001We'll bring this regular board meeting back to order at 6:02 p.m. Let's say the pledgece to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice. >> Thank you. Um let's see the mission statement. Um, our mission statement is to ensure that all students have the foundation for success and are challenged to reach their full potential. Uh, next we need to approve the agenda. >> Madam Chair, I move to approve the January 14th, 2026 regular meeting agenda as presented. >> Second. All in favor? I >> oppose. I >> uh motion passes. Move passes. Um we'll move on to the superintendence report and we'll start with celebrations. >> U madame chair, trustees, uh good evening. Uh we have two items under the celebration items
002for our board meeting tonight. Um the first celebration I'm going to have um Mike Hansen give us a brief description, but I wanted to put a plug in for uh the importance of the fine and performing arts in our school district. Um you're going to hear from an excellent uh team that had some significant recognitions in a moment, but I do think uh bringing to the spotlight what we do in our district around the fine and performing arts is essential in a kids's education. Thank you, Superintendent Chris, Madam Chair, trustees, thank you for the opportunity to recognize some of our activities tonight. It's a group we haven't seen in a while. Um, led by teacher Katherine Chapen. Katherine, why don't you come on up here? Uh, I just want to say something about Katherine and
003and drama and thespian in general. It's a it's very person specific in terms of engaging students and really getting people excited about drama and the arts and things of that nature. And it's been really great to have Katherine come on board and really recind of energize our community. we had kind of taken a dip there for a minute. Um she's been done a tremendous job of getting it going back in our schools and even as moving into administrative role, she's still continued to do it and I think that's really great for our um arts programs. I think she's done an awesome job for that. She recognized for it. Um and now she's going to bring up her state testing group. I'll turn it over to her. >> Okay. Um so I am Katherine Chapen. I
004am the theater director at Jackson Hole High School and an assistant principal at Jackson Hole Middle School. And I'm incredibly proud to be here with these students and their families. Um, we won our Yeah, you guys can walk on down. Keep going. >> AC. [laughter] >> So, for the first time in over a decade, we took a a show um a one-act play to compete at the state level in the Army in December. um early December of of this past year and not only did we win the 3A division for arena shows uh we were awarded the title of chapter select. So basically this organization picks one play that they would like to represent the state of Wyoming on an international level. The next level up is internationals and we were our chapter select for
005the state of Wyoming. So we will be competing on an international level hopefully this June. [laughter] Um, so the show was student selected. Um, the title was I don't want to talk about it by Bradley Hayward. It's a powerful piece that highlights the mental health challenges many high school students face. These students behind me worked extremely hard um on stage and behind the scenes, not just on their performance, but on storytelling with purpose. They showed maturity, compassion, and courage. because they received the honor of Wyoming's chapter select. They will represent the state of Wyoming on the international level in June. In addition to the one act, we had um three students receive all state honor recognition for their musical solos. That would be Vivian Matthysse, Hugh Reid, and Rose Rupinsky. Uh Drew McPeek and Phoebe
006Warner earned all state honors for their musical duet dance. and Sophia Rhyr right behind me um also was awarded all state honors for her fabulous original play that she wrote and it is it is fabulous. Um we're we're going to try to do the play next year so you can come and see it. Uh the students are now fundraising to help cover the travel cost so that they can um take this achievement to this stage. It's going to be between 20 and $25,000 to do this. But tonight, I am honored to announce that the students um I'm honored to introduce the students who made this possible and thank them for bringing so much pride to our school and community. So, thank you. >> Do you all have any questions for anybody question? >> Can you
007introduce them? >> Sure. Uh well, I'll let them introduce themselves. Do you want to start down here? Sam >> Sand last name and what you did for the show. >> I'm Samson and I did the lighting crew. >> Mhm. >> I'm Madison Earl and I was one of the actresses. >> Senior freshman senior. >> Um I'm Rosa Pinsky. I'm a freshman and I did the acting and I'm a >> Joa and I'm a freshman and I was in the show. [laughter] >> Um I'm Olivia Chambers. I'm a junior and I acted in the West. >> I'm Rowan Logan. I'm a sophomore and I also acted. >> I'm Sophia Rhyr. I'm a junior and I help him sound and wrote the play. >> Wow. >> Awesome. >> Thank you so much. >> Great. [clears throat] Madam
008chair, trustees, the second point I have here listed is along our theme, district theme of connection. I wanted to highlight one of the um insertions in the district leaders report that uh Piper Worthington included around family engagement. Uh Piper's work um part of her work is working with a group called the FAC. Uh the FAC is really a family advisory council, but it's not just a meeting. It's actually targeted parents that raise their hand in schools, agree to come to um meetings every couple months and work directly with that site principal in terms to execute plans at the site building. So, it's not just information, but it's much more strategic in nature in regards to teaming parents with principles to get things done. Uh, the next FAC meeting is is uh January 28th, and we're
009actually going to be addressing uh the grading systems in our schools. Um trying to get more clarity with parents around how that works and parents are engaged in that process. So, I just wanted to highlight some of the excellent work happening with um Piper and family engagement. Thank you. Um any questions? Um Dr. Crisp on that or other questions on the district's leaders report? All right, seeing none, uh we can move on. Do you have anything else, Dr. Chris? >> That's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh see then we'll move on to um reports and items for discussion and we'll start with the student school board member report and it's my understanding that this is exam week so following your um report you all can just keep on going and go study. Thank you
010for being here. So, in our December student senate recap, our students made gift bags and notes for staffs to give for when they came back to school as a thank you to show them. And in those gift bags, there was snowflakes, bookmarks, anything for the teachers that to give them to show their thank you. and we made a video. Um, we brought them upstairs. They had a whiteboard to say a word of connect connectivity and what it means to them. Uh, it was a pretty long page because it's around 4 minutes, but we were able to film all the students present and they were asked a question of what they think the one word is that helps connection throughout the school district. We also >> and uh what our other main goal in 2026 is
011going to be different flex programming to get students more excited about sustainability in our district. And one of the ways we're going to do this is we're going to have a little bit of a late sustainability New Year's party to get everyone more excited about sustainability and look at the different ways you can recycle and reuse to make something that's really amazing and beautiful. Um, we're also looking at two board games and mobile games we're trying to get. One of them is the candy land we showed in the last slide which was about different ways you can get pushed back or pushed forward um with decisions you make in your day-to-day life around sustainability. And we also saw this game called Saving the Rhinos. And we're trying to make it trying to revamp it to
012be something more Jackson Hole related but basically follow Rhino that's trying to be poached in Africa and about all the things it's trying to do to survive to kind of humanize the animals. and we're gonna try to find an endangered animal in Wyoming and do something similar and have people play that game. And the last thing that we're doing, which I think um Trusty Abrams talked about last month, was trying to get people to volunteer to sign up to go to the bus farm and search through lost items, especially for Big Five for young kids, and trying to get people to be um labeling their items. So if it's been there and lost for five weeks, no one's come looking for it, that they're willing to donate it to have it be reused in our
013community. And Nai has a little bit more to save. >> Yeah. Uh so we're also trying to do um save the water bottles um which is where we just um we're like trying to advocate for parents so that we could have like red stickers so that after 5 weeks if someone doesn't pick up a water bottle we could like sterilize it and then be able to give it out for someone that may not have a water bottle. Um, and then we also want to um have on the morning announcements that people go like in the lost and found. And we also want to add um on the announcements, which I don't think we have on here, is that we want to start a water bottle drive where we could like put like um boxes outside
014of a classroom and people can go drop off their water bottles and then we'll sterilize them and then give those away. And then we're also going to talk to Mr. Whippy about bringing back the compost bins. [clears throat] >> Do anybody have any questions? >> Sounds good. >> Good luck. >> Yeah. [laughter] So, we're going to try to play that video for you guys now that they made that. Thank you very much. >> All right, fiscal management. You guys were on it. Ready to go. >> I'll turn over to Kristen. Uh we did uh the budget update is posted for review. There may have been a couple of questions. I want to make sure we answer those before uh we move on. >> Thank you. I had a couple of questions but I have to
015go to that. There we go. I hope we didn't go over this already at some point. I suspect we did. Um I had a couple of questions. One was on special education. Um last year's budget was 5358. This year is 950 and we've only we've spent 40%. so far. Um, is the 950 based on students that have to, um, go to boarding school or something like that? And if that's the case, [clears throat] why haven't we spent more? >> We did have some out of district um, placements that we were expecting to have this year. Uh, I would have to follow up with director Natch on those. Do you want to >> Yeah. We had an increase in students CRB and then we also had an SLP that was um out on FMLA and so
