to use the swimming pools to afford programs like CCI to offer the 14,000 plus students uh access to learn to swim. Thank you. Jason Hagar. Hopefully I did better on that name. >> Good evening. I'm Jason Hagar. I'm going to talk about the facility use fees. Can everybody hear that? Is that good? Okay. So, uh, so I'm a veteran, 29 years active duty. When we first moved here to Cheyenne, um, we love that the community had
039these, uh, clubs there that would help, uh, students train year round. Um, because frankly, especially with swimming, if you don't train year round with good coaching, you really don't have a shot at scholarships because it takes that. That's that's what it takes to get to that level. Uh my daughter swam uh with the waves that was based out of East High School um during that first um that first assignment here. Um at first she just started swimming junior high and she was okay. Um and then her coaches recommended that she start swimming club and when she did she moved on to that next level that she never would have reached without club swim. Uh, so that club, the the high school coach and the junior high coaches recognized back then that we need you to
040go swim club. You got great potential, but you'll never reach that potential without club swimming. Um, that club's now gone. And I don't know if you know the details why that club's gone, but uh that that's a shame. We used to have three well used to have two options and for a while we had three. Um the the facilities closing down during COVID killed the other club. It's gone. This is the last option. This club is great. This club is like like they won all those state championships, right? We've got great great state championship, great swimmers that compete with the best in the state. Um this club draws attention. when I moved back here the second time because I I left, got another assignment, then came back um from Wyoming originally, just so you know.
041Uh raised in Rock Springs. I know that matters here. Um but when we came back, had these clubs not been available, we would have moved to Fort Collins and I would have commuted to work. So, if this club dies, and it will uh I know some of you are aware, maybe all of you are aware that we've restructured um and now now we're like now now we straight rely on donations. Um that's not the best scenario because every month we're wondering if we can pay the bills. Every month it will be a crisis, right? Instead of having known income and known bills, we'll be like, we'll be hoping that we get the donations that we need or we go into crisis mode for fundraising. That's not where we want to be. Those fees were kept
042low so anybody that wanted to could afford to swim with this club. We don't want to be beggars. We don't want to be out in the community knocking on doors. These kids don't have time for that, especially if they're looking for scholarships. If you know how busy those kids are that are really trying to get into those top schools and using the club to get there, they don't have time for that. I guess what I'm I guess what I'm getting at here is those facilities were paid by the tax paid for by the taxpayer by my taxes. I think about it every time I walk in how proud I am of that of that pool at East. That's great. That's that's we can use that for a for a for a state championship meet here
043and we should be using it for that. >> Mr. Jagger, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you're out of time. >> Okay. >> By a lot. >> I'm done. Well, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh, the last person on my list is Kimberly Stewart. Good evening. Thank you. My name is Kimberly Stewart and I again am speaking about the facilities use fees, but I'd like to talk to you a little bit more about my daughter. My daughter is um someone who is not maybe able to participate in some of the other sports out there. She thrives in a swimming pool. Without that swimming pool, I hesitate to think where she would be at this point in her life. She is still young. What other activities does she have that can keep her healthy, that
044can keep her within her athletic ability that she can use to also keep her mentally, physically, emotionally. And that's all a part of what swimming has done for her. And that's what all the swimmers have going for them. That activity is a necessary thing for them to become the person and the students that they are going to be. Without that participation, she would most likely be sitting on an electronic sitting in her room and not participating with other people with her as much as her schoolwork or anything like that. That is what CCA has brought for my daughter. without being able to have that swimming. I don't know where we would go from here. The facility use fees would make it to the point where we could not afford that to go have her swim
045anywhere else. Unfortunately, hours for other pools are very limited. Where do you go from there? I really do urge that you reconsider this particular facilities fees and to make it for students like my daughter who may not be able to do other activities but are phenomenal in a swimming pool to be able to continue that process. Thank you very much. Have a good evening. Well, thank you everyone who signed up to speak tonight and came and shared your experiences and your stories with us. We appreciate uh the added information. Uh next on the agenda is the upcoming meetings. We have a September 16th meeting at noon for the board planning meeting with the superintendent. And this is the one where we have volunteers from the board. So, I don't know if anyone's signed up yet.
