By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With this year’s hefty snowfall, the cost of keeping mosquitos at bay in Saratoga for the summer may increase.
“It is a good possibility that there will be a bigger (mosquito) problem this year,” Saratoga Public Works Director Chuck Bartlett said. “It depends on how the snow melts.”
Saratoga officials are advertising for a contractor to spray for mosquitos. Bartlett expects to finish evaluating bids by the end of the month.
“We have stepped up our efforts because of the threat of the West Nile virus,” Bartlett said. Last year, Carbon County saw its first case of the virus. “But one case is one too many,” Bartlett said.
The plan of attack is to target the larvae. The first phase begins in late May, as public works personnel plan to place a larvicide in pools of standing water. The large tablets that last a few months, are designed to inhibit mosquito growth. Usually, larvicides do not pose threats to humans or wildlife because they do not generally leech into groundwater.
In mid-June, mosquito spraying is expected to begin. The Saratoga town budget includes about $70,000 for mosquito control, but because this is a wetter year, Bartlett said it may cost more to spray Scourge 412.
The mosquito control crew monitors Scourge 412’s success by setting up mosquito traps, nets that capture the pests. “We have to count and classify them,” Bartlett said.
According to Bartlett, Scourge 412 doesn’t have major environmental ramifications. It isolates four types of mosquitos and should not harm honey bees or most other insects, though it often does kill some flies.
Still, since all pesticides are inherently toxic, residents should take precautions such as minimizing contact with sprayed surfaces for 24 hours so the pesticide has time to sufficiently degrade.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
LSRV building planning progresses
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Getting a head start on the evaluation of a building that has an estimated third of its life left, an advisory board at the Little Snake River Valley School has teamed with the district’s planning architect Brad Oberg to create a list of facility recommendations.
“Every square inch is well used,” Oberg said of the building in his presentation to the Carbon County District 1 School Board. In fact, the space is so well used, the appeal for adequate storage popped up more than once throughout the evaluation.
“The art room definitely needs to be addressed.” Our art teacher “is constantly struggling with where she can store supplies,” advisory board Chairwoman Janet Herold said.
The recommendations include space for teachers when they’re not in the classroom. Advisory board members consider the existing lounges to be less than ideal.
Since the gyms are used by the community members as well as sports teams, a second gym is also in order.
Technology updates were high on the priority list. Audio enhancement is becoming a staple for educational environments nationwide, and the advisory board wants to adopt it soon.
As the school’s programs excel, teachers need more space and better facilities. Herold outlined a need for an expanded vocational agriculture department as well as updated athletic facilities.
“The locker rooms are antiquated, horrendous,” she said.
Other suggestions involved sprucing the school up so that the students, staff and community would be proud to call it a community center.
Herold pointed out that the elementary, junior high and high school students should have boundaries between them to foster grade-level pride. Currently, elementary students walk past high school classrooms to get to gym class, and Herold said that middle school students sometimes get lost in the shuffle.
Upgrades to electrical, lighting, fire safety, security, plumbing, flooring and heating and ventilation work are all on the agenda.
Since the community takes pride in the school, it is well maintained. “A lot of schools are not half this old and are not in half as good of shape,” LSRV Principal Rick Newton said. Still, the roofs, the parking lot and general accessibility need to be addressed, he said.
Partnership should help
Ken Daraie, director of the Wyoming School Facilities Commission, has agreed to help with the design of the Little Snake River Valley community center as a precursor to future school construction.
According to Jim Espy, a Carbon County District 1 School Board member, the school usually comes before the center.
In Baggs’ case, Daraie acknowledged the community’s predicament and suggested that the commission become part of the community center’s joint powers board. As part of the design process, the board would decide together where to put the school and center complex.
“The design process is always expensive,” Espy said. “If the SFC helps out, it will save a lot.”
The partnership could help secure a grant from the Wyoming Business Council. The grant requires that the funds go toward expanding, renovating or enhancing existing structures or schools.
The town of Baggs planned to purchase a building to which the new center could be attached. However, the expense may be circumvented if the business council takes into consideration plans for a new school at the same location.
Times staff writer
Getting a head start on the evaluation of a building that has an estimated third of its life left, an advisory board at the Little Snake River Valley School has teamed with the district’s planning architect Brad Oberg to create a list of facility recommendations.
“Every square inch is well used,” Oberg said of the building in his presentation to the Carbon County District 1 School Board. In fact, the space is so well used, the appeal for adequate storage popped up more than once throughout the evaluation.
“The art room definitely needs to be addressed.” Our art teacher “is constantly struggling with where she can store supplies,” advisory board Chairwoman Janet Herold said.
The recommendations include space for teachers when they’re not in the classroom. Advisory board members consider the existing lounges to be less than ideal.
Since the gyms are used by the community members as well as sports teams, a second gym is also in order.
Technology updates were high on the priority list. Audio enhancement is becoming a staple for educational environments nationwide, and the advisory board wants to adopt it soon.
As the school’s programs excel, teachers need more space and better facilities. Herold outlined a need for an expanded vocational agriculture department as well as updated athletic facilities.
“The locker rooms are antiquated, horrendous,” she said.
Other suggestions involved sprucing the school up so that the students, staff and community would be proud to call it a community center.
Herold pointed out that the elementary, junior high and high school students should have boundaries between them to foster grade-level pride. Currently, elementary students walk past high school classrooms to get to gym class, and Herold said that middle school students sometimes get lost in the shuffle.
Upgrades to electrical, lighting, fire safety, security, plumbing, flooring and heating and ventilation work are all on the agenda.
Since the community takes pride in the school, it is well maintained. “A lot of schools are not half this old and are not in half as good of shape,” LSRV Principal Rick Newton said. Still, the roofs, the parking lot and general accessibility need to be addressed, he said.
Partnership should help
Ken Daraie, director of the Wyoming School Facilities Commission, has agreed to help with the design of the Little Snake River Valley community center as a precursor to future school construction.
According to Jim Espy, a Carbon County District 1 School Board member, the school usually comes before the center.
In Baggs’ case, Daraie acknowledged the community’s predicament and suggested that the commission become part of the community center’s joint powers board. As part of the design process, the board would decide together where to put the school and center complex.
“The design process is always expensive,” Espy said. “If the SFC helps out, it will save a lot.”
The partnership could help secure a grant from the Wyoming Business Council. The grant requires that the funds go toward expanding, renovating or enhancing existing structures or schools.
The town of Baggs planned to purchase a building to which the new center could be attached. However, the expense may be circumvented if the business council takes into consideration plans for a new school at the same location.
Summer film series planned
Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Carbon County Higher Education Center officials would like to extend community education efforts and address economic development from a new angle this summer.
Planning is under way for the western pine beetle film festival, to be co-hosted by the CCHEC and the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation.
Films should portray the “myth of the West,” CCHEC Director Dave Throgmorton said. Ideas range from the 1914 silent film, “The Virginian,” to a John Wayne film, “The Searchers,” to the popular “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and the short classic on Western justice, “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
“We want it to be more than just showing movies,” Throgmorton said. “We want people to have a chance to talk to some film critics and film professors so they can become more sophisticated in the way they look at films overall.”
EDC Director Mark Ducker said the series “should be internal and external. Internally, we hope it will create a lot of discussion. There is a lot to the concept of the myth of the West because films often don’t reflect reality. In studying them, we should learn a lot about the history of the American West.” Ducker is also hopeful festival attendees will learn more about Wyoming and Carbon County.
Lectures and workshops would be interspersed with the screenings.
Times staff writer
Carbon County Higher Education Center officials would like to extend community education efforts and address economic development from a new angle this summer.
Planning is under way for the western pine beetle film festival, to be co-hosted by the CCHEC and the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation.
Films should portray the “myth of the West,” CCHEC Director Dave Throgmorton said. Ideas range from the 1914 silent film, “The Virginian,” to a John Wayne film, “The Searchers,” to the popular “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and the short classic on Western justice, “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
“We want it to be more than just showing movies,” Throgmorton said. “We want people to have a chance to talk to some film critics and film professors so they can become more sophisticated in the way they look at films overall.”
EDC Director Mark Ducker said the series “should be internal and external. Internally, we hope it will create a lot of discussion. There is a lot to the concept of the myth of the West because films often don’t reflect reality. In studying them, we should learn a lot about the history of the American West.” Ducker is also hopeful festival attendees will learn more about Wyoming and Carbon County.
Lectures and workshops would be interspersed with the screenings.
Grant falls short of floor repair cost
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A miscalculation in a recreation board grant application cost Carbon County School District 1 nearly $25,000.
The recreation board gave the school district $105,000 to replace the gym floor at Rawlins High School. Last week School Board members awarded a $102,100 contract to Ponder Construction to replace the floor. However, the school district has already spent money on design plans and bid packets and the money to pay those costs will now come from the district’s general maintenance fund, according to District 1 Business Manager Garry Goergen.
“They can’t return to the rec board and ask for money already spent,” said Pat Sheehan, board member and recreation board representative. “It’s against the rules.”
The floor design includes a contingency clause that allows for additional repairs if the construction firm discovers damage that would require the installation of a moisture-wicking mat. If the work needs to be done, RHS Activities Director Darlene O’Melia can apply for more grant money to cover the costs, estimated at $8,990.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Approved a land exchange with the Carbon County Fair Board to make property lines congruent with a fence.
• Approved a new policy capping expenditures for student participation in competitive events that reinforce academic goals at $10,000 for students in grades six to 12.
• Awarded a $251,310 contract to Hutch’s Hi-Country Plumbing and Heating to replace the boiler in the small gym at RHS. The contract is significantly above the anticipated $80,000 cost of the project.
Times staff writer
A miscalculation in a recreation board grant application cost Carbon County School District 1 nearly $25,000.
The recreation board gave the school district $105,000 to replace the gym floor at Rawlins High School. Last week School Board members awarded a $102,100 contract to Ponder Construction to replace the floor. However, the school district has already spent money on design plans and bid packets and the money to pay those costs will now come from the district’s general maintenance fund, according to District 1 Business Manager Garry Goergen.
“They can’t return to the rec board and ask for money already spent,” said Pat Sheehan, board member and recreation board representative. “It’s against the rules.”
The floor design includes a contingency clause that allows for additional repairs if the construction firm discovers damage that would require the installation of a moisture-wicking mat. If the work needs to be done, RHS Activities Director Darlene O’Melia can apply for more grant money to cover the costs, estimated at $8,990.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Approved a land exchange with the Carbon County Fair Board to make property lines congruent with a fence.
• Approved a new policy capping expenditures for student participation in competitive events that reinforce academic goals at $10,000 for students in grades six to 12.
• Awarded a $251,310 contract to Hutch’s Hi-Country Plumbing and Heating to replace the boiler in the small gym at RHS. The contract is significantly above the anticipated $80,000 cost of the project.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
A metropolitan traffic jam in the windy west
Never got published, but was quite the experience...
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice Kurbjun
A mile from Walcott Junction on Interstate 80, traffic just about stopped due to road damage caused by Monday’s truck fire. When the road reopened for westbound travel at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the highway’s truck and car volume resembled Colorado’s Interstate 70 on a wintery Saturday morning.
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice Kurbjun
The skeletal remains of a semi-truck were parked in the median of Interstate 80 near Walcott Junction on Tuesday. The truck caught fire on Monday, forcing westbound traffic to halt so firefighters could arrive on scene. Heat from the flames melted the frame to the asphalt, causing road damage that slowed traffic Tuesday afternoon when the highway reopened.
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice Kurbjun
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice KurbjunTechnology big part of new school
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Technology is at the forefront of the planning discussions for the new Highland Hills Elementary School complex.
“Technology is the future for kids,” said Debbie Wright, a computer technician for the Rawlins elementary schools. “They’re never too young to learn.” Wright, also a school planning committee member, is an advocate for the integration of technology into the classroom. That position is supported by Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune.
Touting a concept of “flexible thinking,” Terhune sees the new schools less as buildings built around a certain type of technology and more of an effort to build the infrastructure to accommodate any new technology that might be installed.
He wants the new school to fit into the district’s goal of providing “authentic learning via a project-based, technology enhanced, multidisciplinary approach. For the lay person this means using technology in real world settings to accomplish real world results,” Terhune said.
Wright is also pushing for a building that can accommodate new technologies. However, she hopes to develop a program that first gets teachers and students proficient in the current technologies.
“There is exciting technology out there, but we haven’t incorporated it in the past because the teachers often don’t know how,” Wright said. According to her concept, the district should save money by only buying new technology when it’s necessary for continued learning.
Terhune acknowledged the difficulty of fitting the plan into the School Facilities Commission’s budget. However, with the help of consultant Brad Oberg, he believes it can happen. “Ken Daraie (of the commission) has given us a square-footage footprint (for our school), but we have the flexibility to operate within that footprint,” Terhune said.