016we had a rotation of four different SLPs that were taking that contract which made that contract much larger because normally that SLP salary is in fund 10 and just a different >> but then we haven't spent it >> um we haven't spent it because one of those students is no longer with us. They left the district and but then we also had another student move to CB. So you'll start to see that level out I guess is an easier way to say it. >> That was my next question was is it is this a oneyear anomaly or are we going to see if that continue? >> It really depends on the placements. >> Yeah. >> And what you'll see this time last year you can see that in special education we had almost spent 100%
017of the budget and that's because some of those two student placements started halfway through the year last year. So when when we look at this we're trying to base it on what happened the prior year. Um, and so when we get to the end of the year this year, you'll see that that special education line was way over what the budget was. So we reacted and adapted the budget planning for this year and then more things changed in the middle of the year. Um, the positive note on that is that special special education is 100% reimburseable. So the increase in the in the budget didn't impact our overall budgeting elsewhere. Um but at towards the end of the year if we haven't spent that money it will stay in our cash reserves. >> Um and
018uh with regards to the uh recalibration is there any movement on a lot of people testified that they thought we the school district should be reimbursed quarterly or something like that for special ed? Do you know if there's any movement on that? I believe the direction from the recalibration committee to LSO was to draft a quarterly reimbursement for special education into the bill. I think it will be drafted into the bill and then >> We'll see if it passes. >> The other thing Chrisman was leases um went from a budget of in 2025 of 78,000 up to 595. um is and then we also have technology which when which sort of helps steady are the leases for computers. >> So if you'll remember about three years ago right in the middle of CO we ended
019up getting some ECF funding um that was we we were able to pay for half of the device refresh with ECF emergency connectivity funding um and then we did a cash reserve decrease for the other half of those devices. So then we didn't have that lease payment built into the lease budget for three years and now we're bringing it back because we just did a device refresh. >> Great. Thank you. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. Uh we recently met um we had the uh all of the flat rate health insurance RFP responses were due on the 5th. The finance committee met on Monday to review those responses. uh we only had one of three that meet that met the basic requirements of the RFP um and that was from our current provider hub. So um
020we are moving forward through our renewal process as normal. Um, I know there was a follow-up question from Trustee Bosch about um what what were the thoughts on why people didn't respond meeting the basic requirements. And one of the um one of the people that didn't meet the basic requirements had actually responded and said that the licensing requirements in Wyoming are different for a flat rate health insurance consultant versus a insurance provider. And um so maybe maybe that was why. But um so for now we're we're holding steady with our current process >> and the Salt Lake firm that Trusty Gigry talked about. >> I did submit a request to them. I sent them the RFP um and I didn't get a response. >> Thanks for reaching. >> Any other questions? Okay. >> Thank you.
021Educational Services Committee. >> Good evening, Madame Chair, board of trustees. Megan Felouts, director of educational services. Um we met in December for ED services committee and our topic was the peak program and unpacking the program evaluation that was conducted last spring um February into March which was facilitated by Enitra Jensen um the coordinator for the program and I first off want to express my sincere gratitude to Anidra for leading this work. Um we received the evaluation last spring the results and she has implemented some really just very successful changes this year. So in the notes here um from ed services committee there's an outline of the current program model the um recommendations from our evaluation on making those program uh revisions. And so I just want to again thank Anitra for the work. And if
022you have specific questions about the peak program, um she is here to answer those questions. But I do want to point out just how the notes are formatted here. Um these are the the first few bullets are what we have implemented this year based on that program evaluation. And then we also have some recommendations for future focus areas. um it did come up capacity uh concerns and ability to provide that that high level of service across our schools. So that is something that we discussed. Um and we also discussed just some of the focus areas for developing a a program manual and really guide so that we're ensuring alignment across our our schools. So if if you have any questions for Anitra or myself, we are here for you. >> Any questions, comments? >> Um
023[clears throat] Madam Chair, uh I have really felt like we spend a lot of time and money uh trying to get um kids up to proficiency. And as a result, you know, when you look at how many kids that we have in the PE program, um, with just two teachers, I just don't think that's enough. I don't think it's equitable to, um, be, uh, putting so many resources into the kids to get them up to proficiency while ignoring the kids who may be high flyers. Of course, we think, well, they'll be fine, and they may may be fine, but I think it's really important that we offer uh a challenging curriculum to those kids that are ahead of the others in those classes. So, I really appreciate Anita's work on this. Um, but I really
024hope when it comes to the budgeting process that we think about, you know, the the financial aspect of it. I noticed in the the budget update that I was just looking at that we've budgeted for I'm certain it's for extra stuff for Pete $14,000. >> And to me, you know, that doesn't I mean that doesn't hold a candle to what we're spending on kids that were, you know, wrestling up to proficiency. Um, and I think that that they deserve it. they're if they're good students, we should be assisting them to be better and better. Um, the other question I had was why isn't there a peak program in middle school and high school? >> That's pretty comfy over there. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. We used to have peak in the middle school. Um,
025Barb Sanchez was our peak teacher. She did pull out courses with students that were identified over time. Um because of how the enrollment changed, she ended up teaching uh computer science and we would have the sixth graders who were in the peak program were in hers, but we were no longer able to do pull out with a peak teacher. We do not have a peak teacher at the high at the middle school. some of the things that we are doing and this was part of the the results from the um auditor who came and I do need to thank Mr. Heller for helping. He jumped right in and Stephen as well. We do now have a great what I feel is a great math program to be able to advance kids a little more quickly.
026Um sixth grade and seventh grade is now being combined into one year. the first semester they're taking sixth grade curriculum standards and objectives. This is much quicker. They're moving more quickly and then they will move into seventh grade for the second half of the year. At the end of that time, we will have them do the Iowa um algebra test readiness test and then be able to move them more quickly. That's what we have right now. There are um home rooms that students are in and they're in clusters of I mean they're still PE kids. They're it's not like they ever go out of it. If they're gifted, they're still gifted and so they have um home rooms and they have opportunities to do things within those home rooms. We just no longer have a
027pull out program and it's, you know, with with six elementary student schools, 113 kids, two teachers, there's just not the capacity. When I was hired for the school district, it was specifically to be in Peak. There were [clears throat] three of us that were full-time. Barb Sanchez at the middle school. This was back before Munger was built. There was Christy Roberts and myself as full-time. and Nancy Broomstead who did the outline. So, it's changed over time. Would I personally love to see some pull out more pull out at the middle school for gifted kids? Definitely. Um, but you know, we we can only do what we have the capacity to do. >> I do want to add that this home room it's called win time what I need. And so uh we have placed all
028PE kids in the same what I need group which is four they make 40 minutes a day. So minimum of two days but up to four days a week for 40 minutes. The peak kids are getting specialized attention in different areas. Our social studies department are the ones who are running the peak programming during win time. Um sixth grade win is do uh in peak they're doing mythologies from all sorts of different ancient civilizations. media analysis, the national history day project. I myself taught the peak uh students last year along with Barbara Sanchez during win time and that's when we did our genius hour project where we let the kids study whatever they wanted to study and we were there they had to create something to show their learning. So big programming is happening just
029in an unconventional way at the Nelson. Well, I asked the question because, you know, when you have somebody who's been on the board for a long, long time, I had my kids in middle school were in with peak programs. >> I mean, you know, they didn't want to be peak programs. They rather done nothing quite frankly. >> Um, so I was wondering why that has changed. You know, in the, you know, almost 18 years I've been on the school board, instead of going forward, we seem to be going backwards and I don't like that. So, thank you for the information >> and it and it is definitely appreciated that at the middle school those home room teachers are willing to you know extend the learning for those kids and without them you know it would
030even be there would be less challenge work for those students. >> Thank you. Um, so since we're on the topic, so I I suspect that at some point in early elementary the kids are identified through their assessments and that thing, but how at going forward are children can they move in and out of the program? you know, some of the reading I've done and not in a while, but that, you know, sometimes children test into a peak program and then they sort of stay there and their motivation isn't there and there are other kids who would benefit from that, you know, two years down the road, they weren't ready for it and they never have a chance to get into the program. And how do you how do you handle that in our district? >>