046Barb, uh, Trusty Cook has signed up already. Has anyone else signed up for that date that would like to meet? >> Um, I can I can do the 16th. >> Okay, I'll put you down. Uh, then we have on September 22nd at 6 p.m. our regular board meeting. There is no work session that night. September 30th, we have um a noon meeting with the executive team. Um is that a meeting where the September 30th is that uh >> I believe we're going to scooch that till after the session. Oh, I'm sorry. >> Uh the executive meeting um team meeting with the superintendent on September 30th. >> So, what was your question? I'm wondering if that's Yeah, that's the executive team. I'm sorry, I'm reading it wrong. Okay. And then on October 6th, there is a
0475pm work session and a 6 pm regular board meeting. And with that, I'll move on to individual board communications and reports. Does anyone have any communications you'd like to share out with our our community? Uh, Trustee Cook. Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. A couple things. Um, one, on August 29th, I went to the Central Rock Springs football game. So, I saw that beautiful scoreboard that was gifted to us from the um Lorie Brown family. It was beautiful. And I watched the football players a little bit, but I also watched the um spirit team. So this at the end of the summer, the the spirit team had done a little clinic for junior um kids that were young kids that wanted to participate as cheerleaders. And so they had a clinic and then that night they
048had a um the little girls got to perform with the spirit the central spirit team. So I wanted to just recognize Whitney Witworth, Haley Braden, and Kelly Graham. And they spearheaded it. did an awesome job. Lots of kids and um all those children were returned safely to their parents. So, it was it was an awesome thing and I also thought it really built community because there were a lot of people in the stands. So, um I wanted to recognize them. And then second, um, I was asked by a concerned parent who's also a teacher in the district about the reason that there was no crossing guard on Yellowstone, as had been the case for the last previous years, for their kids. So my husband and I volunteered to be crossing guards for the second week
049of school. And it was uh, sadly eye opening. Um, I I some of the things that I saw, cars speeding through the school zone, more than 10 tickets written out in a 24-hour period of cars racing through the um school district, school lights not blinking on that half day school um day on that first week. So, uh kids were crossing Yellowstone when cars were going 40 miles an hour if not faster. Um, then some of the kids are getting to Davis School and that's where I've been the crossing guard at at Davis School after the lights have gone out. So, they too are walking across Yellowstone and there's nothing to help them stop traffic. Um, as we've said to some of the cars, slow down. And that's my um gesture that I used. Um we've
050been yelled at, we've been flipped off, we've been um so it's been an eyeopening sad experience. Um so and then even one time when I was in the crosswalk trying to get people to go across the crosswalk careful uh safely, a car ran right through the crosswalk when I was standing. interview. So, I um I understand now and I'm hopeful that this is the truth that the district will now provide bus service to children on the west side of Yellowstone to get to Davis safely. So, I think that's a good thing. However, I still have some questions. I'm curious when the bus route will be established, when it will be ready to use. This afternoon I had a mom stop by my house and give me I had gone out to be the when I
051went out to decide I there was a problem and I needed to step in and volunteer. I went out to Lowe's and bought my own vest. I ordered from Amazon a stop sign because was my understanding I could not ask for that from the school district. So they're still in trying to get this all in place of parents um trying to get kids to school safely. So, I'm hopeful that that bus route can get established. I'll be curious when it's ready to be used and will it accommodate kids that are heading to Coyote Ridge. Another question I had is when was the decision made to not allow school personnel to be crossing guards? Because to me, that makes the most sense. Um, when there's volunteers, somebody can't make it or whatever. But um if it
052were a school personnel, if somebody was sick, they could easily find a um somebody to take that person's place. Um I'm curious if there are other schools that are using crossing guards. And um another thing that was really sad for me to hear are these parents said, "If I had known that there wouldn't be a crossing guard, we could have done something before school started." So, um, how was how was the decision made that there would be no school school personnel to be the crossing guard and then how is that going to be information disseminated to parents? And then I'm also curious about Senate File 110, um, which helps alleviate the liability of school district personnel or volunteers from being liable for anything that happen happens within the crossing guard. And then lastly, I'm really
053hopeful that we learn something from this because there's schools that are going going to be going offline. And so those kids are going to be going to different schools. uh my granddaughter being one of them will have to cross Persing and Randall in order to instead of going to Deming to get to Pioneer Park and I hope that this doesn't happen again that that parents are scrambling to find a safe way to get their children to go to school. >> Well, thank you Trusty Cook. I I've looked into that issue, too, and I know it's very complicated, but you're asking the right questions. So, thank you. >> Look forward to discussing that more. Is there any other uh trustees who have any any comments to share out? >> All right, >> chairman, this is I'm
054sorry. This is >> forgot about our online folks. Go ahead. >> That's fine. Um I just wanted to make a plug um for the run for number one um that the Cheyenne Schools Foundation is putting on on September 20th. Um it is to help raise money um so that we can give grants to teachers um throughout the district. And so I would um just make a plug for everybody to come out and join us on that day. It's at Central High School. Um and it should be a really fun activity. So um I would just love to see you all there. >> Thank you, Trusty Hankle. I'm so glad you mentioned that. Is anyone else online or our our trustees that are joining us online have any comments? >> I do not. Okay, thank you.