Both Terhune and Wright believe that technology is a way of teaching. In particular, it is a way of reinforcing the curriculum already in place “without having to expend a lot of extra time,” Wright said. “It is not just another subject to teach, but it is a way to teach better and with more excitement.”
While much of the school’s specific technology is still up in the air, Terhune and Wright both expect audio enhancement, the digital amplification of a teacher’s voice, to be a staple in each classroom. The SMART boards and voting devices, handheld electronics that allow students to answer questions simultaneously, should continue. Wright plans to push for Web cast video technology in the gymnasium in a distance-education style for teachers. “The cost is considerable to send several teachers to a meeting, but if we connect with video, we can learn (on-site) the same,” she said.
Times staff writer
Technology is at the forefront of the planning discussions for the new Highland Hills Elementary School complex.
“Technology is the future for kids,” said Debbie Wright, a computer technician for the Rawlins elementary schools. “They’re never too young to learn.” Wright, also a school planning committee member, is an advocate for the integration of technology into the classroom. That position is supported by Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune.
Touting a concept of “flexible thinking,” Terhune sees the new schools less as buildings built around a certain type of technology and more of an effort to build the infrastructure to accommodate any new technology that might be installed.
He wants the new school to fit into the district’s goal of providing “authentic learning via a project-based, technology enhanced, multidisciplinary approach. For the lay person this means using technology in real world settings to accomplish real world results,” Terhune said.
Wright is also pushing for a building that can accommodate new technologies. However, she hopes to develop a program that first gets teachers and students proficient in the current technologies.
“There is exciting technology out there, but we haven’t incorporated it in the past because the teachers often don’t know how,” Wright said. According to her concept, the district should save money by only buying new technology when it’s necessary for continued learning.
Terhune acknowledged the difficulty of fitting the plan into the School Facilities Commission’s budget. However, with the help of consultant Brad Oberg, he believes it can happen. “Ken Daraie (of the commission) has given us a square-footage footprint (for our school), but we have the flexibility to operate within that footprint,” Terhune said.
Both Terhune and Wright believe that technology is a way of teaching. In particular, it is a way of reinforcing the curriculum already in place “without having to expend a lot of extra time,” Wright said. “It is not just another subject to teach, but it is a way to teach better and with more excitement.”
While much of the school’s specific technology is still up in the air, Terhune and Wright both expect audio enhancement, the digital amplification of a teacher’s voice, to be a staple in each classroom. The SMART boards and voting devices, handheld electronics that allow students to answer questions simultaneously, should continue. Wright plans to push for Web cast video technology in the gymnasium in a distance-education style for teachers. “The cost is considerable to send several teachers to a meeting, but if we connect with video, we can learn (on-site) the same,” she said.
Monday, March 31, 2008
The blue sky through the blizzard
The reason I can't get home tonight: "I-80 is closed due to multiple crashes in both directions, road surface damage due to a truck fire and severe weather conditions." How ridiculous??
I made to Fort Collins through the blizzard, safe and sound. I used my chains for about 40 miles to get over one of the more treacherous all-season passes in the state of Colorado. The rest of the valley was virtually blocked either by massive amounts of snowfall or adverse conditions in areas with a lack of civilization.
Ah, the west.
Now, I'm safely at my brother's house in Fort Collins, awaiting the road opening in Wyoming... silly trucks.
The bright side of it all: I got in two hours of fantastic skiing this afternoon. Powder splashing into my face, new snowflakes crawling down my neck, and smiles from everyone I came across. It was all worth it to get out the frustration of not being able to be a good employee and be back at work. Hah! I'd never make a good ski bum!!!
In Kirk Hanna's rating system, that two hours was 5 billion stars out of 10. :-D
I made to Fort Collins through the blizzard, safe and sound. I used my chains for about 40 miles to get over one of the more treacherous all-season passes in the state of Colorado. The rest of the valley was virtually blocked either by massive amounts of snowfall or adverse conditions in areas with a lack of civilization.
Ah, the west.
Now, I'm safely at my brother's house in Fort Collins, awaiting the road opening in Wyoming... silly trucks.
The bright side of it all: I got in two hours of fantastic skiing this afternoon. Powder splashing into my face, new snowflakes crawling down my neck, and smiles from everyone I came across. It was all worth it to get out the frustration of not being able to be a good employee and be back at work. Hah! I'd never make a good ski bum!!!
In Kirk Hanna's rating system, that two hours was 5 billion stars out of 10. :-D
Trio prepping for state history event
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice KurbjunBy Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
They shouted, they screamed, they moaned — all in an effort to illustrate the conflict and compromise of the Salem Witch Trials.
Dressed all in black with minimal stage props, the Little Snake River Valley middle school students moved deliberately around the stage. They sometimes faced the audience of School Board members, while other times their backs were turned.
Eighth-graders Lauren Kudera and Natalie Duncan teamed with seventh-grader Morgan Jensen to write a script, based on historical documents, which dramatized the 1692 conflict as their entry in the history fair. Their performance, “Salem Witch Trials: Compromising by Confessing,” placed in the top two for its category in the district competition. They travel to the state competition in Laramie on April 21.
Duncan donned a bowler hat to indicate she had just taken a man’s role. In a false deep voice, she rumbled a death warrant to Dorothy Good, 4 years old at the time she was accused of being a witch.
Switching scenes, Kudera became Ann Putnam, a woman who was one of the main accusers in the late 17th century. Kudera delivered Putnam’s apology, issued 13 years after the trials.
Again, the scene changed. Now, Jensen was in the spotlight as Rebecca Nurse, a pious woman accused of being a witch after she lectured neighbor Benjamin Houlton about letting his pig root around her garden. When Houlton died soon after, Nurse was accused.
Duncan took the stage again, reciting the end of a poem. “‘More weight,’ now said this wretched man. ‘More weight!’ again he cried; And he did no confession make, but wickedly he died,” she cried. The scene illustrated what happened to people who did not confess. Giles Corey, accused of being a sorcerer, was sentenced to death by pressing.
The girls’ presentation fits into the overall theme of conflict and compromise, for Wyoming History Day. While LSRVS usually tries to keep the projects local, the girls had all taken a keen interest in the Salem Witch Trials after reading a book on the subject. With guidance from the school’s drama teacher, they were able to compile and fine-tune a winning performance.
“We are excited,” the three said in unison about their trip to Laramie. “Well, we are a little nervous too,” Kudera admitted.
Second project bound for state
Little Snake River Valley School’s Morgan Wille and Caelee Criswell also travel to the state history day competition in Laramie later this month.
Their documentary, “No More Room for the Wild Horses and Burros,” focuses on the problems wild horses and burros faced in the past and how their situation is being remedied by the Bureau of Land Management.
Weaving stories of various horses with facts about land use and efforts to protect the animals, the girls illustrated their research on conflict and compromise through a silent slide presentation.
The BLM responded to the illegal sale of wild horses by rounding them up for adoption. According to the presentation, this is still a way the horse-to-land ratio is managed, since there are currently 29,000 horses in 10 western states that have enough space for 27,500.
Digital TV means changes
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The old adage, out with the old, in with the new often doesn’t work in rural communities, particularly when referring to technology.
On Feb. 18, analog cell phone frequencies officially died, forcing some Carbon County residents to convert to digital cell phones. In February of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission plans to phase out analog television broadcasts, affecting two towers operated by Saratoga’s Elk Mountain TV.
Currently, the towers operate as analog-only, picking up free, over-the-air local television through channel 2 in Casper and channel 5 in Cheyenne. The two channels still send their analog signal even though both have been broadcasting digitally for four years.
“There are a number of people in town here, many who are elderly, whose sole source of connecting with the outside world (is through the local channels),” Dan Gorton of Saratoga said. “It would be a real shame for it to go away.”
Before the channels drop analog service in 2009, Elk Mountain TV hopes to install a digital-to-analog converter. The device would pick up the digital signal and convert it back to analog, making the transition seamless for old-fashioned viewers of the local stations. However, one obstacle stands in the way — the signal strength.
When the snow melts on the mountains where the towers stand, channel 5 Chief Engineer Keith Yosten plans to test whether Cheyenne’s digital signal is strong enough to warrant the $1,600 converters. If the signal is not strong enough, local television viewers who use antennas to pick up the analog channels will be left with no service.
“There will probably be people that will be calling us (on the day of the phase out) wondering what is going on,” Yosten said.
Subscribers of Bresnan Communications and Communicom Services should see no effect in local television.
“If nothing happens,” Gorton said, “our access to any kind of news, the weather or anything that’s going on in Wyoming, for the residents of Saratoga, Riverside, Encampment or Baggs that don’t have Bresnan cable, will disappear.”
Even satellite TV subscribers in much of southeastern Wyoming who opt for local channels do not get the two in Wyoming. Officials at Dish Network and Direct TV confirmed that all or most of Carbon County is in the Denver marketing area and gets Denver channels, not Wyoming stations.
Times staff writer
The old adage, out with the old, in with the new often doesn’t work in rural communities, particularly when referring to technology.
On Feb. 18, analog cell phone frequencies officially died, forcing some Carbon County residents to convert to digital cell phones. In February of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission plans to phase out analog television broadcasts, affecting two towers operated by Saratoga’s Elk Mountain TV.
Currently, the towers operate as analog-only, picking up free, over-the-air local television through channel 2 in Casper and channel 5 in Cheyenne. The two channels still send their analog signal even though both have been broadcasting digitally for four years.
“There are a number of people in town here, many who are elderly, whose sole source of connecting with the outside world (is through the local channels),” Dan Gorton of Saratoga said. “It would be a real shame for it to go away.”
Before the channels drop analog service in 2009, Elk Mountain TV hopes to install a digital-to-analog converter. The device would pick up the digital signal and convert it back to analog, making the transition seamless for old-fashioned viewers of the local stations. However, one obstacle stands in the way — the signal strength.
When the snow melts on the mountains where the towers stand, channel 5 Chief Engineer Keith Yosten plans to test whether Cheyenne’s digital signal is strong enough to warrant the $1,600 converters. If the signal is not strong enough, local television viewers who use antennas to pick up the analog channels will be left with no service.
“There will probably be people that will be calling us (on the day of the phase out) wondering what is going on,” Yosten said.
Subscribers of Bresnan Communications and Communicom Services should see no effect in local television.
“If nothing happens,” Gorton said, “our access to any kind of news, the weather or anything that’s going on in Wyoming, for the residents of Saratoga, Riverside, Encampment or Baggs that don’t have Bresnan cable, will disappear.”
Even satellite TV subscribers in much of southeastern Wyoming who opt for local channels do not get the two in Wyoming. Officials at Dish Network and Direct TV confirmed that all or most of Carbon County is in the Denver marketing area and gets Denver channels, not Wyoming stations.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Hospital's contract labor stays high
• Continued staffing shortages mean the hospital spends more money to hire contract employees to cover all shifts.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Board members again raised their eyebrows Tuesday at the amount of money spent to pay contracted employees, hired to fill staffing gaps at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
So far this year, contracted labor expenses at the hospital are in the millions of dollars. Whatever the expenses each year, they are not in the budget because hospital Chief Financial Officer Florence Kostic wants the costs to be in the open.
“We are working diligently to hire people,” she said. “Until then, the staff is working overtime. We have the contract staff to ensure patient care.”
An non-itemized, high-dollar expense raises a red flag that is hard to miss. Kostic said she could hide the contracted labor expense, but it would then be too easy to brush it aside without attempting to fix the situation that causes the hospital to hire contract employees. The remedy is in finding more nurses and physicians who agree to stay at the hospital for the long term, she said.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, hospital board members:
• Heard a report that the hospital’s effort to recover unpaid health coverage by patients has turned up about $643,000 of more than $6.9 million of bad debt. The amounts include debts incurred in multiple years.
• Saw a draft of a presentation planned for April 4 before the Carbon County Commission. The presentation outlines financial and equipment requests from hospital department heads.
• Noted that two physicians are in the final stages of paperwork to begin work at the hospital. Two more are in beginning or intermediate stages of evaluation.
• Made no decision on the employee health insurance plan. The board members plan to continue to evaluate staff comments and options of how best to cover the $80,000 increase. One idea is to charge 1 percent or less of each employee’s salary, across the board.
• Evaluated the progress of the Southeastern Wyoming Ambulance Service and the formation of its joint powers board. The ambulance has made 41 runs since December. The hospital stands to break even with expenses amounting to about $50,000.
• Accepted an adult home care policy that does not limit the number of hours hospital staff can provide care unless the hospital is short of employees. The policy arose out of the need to avoid patient claims of care discrimination.