031Sure, I I can answer that. So with second grade, we do a screener of all second grade students. They have to have a certain score um that helps us determine whether they move on to the full battery of screening. And this is with the KOAT, the cognitive abilities test. We also have the um Kingore observation inventory, which is the teachers fill that. It's an observation of does this child have advanced humor, advanced intellect, advanced vocabulary, those kind of things. as well as parents who um can fill out what's called the SIGs and it's the scales for identifying gifted students. So we gather all that data, we look at it, we do the screener and then the students who meet that original cut score on the screener, we then give them the full battery of the
032cognitive test uh abilities test. They have to score 132 in two or more areas. There's visual um verbal, non-verbal, quantitative, and then a kind of a composite of all of them. So, they have to have a 132 in at least two of those four areas. That moves them into the program. For third and fourth graders, same thing. We ask third and fourth grade teachers to look at the Kingore observation inventory. We I'm working on all of it right now to send letters home to parents saying, "Hey, it's time to be thinking about your child and where are they with their their academic and their intellectual challenges at school." Parents submit all of that. We look at it at this point because we are now, you know, having access to white top scores. We look at
033that as well. So, a student can if they don't get in in second grade, but they come up on the radar in third and fourth, we will test them again. Um, and we do have students who who end up getting in in third and fourth grade. We are not testing in fifth grade because we don't have a program, you know, a pull out program for which to move them into. >> Um, uh, let's see. And I have a follow-up question. So, I I read that it said that, you know, you're thinking about other ways of doing the program without pullouts. >> And I think that that was maybe what was happening at Wilson when my daughter was there. So that you know when the peak teacher went into the classroom then kids who maybe had
034caught up or could you know they could there were kids that weren't in the peak program that could also participate a little bit and that seems like a really good way to sort of bridge that that opportunity so that more kids are getting that exposure anyway. >> Definitely. and I was there when Biz was there and um you know with the fourth grade teachers I did push in all of the time and what we would do is we would give a pre-assessment on every test especially in math those students who scored 85 or higher I took them whether they were identified as peak or not because those high ability kids may have tested for peak and missed being in there by one or two points doesn't diminish their need it's just there has to be
035a point at which to say we can only do so much. And so I would like I would love to see to have the opportunity to do more professional development with elementary teachers to teach them how to do differentiation so that they can be doing those things within their classrooms. And we do want to be doing more pushing and some modeling for teachers within the classroom if we were to have the bandwidth for that. And that was the year the biz decided she was a mathematician. [laughter] >> She was she just had to believe it. >> That's right. >> Dusty Gry. >> Oh nature. Um who do you So who who do you currently have and for the budget this year? What are you wanting? Well, if the sky's is the limit, [laughter] the budget
036that we have right now, what I spend that what we spend that budget on um are supplies for the students and for the teachers. This year, we've been spending it on curriculum. >> How many teachers do you have? >> We have two, Celeste Waller and Barb Sanchez. Celeste uh covers Ela Wilson and Coulter. Barb covers Munger, Jackson, and Kelly. At this time, we do not have any students identified at Moran, but I will eat my shoe if this little darling second grader does not make it. I mean, he is he is a pistol. Um, so six six schools, three teachers. what we spent the budget on, half of our budget goes towards testing costs because traditionally that's come out of the peak budget and so the the Kogat test is not inexpensive. Um, and so
037Megan and I have had conversations about moving back out of the peak budget so that we can do more buying more curriculum and and buying the things that we can use to challenge the students as well as the assessment program covering costs for assessing them and finding those students. >> Are you wanting more FTEEs? >> I [snorts] would love at least one more full FTE. If we did that, I feel that we could do more professional development within the schools. Um, so definitely another FTE would be great to help us cover student needs and start to extend into classrooms and teachers to do professional development. >> And let's let's go back to the to the budget. Um what's what's the number you need from what your current budget is? You need another 50%, you need
038to double it. What what would get you the material you need to address the success uh desires of trusty me and and trustee Carl >> between taking out the cost of covering the testing from our budget >> you know if I had $20,000 I'd be able to do some pretty amazing things >> total materials not on an FTE >> no >> 20,000 and an FTE of >> [laughter] >> different budget, >> right? And and what we discussed this year is that the the curriculum needs for I mean that should be part of curriculum budget not a separate she shouldn't have to drain her ecount peak budget for important curriculum. So we use we were we moved it into the curriculum. >> We've kind of split it some this year. >> Um but assessment also should
039we should discuss how to make sure that that's part of the assessment budget and not taking >> so what what does the assessment cost? >> It is around depending on how many students we have between six and $7,000 for assessment for the Kogat >> total. Mhm. >> So, could you How many students do we test? >> Well, we test all second graders and so there's the original cost for testing all seventh graders and giving them the Kogat screener. And then asked for how many students we end up teaching or um testing each year that receive the full battery. Let's pull that up. >> I apologize for not having this ready. No, no, it's fine. >> Trusty Gry just asked some directed questions and made my mind kick into >> Let's boil this down and so
040we can throw it into the mixer. >> We are anticipating screening 220 second graders. That's the number of se second graders we have when I pulled this data last. of those the number that will go on to take the full battery [clears throat] it's about a third so 70 of them 70 to 80 um for I have 80 of it is what I put in the budget for third and fourth grade we don't do a screener with the Kogat so they take the full battery of the Kogat we're looking at 85 to 100 students depending on how many of them >> 85 to 100 >> correct Yeah, just to keep your cheaper test, [laughter] >> you know, we've tried a couple of different tests. We did try one that's called the Nagliary that is a
041nonverbal. prices are pretty much about the same and the nliary actually we gave it to some of our kids who were already identified and they didn't pass it. So at this point the Kogat is our best option. We could go back to pencil and paper. When I started we knitted pencil and paper and then the teachers spent hours and hours correcting those. Um, now it's all automated, which of course we pay more, but it also saves us a lot in manpower. >> Anybody else? Trusty Bosch, do you have any questions? >> I do not. Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Thank you for being on the spot. Hope >> you [laughter] Hey, uh other reports, >> madam chair, trustees, um in this section I listed in the report section
042the um four uh well the two policies and two regulations we are considering that are still under the review period. um they're linked at the the bottom of this section in your agenda. Um I did want to bring to your attention one update that was um recommended. I want to make sure that it's worded um according to what you would like to see. Um if you go to the regulation of student organization the red line version. So again, if you click on the policies in progress, you'll pull up the document and then if you go to the regulation of student organization. Um, Trusty Gingry, I made some edits to number three. I believe you asked me to look at that one to be more specific on who granted the approval. Um, and so I edited
043in blue there. You'll see setup granted by the school. I put a superintendent or school administration in regards to who makes that ultimate call on a student organization changed. Thought I'd get a little more specific with that one. Um the others are still the same. I've received um haven't received any feedback on the others as of since we introduced them last month, but open to suggestions or or comments. Any questions, comments? Thank you. Next item I have is just a uh a reminder in a public forum here that our select committee on school finance recalibration meetings are next week. Um we will represent the district the best we can at these meetings. Um it should be a uh uh really decisive meeting as we are anticipating the bill coming out of that that will be
044the recommendation going forward in the legislative session um to be reviewed at that stage. Um so I just wanted to make sure those dates were on um in your mind as we move forward and really advocate for Teton County School District. >> Thank you for doing that. Madam Chair, >> Trusty Me. >> Madam Chair, superintendent, um I was wondering is it your understanding that they will um provide the proposed bill and then have questions and discussions about the various provisions or are they going to um take public comment and then show everybody the bill? What do you think, >> Madam Chair, Trusty? Me, that's a great question. Um, and I would say I it is my belief that there is not going to be a lot of Q&A. I believe this bill is going to
045be if it comes out of recalibration, if the committee can come to an agreement, let me make that caveat. Um, once that bill comes out, if it does, I don't think there's going to be a lot of public discussion at this setting. Um, I think it will be important for us as a district to take that bill and uh begin to communicate very clearly with our staff, students, and community of what this could mean. But I also don't want to create heightened anxiety until this process can play out a little bit more. Um, I think it's really important for our staff who are listening to this meeting today to know that we're going to be advocating all we can and to not overreact based off the preliminary bill if it gets created. Um, it'll be
046important for us and we were discussing earlier um of how we can communicate with our public around um our next steps as a district once this does hit the floor. So, I don't anticipate a lot of Q&A. Uh, Trusty Me, I'm hoping I'm hoping we can enter that Q&A if they open the door. Um, but we will we will be doing our best. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Trusty Gingry, >> what day are you going and who's going? >> Um, as of now, uh, myself, Kristen, Trustee, I don't not Bill 5050 right now if I can make it. >> Yeah. Um we have um anyone can go. So whatever whatever whatever representation we would like [clears throat] to have there we can. And we're heading out Wednesday. [clears throat] >> There will be a car
