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School Board Memo

May 5, 2008

Former Board Member Dies

Gordon Menno Kaan was a farmer/rancher and a school board member for many years in Lusk ( Niobrara County School District No. 1). He passed away on April 20, 2008 at the age of 85.

Superintendent of the Year Award

Kevin Mitchell, Superintendent of Schools for Park County School District No. 1 (Powell) has been named the Superintendent of the Year for 2009. Kevin was chosen by a committee of former Superintendents of the Year and officers of the Wyoming School Boards Association. He was one of four regional nominees chosen by school boards around the State. Kevin earned this honor for his instructional leadership, knowledge of and work with the state’s school funding model and his work with the Wyoming School Facilities Commission.

Myron Basom Leadership Award

The Myron Basom Leadership Award was established in 2002 to recognize a Wyoming public school Superintendent who effectively exhibits the traits of educational leadership. Craig Beck, Superintendent of Schools for Fremont County School District No. 25 (Riverton) is the recipient of this award this year. The award is voted on by other Superintendents in the State. Myron Basom is a former, longtime professor in the University of Wyoming ’s educational leadership program and is now a Professor Emeritus.

Von Dahl Champion of Education Award

State Representative Del McOmie, R-Lander and State Senator Jim Anderson, R-Glenrock have received the Von Dahl Champion of Education Award. This award goes to individuals who have significantly impacted education in the State of Wyoming in a positive way and is named after Von Dahl, former Executive Director of the Wyoming Association of School Administrators and educational leader in Wyoming for many years. Von currently is serving as the Board Development Training Coordinator for WSBA.

National Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee

Kathleen Engle is one of five teachers across the nation to be named to the National Teacher Hall of Fame. Mrs. Engle is a middle school physical education teacher at Newcastle Middle School (Weston County School District No. 1). Along with the cast bronze Belltower Award, she received a $1,000 scholarship to award to a Weston County student planning to purse a degree in education and $1,000 in Pearson Educational materials. She also received a 10-karat gold pin and she will be presented with a ring. Mrs. Engle will be inducted into the National Teacher Hall of Fame ( Emporia , Kansas ) in June. She has been an educator for 26 years.

Student Checkout Policy Applies to All Students

Lander Ninth District Court Judge Norman E. Young denied a permanent injunction that would have prohibited Fremont County School District No. 1 (Lander) from enforcing its policy that denied 18-year-old students the rights and privileges to excuse themselves from schools. Judge Young stated that his ruling was that there is not a fundamental right involved and that when you go to school you have to follow the rules. The case stemmed from an 18-year-old student suing the district for an unexcused one-day absence.

Congressional School Construction Update

On April 30, the House Education and Labor Committee reported a bill (H.R. 3021) that would authorize $6.4 billion for school repairs and modernization to states and school districts. 

The "21st Century High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act" would authorize $6.4 billion for school construction projects for fiscal year 2009.  The funding would be allocated to states and school districts, based on the Title I (Part A) funding formula, "except that it guarantees each such district a minimum of $5,000."

Funding could be used for school modernization, renovation, and repair projects that improve the teaching and learning climate, health and safety, and energy efficiency. Additional information about the legislation is available at http://edlabor.house.gov/issues/schoolfacilitiesact.shtml.

House and Senate leaders are negotiating provisions for the bill and indicated that congressional action could occur later this month. 

Wyoming Government Investment Fund (WGIF)
The Liquid Asset Series 7-day yield is 2.48%!* (as of 5/2/08)
Please contact Mary Keating-Scott or Dick Waggener at 1-800-442-2861 for more information.

* 7 day yield refers to income generated over the previous seven-day period:  the income is then annualized.  The yields represent past performance and are not a guarantee of future results.  The fund may, from time to time, waive certain management fees and expenses, which may effect the yield.

Nothing contained herein represents an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any fund or any other security.  Before investing, each investor is advised to evaluate the investment objectives, risks, charges, fees and expenses of the Wyoming Government Investment Fund (“WGIF”).  These data and other information are available in the Fund’s current Information Statement, which should be read carefully before investing.  A copy of the Fund’s current Information Statement:  may be obtained by calling the Fund’s Distribution Agent at 1-800-442-2861; and is available on the Fund’s website (www.wgif.org.)  While the WGIF Liquid Asset Series seeks to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share and each WGIF Fixed Term Series seeks to achieve a net asset value of $1.00 per share at its stated maturity, it is possible to lose money investing in the WGIF.  An investment in the WGIF is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.  The WGIF’s Distribution Agent is George K. Baum & Company, member FINR (www.finra.org).

News Articles

Does your district have news worthy of statewide interest? If so, please email your news articles to charis@bresnan.net. The articles will be included in the next weekly WSBA Memo.

WSBA Partners

WSBA Email Addresses

Sue Barnard – suebar@bresnan.net  

Mark Higdon – mhigdon@bresnan.net

Charis Kipper – charis@bresnan.net  

Greg Minter – gminter@bresnan.net

Terry Sterling – terrys@rushmore.com

We look forward to hearing from you!