055Um, moving on, reports from the superintendent and staff. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, and as we get started here, um, thanks to our board members who are appearing online, I know between sick kids and being sick themselves and traveling for prior commitments, it's not easy and we appreciate the extra effort to get online. Um couple of short announcements and then um a couple of extra things I'd like to share. Um in addition to the Cheyenne schools um walk run on September 20th. I'm very pleased to remind everyone that today September 8th is International Literacy Day. And um just to brag a little bit about our schools in this past spring on our YTOP, more students showed themselves to be proficient in ELA than this prior spring. And in addition to that, 154 students who
056were on an IRP, individual reading plan, work themselves off an individualized reading plan. So, a lot of celebrations and international literacy day seemed to be a great day to um to remind the folks of that. Also, the week of September 8th through 14th is National Arts and Education Week and very thankful for all those that are contributing to our kids exposure and and being able to excel in the arts. And last, but certainly not least, I would re remind everyone that um September 11th is a day that is right around the corner, officially called Patriot Day, but obviously in memorial for all of the lives lost during the terrorist uh attacks during September 11th. Um, you may uh those uh parents that are here may recognize that today we pushed out the video that our
057kids produced um for safety. Safety is a hot topic this time of year as it always should be. Um, I wanted to briefly ask that uh Kyle humor us here and let us quickly watch that video because there's a whole lot of good information to our parents and our kids about the various drills that we go into. >> Children are our most valuable resource and they deserve our protection. Larry County School District 1, the Cheyenne Police Department, and the Laramie County Sheriff's Office are all committed to protecting our children in times of crisis. To keep us safe, the school district uses the I love you guys foundation standard response protocol. >> This gives students, staff, parents, and emergency response personnel common language and a common plan, making it easier to react efficiently to emergencies. >>
058Here's what you should know about each protocol and what parents or guardians should do when an emergency occurs at their students school. >> When a hold protocol is announced, students clear the hallway and remain in their areas or classrooms. All students are accounted for and the doors are locked. >> Students work like normal until the all clear is announced. >> A hold protocol is typically used when a behavioral or medical situation occurs and clearing the hallways is needed. Parents, unless you get a call about your student, no action is needed. >> During a secure protocol, all students return inside the building and the outside doors are kept locked. It's business as usual inside until the all clear is announced. >> Secure protocols are often used when there is law enforcement or other emergency response activity
059happening in the area. Parents, no action is needed and for your own safety, and you should stay where you're at. >> During a lockdown, students move out of sight, preferably in a classroom. They remain silent and never open the door. >> Adults will recover us from the hallways if possible and lock their doors. Parents, we might be able to text you with updates, but please do not call us. It's important that we stay quiet. >> Parents should also stay where they are. Never go to the school during a lockdown as this can put you in danger, create roadblocks for emergency vehicles, and create even more chaos. Do not call the school or your student. Stay tuned to your Remind app or local news station for updates. During an evacuation, students leave their things behind and
060follow staff instructions to get to the evacuation location. >> If it's possible, students are encouraged to bring their shots. >> Adults and staff will do roll call to ensure all students are accounted for. >> During an emergency that requires an evacuation, it's important to keep our roads clear for emergency response. Parents, do not come to the school unless you receive a notification or call and the school is stating otherwise. Once it is safe, we will begin the reunification process. Shelter protocols happen during hazards such as tornadoes, hazmat, or earthquakes. >> Depending on the situation, students might get away from windows, drop, cover, and hold, or be evacuated to the nearest shelter area. >> During a hazardous event, it is important for parents to keep themselves safe. Watch for Remind announcements, calls, and stay tuned to