047leading from here. >> Yes. >> Leaving from here. Okay. Great. >> Anybody else? All right, >> thank you. Um, next up we have um Charlotte Reynolds. Charlotte is joining us virtually. Hello, Charlotte. Hope you can hear us. Okay. >> Yes. Thank you. Uh um Madame Chair, trustees, thank you for um allowing me to participate virtually. Um the first item for capital projects um is our transportation facility update. Uh Jason Burning is online as well to provide that update. Great. Thank you, Charlotte. Um, good evening, Madame Chair and trustees. Can you all hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Great. Okay. Um, whoever is driving there, if they don't mind bringing up the monthly report that we sent out, I think page five that shows photo two is a good way to show the project progress and
048projected schedule. Um, that aerial view kind of shows how we've got the pro project divided. So this this this picture was taken about mid December. And you'll see on the left hand side of the picture is uh the transportation bus barn side where all those interior footings are prepped and then on the right hand side is the admin side. Um that is more slab on grade. So, this is right before the holidays and right before we got those heavy rains followed by frost, which a lot will say in construction that rain is almost worse than snow in the winter. Um, so we there definitely has been some management, some winter conditions to manage that. Um, but the team Orman has been out there, you know, working through the holidays, um, managing managing that you're getting
049the moisture out. We have um since this picture um now we're kind of at a mid January point. We've poured two of those footer rows and we're pouring um the third tomorrow and the fourth the first of next week. So we've got a good weather window now and then the slab work on the right hand side. We'll start prepping that um next week and be pouring it late next week and into the following. So come here end of January, we we should have this, you know, um area poured out and basically be going vertical. We we've decided because we're in the heart of winter that this transportation side um we'll go up with the structural steel and get a roof over our head and then pour that slab later in the spring when we can,
050you know, protect and get a better better finish on that concrete. Um you also see in that picture, I kind of ran over it, but in December we tied in the water and the sewer. um to the bottom part of the picture, you'll see a p an excavator and some plastic there. That's right where we tied in the water and the sewer. So, um you'll see in the report that we've highlighted because of these winter conditions and because of the delay of the permit pushing some of these critical activities into the winter, um right now we're projecting about a four to six week delay, but working with Orman and the team. Um you know, they're still forecasting we'll deliver the project um this the the bus barn next fall. Um, we'll be able to pin
051down more, I think, once we get through winter, probably March, April, and kind of get through winter and see how that schedule tracks, but that's how we're tracking right now. Um, yeah, I think that's really it with the holidays and it being kind of a push through winter, there's not a lot much more to update, but any any questions I can help field. >> Any questions, >> Madam Chair? >> Trusty Gingry. >> Jason, when do we get to see something vertical? >> February. Ever. All right. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Keep driving by looking for something in the air. >> I know it's And that's why I took these air. Good question. Um, Trusty Ginger and and why I'm taking some of these photos from the air because it it looks like there's not a lot
052happening there. And then you fly above and I mean, even just in this picture, you can see the workers working on the prep. But yes, um the with those footers being poured, we need those to cure out for a couple weeks to get to strength and then well structural steel, it's all on site and that that crew will be going vertical. First week of February, you start to see the structure coming up and then following on the admin side on the right hand side of that picture >> because Betsy really likes the topping out ceremony. She wants to sign. [laughter] I know I was late and missed one of M. >> Any other questions? >> We will definitely pin down that talking house ceremony. Yeah. Any other questions? >> Thank you so much. >> Great.
053Thanks all. Have a good rest of your meeting. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Um okay, so moving on to um employee housing construction update. things continue to go um really well. Really pleased with um our our team over at the employee housing project. Uh we completed the uh punch list uh for level one and we'll be moving on to levels two and three um here in the next uh few weeks and anticipate um an early spring um certificate of occupancy. Um, I will be meeting with the um um Teton County Housing uh for our deed restriction uh review process and uh we'll be bringing uh back to the board in February um that sort of authorization to uh deed restrict the building for um workforce housing. So, um really excited and uh anticipate having
054a uh uh a new project, new um employee housing um come spring and happy to answer any questions uh the board may have on our um employee housing construction. >> Any questions? Uh, Trusty Gingry, >> Charlotte, uh, where are we at with getting the policies in front of the board as to um, who can be in there, what the rates will be, how the program's going to work, and then the second part of that is once we approve that, >> when will people have the first opportunity to start applying? >> Um, thank you, Trusty Gingry. Um, Madame Chair, I will be bringing uh before the board the recommendations in um at the February meeting and then as soon as um the board takes action and hopefully approves those the committee's recommendations um we will be
055able to really move forward pretty quickly on putting out um the application for the units um by late February, very early March. Great. Thank you. Any other questions? It's getting close. It's very exciting. Thank you. >> Uh thank you. Um really quickly, um the Summit Innovations uh bathroom, we um have had a walkth through with Jeremy Slater um from the state to um evaluate how to move that project forward. he feels comfortable with the direction that we had recommended of building a um a new bathroom taking a portion of um the two existing bathrooms to create a single use um bathroom. So that will be um coming forward um and again I anticipate that u uh contract before this board in um in February. Um so that is moving ahead and um this review of
056the project concern about the budget um and value engineering it down to available funds from the state. Um that process has not delayed construction because we anticipated that occurring um as soon as school is out in June and taking approximately six weeks to complete. So, this process to kind of go through and make sure that we have a good project, but one that we can afford. Um, we're we're still on track in terms of construction. So, if there are any questions on the summit bathroom, >> any questions? >> I do not see any. >> Okay. And then the last project is our um high school project. the addition and the um vestibule. Um I um had an opportunity to speak with Senator Guru today. Um it looks like they um the legislature may be considering
057a separate bill um for the um additional funds for design and um design and inflationary costs for our um high school edition monies which again included the vestibule. Um but um feel confident that that is moving forward um through the upcoming legislative session and am very hopeful that uh that additional funding will um will come through for us for both again the design and to cover the inflation um costs um because of you know the from the time that the project was originally funded at the state level to where we are today. Um so hopeful that will be moving forward um during this session and that the um funds are released upon the governor's signature rather than having to wait until July 1. >> Questions >> if there are any questions on that project? >>
058No, just some head shaking. [laughter] Um I will um I should I should just mention um in speaking with um plan one the architects who are uh working on the vestibule they are coming um coming really close to having um 95% design. So um you will be seeing that also in February. So we will have quite a few projects um before the board in um at the February meeting. Trusty Gingry, >> Charlotte, not to put you on the spot, but I saw the letter the other day coming out from Treasurer Smith asking all the entities across the county as to how we want our spec distri distributed in the upcoming year. Is there anything unique we need to discuss as a board or just the same distribution? Do we need to ask for something to
059be sped up, slowed down? >> I responded to Katie's request. >> Did you send it to me? What did you go with? >> I said that our employee housing was just about finished off. So, we'd like that paid out as quickly as possible and we're in kind of a holding pattern from achievement. So, if we backed off the odds from that that we could get the housing funding sooner. >> And are we going to have enough funding that we never actually had to borrow from slip? >> No, we we've been pulling the >> We have been pulling Okay. I didn't know we did, >> but not the full amount. No, we only uh we only filed those invoices with the slip board once we've actually expended. Um there was there was a time that we
060were trying to maximize the amount of money that we had when we were trying to get the Bron Achievement Center to move forward more quickly. Um and so we started invoicing Slip on at least an annual basis. We were keeping up with those invoices and now we're doing it um as as we spend the money on housing funds. And as soon as we get enough money for the housing, we'll pay off slip. >> Well, there's a timeline with slip. We have to have the loan for a certain amount of time before we can completely >> Oh, you can't pay it off early. >> We we have to have it. I think it's for a minimum of five years or something. So, >> darn darn darn. >> We're trying to maximize every penny that we can
061when we can. Cool. Um so that is the um cattle capital projects update. Um unless there are any other questions. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you very much. Thank you for being here and being >> Thank you. >> virtual. >> All right. Um, that leads us to public comment. For those things not on tonight's agenda, you have three minutes. Please state your name. >> Good evening, Madame Chair, trustees, Dr. Chris, and staff. I am Diane McGee, and I'm speaking on behalf of the Ton County Community Tennis Association. It's nice to see you all. Firstly, we and I as a school district parent, thank you so much for all of these many important items that you are working on and the demands for your time and I know you all spend a lot as volunteers.