• Agreed to pay $267,250 to URS Construction for stored material and subcontractor work for the energy savings project. Hospital officials are still waiting for design approval from the state in order to create a schedule for the installation of heating and ventilation equipment.
Consultant Joe Jones reported that positive asbestos samples on the third floor of the hospital would require a special type of removal.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Board members again raised their eyebrows Tuesday at the amount of money spent to pay contracted employees, hired to fill staffing gaps at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
So far this year, contracted labor expenses at the hospital are in the millions of dollars. Whatever the expenses each year, they are not in the budget because hospital Chief Financial Officer Florence Kostic wants the costs to be in the open.
“We are working diligently to hire people,” she said. “Until then, the staff is working overtime. We have the contract staff to ensure patient care.”
An non-itemized, high-dollar expense raises a red flag that is hard to miss. Kostic said she could hide the contracted labor expense, but it would then be too easy to brush it aside without attempting to fix the situation that causes the hospital to hire contract employees. The remedy is in finding more nurses and physicians who agree to stay at the hospital for the long term, she said.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, hospital board members:
• Heard a report that the hospital’s effort to recover unpaid health coverage by patients has turned up about $643,000 of more than $6.9 million of bad debt. The amounts include debts incurred in multiple years.
• Saw a draft of a presentation planned for April 4 before the Carbon County Commission. The presentation outlines financial and equipment requests from hospital department heads.
• Noted that two physicians are in the final stages of paperwork to begin work at the hospital. Two more are in beginning or intermediate stages of evaluation.
• Made no decision on the employee health insurance plan. The board members plan to continue to evaluate staff comments and options of how best to cover the $80,000 increase. One idea is to charge 1 percent or less of each employee’s salary, across the board.
• Evaluated the progress of the Southeastern Wyoming Ambulance Service and the formation of its joint powers board. The ambulance has made 41 runs since December. The hospital stands to break even with expenses amounting to about $50,000.
• Accepted an adult home care policy that does not limit the number of hours hospital staff can provide care unless the hospital is short of employees. The policy arose out of the need to avoid patient claims of care discrimination.
• Agreed to pay $267,250 to URS Construction for stored material and subcontractor work for the energy savings project. Hospital officials are still waiting for design approval from the state in order to create a schedule for the installation of heating and ventilation equipment.
Consultant Joe Jones reported that positive asbestos samples on the third floor of the hospital would require a special type of removal.
Health fair is Saturday
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Saturday’s Health Fair at the Jeffrey Center in Rawlins should prove informative and amusing for adults and children alike.
The fair is an ongoing effort to bring low-cost health screening exams to area residents. Representatives from more than 30 area organizations are to provide information between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. People who had their blood drawn earlier this month can pick up their results and talk to nurses who can explain the information.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office plans to fingerprint children, making it into a fun activity while providing parents the security of having information about their child on file in case the child goes missing. Carbon County Child Development plans to hand out toothbrushes for adults and children to promote oral hygiene.
Event participants can get their height, weight and blood pressure checked at the Wagon Circle Family Practice booth. If back problems are an issue, Davidson Chiropractic will be at the fair offering pamphlets on various conditions and handing out samples of the topical cream the office uses.
April is sexual assault awareness month, so Carbon County COVE plans to hand out brochures and information on the subject. Meanwhile, Project Prevention hopes to talk with visitors about healthy behavior as well as pointing folks in the right direction to get help with tobacco or alcohol use.
South Central Rehabilitation will have giveaway items to promote the center. A staff member should be on site to demonstrate various therapeutic techniques and answer any questions. To prepare Rawlins residents for fires, the fire department plans to hand out information on smoke detectors and home escape plans.
Weight Watchers, the Rawlins Family Recreation Center, Wyoming Independent Living and Rawlins Eye Care are a sampling of other organizations who are expected to have booths at the health fair.
Times staff writer
Saturday’s Health Fair at the Jeffrey Center in Rawlins should prove informative and amusing for adults and children alike.
The fair is an ongoing effort to bring low-cost health screening exams to area residents. Representatives from more than 30 area organizations are to provide information between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. People who had their blood drawn earlier this month can pick up their results and talk to nurses who can explain the information.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office plans to fingerprint children, making it into a fun activity while providing parents the security of having information about their child on file in case the child goes missing. Carbon County Child Development plans to hand out toothbrushes for adults and children to promote oral hygiene.
Event participants can get their height, weight and blood pressure checked at the Wagon Circle Family Practice booth. If back problems are an issue, Davidson Chiropractic will be at the fair offering pamphlets on various conditions and handing out samples of the topical cream the office uses.
April is sexual assault awareness month, so Carbon County COVE plans to hand out brochures and information on the subject. Meanwhile, Project Prevention hopes to talk with visitors about healthy behavior as well as pointing folks in the right direction to get help with tobacco or alcohol use.
South Central Rehabilitation will have giveaway items to promote the center. A staff member should be on site to demonstrate various therapeutic techniques and answer any questions. To prepare Rawlins residents for fires, the fire department plans to hand out information on smoke detectors and home escape plans.
Weight Watchers, the Rawlins Family Recreation Center, Wyoming Independent Living and Rawlins Eye Care are a sampling of other organizations who are expected to have booths at the health fair.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Goals matter, senator says
Rawlins Daily Times, Jerrett RaffetyBy Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
When U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., asked Rawlins high school students to vote for their preferred presidential candidate, about a third of the teens raised their hands, and it appeared the votes were split equally three ways.
At the senator’s Tuesday afternoon visit to Rawlins High School, students found energy at the end of the day to engage in political discussion.
The cliché, “follow your heart, follow your dreams and never give up, no matter what,” summarizes the senator’s brief motivational speech that kicked off the half-hour question-and-answer session. Barrasso told the students they can achieve their goals if they think about them, practice them and make movements toward their achievement.
“We have so many opportunities in this world, but years go by and we don’t think about it,” Barrasso said. “Right now, we have many who will be experts in TV re-runs and video games. We should be dreaming really big dreams.”
Barrasso outlined two goal-setting techniques. He challenged students to make a list of 100 goals and check them off each year upon completion. The other is to make a goals collage, illustrating aspirations using magazine or newspaper clippings. “The idea is to keep our goals in our thoughts and to make steps each day toward them,” he said.
The discussion turned political when the senator asked who was following the presidential race.
Student Kyle Poplin asked if Barrasso supports Sen. John McCain’s health care policy. Since McCain is from Arizona, a state that has its share of rural health issues, “he gets it,” Barrasso said.
Barrasso refocused the conversation by asking about the Democratic candidates. Comments throughout the student audience echoed media statements of Barack Obama’s “fresh face and fresh view,” one student said.
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton “can bring a lot to the presidency. She ran Bill’s presidency,” Poplin said.
English teacher Travis Moore asked the senator about preparing young voters to wade through the media spin and make informed decisions. “You have to find out what you’re looking for, and often that’s (a candidate with) beliefs similar to your own,” Barrasso responded.
“The interesting thing about this election is that it will be the first time two senators have run against each other,” Barrasso said. Regardless of the debates or the media framework, both candidates will have a political history. However, he said, often senators’ votes are swayed by a portion of a bill, not its entirety. Additionally, a senator’s responsibility is to his or her state’s interests, as opposed to the president’s responsibility to the nation, he said.
The visit was prompted by Barrasso’s intrigue with two of his aides, Ryan Taylor and Kelsey Campbell, who are Rawlins High School graduates. “Rawlins High School is very instrumental in our staff,” Barrasso said.
District 1 board meets in Baggs
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Members of the Carbon County District 1 School Board travel to Baggs on Thursday for their final March meeting.
At 6 p.m. in the Little Snake River Valley School’s music room, middle school students present their state History Fair projects. One of the presentations is a dramatization of the wild horse herds in the Red Desert.
The meeting is open to the public.
Architect Brad Oberg is scheduled to present his evaluation of the Little Snake River Valley School, in conjunction with the representatives from the community. The presentation should outline the community assessment of the school’s needs. According to LSRV Principal Rick Newton, the parameters of the review are based on a general report from the School Facilities Commission.
Also at the meeting, the School Board is to:
• Hear a presentation from the Valley Community Center committee as members press forward with design plans. According to Superintendent Peggy Sanders, the committee wants to negotiate with the district to build on land near the LSRV track.
• Evaluate the terms of a contract with L.M. Olson Inc. for maintenance projects throughout the school district.
• Discuss an exchange of land and a fence relocation between the district’s administrative office and the Carbon County Fairgrounds.
• Consider awarding a contract to replace the boiler in the small gym at Rawlins High School and to replace the RHS gym floor.
• Discuss the terms of a contract with Pine Cove Consulting for technological support for the design and construction of the Highland Hills Elementary School complex. The board should also evaluate the prospect of hiring a project representative to oversee that construction project.
Times staff writer
Members of the Carbon County District 1 School Board travel to Baggs on Thursday for their final March meeting.
At 6 p.m. in the Little Snake River Valley School’s music room, middle school students present their state History Fair projects. One of the presentations is a dramatization of the wild horse herds in the Red Desert.
The meeting is open to the public.
Architect Brad Oberg is scheduled to present his evaluation of the Little Snake River Valley School, in conjunction with the representatives from the community. The presentation should outline the community assessment of the school’s needs. According to LSRV Principal Rick Newton, the parameters of the review are based on a general report from the School Facilities Commission.
Also at the meeting, the School Board is to:
• Hear a presentation from the Valley Community Center committee as members press forward with design plans. According to Superintendent Peggy Sanders, the committee wants to negotiate with the district to build on land near the LSRV track.
• Evaluate the terms of a contract with L.M. Olson Inc. for maintenance projects throughout the school district.
• Discuss an exchange of land and a fence relocation between the district’s administrative office and the Carbon County Fairgrounds.
• Consider awarding a contract to replace the boiler in the small gym at Rawlins High School and to replace the RHS gym floor.
• Discuss the terms of a contract with Pine Cove Consulting for technological support for the design and construction of the Highland Hills Elementary School complex. The board should also evaluate the prospect of hiring a project representative to oversee that construction project.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Strength training pays off
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Strength training for adults 65 and older, done more than twice a week and combined with physical exercise, can prolong independent living and promote general well-being.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, strength training, generally in the form of lifting weights or doing various other static exercises, can do more than build strength and endurance. Those factors are important for minimizing falls by maintaining the muscles necessary for proper balance.
Working out regularly also increases bone density, making it less likely to break bones or develop osteoporosis. Additionally, it reduces the risk of diabetes by improving the body’s ability to metabolize glucose.
“Lifting weights regularly can help keep a person out of the nursing home or assisted living for up to three years,” Judy Justesen said.
Justesen, a former Rawlins Recreation Center Recreation programmer for senior citizens, lifts weights three times a week, devotes another three days to other strength training and rests on the seventh day. She combines her activities with daily stretching and aerobic exercise.
Strength training “does a lot to enhance the whole person by releasing endorphins,” Justesen said. Endorphins are chemicals released by the body through exercise and other activities that produce a general sense of happiness or well-being. “I recommend doing it in the morning,” she said. “It’s a great way to start the day with energy.”
According to a CDC, 11 percent of adults 65 and older engaged in strength training, with women less likely to do so than men. Justesen said that women should consider exercise and strength training because “it prevents skin from sagging as much as you get older,” she said. “You look better and definitely feel better. The two go hand in hand.”
When done correctly, strength training helps older folks better enjoy life. Justesen, now a grandmother, still plays volleyball. She says her exercise program helps her agility.
But she says the time lifting weights inside is boring. “It’s my least liked activity, and that says a lot,” she said. “If it didn’t do so much good, I wouldn’t be there three times a week.”
Denise Davis, who has Justesen’s old job, plans to establish a physical training program, provided the community shows interest. To get a class started, check in at the front desk of the Rawlins Recreation Center or call Davis at 324-7529.
Times staff writer
Strength training for adults 65 and older, done more than twice a week and combined with physical exercise, can prolong independent living and promote general well-being.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, strength training, generally in the form of lifting weights or doing various other static exercises, can do more than build strength and endurance. Those factors are important for minimizing falls by maintaining the muscles necessary for proper balance.
Working out regularly also increases bone density, making it less likely to break bones or develop osteoporosis. Additionally, it reduces the risk of diabetes by improving the body’s ability to metabolize glucose.
“Lifting weights regularly can help keep a person out of the nursing home or assisted living for up to three years,” Judy Justesen said.
Justesen, a former Rawlins Recreation Center Recreation programmer for senior citizens, lifts weights three times a week, devotes another three days to other strength training and rests on the seventh day. She combines her activities with daily stretching and aerobic exercise.
Strength training “does a lot to enhance the whole person by releasing endorphins,” Justesen said. Endorphins are chemicals released by the body through exercise and other activities that produce a general sense of happiness or well-being. “I recommend doing it in the morning,” she said. “It’s a great way to start the day with energy.”