061local news so that you know when it is safe to pick up your child and where your child is located. You might notice that Remind messages may be slightly delayed during these events. >> This isn't to keep you out of the loop. It's because everyone's busy handling the event. >> Also, rumors and misinformation spread quickly in events like these. So, updates have to be verified by law enforcement or first responders, which also takes time. >> Emergency situations can be scary. >> But with the help of our standard response protocol and by working together as a community, I >> you we >> can help keep our children safe. Thank you. And and I will say we've already had a number of drills as the school year has begun. Uh we've also had a couple of false
062alarms and we certainly recognize that that can be unnerving at best and and perhaps scary at the worst. But um we need to use all of these opportunities, treating them as if they're a real emergency to make sure that in real emergency situations that we take things um seriously and that we are prepared. Um the Department of Safety and Security is continuing on. I I'm looking at a list of a whole bunch of trainings that they've engaged in um as the year has gotten going. Not to mention that we do hold a district-wide emergency management and crisis team meeting every second Wednesday of the month from 10:00 to 11:00. Um they're typ typically in the administration building 306 and each school can to the degree that they're able send a representative. Um, so this month,
063for example, we have Larry County Emergency Management Team coming to discuss emergency operation plans and then we typically hold a 15-minute tabletop drill at the end of each meeting. So, we continue to keep our focus on the safety and security of our kids and our buildings. The one last um topic that I want to provide a little bit of clarification on. Um as you heard of some um of our folks talking this this evening about the very generous um 8.5% external cost adjustment that the legislature allocated to school districts across the state this year. There's been a lot of commentary in the public sphere uh recently asking a very fair question and that is did we allocate all of those funds to compensate our employees? It's a very fair question. However, it appears it appears
064that that question has been muddied a bit uh by some conflicting information and maybe only parts of stories that have been dispersed and our public certainly deserves the full story. It appears that a a LSO memo may have gone out that looked at average changes in salaries that don't take into account that doesn't take into account things like years of experience steps that absolutely um make for more money in the pockets of our employees, lame changes as they get more um experience um or education I should say and increasing health insurance costs that are covered by this district. And so, um, when we say we got an 8.5% increase, that is not to say that the legislature, as generous as their gift was, they did not allocate 8 f.5% more money to each employees salary,
065they increased the generous pot of money that they give us by 8.5%. So, back to the very fair question, did we allocate all those funds to compensate employees? So 8.5% more salary dollars for Larmy 1 equals $9.6 million. What an incredible gift to give to our employees. So did we allocate $9.6 million additional money for salaries and benefits for the total compensation package for our staff this year. I'm pleased to tell you that not only did we allocate all 9.6 6 million. But we allocated through the consolidation of programs, through the elimination of staff that due to our shrinking population, not just the $9.6 million that were given, but the district came up with an additional $2.6 million in new money to dedicate to staff um compensation. So, did we spend the 9.6 6 million
066in additional funding. Yes. And then an additional $2.6 million. And the compensation package for our employees this year was not 9.6 million. It was actually 12.2 million. So where does that leave us? That leaves us very grateful to the legislature for allocating us this external cost adjustment. And I believe I speak for all employees in this district when I extend our further appreciation to this board of trustees for committing the additional $2.6 million additionally so we can recruit and retain highquality employees to serve our students and community. And Madam Chair, with that is the end of my reports. >> Thank you, Mr. Superintendent, for your report tonight. I think it would be probably behoove us to since our legislators have left maybe we can follow up with some correspondence that based on your report tonight
067and then I really we want to convey appreciation for the safety video that has been sent out. I don't know if that's available on our website but it might be something we look into just to have a resource for our community to go to when um they have questions about what to do in in safety situations. And with that, we'll move on to the consent agenda. All agenda items listed with the designation of CA are considered to be routine items by the governing body and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion on these items. Any item removed from the consent agenda will be considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. So, does any board member request to remove a motion from the consent agenda? anyone online? >> Madam Chair,