062So, thank you. Um, we appreciate your dedication and your service to students and teachers. likely not a surprise, but I am here because our nonprofit organization would like to partner with the Teton County School District. We request that you put our project on an agenda in the near future to hear more details on where we are today and our plans on how to serve the students and you with this project. I do have a few things to share though tonight. You have asked us to bring funds to the table and we've been working on that. We presented to you in April of 2024. But with your knowledge of fundraising, the majority of our prospective donors tell us that they will not give without a sight or a commitment from a partner. It is a cart
063before the horse situation. That said, this past week, we have an anonymous donor who has stepped up to make a leading gift of 150,000 over three years, which we plan to leverage right away. The United States Tennis Association will give us an undetermined grant of up to 200,000. Other donors are waiting in the wings. We acknowledge that the stable and the Bronc Center have required a great deal of time and work and money and has been a source of frustration and perhaps skepticism to partner with us. As we've told you, we are prepared to fundra for the entire cost of this project and use existing locations and USA operations models to make it a self- sustaining facility. We want to make you aware that we have another prospective partner. The fairgrounds tennis courts are back
064on the table. We've met with all the county commissioners and the town council members and the majority of the feedback is positive. They have said that they will get us on an agenda soon. We have met with the parks and wreck advisory board and the director and they have given us their unanimous support for this project at the fairgrounds. We have met with the fair board, save the rodeo, the Wilson family, the town planner. And bottom line, we don't want Pon County school district to miss out on this project on behalf of your students, including the high school tennis team. Most of you know the history of this project and so we will make our request clear. Will you add us to your list of priorities? We would like from you to discuss to enter
065into a pledge agreement or non-binding that would entail a commitment to us to the Tiktown County Community Tennis Association that when we raise an agreed upon set amount of funds for the tennis facility in a certain time period, perhaps one year, that the Teton County School District would partner with us. Should you do this, we are confident that our donors will step up. This is what they need. In addition, we would like to make it clear that our goal would be to construct a new facility on the eastern part of the north lawn. Will you put us on an agenda soon to discuss giving us a pledge agreement orou to keep this project moving forward and allow us to give you more information so that you believe that you can trust us with this project
066or is your answer no? We really hope that you will partner with us so that the students at TCSD can have a location for afterchool programming, be healthier mentally and physically to be able to experience a support that is super fun fun fun and they'll be ultimately happier. Thank you so much. Any other public comment? Anything online? Seeing none, um should we move on to action items or what's the Yep. Okay. Move on to action items. The first action is um consideration of approval of the superintendent employment contract pursuant to Wyoming. Well, anyways, the super approval of the superintendent's employment contract as considered an executive session. >> Madam Chair, I move to approve the superintendent employment contract as considered [clears throat] executive session. Second. >> Um, any further discussion? >> Can't take public comment. >>
067Oh, public comment. >> Thank you. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. >> I I think I think it was a yes. Might have been delayed. >> Jerry, did you vote yes or no? No, >> you've voted against it. >> Against it. Thank you. >> Um motion carries 6 to1. Um I just want to take a moment to say congratulations and we're excited to have um a permanent superintendent. We look forward to continue to work with Dr. Chris. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Can I say a word? >> You can. Uh, madam chair, trustes, just a word from me. Um, you placed in this position someone who believes one of the most important um, institutions in our country is public education. Um, I've worked my whole life on public
068education and believe it is the foundation of our communities, especially in Wyoming. When you travel through this state, one of the core organizations in every town, whether it's a small town, a tourist town, whatever it is, is their local schools. And I think it's something that our um legislation needs to understand the importance of public schools being the heart of our communities. Um it's not talked about enough in regards to Wyoming. You all know, you've traveled around how important sports and activities and classes and teachers and schools are to our towns. Our towns don't have a lot, but what they do have as public schools. So, I'm very excited and honored to be uh your superintendent. I'm honored to work for you. I'm honored to work for our staff, our principles, our students, and all
069of our community. So, thank you for the opportunity. Congratulations. Uh, moving on, consideration of the June 30th, 2025 independent auditors report. >> Thank you, Madame Chair. I would like to uh introduce our auditors, Mark Burton and Dave Doria to come up. So, I guess it's just going to be Mark [laughter] um passing the torch. So, I'll just turn it over. >> All right. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. Trustees, thank you. We've had fun tonight. Um I generally start by just reading through the whole thing, but Dave mentioned that that would be a poor decision. [laughter] So, >> always start with a laugh. That's perfect. >> Let's uh So, I'm going to keep this pretty brief, but feel free to jump in if you have any questions. Feel free to interrupt me. I don't want any
070questions to get forgotten about by the end. Um, if we can skip straight over to page six. So, PDF page 10. >> [snorts] >> This will be the bal this is the balance sheet of the government the governmental funds. Um generally in the balance sheet this is going to be resources and obligations that are a little bit more current. So if you go to the right hand column you'll see that your total fund balances your total governmental fund balances is $16 million. of that of that $16 million um you have an unassigned fund balance of $7.2 million. So $9 million of that is going to be restricted in major maintenance programs and construction projects. So that $7.2 million is kind of what the resources that you have to work with at that time. Any questions
071about the balance sheet? Okay. Um, as we were traveling up here, Dave slapped his forehead because he remembered Note 19. Um, and given that you are a recapture district, he it didn't take a whole lot of convincing for me to agree that note 19 does not apply to the school district. That essentially stated that you are dependent on the state of Wyoming and we have removed that. Um >> they're dependent on us. [laughter] >> We had that conversation. >> Um >> no, I noticed >> we have removed no 19. And so the um report that will be submitted to to the state and feds will have that removed. >> Just took us the new guy to get that thing done. We had to arm wrestle. >> He wanted it in there, didn't he? >> Oh,
072bad. [laughter] Um, all right. So, I'm going to skip over to, if we skip towards the end, there's a summary page on page 58, PDF page 64. This is essentially a summary of of what all the report has to say. So if you focus on one page, this is the page. Um we issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements as well as federal awards as our on our report of federal awards. That's the best opinion that we can issue that unmodified opinion. We did not find any material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting. Did identify two significant deficiencies. [snorts] The first being um segregation of duties. Granted, I think that that finding has been around for years and years and years. Um and the second finding is going to be change going from
073a cash to acrruel basis accounting. There are some and Gazsby over time is just going to make that more and more complicated. And so there are some estimates and things that are kind of that are difficult to do, but on a cash basis, everything that is being performed is Kristen and her staff are doing an excellent job in that regard. The one time a year that we have to do to do some acrals for net position, she can have a pass on in my opinion. But that those would be the two significant deficiencies that we found for internal control over financial reporting. The for our federal awards, we did not find any material weaknesses. Um we did find one significant deficiency that relates to the ESSER um program. We tested the ESSER program for our
074federal testing and that's part of the reason that we're approaching you in January is that the federal government didn't release the OM compliance report until late November and we have to have that issued before we can do any of our federal testing. Um, now we tested the ESRE funds and the ESR funds was ended up being used for the vestibule and when the vestibule was built and the and the funds were expensed. >> Yes, >> it was the Wilson vestibule. >> The Wilson vestibule. Sorry. >> We have >> Oh, Wilson. [laughter] >> We're really into vestibular. >> Perfect. Um now the the Wilson vestibial was was originally expensed but then the Esser funds came a little belated and as a result a lot of those expenses were transferred um to be showed as paid from
075federal funds which which is compliant which is okay to do. So after all the test work and the amount of test work it it required a lot more effort to test that because a lot of the a lot of the expenses were shown as journal entries and if you have a pool of $260,000 and 15,000 of that was journal in we have to then test all 260,000 to make sure that that whole population is okay to transfer out of. Um, so the test work really required a little bit more effort on our ends and on Kristen's ends. I think everybody was willing was I didn't have any hair to pull, but I think everybody else did. Um, regardless, after all the ins and outs and difficulty of that testing, the only finding that we found
076was as it relates to Davis Bacon, um, given that the Wilson vestibule was paid for and built prior to prior to the knowledge that you were going to use federal funds for it, you had no idea that it needed to be Davis Bacon compliant. Um >> can you briefly tell us what Davis Bacon is? >> Davis Bacon is going to be prevailing wages. Now there is there's different aspects of it. So you may have actually paid the contractors and the subcontractors prevailing wages. However, it wasn't documented like the requirements are for Davis Bacon. And so without the required documentation that would be that was the only finding is that the Davis bacon wasn't you weren't compliant with the de Davis bacon but given that you were able to use the ESER funds for that um