According to a CDC, 11 percent of adults 65 and older engaged in strength training, with women less likely to do so than men. Justesen said that women should consider exercise and strength training because “it prevents skin from sagging as much as you get older,” she said. “You look better and definitely feel better. The two go hand in hand.”
When done correctly, strength training helps older folks better enjoy life. Justesen, now a grandmother, still plays volleyball. She says her exercise program helps her agility.
But she says the time lifting weights inside is boring. “It’s my least liked activity, and that says a lot,” she said. “If it didn’t do so much good, I wouldn’t be there three times a week.”
Denise Davis, who has Justesen’s old job, plans to establish a physical training program, provided the community shows interest. To get a class started, check in at the front desk of the Rawlins Recreation Center or call Davis at 324-7529.
Water exercise has many benefits
For the Health Fair section
• Exercising in water reduces impacts to bones and joints and the water provides natural resistance.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Jogging that is relocated to the water, called aqua jogging, has been proven to save joints as well as create resistance training that can have more powerful effects than land-based activities.
“If you exert the same energy jogging on land when jogging in the water, you will burn more calories in the water,” water jogging instructor Gail Dahl said. The water resistance is more than that of air, making the running motion more difficult. And jogging in the water eliminates the damaging joint impact of land jogging.
Dahl has men and women, young and old, attend her classes, which begin at 6 p.m. and run for an hour every weeknight at the Rawlins High School pool. The class is particularly popular with individuals with injuries or joint pain, as well as with pregnant women.
Half of the class is devoted purely to jogging laps at a pace specific to each participant. In the second half hour, Dahl leads the joggers in toning exercises including leg work with buoyant “weights” as well as crunches and thigh and arm exercises using an inflated ball.
“As a new person, it’s easy to get involved,” Dahl said. She gives the new jogger a run-down on correct posture, exercise options and recommendations based on a person’s ability and current health. “All you need is a swimsuit,” Dahl said.
She recommends the activity to anyone looking to revamp their exercise program or start a new one. “I always leave (the pool) feeling energized, not exhausted,” she said.
• Exercising in water reduces impacts to bones and joints and the water provides natural resistance.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Jogging that is relocated to the water, called aqua jogging, has been proven to save joints as well as create resistance training that can have more powerful effects than land-based activities.
“If you exert the same energy jogging on land when jogging in the water, you will burn more calories in the water,” water jogging instructor Gail Dahl said. The water resistance is more than that of air, making the running motion more difficult. And jogging in the water eliminates the damaging joint impact of land jogging.
Dahl has men and women, young and old, attend her classes, which begin at 6 p.m. and run for an hour every weeknight at the Rawlins High School pool. The class is particularly popular with individuals with injuries or joint pain, as well as with pregnant women.
Half of the class is devoted purely to jogging laps at a pace specific to each participant. In the second half hour, Dahl leads the joggers in toning exercises including leg work with buoyant “weights” as well as crunches and thigh and arm exercises using an inflated ball.
“As a new person, it’s easy to get involved,” Dahl said. She gives the new jogger a run-down on correct posture, exercise options and recommendations based on a person’s ability and current health. “All you need is a swimsuit,” Dahl said.
She recommends the activity to anyone looking to revamp their exercise program or start a new one. “I always leave (the pool) feeling energized, not exhausted,” she said.
Snowshoeing adventures abundant in county
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice Kurbjun***************
Looking at the trailhead, nothing was familiar.In summer, there was lush, green foliage scattered with wildflower shades of purple, blue, pink and orange. Now, in late winter, the trail into the Sierra Madres is white, broken by sharp shadows of lodgepole pines reaching into the blue sky.
The well-cleared trail marked with blue diamond signs is off limits to snowmobilers, though the machines can still be heard. The snow is nearly waist deep at the edge of the pavement; the only way to get through is to strap on snowshoes.
Snowshoes create a duck-like effect when the wide, aluminum frames with inside rubber are strapped over boots. Climbing over the snow bank, the only sound is the crunch of crusty snow underfoot.
The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest is a perfect place to hit the snow for a few hours. With snowshoe and cross-country trails in Brush Creek, across the highway from the Medicine Bow Lodge in Ryan Park, and Bottle Creek west of Encampment in the Sierra Madres, there is plenty of terrain to explore.
Mark Rauterkus at the Trading Post at the Encampment-Riverside junction provides the only place to rent snowshoes in Carbon County. For $10 a day, Rauterkus can equip the outdoorsman with shoes, and he provides poles and Forest Service trail maps. “It’s easy to learn,” he said. Just strap them on and go, just like walking.
On the trail, the pristine snow is untouched except for rabbit tracks zigzagging through the forest. Veering from the trail and softly wading through untouched powder, a view of the Sierra Madres comes into focus as the trees open into a clearing. Beyond, the craggy summits of Colorado’s Never Summer mountain range are barely visible.
“It’s the most fun to go off the trail, especially if you see moose tracks or want to go over the ridge,” said Sue Cary, of the Brush Creek-Hayden ranger office in Saratoga. “Often, people just go. You can snowshoe anywhere in the forest if you’re careful.”
The trails Rauterkus points out to visitors start off as an easy hike with a gradual incline, ideal for beginners.
“The trails are very scenic,” he said. “They wind in and out of the trees and as you get higher, they have great views.” Snowshoeing difficulty increases with the trail’s grade, but varies slightly from traditional hiking since it involves snow, deeper means harder going.
— Janice Kurbjun
******************
Tips Offered
For people who plan to strap on a pair snowshoes and take off into the great unknown, officials at Saratoga’s Brush Creek-Hayden ranger station recommend some safety tips:
• Explorers should carry water, a snack, a compass and a whistle.
• Do not go into the forest alone. Leave a note in your vehicle saying where you’ve gone. A vehicle will often be investigated by law enforcement before Forest Service officials recognize that someone has not returned from the trail, especially in winter.
• Remember the acronym WOW: Where am I? Is everything OK in terms of gear and myself? What is the weather like? Forest Service personnel recommend being consistently aware of your surroundings, especially when off a marked trail.
• The weather changes quickly in the mountains; explorers should pay attention to the clouds.
Emergency service undergoing review
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Emergency medical services have long been heralded as the first line of defense in emergencies, with their role growing increasingly important in rural communities.
As such, the Wyoming Healthcare Commission, in its search for rural health care solutions with Carbon County as the guinea pig, has contracted with New Jersey-based SafeTech Solutions to evaluate the county’s EMS system.
Gary Wingrove and John Becknell of SafeTech recently visited Carbon County. They talked with a medical professionals and city and county officials about the system and the community’s perceptions.
“We’re not the fixers,” Wingrove said. “Our role here is to assess and then to prescribe the best practices from other communities according to what might fit into this one.”
They defined EMS as all services provided in an emergency prior to arrival at the hospital. That includes anything from answering a 911 call to giving telephone instructions for patient care to taking patients to a care facility.
The SafeTech representatives said they often make recommendations to communities that require the involvement of more than one entity. To them, the responsibility for emergency medicine rests on the shoulders of the community as a whole.
According to the consultants, hospital officials should think about shortages in ambulance workers while organizations and individuals should be aware of how an the emergency service’s functionality affects them. City officials should think about the importance of a fully-funded service and public education can be accomplished through newspapers.
Becknell said they discovered that Carbon County is served by a hodgepodge of volunteer workers and full-time, paid staff, mostly in Rawlins, who also serve at the hospital.
“This is the two-headed monster of EMS,” Becknell said. “It is difficult to recruit and retain volunteers anywhere, across the country. It goes hand in hand with the issue of how to fund EMS if staff must be hired.”
Times staff writer
Emergency medical services have long been heralded as the first line of defense in emergencies, with their role growing increasingly important in rural communities.
As such, the Wyoming Healthcare Commission, in its search for rural health care solutions with Carbon County as the guinea pig, has contracted with New Jersey-based SafeTech Solutions to evaluate the county’s EMS system.
Gary Wingrove and John Becknell of SafeTech recently visited Carbon County. They talked with a medical professionals and city and county officials about the system and the community’s perceptions.
“We’re not the fixers,” Wingrove said. “Our role here is to assess and then to prescribe the best practices from other communities according to what might fit into this one.”
They defined EMS as all services provided in an emergency prior to arrival at the hospital. That includes anything from answering a 911 call to giving telephone instructions for patient care to taking patients to a care facility.
The SafeTech representatives said they often make recommendations to communities that require the involvement of more than one entity. To them, the responsibility for emergency medicine rests on the shoulders of the community as a whole.
According to the consultants, hospital officials should think about shortages in ambulance workers while organizations and individuals should be aware of how an the emergency service’s functionality affects them. City officials should think about the importance of a fully-funded service and public education can be accomplished through newspapers.
Becknell said they discovered that Carbon County is served by a hodgepodge of volunteer workers and full-time, paid staff, mostly in Rawlins, who also serve at the hospital.
“This is the two-headed monster of EMS,” Becknell said. “It is difficult to recruit and retain volunteers anywhere, across the country. It goes hand in hand with the issue of how to fund EMS if staff must be hired.”
Schools need modular units
Times staff report
Carbon County School District 1 plans to lease two modular buildings for next school year.
Pershing and Highland Hills elementary schools each need a two-room modular unit. District 1 already leases some modular buildings.
The additional space should meet anticipated enrollment growth for the next two years, district officials say. The growth is based on patterns in monthly enrollment reports. The district’s initial enrollment has been increasing since 2004. Last August saw the smallest increase — 47 students — as compared to the year before with 52. In August 2005, enrollment increased by 89 students.
In two years, the new Highland Hills school complex should be nearly complete. However, the lease of modular buildings may trickle into the 2010-11 school year.
“We may need to make unusual arrangements in the third year to accommodate (the anticipated number of students),” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “But we do not want to bring in more modulars.”
Carbon County School District 1 plans to lease two modular buildings for next school year.
Pershing and Highland Hills elementary schools each need a two-room modular unit. District 1 already leases some modular buildings.
The additional space should meet anticipated enrollment growth for the next two years, district officials say. The growth is based on patterns in monthly enrollment reports. The district’s initial enrollment has been increasing since 2004. Last August saw the smallest increase — 47 students — as compared to the year before with 52. In August 2005, enrollment increased by 89 students.
In two years, the new Highland Hills school complex should be nearly complete. However, the lease of modular buildings may trickle into the 2010-11 school year.
“We may need to make unusual arrangements in the third year to accommodate (the anticipated number of students),” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “But we do not want to bring in more modulars.”
Friday, March 21, 2008
Arapaho language alive and well
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Through the story of the fox and the wood tick, children of the Arapaho tribe learn how to be clever.
“I can beat you!” said Merle Haas, a Northern Arapaho from the Wind River Reservation. Her exclamation imitated a voice characteristic of a tiny insect, the wood tick, which challenged the fox to a race. Haas’ laugh then mimicked the fox, which claimed the wood tick would have no chance.
Cleverly giving the vain, furry beast a head start, the wood tick jumped onto the fox’s tail just as he took off. At the end of the race, the bewildered fox found that the wood tick crawled from tail to nose, hopping off as they arrived at the finish line. “I beat you!” Haas chirped in the wood tick’s taunting voice.
Haas wears many hats, the most prominent of which is that of a storyteller. She is also a co-founder of the Wind River Tribal College and an educator. Her brother-in-law, Alonso Moss, is also a Northern Arapaho and native of the Wind River Indian Reservation. His mission is to keep the language of his people alive. The two spoke as part of the “Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture series earlier this week.
“Stories are considered sacred because they contain the old way of life, passed from generation to generation,” Haas said.
There are parable-like stories that have a moral lesson as well as what Haas called “how it came to be” stories that illustrate such questions as “why does the raccoon have black eyes?” The Arapahos also have ceremonial stories, often based around religion. “We also have trickster stories,” Haas said.
Haas plans to lead an effort to create a map of Wyoming which lists the Arapaho names for places.
Haas told her stories in English, but Moss insisted that the stories are only pure if told in Arapaho.
Moss is notorious on the reservation for speaking only his native language when only about 8 percent of the tribal members speak the native tongue. His Arapaho name is “Ridge Walker.” “They told me I’m going to walk right along the ridge. No one is going to pull me this way or that. I’m going to be myself, they said. It’s true. I’m doing what I want.” By speaking the native tongue to everyone he encounters, he hopes to educate them through immersion and set the example for parents and grandparents to do the same.
Moss delivered a crash course in the Arapaho language at the lecture, teaching the audience how to pronounce the letters and how to translate a few words. Often, non-natives who visit the reservation can speak the language better than the natives. “If they can learn it, then why not the Arapahos?” Moss asked.