068um I can't find it on this right in my um computer here, but I was thinking as I was reading for through items for um this evening's meeting. There was a bill that's supposed to be paid to Simpson Electric for work that was done at Affleerbot Elementary School. So, whatever that item is, I need to remove myself as it's a conflict of interest. >> All right. Thank you, Trusty Burton, for letting us know uh why you won't be voting for that tonight. Uh is there any other board members that want to speak up about removing any motions from the consent agenda? Okay, Madam Chair, I move to approve all motions listed as consent agenda. Uh, there's a motion. Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Trusty Cook. Uh, it's been moved and
069seconded to approve all motions listed on consent agenda. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? All right, consent agenda has been adopted. Moving on to new business. Madam Chair, I move to increase professional service contract with by architect means in an amount not to exceed $100,000 perform services of facility, project, planner, architect, consultant. >> I'll second that. It's uh that motion's been moved and seconded. Uh do is there any comments, >> Madame Chair? >> Yes. >> Can you tell me is this the money that's going to be used for Alta Vista's parking lot? >> Uh Mr. Superintendent. >> Yeah, Madame Chair. Uh Mr. Knap, could you please come up and address this motion? >> Madam Chair, Trusty Cook, that is not the money for a bus parking lot. This money is
070um we I'll give you just a little bit brief history on this. Um we quite often have continuing service contracts with contractors and designers. We had an RFP a while back that went out um for designers and three we accepted three of them. Uh each were awarded and approved by you guys for $100,000 each. This particular consultant has been doing all the spatial programming and ed specifications for uh several projects. The McCormack Junior High renovation, the new art elementary school, new 56 elementary school um as well as a couple of other small projects. Two of the consultants are no longer available due to other um obligations they have. So, this particular consultant has been doing all of that work. Okay. >> Thank you. Any other comments by the board? All right. The motion to contract
071for facility project planner architect consultant has been moved and seconded. All those approved, please say I. >> I. >> And those. >> All right. That motion has been passed. >> Next motion. Madam Chair, I move to approve professional services by Eberg Miller for the design and replacement of the transportation fuel island in the amount of $77,150 and the design and site assessment for a driver's training pad in the amount of $14,000 for a total of $91,150 including a 10% contingency for associated governmental fees and requirements. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Uh, thank you, Trusty Burden. >> Somebody online. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I saw your finger go up. Trusty. Thank you. Um, the motion has been moved and seconded. Are there any comments? >> Um, Trusty. >> Yeah, Madam Chair. Um, can
072that also be explained? Is it for the transportation facility or Sorry, Mr. Nap. Mr. should I asked you to stay here? >> Yeah, Madam Chair, Trusty Cook, that is for the transportation facility and the main reason for that is that we have a lot of gas buses now um that we've been purchasing and they only have diesel fuel tanks out there. >> Oh, >> so that's what that's for. Um and I'd have to confirm this, but I I believe the last conversation that our transportation director had with state that that's probably going to be reimburseable. >> Oh, thank you. All right. Any other comments on that motion? Okay, that motion's been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> And those opposed. That motion has passed. The next regular board
073meeting will be held on Monday, September 22nd at 6 PM. The business of the district is done. Um, guess I need to do that. Is there a motion to go into executive session? Madam Chair, I move to go into executive session prior to adjournment for the purpose of possible student long-term suspensions, expulsions, personnel, and legal advice. Is there a second? >> Second. Thank you, Trusty Cook. It's been moved and seconded. Any comments? All right, then. Um, those in favor of moving into executive session, please say I. I. >> I. >> And those opposed, we are moving into executive session based on that vote. And we will return from recess to reconvene our regular meeting afterward.