077we say why not. So any questions on that? Any comments regarding that Kristen? Okay. Um I think I mean the audit went very smoothly. It was the first time that I got to rub shoulders with Kristen and her staff and they were excellent. They were very responsive. Um, just on a on a side here, we uh Gazsby 101 required us to make some actuarial assumptions regarding um compensated absences and we had to do a little bit of estimations. I built calculations for a lot of governments for how to estimate the um how to estimate these new or I guess estimate the compensated absences so they'd be compliant to Gazby 101. And I presented that to about 20 different people. And there was only one business manager that picked it up like that and modified it
078so that it'd be more accurate and that was Kristen. And so I think she deserves a little pat on the back. >> Um, other than that, do you have any other questions for me? >> Any questions, Bill? Do we have any questions? >> Um, >> you said you said you had a handful. >> No, you're good. Okay. Eth has been quite nice tonight, so I'm not going to drag this out of [laughter] Anybody else? >> Uh, thank you very much. >> Thank you for time. >> Thank you. >> Thank >> you. >> Do we need to vote on >> Yeah. Public's come up. >> No, go ahead. >> Public. Okay. And any public comment? I was going to do that, but I saw a person coming up. Uh seeing none. Um do I have a
079motion? >> Madam Chairman, I move um the approval and the acceptance of the fiscal year um unmodified audit as presented. >> Is there a second? I second. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> I just want to congratulate Kristen. >> Thank you. >> That's it's been a uh it's been a joyful uh 10 years watching this program grow under your leadership. >> Thank you. >> So, >> um and I just wanted to say thank you also because I know that that's can be a heavy list doing the audit and so I appreciate you and your staff. We have a great >> getting time and it's behind you. One more down. [laughter] >> Any other questions, comments? We have a motion on the table and a second. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Opposed? Motion passes. consideration of
080an annual audit RFP. >> Um, so this might be a little awkward to have an RFP for the annual audit right after um they said some of these things. So I'm going to um change my mind. No. [laughter] Um so this is the best practice to bid out our services. We're probably a couple years late in bidding out the audit. It's not a surprise to our current auditors. I was pretty transparent with them um that we will be bidding this out. One of the um biggest changes and areas of focus in the RFP that I drafted is the timeline. Uh we've always struggled to get the audit on time and so I I really dialed in on when the when the site work needs to be completed, the requests from the district and then the
081final audit uh should be presented in November. Um, so those are the the changes to this RFP versus the last time we bid out the services. >> Thank you. Um, any questions for seeing none. Thank you. Public comment. >> Seeing none, is there a motion? Madam chair, I move to approve the annual audit RF presented. Second. >> Any more discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> Yes. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Uh, next item, consideration of the award of bid for the TCSD1 employee housing property management services. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Charlotte Reynolds. Um, before you is, uh, the contract for property management services. Um, as the board will recall, um, last month we, uh, came to you requesting approval to issue an RFP, uh, for property management services. We received one proposal from
082granted on property management. Um the uh the contract would include um several aspects of uh property management including lease management in um inspection of units, maintenance, tenant relations, um financial reporting. Um Tina Corpy has um been very uh collaborative in this process and um we will be if the board approves this award of bid uh we will be sitting down with her to walk through um with the um with uh Miss Mayo and her team um as well as Mike Hansen and the facilities team just to make sure we are all very clear and on the same page as far as um how the process and how the systems will work for Grand Teton property management to take on um management of all 36 TCSD employee housing units. Um so not just the new um
083apartment building, but all the units that the district owns and leases to our employees. Um and um let's see the um attached was the um proposal submitted by Grant Teton property management as well as an outlined budget that describes um both um revenue for um employee housing units and then the expenses related to property management as well as the other expenses um associated with owning employee housing units. Um so with that um madam chair I stand for questions. >> Any questions for >> Miss May Miss Rena? >> Thank you very much. Any public comment? Seeing none, do I have a motion? Madam chair, I move to approve the award of the contract to grant Tito on property management for property management services as presented with minor modifications deemed necessary by legal council. >> Second. >>
084Any more discussion? >> All in favor? >> I oppose. >> Yes. Motion carries. >> Next we have consideration of the memorandum of understanding with the local schools. >> Uh madam chair trustees Mike Hansel. [clears throat] We have reviewed this every three years um for the last I want to say nineish years overall. Um the current way that we have been working through the MOU with the private schools is it's a per participation basis. So the end of the year we look at the all the participations from private schools. Um I send the list of what we see what we have record of. They look through it say oh actually nope this student student didn't end up participating in this sport. And we kind of just cross reference and then we find out how many participations
085they had. Participations doesn't mean students. It means if I did basketball that's a participation. If I then also did football that's a second participation. So it's not necessarily students it is participations. At the high school level we have been charging 1440 for the last three years which includes this school year per participation based on the costs previously. The middle school it was 900. we made the a new updated cost per student uh per participation I should say for where we're at now. That number has has gone up quite significantly over the last three years. we've done a better job of self- evvaluating our costs um I think has been one of the reasons why the change in coaching pay that we approved last year um as another change and one of the other few larger
086changes as to why the costs have gone up is hotel costs um in the last three years and officials um there's simply not a lot of officials around so you end up having to pay travel um we bring we spend a lot of money on basketball officials coming from Idaho I will say that uh so that's why that numbers have gone up. The current cost per participation, the high school is 22.82. The middle school coincidentally is almost I think is exactly half 11.41. Um and so that's what we put in theou. Um some of the feedback that we have gotten from the private schools is it [clears throat] does feel like a a large jump between 1440 to 2282. Um and then recently I was asked today to potentially use a different formula for how
087we would calculate theou costs which would be looking at the actual participations in the actual activities. So for example if they had a soccer player we would look we would count the number of soccer participations based on this chart and then the number of football participations based on this chart and then get to the number that way versus using the average of what we have been doing the past few years. what is presented and what is in theou draft that I have for you is with the way we have been doing it for the last at least six years. Um so I will stand for any further questions that you may have. We've talked about this. We started this conversation in I created these charts for the cost per participation in I want to say
088July or August. We reviewed it in the finance committee. Then I met with the private school leaders in November to present the information uh to try and get their feedback bring back to the finance committee in December. We talked about it again in December in the finance committee and then that has been brought to this uh school meeting tonight. >> Questions? >> Madam Chair, um Mike, so if I understand you correctly, you did an average of all the sports to come up with this. >> That is correct. >> 2282. >> That's correct. Y >> when did football become so expensive? I mean, it used to be Nordic was more expensive than football. Do you remember that? >> Um, >> is it the helmet? >> Football overall is expensive, but the per participation generally is not
089because it's a large number of students, right? >> Um, this one is probably a little higher because in the last few years, we've had a couple of overnight trips. And when football has an overnight trip, that's an expensive trip. That's usually $4 to $5,000 just right there. Um, and so there's been some inclement weather when we've gone to Cody and we've had to spend the night there. when our team was has been successful in the playoffs over the past few years when they went to Laramie for the state championship that was a couple of nights. Um so that would be an example as why football has risen probably in their overall their per participation cost. All right. Thank you. Other questions. Just a random question that does not have to do with private schools. >>
090Yeah. >> Cross country. We had been taking some kids from Pinedale because they didn't have a cross country. >> Correct. >> Do we charge Pinedale? >> We have not been charging Pinedale um for that. That is certainly something this board could consider. Um we have not been doing that but it's certainly something we could consider as as any any other sport other than cross country that we take from other school districts. >> Um cross country is by far the most um and it's actually been more big piney actually recently the last two years it's been like seven or eight kids from big piney and then we've had one alpine kid from um and those are the only ones I can think of from other school districts. Of course, there are home school and virtual school
091students. Um, but not very many other school district students other than cross country um running and then sometimes cross country skiing. >> Madam Chair, Mike, do we charge those students from other district the what is it? $150 >> the $50 activity fee. They're still required for that. That's correct. >> I would say generally the students from those other schools don't ride our buses. Sometimes they stay with their parents is a is a small difference between what the private schools share. >> Any other questions, comments? >> Madam Chair? >> Yes, trustee. >> Um, Director Hansen, um, I get the point of average that's to soften is that I would take it to soften the blow for where you have some really expensive activities to help make it more affordable for the reimbursements. >> Um, if by