“People today like to blame the missionaries or the teachers,” he said. “But that didn’t stop the old people like me. I got beat up, but I kept talking, because I was crazy. I told people not to excuse themselves. Right now, the opportunity is there to learn it. We’re through with excuses.”
Times staff writer
Through the story of the fox and the wood tick, children of the Arapaho tribe learn how to be clever.
“I can beat you!” said Merle Haas, a Northern Arapaho from the Wind River Reservation. Her exclamation imitated a voice characteristic of a tiny insect, the wood tick, which challenged the fox to a race. Haas’ laugh then mimicked the fox, which claimed the wood tick would have no chance.
Cleverly giving the vain, furry beast a head start, the wood tick jumped onto the fox’s tail just as he took off. At the end of the race, the bewildered fox found that the wood tick crawled from tail to nose, hopping off as they arrived at the finish line. “I beat you!” Haas chirped in the wood tick’s taunting voice.
Haas wears many hats, the most prominent of which is that of a storyteller. She is also a co-founder of the Wind River Tribal College and an educator. Her brother-in-law, Alonso Moss, is also a Northern Arapaho and native of the Wind River Indian Reservation. His mission is to keep the language of his people alive. The two spoke as part of the “Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture series earlier this week.
“Stories are considered sacred because they contain the old way of life, passed from generation to generation,” Haas said.
There are parable-like stories that have a moral lesson as well as what Haas called “how it came to be” stories that illustrate such questions as “why does the raccoon have black eyes?” The Arapahos also have ceremonial stories, often based around religion. “We also have trickster stories,” Haas said.
Haas plans to lead an effort to create a map of Wyoming which lists the Arapaho names for places.
Haas told her stories in English, but Moss insisted that the stories are only pure if told in Arapaho.
Moss is notorious on the reservation for speaking only his native language when only about 8 percent of the tribal members speak the native tongue. His Arapaho name is “Ridge Walker.” “They told me I’m going to walk right along the ridge. No one is going to pull me this way or that. I’m going to be myself, they said. It’s true. I’m doing what I want.” By speaking the native tongue to everyone he encounters, he hopes to educate them through immersion and set the example for parents and grandparents to do the same.
Moss delivered a crash course in the Arapaho language at the lecture, teaching the audience how to pronounce the letters and how to translate a few words. Often, non-natives who visit the reservation can speak the language better than the natives. “If they can learn it, then why not the Arapahos?” Moss asked.
“People today like to blame the missionaries or the teachers,” he said. “But that didn’t stop the old people like me. I got beat up, but I kept talking, because I was crazy. I told people not to excuse themselves. Right now, the opportunity is there to learn it. We’re through with excuses.”
County may benefit from bill
• Physician recruiting bill could help local hospital, doctors’ offices.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With $400,000 set aside for the next two years, Wyoming health care officials are better equipped to attempt to reel in much-needed physicians.
Legislation passed earlier this year by the Wyoming Legislature, and signed by the governor, distributes money to high-need hospitals and physician practices around Wyoming. The bill allows for a hefty incentive package to attract new physicians to the state.
Dan Perdue of the American Hospital Association predicted Carbon County would be in a good position to secure some of the state funds. Perdue said Wyoming Department of Health officials are expected to establish the process for distributing the funds.
“We’ll have to wait until the rules and regulations get issued before we’ll know if it affects us,” said Patsy Carter, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s chief executive officer.
Originally introduced with an allowance of $800,000 per year, the bill was passed by the House of Representatives but killed in the Senate. As a compromise, it was revised with half as much funding.
“It doesn’t go a long way, but if we can show that there’s a demonstrated need for this type of legislation, we may be able to go back into the next session and ask for more money,” Perdue said. “The legislature is under the gun to make sure they’re funding all the programs that are worthwhile. We’ll have to see what our track record is.”
The bill incorporates the two elements of recruiting physicians — initial effort and incentives. Up to 10 percent of the funds are allotted for grant advertisement. Hospitals or doctor’s offices can be reimbursed up to $10,000 for successful recruitment efforts.
Another $90,000 from the state’s general fund has been allocated to pay for a grant administrator for the program.
Physicians recruited under the bill must agree to work in the respective community for at least two years, or repay the state and pay interest. The incentive package offers up to $20,000 for relocation, up to $10,000 a year in malpractice insurance and a maximum signing bonus of $30,000. Additionally, recruited physicians can be fully reimbursed for outstanding educational loans up to $30,000 per year.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With $400,000 set aside for the next two years, Wyoming health care officials are better equipped to attempt to reel in much-needed physicians.
Legislation passed earlier this year by the Wyoming Legislature, and signed by the governor, distributes money to high-need hospitals and physician practices around Wyoming. The bill allows for a hefty incentive package to attract new physicians to the state.
Dan Perdue of the American Hospital Association predicted Carbon County would be in a good position to secure some of the state funds. Perdue said Wyoming Department of Health officials are expected to establish the process for distributing the funds.
“We’ll have to wait until the rules and regulations get issued before we’ll know if it affects us,” said Patsy Carter, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s chief executive officer.
Originally introduced with an allowance of $800,000 per year, the bill was passed by the House of Representatives but killed in the Senate. As a compromise, it was revised with half as much funding.
“It doesn’t go a long way, but if we can show that there’s a demonstrated need for this type of legislation, we may be able to go back into the next session and ask for more money,” Perdue said. “The legislature is under the gun to make sure they’re funding all the programs that are worthwhile. We’ll have to see what our track record is.”
The bill incorporates the two elements of recruiting physicians — initial effort and incentives. Up to 10 percent of the funds are allotted for grant advertisement. Hospitals or doctor’s offices can be reimbursed up to $10,000 for successful recruitment efforts.
Another $90,000 from the state’s general fund has been allocated to pay for a grant administrator for the program.
Physicians recruited under the bill must agree to work in the respective community for at least two years, or repay the state and pay interest. The incentive package offers up to $20,000 for relocation, up to $10,000 a year in malpractice insurance and a maximum signing bonus of $30,000. Additionally, recruited physicians can be fully reimbursed for outstanding educational loans up to $30,000 per year.
Hospital budget work continues
Times staff report
Work continues on the proposed budget for Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
Earlier this month, members of the hospital’s finance committee met to coordinate requests from the hospital department managers. The committee plans to present its budget recommendations to the hospital board at its 5:15 p.m. meeting Tuesday, March 25 in the hospital board room.
The meeting is open to the public.
The committee has also prepared a presentation for the Carbon County commissioners, designed to draw attention to its budget needs and request funding from the county.
The budget should be approved by late May.
Also at the meeting, hospital board members are expected to:
• Hear an update from the Carbon County Council of Governments concerning the proposed specific purpose tax.
• Discuss progress on the rural health care improvements pilot project. Last week, officials met with representatives from SafeTech Solutions, a company contracted to evaluate emergency medical services in the county.
• Make a decision on the employee health insurance plan, after considering the possibilities and hospital staff feedback.
• Hear an update on the southeastern Wyoming ambulance service.
• Form a committee to address surgical care in the hospital according to a nine-part evaluation system instituted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
Work continues on the proposed budget for Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
Earlier this month, members of the hospital’s finance committee met to coordinate requests from the hospital department managers. The committee plans to present its budget recommendations to the hospital board at its 5:15 p.m. meeting Tuesday, March 25 in the hospital board room.
The meeting is open to the public.
The committee has also prepared a presentation for the Carbon County commissioners, designed to draw attention to its budget needs and request funding from the county.
The budget should be approved by late May.
Also at the meeting, hospital board members are expected to:
• Hear an update from the Carbon County Council of Governments concerning the proposed specific purpose tax.
• Discuss progress on the rural health care improvements pilot project. Last week, officials met with representatives from SafeTech Solutions, a company contracted to evaluate emergency medical services in the county.
• Make a decision on the employee health insurance plan, after considering the possibilities and hospital staff feedback.
• Hear an update on the southeastern Wyoming ambulance service.
• Form a committee to address surgical care in the hospital according to a nine-part evaluation system instituted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
Schools partner for grant
Front pager...
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A $215,000 grant is expected to help enhance the math program in schools in Carbon County School District 2.
Prior to applying for the Math and Science Partnership grant, District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates appealed to University of Wyoming’s science and math learning center for help with staff training to improve student math scores. The collaboration resulted in the federal grant and the inclusion of Carbon County School District 1 in the program. The proposed plan is designed to improve long-term student performance in math for students in every grade.
The program targets high-need school districts where at least 40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches or where the school didn’t make adequate yearly progress in math in 2007.
At Monday’s District 2 School Board meeting, board members heard from Robert Mayes, director of the UW science and math learning center. He plans to serve as a resource for the secondary education portion of the project, along with colleagues Michelle and Scott Chamberlin and Linda Hutchison.
“We’ve been diagnosing areas in District 2 where students are challenged and we’ve been identifying areas of need from the PAWS data and teacher data,” Mayes said. “Then we’ll develop units to teach in the classroom through collaborative partnership.”
UW’s work with District 1 officials should start this summer, following the same format.
The goal is to get teachers to think about how they teach the areas that are problematic.
In a truly collaborative effort, the two county districts will also partner with Math Recovery, an Australia-based teacher education program, to develop the elementary education staff. Representatives from the Math Recovery council plan to do on-site teacher training.
The program could mean changes to the schools’ curriculums, “depending on what the teachers find,” grant writer Cathy McAtee said. Otherwise, teachers may simply modify their delivery.
“Hopefully, the students will continue to grow in their love of math and begin applying it to real-world situations,” she said.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A $215,000 grant is expected to help enhance the math program in schools in Carbon County School District 2.
Prior to applying for the Math and Science Partnership grant, District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates appealed to University of Wyoming’s science and math learning center for help with staff training to improve student math scores. The collaboration resulted in the federal grant and the inclusion of Carbon County School District 1 in the program. The proposed plan is designed to improve long-term student performance in math for students in every grade.
The program targets high-need school districts where at least 40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches or where the school didn’t make adequate yearly progress in math in 2007.
At Monday’s District 2 School Board meeting, board members heard from Robert Mayes, director of the UW science and math learning center. He plans to serve as a resource for the secondary education portion of the project, along with colleagues Michelle and Scott Chamberlin and Linda Hutchison.
“We’ve been diagnosing areas in District 2 where students are challenged and we’ve been identifying areas of need from the PAWS data and teacher data,” Mayes said. “Then we’ll develop units to teach in the classroom through collaborative partnership.”
UW’s work with District 1 officials should start this summer, following the same format.
The goal is to get teachers to think about how they teach the areas that are problematic.
In a truly collaborative effort, the two county districts will also partner with Math Recovery, an Australia-based teacher education program, to develop the elementary education staff. Representatives from the Math Recovery council plan to do on-site teacher training.
The program could mean changes to the schools’ curriculums, “depending on what the teachers find,” grant writer Cathy McAtee said. Otherwise, teachers may simply modify their delivery.
“Hopefully, the students will continue to grow in their love of math and begin applying it to real-world situations,” she said.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
RMS renovations complete
Times staff report
With the Rawlins Middle School renovation project complete as of Oct. 29, Carbon County School District 1 officials are now wrapping up the project in the books.
District 1 Business Manager Garry Goergen is working with the School Facilities Commission to finalize project costs and reimbursement values.
At last week’s District 1 School Board meeting, Goergen presented an amendment to the district’s contract with the School Facilities Commission. The amendment adjusts the final project value according to changes made to the original design that are valued at more than $100,000. The price change flowed over a 5 percent contract allowance by $32,411. In its entirety, the Rawlins Middle School renovations project cost more than $1,621,637.
Changes included alterations to the roof design as well as additional electrical work that was originally part of the project’s second stage. After a revision to the SFC funding evaluation method last year, District 1 lost funding and was forced to adjust the project’s scope. The revised phase two is now “delayed indefinitely,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said.
The intended exterior work included a new approach to the middle school from Harshman Street as well as work on the bus drop off and parking areas. They should be addressed at a later date. “We will know where we fall on the (priority) list when the SFC adds a final element to its assessment: the suitability score,” Sanders said. “At that point, every building will be ranked according to condition, suitability and capacity.”
With the Rawlins Middle School renovation project complete as of Oct. 29, Carbon County School District 1 officials are now wrapping up the project in the books.
District 1 Business Manager Garry Goergen is working with the School Facilities Commission to finalize project costs and reimbursement values.
At last week’s District 1 School Board meeting, Goergen presented an amendment to the district’s contract with the School Facilities Commission. The amendment adjusts the final project value according to changes made to the original design that are valued at more than $100,000. The price change flowed over a 5 percent contract allowance by $32,411. In its entirety, the Rawlins Middle School renovations project cost more than $1,621,637.