092chance we were to just go by activity, if if that is what was being requested, what does that look like from a um tracking process for the district? Does that make it more complicated for the finance department? I would say the reason that it was the average and has been for a while was it was the request at that time of the private schools because it was easier they felt it was easier for to budget for their their budgeting process. So that was kind of how we got to that >> recently. However, they've suggested that maybe we look at this other model. Um I don't know if it's for I don't know the difference in terms of their budgeting for us and tracking it would not be a significant change for us. we will be
093able to track it and bill it out very similarly to the way we do it now. It would not be much more work for us, I would say, because we're already determining how many students from the outside schools are participating. So then you would just be able to add up those ones by the number of sports. >> So, and another question, I understand the increase in costs and and I can see the perspective that wow, there's a big increase. instead of waiting. How many years has it been since we've reviewed this? >> Three years. >> What's the effort to just look at this every year to make that determination? So instead of seeing big jumps, we just look at it each year and if there is that increase that is applied and maybe it's not
094as large of an increase. Sure, that is something we could do if that's the will of the board. That's what we decided to do here. I think it was again budgeting purposes for the private schools is kind of how it got to that at that point in time. >> For a while we were doing it every two years. >> Well, that's the way it started. That's correct. >> Anybody else? >> Uh I've looked at this enough. So, thank you. >> Um many Well, thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Hansen. Um, any public comment? Come on up and [clears throat] um, state your name. You have three minutes to present. >> Hi, my name is Ted Smith. I'm the head of the school, the Jackson Hole Community School. This is my first meeting. Thanks for
095having me here. I'm not sure exactly how this works. Um, I don't have much to say. I want to say Mike, thank you. Mike's been a terrific partner for us and uh appreciate the the public school district welcoming our student athletes and um our uh debaters, our our speech and debate folks. Um so I just wanted to express some gratitude. U Mike has said it really well um and and he and I have had a lot of very open conversations about this. Um, I think that our athletes and our our um our other folks who participate in the activities um do contribute to the public school system and um we've got captains and and uh top scorers and and uh captains of speech and debate. So again, it feels like a great partnership and partly
096here to express that gratitude. Um Mike, I think it was a 56% increase if I have that number right. So I guess I'm I'm here to just acknowledge that out loud. Um and Dr. Chris, I appreciate your comments about public schools throughout Wyoming and and uh I could say the same about some independent schools and um and just schools in general uh that are obviously such key lynch pins of of any community. So um I think our our fee last year just from the community school was around $93,000 which is significant for us in our budget. Um and I appreciate you listening to us and a little bit of a late request Mike uh to to consider um just shifting it. So, not for this year per se, but uh can we consider other alternatives
097moving forward, whether it's a year-by-year basis, an activity by activity basis. So, um again, I appreciate your time and and um we really do uh value and uh and and are grateful for the partnership. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other public comment? Seeing none, isn't it? Uh, we have a motion. Madam Chair, I move to approve the memorandum of understanding of the local independent schools at a rate of $2,282 per participation in Jackson Hole High School activities and $1,141 per participation in Jackson Hole Middle School activities on a rolling average of the previous three years of participations with minor changes as deemed necessary by the Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion, >> Madam Chair? >> Abs. Um, I think we should
098definitely look at this each year if possible. Um, to see what those costs are because if we experience years with extreme price increases, travel, bringing in referees and such, I think u we we need to take that into consideration more quickly. And I'd hate to see costs go up too much over um a two three year period might help out as as well. Um I I don't have any opposition by activity. Um I'm [clears throat] curious what the rest of the board. I'd also be curious what other how many other um u private schools requested that to see what their um consideration is. Not to hold this up by any means, but I'm also fine with going with what is proposed here, what director Hansen has put forth. >> I would accept an amendment to
099do to have this reviewed on an annual basis. >> Okay. >> My second's okay with that. >> Would you second that? >> I would second. >> So, do we have to vote on the amendment? So, >> okay. So, we have an amended motion that we would >> what Bill said plus we would review it annually. [laughter] >> Do it for one year. >> Uh do it for one year >> and and look at everything that you just said. I because I can appreciate I mean uh that those expenses need to be paid and so um I appreciate the increase but I also appreciate um sort of the surprise of having a what did you say 54% increase which is a lot and so you know I think you know just to be good partners it
100would be a good way to look at it and I I'm not opposed to looking at it sport by sport if that seems like if that works for the for everyone meeting >> madam chair maybe Mr. Hansen can track that over the coming year >> and see what it looks like. >> I don't they change it for this one, but >> um and I too would be curious to know what other um independent schools have had to, you know, they've included their feedback or Madam Chair, trustes, I can answer that. There are essentially three independent schools right now. We have the Mountain Academy, we have community school, and then we have the classical academy. The Mountain Academy hasn't had any stu they don't they don't currently offer a secondary program. So, they only have a
101middle school program and they haven't had anybody participate this year. Um, so they haven't been as involved as they might have been in the past in the process. So, it's really mostly been the community school and the classical academy and they both suggested we move to a by sport um determination for the cost moving forward. Madam Chair, >> trust me. >> Um, Mike, could we also, and maybe nobody else cares and maybe it's just them being a housebudget about it, but could we also have u information when you talk about how many TCSD students and outside students? For outside students, can you divide that up between the uh independent schools and the homeschoolers? >> Yes, for us. >> Yeah, I can definitely track that. I think that would help a lot. >> Yep, we can
102do that. >> And homeschoolers, just for my because they do not have they we are not allowed to charge that. >> That is correct. >> Correct. >> We can charge them the $50. >> That's correct. We are allowed to charge $50 activity fee, but not a separate charge on >> and that's legislative statute or something. >> Correct. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. Just for everyone's recall, fuel expenses and the bus expense is fully reimbursed by the state and it's not part of this calculation. >> Okay, >> so oil prices don't play into these numbers. This is all literally coaching, lodging, uh insurance, equipment. What am I missing? various supplies supplies equipment in general like racer tickets things of that nature >> correct yeah >> thank you for clarifying that >> I know I've said this
103before but when I first came on the board and looked at the budget and realized you know the whole hotel expense you know coming from Ohio where he went you know and at the most a couple of hours down the road. You know, that's a whole it's a whole different ball game in Wyoming, no pun intended. [laughter] >> When when I was in high school, the football team, unless they played for a state championship on the other side of the state, they never had an overnight because they were playing Sar Valley, Evston, um Emmer, they were all just day trips. >> And so all of a sudden we're playing Douglas and Buffalo, and those are >> It's a long way. Yeah. >> Not to mention the kids are out of school for that long. Did
104you get for them? >> All right. Well, we have a motion on the table. Um, any more discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion carries. We're moving on to the consent agenda. Madam Chairman, I would move the approval of the consent agenda item A, approval of staffing considerations and reports. B, approval of check register. C, approval of the board of education regular meeting minutes of December 10th, 2025. B, approval of special meeting and executive session minutes of December 17th, 2025. E, approval of board member travel. F approval of consent. Second >> there is >> yes trusty Bosch >> I was just wondering how we have approval of consent agenda on the consent agenda but I'll I'll let that slide. That's fine. >> It was not always there. It got added just a
105at some point but I will say it was not always there. Um, >> it's fine. >> Um, all right. We have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. >> I was a a no vote. >> It is a no vote. Sorry. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Uh motion passes six to one. Um communications under communications communications to the board. Um we I don't believe have had any is unusual. Um communications from the board. Anybody have any communications? I would just briefly mention so that it is part of the meeting that um Charlotte and I did meet with the county about sewers and the county needed to gather some more information before we could really make any any forward progress. So that's where that is. It'll come back around. Um [clears
106throat] >> Madam Chair, >> yes. >> Just really quickly, I'm going to run through there's only six bills that have been drafted for the legislature. It starts next month maybe before our next meeting. >> Y >> but um House Bill 23 participation in 6 to 12 activities. This will um require all students residing in our district to be allowed to play at no additional cost. Uh House Bill 24 uh review of charter school amendments applications try to smooth the process there. um Wyoming's Tomorrow Scholarship Program amendments. I don't totally remember the the uh Tomorrow Scholarship Program, but it's going to eliminate the continuous enrollment um qualification where you have to stay continue. If you drop out for a semester, you lose a scholarship. So, I think that's fairly decent one. Um the one that's the