Changes included alterations to the roof design as well as additional electrical work that was originally part of the project’s second stage. After a revision to the SFC funding evaluation method last year, District 1 lost funding and was forced to adjust the project’s scope. The revised phase two is now “delayed indefinitely,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said.
The intended exterior work included a new approach to the middle school from Harshman Street as well as work on the bus drop off and parking areas. They should be addressed at a later date. “We will know where we fall on the (priority) list when the SFC adds a final element to its assessment: the suitability score,” Sanders said. “At that point, every building will be ranked according to condition, suitability and capacity.”
County Easter events abound
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
On Saturday, area children should be on a sugar high after a host of egg hunts scattered across the county take place.
In Rawlins, the Eagles and the Veterans of Foreign Wars co-host a Saturday hunt at 10 a.m. in Washington Park. They are prepared for up to 400 egg hunters. Participants up to 14 years old can look for prize-winning, specially-marked eggs. There are also 100 smaller prizes, marked by a certificate inside the egg, for things like sodas, coloring books, footballs and bracelets.
In Saratoga, the Xi Alpha Kappa Beta Sigma Phi sorority hosts a hunt at the Saratoga Inn on Saturday at 11 a.m. Three prize baskets should be available to the finders of several lucky eggs. Kindergarten-aged kids or younger from any community may participate. An Easter bunny should make an appearance.
Encampment, Medicine Bow and Hanna have community Easter events on Saturday as well. The Encampment-Riverside Volunteer Fire Department holds their hunt for kids from pre-school to sixth grade at 10 a.m. in the Riverside Town Park. In Medicine Bow, the Lion’s Club hides eggs for kids ages 12 and younger in the field recreation area on the north side of town at 11 a.m. Hanna’s Girl Scouts sponsor another 10 a.m. egg hunt at the Hanna Recreation Center. Unlike the others, Hanna’s hunt should be held indoors. There is no age limit for participants, but the hunts are staggered by age so parents can watch.
Elks Lodge members plans to hide 5,439 eggs throughout the Carbon County Fairgrounds in Rawlins on Sunday. Stuffed with candy, money and gift certificates for cinnamon sticks at Domino’s Pizza, the eggs should be available for hunting at 1 p.m. for children up to age 14. “If it starts at 1 p.m., be there at 10 (minutes) till,” Rawlins Main Street Director Pam Thayer said. “It’s over at 1:03.”
For each egg hunt, kids should bring a basket or sack to stash their eggs.
Times staff writer
On Saturday, area children should be on a sugar high after a host of egg hunts scattered across the county take place.
In Rawlins, the Eagles and the Veterans of Foreign Wars co-host a Saturday hunt at 10 a.m. in Washington Park. They are prepared for up to 400 egg hunters. Participants up to 14 years old can look for prize-winning, specially-marked eggs. There are also 100 smaller prizes, marked by a certificate inside the egg, for things like sodas, coloring books, footballs and bracelets.
In Saratoga, the Xi Alpha Kappa Beta Sigma Phi sorority hosts a hunt at the Saratoga Inn on Saturday at 11 a.m. Three prize baskets should be available to the finders of several lucky eggs. Kindergarten-aged kids or younger from any community may participate. An Easter bunny should make an appearance.
Encampment, Medicine Bow and Hanna have community Easter events on Saturday as well. The Encampment-Riverside Volunteer Fire Department holds their hunt for kids from pre-school to sixth grade at 10 a.m. in the Riverside Town Park. In Medicine Bow, the Lion’s Club hides eggs for kids ages 12 and younger in the field recreation area on the north side of town at 11 a.m. Hanna’s Girl Scouts sponsor another 10 a.m. egg hunt at the Hanna Recreation Center. Unlike the others, Hanna’s hunt should be held indoors. There is no age limit for participants, but the hunts are staggered by age so parents can watch.
Elks Lodge members plans to hide 5,439 eggs throughout the Carbon County Fairgrounds in Rawlins on Sunday. Stuffed with candy, money and gift certificates for cinnamon sticks at Domino’s Pizza, the eggs should be available for hunting at 1 p.m. for children up to age 14. “If it starts at 1 p.m., be there at 10 (minutes) till,” Rawlins Main Street Director Pam Thayer said. “It’s over at 1:03.”
For each egg hunt, kids should bring a basket or sack to stash their eggs.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Valedictorian policy changes
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The new policy for choosing valedictorians and salutatorians at Rawlins High School is poised for final approval at the next Carbon County District 1 School Board meeting in late March.
The item received little discussion from School Board members during its first reading. The second and final reading is set for the School Board’s meeting near the end of March.
Previously, Rawlins High School’s policy matched that of Little Snake River Valley School, where the student with the highest grade point average was named valedictorian, with no limit as to the number of students who could earn the honor. Likewise, the student, or students, with the second highest GPA were named salutatorian.
Pending approval, next year’s policy will be revised to incorporate ACT scores. Students should be chosen initially by their GPA. In the event of a tie, the student with the best ACT scores would be named valedictorian. The student with the second-highest ACT score becomes salutatorian. If there is still a tie, multiple students receive each honor.
“There are pros and cons to both policies,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “A pro to the old system is that many students get recognized. The other point of view is that if you have up to nine valedictorians, it doesn’t really distinguish to the highest honor of who should be recognized.”
Times staff writer
The new policy for choosing valedictorians and salutatorians at Rawlins High School is poised for final approval at the next Carbon County District 1 School Board meeting in late March.
The item received little discussion from School Board members during its first reading. The second and final reading is set for the School Board’s meeting near the end of March.
Previously, Rawlins High School’s policy matched that of Little Snake River Valley School, where the student with the highest grade point average was named valedictorian, with no limit as to the number of students who could earn the honor. Likewise, the student, or students, with the second highest GPA were named salutatorian.
Pending approval, next year’s policy will be revised to incorporate ACT scores. Students should be chosen initially by their GPA. In the event of a tie, the student with the best ACT scores would be named valedictorian. The student with the second-highest ACT score becomes salutatorian. If there is still a tie, multiple students receive each honor.
“There are pros and cons to both policies,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “A pro to the old system is that many students get recognized. The other point of view is that if you have up to nine valedictorians, it doesn’t really distinguish to the highest honor of who should be recognized.”
Budding chefs take third place
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Encampment High School’s pro start cooking team finished third in February’s state competition in Jackson.
As part of it’s presentation to the Carbon County District 2 School Board on Monday night, the team had School Board members taste part of their winning menu.
In hard taco-like shells the size of silver dollars was a relish made of corn and cilantro. The budding chefs called it “cowboy caviar.”
Encampment competed against many 3A and 4A teams. “Often, our 1A team is competing against the bigger schools simply because those schools can support that type of program,” said Bob Gates, District 2 superintendent.
According to a report from the Wyoming Lodge and Restaurant Association, the judges sincerely sought to hire the winning students to work in professional restaurants.
Encampment finished behind Cheyenne East and Cheyenne Central. They competed among 160 students from 17 schools.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Decided to keep the current District 2 schedules for another year, giving schools another chance to fine tune the schedules and try to address any lingering issues.
• Heard updates on ongoing construction projects in Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain. Gates reported that the design and budget for both projects are nearly complete and are about halfway through the stages of approval from the School Facilities Commission. Construction should begin this summer.
• Agreed to collaborate with the town of Encampment on an emergency management and disaster mitigation plan. Encampment officials drafted the plan to include the use of district busses and facilities in the event that a natural disaster left its population homeless or in need of help.
Times staff writer
Encampment High School’s pro start cooking team finished third in February’s state competition in Jackson.
As part of it’s presentation to the Carbon County District 2 School Board on Monday night, the team had School Board members taste part of their winning menu.
In hard taco-like shells the size of silver dollars was a relish made of corn and cilantro. The budding chefs called it “cowboy caviar.”
Encampment competed against many 3A and 4A teams. “Often, our 1A team is competing against the bigger schools simply because those schools can support that type of program,” said Bob Gates, District 2 superintendent.
According to a report from the Wyoming Lodge and Restaurant Association, the judges sincerely sought to hire the winning students to work in professional restaurants.
Encampment finished behind Cheyenne East and Cheyenne Central. They competed among 160 students from 17 schools.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Decided to keep the current District 2 schedules for another year, giving schools another chance to fine tune the schedules and try to address any lingering issues.
• Heard updates on ongoing construction projects in Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain. Gates reported that the design and budget for both projects are nearly complete and are about halfway through the stages of approval from the School Facilities Commission. Construction should begin this summer.
• Agreed to collaborate with the town of Encampment on an emergency management and disaster mitigation plan. Encampment officials drafted the plan to include the use of district busses and facilities in the event that a natural disaster left its population homeless or in need of help.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Survey creates more questions
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A survey of Carbon County School District 1 teachers turned up as many questions as it did answers at the district’s School Board meeting last week.
The district’s second survey of instructors asked questions that allowed Duane DeWald to gauge teachers’ perceptions of the quality of their life, but requires further research to better determine its accuracy.
When DeWald pointed out that 80 percent of teachers believe they have adequate communication with student’s parents, Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune asked, “Is it possible that they think they do and they don’t?”
The issue of perception versus reality was evident in questions about feeling overworked, underpaid and well trained. According to DeWald’s presentation, the majority of the district’s teachers felt less overworked than the national average, but felt underpaid and less equipped through training than the rest of the nation.
Some results were clear. District teachers felt that support from and communication with their colleagues was lacking.
However, teachers overwhelmingly said communication with parents and principals was good and that the principals provide adequate direction, are accessible, ask for suggestions and treat the teachers with respect.
“Our goal is to see the whole picture,” DeWald said as he flipped through his Power Point presentation. It showed pictures within pictures, illustrating his goal to expand the data collection. “The data these teachers gave us should help our students be more successful each and every day,” he said.
Times staff writer
A survey of Carbon County School District 1 teachers turned up as many questions as it did answers at the district’s School Board meeting last week.
The district’s second survey of instructors asked questions that allowed Duane DeWald to gauge teachers’ perceptions of the quality of their life, but requires further research to better determine its accuracy.
When DeWald pointed out that 80 percent of teachers believe they have adequate communication with student’s parents, Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune asked, “Is it possible that they think they do and they don’t?”
The issue of perception versus reality was evident in questions about feeling overworked, underpaid and well trained. According to DeWald’s presentation, the majority of the district’s teachers felt less overworked than the national average, but felt underpaid and less equipped through training than the rest of the nation.
Some results were clear. District teachers felt that support from and communication with their colleagues was lacking.
However, teachers overwhelmingly said communication with parents and principals was good and that the principals provide adequate direction, are accessible, ask for suggestions and treat the teachers with respect.
“Our goal is to see the whole picture,” DeWald said as he flipped through his Power Point presentation. It showed pictures within pictures, illustrating his goal to expand the data collection. “The data these teachers gave us should help our students be more successful each and every day,” he said.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Value is more than money
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Sinclair Elementary School dates back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, giving it significant historical value both locally and nationally, and making it a target for preservation.
The school’s Spanish-colonial architecture and decorative brickwork makes it unique. It was built by craftsmen who spent time on the design, said Mary Humstone, a professor in the American studies department at the University of Wyoming.
In Humstone’s 2005 historical preservation class, students located schools throughout the state that have been standing for 50 years or more. Humstone whittled the list of 130 down to about 50 that fit the bill of a historical building. The rest have additions or renovations that changed them drastically enough to remove them from the list.
Both Sinclair and Elk Mountain elementary schools are on Humstone’s list. Elk Mountain Elementary School, which was likely built in the late 1940s, is not as distinctive, but she considers it well built and attractive. It also has local historical value after serving its community for decades.
Since both schools still stand with few or no additions, Humstone believes they qualify as additions to the National Register of Historic Places, an honor given to a building with historic or architectural significance, or with a connection to a famous person. But in Wyoming, unlike the other 49 states, being listed on the register doesn’t provide protection from demolition.
Humstone is heading up an effort to save the state’s historic schools. Her effort is twofold. According to Humstone, a community must realize its school’s historical significance. Any School Facilities Commission decisions should also take into account a community’s connection with its buildings, she said.
“Generally, people do not get excited about these buildings,” Humstone said. “They don’t really rally to save the schools, but that’s partly due to the fact that they think it’s a done deal. Community members sometimes feel helpless when a small group of board members is making the decisions.” To her, if a community is vocal enough, a decision can be influenced or reversed.
Professor wants rules changed
In Pennsylvania, a building’s historical value must be assessed prior to making plans for demolition or renovation.
That includes schools and is a model Mary Humstone, a professor in the University of Wyoming’s American studies department, is trying to establish in Wyoming.
If School Facilities Commission money is used toward the renovation of historic schools, “people would really be amazed at what could be done,” Humstone said. She said much of early architecture can accommodate new technology.
Ken Daraie, SFC director, acknowledged that technology, electricity and plumbing are not huge problems with older buildings.
“Educational suitability is the buzz word,” he said. Often, a building’s structure limits a classroom’s flexibility.
Daraie and Humstone have been working together to establish a way to preserve schools with historical value by either finding a way to modify them or by transferring the buildings into the hands of organizations that can better use the facility. However, no policies are in place.
Times staff writer
Sinclair Elementary School dates back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, giving it significant historical value both locally and nationally, and making it a target for preservation.
The school’s Spanish-colonial architecture and decorative brickwork makes it unique. It was built by craftsmen who spent time on the design, said Mary Humstone, a professor in the American studies department at the University of Wyoming.
In Humstone’s 2005 historical preservation class, students located schools throughout the state that have been standing for 50 years or more. Humstone whittled the list of 130 down to about 50 that fit the bill of a historical building. The rest have additions or renovations that changed them drastically enough to remove them from the list.
Both Sinclair and Elk Mountain elementary schools are on Humstone’s list. Elk Mountain Elementary School, which was likely built in the late 1940s, is not as distinctive, but she considers it well built and attractive. It also has local historical value after serving its community for decades.
Since both schools still stand with few or no additions, Humstone believes they qualify as additions to the National Register of Historic Places, an honor given to a building with historic or architectural significance, or with a connection to a famous person. But in Wyoming, unlike the other 49 states, being listed on the register doesn’t provide protection from demolition.
Humstone is heading up an effort to save the state’s historic schools. Her effort is twofold. According to Humstone, a community must realize its school’s historical significance. Any School Facilities Commission decisions should also take into account a community’s connection with its buildings, she said.
“Generally, people do not get excited about these buildings,” Humstone said. “They don’t really rally to save the schools, but that’s partly due to the fact that they think it’s a done deal. Community members sometimes feel helpless when a small group of board members is making the decisions.” To her, if a community is vocal enough, a decision can be influenced or reversed.
Professor wants rules changed
In Pennsylvania, a building’s historical value must be assessed prior to making plans for demolition or renovation.
That includes schools and is a model Mary Humstone, a professor in the University of Wyoming’s American studies department, is trying to establish in Wyoming.
If School Facilities Commission money is used toward the renovation of historic schools, “people would really be amazed at what could be done,” Humstone said. She said much of early architecture can accommodate new technology.
Ken Daraie, SFC director, acknowledged that technology, electricity and plumbing are not huge problems with older buildings.
“Educational suitability is the buzz word,” he said. Often, a building’s structure limits a classroom’s flexibility.
Daraie and Humstone have been working together to establish a way to preserve schools with historical value by either finding a way to modify them or by transferring the buildings into the hands of organizations that can better use the facility. However, no policies are in place.
District 2 schedules on board agenda
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Carbon County District 2 School Board members plan to vote on school schedules in a 4 p.m. meeting Monday at the Saratoga Middle High School Library.
Before the vote, board members should discuss surveys of students, parents and staff in the district as well as the viewpoints of nearly 30 community members expressed during an open forum at the District 2 central office in Saratoga earlier this week.
“The meeting was scheduled for an hour, but went 45 minutes over,” District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates said. “The place was full. They rotated between liking and not liking the schedule.” He said the viewpoints largely reiterated the findings of last month’s surveys.
Gates said there was much support for Saratoga High School’s four-day schedule and Encampment’s five-day schedule to remain the same. For Saratoga’s elementary school, which is on the four-day schedule, support was split. Few people were present from Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow.
“I have no guesses for the outcome of this vote,” Gates said. He expects a lengthy discussion at the Monday meeting.
Times staff writer
Carbon County District 2 School Board members plan to vote on school schedules in a 4 p.m. meeting Monday at the Saratoga Middle High School Library.
Before the vote, board members should discuss surveys of students, parents and staff in the district as well as the viewpoints of nearly 30 community members expressed during an open forum at the District 2 central office in Saratoga earlier this week.
“The meeting was scheduled for an hour, but went 45 minutes over,” District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates said. “The place was full. They rotated between liking and not liking the schedule.” He said the viewpoints largely reiterated the findings of last month’s surveys.
Gates said there was much support for Saratoga High School’s four-day schedule and Encampment’s five-day schedule to remain the same. For Saratoga’s elementary school, which is on the four-day schedule, support was split. Few people were present from Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow.
“I have no guesses for the outcome of this vote,” Gates said. He expects a lengthy discussion at the Monday meeting.
School eyes four-day week
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Little Snake River Valley School could go to a four-day week, according to an advisory board report presented during Thursday’s Carbon County District 1 School Board meeting.
LSRVS Principal Rick Newton is evaluating support for the schedule change by talking to teachers and possibly issuing a parent survey during parent-teacher conferences. The responses should govern the decision, which should be presented before the School Board for a vote prior to the May 1 deadline.
Board member Kristi Groshart wanted to be sure the whole staff was incorporated in the decision, including bus drivers, food servers and custodians. She pointed out that a four-day week could reduce pay. According to Newton, the bus drivers were the only group who showed significant concern.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Heard reports from the district’s principals about steps being taken to address bullying. Many of the principals have instituted programs to educate students and teachers on how to handle bullying.
• Heard a report from Business Manager Garry Goergen that an anticipated increase in enrollment may require additional modular buildings at Pershing and Highland Hills elementary schools. He is currently working with the School Facilities Commission to find funding for the buildings.
• Discussed alternatives to plastic foam cafeteria trays used by Rawlins Middle School students. Goergen said biodegradable trays cost approximately 300 percent more than plastic foam trays. Superintendent Peggy Sanders pointed out the possibility of continuing to use the plastic foam, while making the effort to recycle them instead of throwing them away. Board member Dave Dingman and Goergen should present a solution at the next board meeting.
• Approved an amendment to the district’s construction agreement with the SFC to adjust funding for the proposed Highland Hills Elementary School complex.
• In executive session, evaluated the expulsion of an unnamed Rawlins High School student as well as the hiring of Melvin Meyer as the high school custodian and Brenda Roberts as the high school cafeteria worker. The board reconvened and approved the expulsion and the two hirings. Also approved were the resignations of six district employees.
Times staff writer
Little Snake River Valley School could go to a four-day week, according to an advisory board report presented during Thursday’s Carbon County District 1 School Board meeting.
LSRVS Principal Rick Newton is evaluating support for the schedule change by talking to teachers and possibly issuing a parent survey during parent-teacher conferences. The responses should govern the decision, which should be presented before the School Board for a vote prior to the May 1 deadline.
Board member Kristi Groshart wanted to be sure the whole staff was incorporated in the decision, including bus drivers, food servers and custodians. She pointed out that a four-day week could reduce pay. According to Newton, the bus drivers were the only group who showed significant concern.
Also at the meeting, School Board members:
• Heard reports from the district’s principals about steps being taken to address bullying. Many of the principals have instituted programs to educate students and teachers on how to handle bullying.
• Heard a report from Business Manager Garry Goergen that an anticipated increase in enrollment may require additional modular buildings at Pershing and Highland Hills elementary schools. He is currently working with the School Facilities Commission to find funding for the buildings.
• Discussed alternatives to plastic foam cafeteria trays used by Rawlins Middle School students. Goergen said biodegradable trays cost approximately 300 percent more than plastic foam trays. Superintendent Peggy Sanders pointed out the possibility of continuing to use the plastic foam, while making the effort to recycle them instead of throwing them away. Board member Dave Dingman and Goergen should present a solution at the next board meeting.
• Approved an amendment to the district’s construction agreement with the SFC to adjust funding for the proposed Highland Hills Elementary School complex.
• In executive session, evaluated the expulsion of an unnamed Rawlins High School student as well as the hiring of Melvin Meyer as the high school custodian and Brenda Roberts as the high school cafeteria worker. The board reconvened and approved the expulsion and the two hirings. Also approved were the resignations of six district employees.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
District 1 expulsions increase
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Expulsions from Carbon County School District 1 schools have nearly doubled in the past two years ago.
Two years ago, there were 10 students expelled from the district. In 2006-07, the number rose to 13. This year, 19 kids have been told to leave.
According to Duane DeWald, public information officer for the district, not many offenses warrant expulsion. The top two categories for misconduct include substance abuse — the using or selling of drugs, usually marijuana — and significant violence. Other expulsion-warranting offenses include possession of a weapon, serious threats and intimidation, theft and arson.
“These things are lumpy,” DeWald said, pointing out that this years numbers may be somewhat high because there have been groups of children caught doing the same activity.
“This year seems a little heavy,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “But there are at least two situations that have involved three to four children, and that tends to skew the numbers.”
School board member Jim Espy said the district is looking into ways to both circumvent future misconduct and better address it when it happens.
Espy said the school board is examining ways to “make the punishment fit the crime,” designed especially for children who may be caught violating school policy, but are either less involved or are there unintentionally.
“Any time we have students who are expelled, it’s a concern to board members,” board member Kristi Groshart said. “Expulsion is the result of kids who are violating the rules, and (the board’s) concern is that we do what we can for all the students.”
Currently, district officials follow the state regulation of a one-year expulsion. However, early re-entry is possible if the student appeals to the superintendent with a letter of apology, has a clean criminal record and participates in out-of-school programs as recommended by district officials, like attending a 12-week counseling course on substance abuse, for example.
“We must have well-disciplined schools and the kids must be safe,” Sanders said. “Sometimes the discipline is severe enough that it almost amounts to zero tolerance. We have to draw the line on certain behavior, but we want them back as soon as seems possible.”
Times staff writer
Expulsions from Carbon County School District 1 schools have nearly doubled in the past two years ago.
Two years ago, there were 10 students expelled from the district. In 2006-07, the number rose to 13. This year, 19 kids have been told to leave.
According to Duane DeWald, public information officer for the district, not many offenses warrant expulsion. The top two categories for misconduct include substance abuse — the using or selling of drugs, usually marijuana — and significant violence. Other expulsion-warranting offenses include possession of a weapon, serious threats and intimidation, theft and arson.
“These things are lumpy,” DeWald said, pointing out that this years numbers may be somewhat high because there have been groups of children caught doing the same activity.
“This year seems a little heavy,” District 1 Superintendent Peggy Sanders said. “But there are at least two situations that have involved three to four children, and that tends to skew the numbers.”
School board member Jim Espy said the district is looking into ways to both circumvent future misconduct and better address it when it happens.
Espy said the school board is examining ways to “make the punishment fit the crime,” designed especially for children who may be caught violating school policy, but are either less involved or are there unintentionally.
“Any time we have students who are expelled, it’s a concern to board members,” board member Kristi Groshart said. “Expulsion is the result of kids who are violating the rules, and (the board’s) concern is that we do what we can for all the students.”
Currently, district officials follow the state regulation of a one-year expulsion. However, early re-entry is possible if the student appeals to the superintendent with a letter of apology, has a clean criminal record and participates in out-of-school programs as recommended by district officials, like attending a 12-week counseling course on substance abuse, for example.
“We must have well-disciplined schools and the kids must be safe,” Sanders said. “Sometimes the discipline is severe enough that it almost amounts to zero tolerance. We have to draw the line on certain behavior, but we want them back as soon as seems possible.”
Ice Sculpting, chili cook-off upcoming
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Rawlins-Carbon County Chamber of Commerce hopes to hold an ice sculpture contest and chili cook-off on Saturday in an event dubbed “Fire and Ice.”
The two-part event includes an ice sculpturing contest that starts at 8 a.m. The large blocks of ice are provided by Candy Mountain and weigh about 300 pounds. They should be set in the sunshine along Cedar Street so sculptors can carve away in relative warmth. Participants should have six hours to make their design using chainsaws, hammers and chisels, hacksaws, or any other tools they can think of.
“We’ve had Mickey Mouse, dragons and angels in the past,” Chamber President Mike Lujan said. “The blocks stay up until they melt or break, so they usually last a few weeks.”
The chamber is currently searching for businesses interested in sponsoring sculptors for $100, as well as interested sculptors who can carve free of charge if a corporate sponsor is found. Registration is also open for entries in the chili cook-off, which starts at 11 a.m. in the Depot.
Participants cook a pot of green or red chili large enough to serve 100 people. The event costs $5 to enter. Anyone can stop into the Depot to sample the entries and vote.
Judging for both events takes place at 2 p.m. Prizes are available for the first-, second- and third-place finishers in each event. Prizes include gift certificates and other donations from chamber businesses. “Our goal is to get people into town and try to keep them there,” Lujan said.
The deadline for registration is Friday. For more information, call the chamber at 324-4111 or Lujan at 321-6453.
Times staff writer
The Rawlins-Carbon County Chamber of Commerce hopes to hold an ice sculpture contest and chili cook-off on Saturday in an event dubbed “Fire and Ice.”