107Senate file that's a little concerning is the full-time letter um is the enrollment accessibility K12 enrollment accessibility that would allow homeschool students to attend part-time classes. Um Dr. Chris has brought this up. Um I don't know if anybody on the board has any um thoughts about that. um as we start lobbying down in Cheyenne. We talked about it briefly with our the two that we talked briefly with our representatives about or the uh activities [snorts] which if that occurs we would have to uh probably have a serious conversation about reducing the number of options that we have because we just won't be able to afford them. And then the other one is this enrollment allowing these homeschool students to attend art classes and come in in the interruption of the day and how we track
108that. And if if that gets upon us, I think we have some logistical nightmares facing us especially at the high school with the rolling schedules and the way things are tracked. >> Would it all be our class? >> No, it could be any class. It could be any class where we space was available. >> Is that correct, Dr. Chris? >> That's correct. Yeah. The bill proposes and it's very specific about part-time students period, any class, any program, K12. Um, and maybe another time we could have a conversation on the logistics behind that. It does make you uh ask just a core question. What is the purpose of a school? Um as we move forward, the culture of a school when you enroll in a school, what do we want that student to experience throughout the
109day? These are just basic questions that this particular bill could force us to ask ourselves versus an alleart model that in my opinion at at this moment would have um impacts that we would have to really look at in regards to how a school operates. how you supervise students, how you greet them, what do credits look like, um how that impacts staffing, students coming and go. A lot of our programs are interconnected. They're not just isolated classes. Our schools are places where programs converge. And to have an idea that a singleton course is part of our schools goes against the fabric of a school. But we can talk about it more. We'll see if this gets lags and and borrow from there. >> I'm curious with that what's being proposed there. Is it just one
110class or could someone potentially be enrolled in say two classes? We'll say art, music or and then a math. So they come in one period for that one class, then they leave and then potentially even come back and they're considered a part-time student. Is that what would be allowed as what's proposed here? >> Bill is not abs. The bill is not that specific in nature. It just it just outline part times. >> One of the key questions we'll have to ask ourselves is we need to define what enrollment mean. >> That's the key question. What is an enrolled student um in TCSD? What does that look like? And right now we've just had general consensus is you registered, you go to school. >> Would they have to pay us an ADM? >> You would receive
111ADM. Partial ADM would be calculated for funding. >> And would we be able to grade the student? >> The students would be in our uh student information systems. Correct. Or that whatever course or program they would be requesting. >> Stats assembler like college. the model is different that for K12 the model we would have to really look at our model how we're how we're operating with that. The other question that comes up and and there's some vague language at the WDE around this, but um and I encountered this um the high school years ago um once a student is in our power school information systems, are we accountable for them in our state report cards? Um what's the threshold of how many classes they take when they're on our lists and we're reviewing our accountability
112reports and they're not maybe in a English or math class. So, lots to work at. >> Hopefully, it's not ready for prime time or this budget session, >> right? It's a budget session. So, that might >> hopefully not. >> It's going to take two to get it out. >> Both of the bills or all six of these other one was in pretty good. >> Um, unless there's further direction, I would probably advocate against um specialy activities and the um part-time students. Um >> yes, >> can I have a ask a question about recalibration? >> [clears throat] >> you know, when you look at um their their memorandums and reports on it, you know, they have columns for uh the um different models and uh the recalibration model and the evidence-based model. Is the evidence-based model
113even any good if you've cut and paste it? I mean it seems like it is based on well it says evidence and so the the whole model would necessarily be needed to be adopted pretty much um as it is in order for it to make any sense because if you're going to do a model like that you're going to say okay well you know it's just like doing a budget. um you know, if we put money here, how does that tie into the money we put there? That sort of thing. Has anybody raised that or are they just like cutting and pasting from both people? Bill, you're probably good. And Scott >> answer that >> looking at Keith because he was part of the initial >> Well, I I was just gonna say, you know,
114this is why like Pas and those guys get frustrated. I mean, not to be nice to them, but but [laughter] they do they do come up with this model and they expect you to adopt their whole model. That's not what the legislature does. They see it as an alikart menu and they'll go I'll take this and I'll take that and then so then when you're not exactly what you're saying then that's why pus gets upset because he's like well that's not really the model I suggested to you know and like for years we used to always get in the real conundrum in between recalibration years they were supposed to do the um you call it Chris not the RCA but the other >> ECA ECA and then like they would just skip it like oh
115we're just not going to do it this year. Well, we don't do the ECA now your whole model is thrown off, you know, and that's the problem is when you create a model and people won't follow your model and and then they go, "Well, I was following the evidence-based model." And I think you're right. It's a little tough to call it an evidence-based model when you don't adopt the full model. Um, and that's what's happened over the years. And I I I I think Kristen was right earlier when she was telling us about they're they're moving and I understand why they're moving more and more toward the component concept is because you get frustrated when you you do a block grant and then one particular school district catches your attention like they didn't spend it
116the way I thought they should spend it. But that's the concept of a block grant that you're letting the local government do it. And and so then you get frustrated because years ago the legislature got so frustrated with um what do they call those? Um IS instructional facilitators. So they pulled the instructional facilitators out of the block grant and they said we're only going to do this as a component unit because school districts you're you're spending all this money incorrectly or at least in their minds. And that's the real push and pull here is this idea is that it's a block grant and we trust our local school board to make the decision. But then you got these legislators back here like who essentially would like to be on the school board and make all
117the decisions and that's the back and forth. But I think you totally raised the correct point that it's hard to follow an evidence-based model when you don't follow the whole model and you treat it more like an allear or you move toward what Kristen was saying you move toward picking components and they fund a component not a block grant and at that point you might as well just let the legislature you know you decide everything. Thank you, Keith. That helps. >> Often you'll hear them refer to it as the legislative model instead of the evidence-based model because that's kind of what it's turned into because they're dictating it. Jeez. >> Um, and so since the session starts a few days before our next meeting, I'm assuming that you'll keep us updated on anything we need
118to know, particularly about the recalc calibration, both of you, and share that with the greater uh TCSD community so everybody has an opportunity to advocate if they so desire. And then and then you've just throwing this out, not to advocate for more meetings, but um maybe after we'll review things and after next week and possibly have a a a workshop where we can sit in here and talk publicly about >> what we learned and what we've seen. That is a good idea. >> Yeah. But make it more of a workshop. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Who? Who's Are you the one going down to the session? >> I'm gonna try. Oh, to the session. >> Um I'm going to go on a couple times. Yeah. I'm not going to be there the whole time. >>
119I don't need to get off. What What weekend is the weekend? Like WSBA does their thing. >> February 22nd. February weekend. >> Yeah. >> It's the Sunday or Sunday Monday. >> Yeah. Sunday afternoon. Ryan Farmer Dog and Pony. Dog and pony show at the [laughter] Little America. followed by dinner with other legislators and then Monday is our February 22nd 23. >> All right. Any other communication from the board? I had to talk about where we were. Seeing none, future topics, scheduling, agenda items. Um, next week your committee, the what's what we call that new committee, the facilities committee. >> We have um >> we have two new committees. Well, two two new committees. one dedicated to sort of housing and future projects and one dedicated to more capital projects that are existing right now. >>
120Yeah. So hopefully the capital projects committee we're going to hopefully be able to find some time in the next week or 10 days that we can review >> where we've come from and where we're going with >> mad housing capital facilities. >> Great. I'm working on a um summary of those new committees um and a process for us to start diving in. We'll get that out to the whole board the next week. >> It probably be great to see a list of what we've checked off that we you know we had sort of put together that list. >> Yeah. >> See what we have accomplished. >> Um >> yeah, >> what we have not is the Bron Achievement Center. >> That's right. >> We are we are in the fifth year of a three-month approval
121program. [laughter] Um, yeah, that and the grand entrance to the football stadium. [laughter] Um, >> Jake's favorite Jake's favorite [laughter] I forgot about that art. [laughter] I forgot all about the art. Um but I and I want to thank you for I think somebody mentioned or most was probably trusty me and um about talking about the peak program. I appreciated that being in the agenda. >> That was I think that was a good productive conversation. So thank you. >> Finance committee got their marching orders for the budget portion of that. >> Okay. And that's perfect. Uh review of meetings. >> Good meeting. [laughter] >> It was look two hours. >> No chairs referred. >> I know. I thought it was going to be a a doozy when we left last week or last month. Um
122any advanced planning pride there for you. So uh trusty me I mean trusty Dorman. Um, >> I propose a second. >> All in favor? >> I thank >> Thank you. this basketball game.