The two-part event includes an ice sculpturing contest that starts at 8 a.m. The large blocks of ice are provided by Candy Mountain and weigh about 300 pounds. They should be set in the sunshine along Cedar Street so sculptors can carve away in relative warmth. Participants should have six hours to make their design using chainsaws, hammers and chisels, hacksaws, or any other tools they can think of.
“We’ve had Mickey Mouse, dragons and angels in the past,” Chamber President Mike Lujan said. “The blocks stay up until they melt or break, so they usually last a few weeks.”
The chamber is currently searching for businesses interested in sponsoring sculptors for $100, as well as interested sculptors who can carve free of charge if a corporate sponsor is found. Registration is also open for entries in the chili cook-off, which starts at 11 a.m. in the Depot.
Participants cook a pot of green or red chili large enough to serve 100 people. The event costs $5 to enter. Anyone can stop into the Depot to sample the entries and vote.
Judging for both events takes place at 2 p.m. Prizes are available for the first-, second- and third-place finishers in each event. Prizes include gift certificates and other donations from chamber businesses. “Our goal is to get people into town and try to keep them there,” Lujan said.
The deadline for registration is Friday. For more information, call the chamber at 324-4111 or Lujan at 321-6453.
Community to battle bullying
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A kid leans forward in his chair and drops gum into the hair of the girl sitting one row up.
Another kid won’t go to the bathroom for the eight hours he’s at school. A handful of others are afraid to go to their lockers. All these cases instill fear in one person, power in another and a chain reaction throughout the community, Dave Dingman said.
Dingman is a Carbon County District 1 School Board member, but he said he’s speaking out about bullying because he’s a concerned community member.
Bullying is not unique to Rawlins, nor does it only occur with children. Anything involving one person exerting power over another because it makes them feel good constitutes bullying, Dingman said. According to this definition, bullying includes anything from littering to domestic violence. However, recent efforts in Carbon County to combat bullying focus on helping children and their parents find resources to handle the issue.
According to an article by Dr. Michael B. Green, “Violence committed on school grounds often derives from conflicts that emerge in the community.” Understanding the connection, Dingman and others pushed for the formation of a community-based committee to respond to bullying in schools. The group is now known as Safe Schools, Safe Homes, Safe Community. After receiving a grant in October, the committee has been able to connect with the statewide SAGE Initiative. Aiming to provide support, access, growth and empowerment, the program gathers social agencies under one roof to better service communities.
“When a mother has a depressed child, she can appeal to this program to get help,” Carbon County School District 1 Curriculum Director Marilyn Vercimak said.
Getting help should be easier for parents since the committee aims to streamline each agency’s application process. Vercimak expects there to be more demand for services since more people will be aware of them.
She believes the expansion of the original committee is crucial to community involvement not just in bullying but in other areas of parenting. “It’s hard nowadays,” she said.
Though Vercimak and Dingman, who are spearheading the community effort against bullying, are also associated with the school district, they emphasized that the issue is not solely a concern for the schools. “Should the schools adopt these kids?” Dingman asked. Since Dingman believes bullying is a learned behavior, it makes sense to him to address it wherever learning takes place, including the community. Vercimak pointed out that the school already has a list of responses to bullying while the community’s response efforts are lacking.
Safe Schools, Safe Homes, Safe Community expects to hold educational meetings for teachers and community members on how to handle bullying in the coming weeks. “If you handle it well, it goes away,” Vercimak said. She expects to start receiving funding from the SAGE Initiative once the committee receives training from representatives in Laramie.
Times staff writer
A kid leans forward in his chair and drops gum into the hair of the girl sitting one row up.
Another kid won’t go to the bathroom for the eight hours he’s at school. A handful of others are afraid to go to their lockers. All these cases instill fear in one person, power in another and a chain reaction throughout the community, Dave Dingman said.
Dingman is a Carbon County District 1 School Board member, but he said he’s speaking out about bullying because he’s a concerned community member.
Bullying is not unique to Rawlins, nor does it only occur with children. Anything involving one person exerting power over another because it makes them feel good constitutes bullying, Dingman said. According to this definition, bullying includes anything from littering to domestic violence. However, recent efforts in Carbon County to combat bullying focus on helping children and their parents find resources to handle the issue.
According to an article by Dr. Michael B. Green, “Violence committed on school grounds often derives from conflicts that emerge in the community.” Understanding the connection, Dingman and others pushed for the formation of a community-based committee to respond to bullying in schools. The group is now known as Safe Schools, Safe Homes, Safe Community. After receiving a grant in October, the committee has been able to connect with the statewide SAGE Initiative. Aiming to provide support, access, growth and empowerment, the program gathers social agencies under one roof to better service communities.
“When a mother has a depressed child, she can appeal to this program to get help,” Carbon County School District 1 Curriculum Director Marilyn Vercimak said.
Getting help should be easier for parents since the committee aims to streamline each agency’s application process. Vercimak expects there to be more demand for services since more people will be aware of them.
She believes the expansion of the original committee is crucial to community involvement not just in bullying but in other areas of parenting. “It’s hard nowadays,” she said.
Though Vercimak and Dingman, who are spearheading the community effort against bullying, are also associated with the school district, they emphasized that the issue is not solely a concern for the schools. “Should the schools adopt these kids?” Dingman asked. Since Dingman believes bullying is a learned behavior, it makes sense to him to address it wherever learning takes place, including the community. Vercimak pointed out that the school already has a list of responses to bullying while the community’s response efforts are lacking.
Safe Schools, Safe Homes, Safe Community expects to hold educational meetings for teachers and community members on how to handle bullying in the coming weeks. “If you handle it well, it goes away,” Vercimak said. She expects to start receiving funding from the SAGE Initiative once the committee receives training from representatives in Laramie.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Special education concerns mitigated
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
A recent mid-year budget report announced district-wide savings of more than $250,000 in special education, raising red flags with parents throughout Carbon County School District 1.
When school board member Juli Miller heard those figures, she immediately linked them with the scattered gripes from parents relating to the district’s special education program.
At a meeting held last week, Robin Phillips, a parent of a Down syndrome child in Rawlins, initiated conversation about the schools’ and the community’s role in the lives of the disabled.
There, District 1 Special Education Director Marilyn Addington explained the district’s financial report. “The costs for special education are not fluid because we can’t anticipate them,” she said. Several special education students left the district this year, causing the drop in expenditures.
Phillips’ primary concern is getting a one-on-one aid who would help her son work in regular classrooms despite his disability. For the majority of this school year, she has been unable to secure that aid, though it’s unclear whether that’s due to personnel shortages or district decisions.
According to Addington, Phillips’ appeal is not an unusual one. Parents are often involved in making decisions for their disabled children in the schools, however, they can be overruled. A committee is assigned to form individualized programs for a disabled child’s education. If a parent’s request does not suit the committee’s decision, the committee makes alternate plans.
After Addington’s explanation at last week’s meeting, opinions of the district and its approach to special education became increasingly positive. The group focused instead on problems with getting state assistance for their children. With another meeting scheduled for early April, the discussions are far from over and may continue to include school district issues.
At Wednesday’s school planning meeting for the new Highland Hills elementary complex, project representative Brad Oberg expressed concern for the amount of space requested for special education facilities. He said it was less than he has seen for other schools.
Though the proposed new space is larger than existing ones, Oberg asked, “Do you have fewer programs because of limited space or do you have fewer programs simply because you don’t need them?” He pointed out that a new facility might provide the space for more programs and advised officials to take a careful look at their needs before making design conclusions.
“(Those plans) are something we ought to consider,” Miller said. “And if there are parent concerns (with the district), I’d like to hear what they are and if there are any proposed solutions.”
Times staff writer
A recent mid-year budget report announced district-wide savings of more than $250,000 in special education, raising red flags with parents throughout Carbon County School District 1.
When school board member Juli Miller heard those figures, she immediately linked them with the scattered gripes from parents relating to the district’s special education program.
At a meeting held last week, Robin Phillips, a parent of a Down syndrome child in Rawlins, initiated conversation about the schools’ and the community’s role in the lives of the disabled.
There, District 1 Special Education Director Marilyn Addington explained the district’s financial report. “The costs for special education are not fluid because we can’t anticipate them,” she said. Several special education students left the district this year, causing the drop in expenditures.
Phillips’ primary concern is getting a one-on-one aid who would help her son work in regular classrooms despite his disability. For the majority of this school year, she has been unable to secure that aid, though it’s unclear whether that’s due to personnel shortages or district decisions.
According to Addington, Phillips’ appeal is not an unusual one. Parents are often involved in making decisions for their disabled children in the schools, however, they can be overruled. A committee is assigned to form individualized programs for a disabled child’s education. If a parent’s request does not suit the committee’s decision, the committee makes alternate plans.
After Addington’s explanation at last week’s meeting, opinions of the district and its approach to special education became increasingly positive. The group focused instead on problems with getting state assistance for their children. With another meeting scheduled for early April, the discussions are far from over and may continue to include school district issues.
At Wednesday’s school planning meeting for the new Highland Hills elementary complex, project representative Brad Oberg expressed concern for the amount of space requested for special education facilities. He said it was less than he has seen for other schools.
Though the proposed new space is larger than existing ones, Oberg asked, “Do you have fewer programs because of limited space or do you have fewer programs simply because you don’t need them?” He pointed out that a new facility might provide the space for more programs and advised officials to take a careful look at their needs before making design conclusions.
“(Those plans) are something we ought to consider,” Miller said. “And if there are parent concerns (with the district), I’d like to hear what they are and if there are any proposed solutions.”
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Staff surveys to be reviewed
Times staff report
The results of the second teacher survey should be presented to the Carbon County District 1 School Board during Thursday’s board meeting.
The 6 p.m. meeting is scheduled in the central office board room on Rodeo Street in Rawlins. It’s open to the public.
Duane DeWald, district manager for grants and data analysis, is expected to discuss the opinions district teachers have of their daily work.
“It should explore how they feel,” he said. “Do they have the prestige they wanted, are they working ideal hours, is their pay good?”
The survey, issued to thousands of teachers nationwide, is designed to gauge how content school staff is in the work place. The teacher analysis survey is the second part of District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune’s year-long effort to study opinions of parents, teachers and students.
During the meeting, board members should also:
• Consider on second reading revised policies regarding the nurse, internships and students dropping out of school.
• Consider on first reading revisions to policies regarding the superintendent’s evaluation and the selection of valedictorians and salutatorians.
The results of the second teacher survey should be presented to the Carbon County District 1 School Board during Thursday’s board meeting.
The 6 p.m. meeting is scheduled in the central office board room on Rodeo Street in Rawlins. It’s open to the public.
Duane DeWald, district manager for grants and data analysis, is expected to discuss the opinions district teachers have of their daily work.
“It should explore how they feel,” he said. “Do they have the prestige they wanted, are they working ideal hours, is their pay good?”
The survey, issued to thousands of teachers nationwide, is designed to gauge how content school staff is in the work place. The teacher analysis survey is the second part of District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune’s year-long effort to study opinions of parents, teachers and students.
During the meeting, board members should also:
• Consider on second reading revised policies regarding the nurse, internships and students dropping out of school.
• Consider on first reading revisions to policies regarding the superintendent’s evaluation and the selection of valedictorians and salutatorians.
Monday, March 10, 2008
District 1 school funding secured
Times staff report
Carbon County School District 1 administrators wiped their brows a week ago when Superintendent Peggy Sanders returned to Rawlins from Cheyenne to report that the district’s building funds for a new elementary complex in Highland Hills were secure.
Administrators from Goshen County School District presented their case to the state House for renewed funding from the School Facilities Commission to continue work that extended beyond the previously allotted time.
That was in late February, and on the last day of the month, district officials from across the state awaited the final vote on the matter. District 1, low on the hierarchical list of funding from the School Facilities Commission, saw one of the biggest threats from the lobbying efforts.
“It died on the floor,” Sanders said of Goshen County’s bill. She didn’t know how the official vote was split, but was eager to report that construction would go forward for the Highland Hills complex.
Carbon County School District 1 administrators wiped their brows a week ago when Superintendent Peggy Sanders returned to Rawlins from Cheyenne to report that the district’s building funds for a new elementary complex in Highland Hills were secure.
Administrators from Goshen County School District presented their case to the state House for renewed funding from the School Facilities Commission to continue work that extended beyond the previously allotted time.
That was in late February, and on the last day of the month, district officials from across the state awaited the final vote on the matter. District 1, low on the hierarchical list of funding from the School Facilities Commission, saw one of the biggest threats from the lobbying efforts.
“It died on the floor,” Sanders said of Goshen County’s bill. She didn’t know how the official vote was split, but was eager to report that construction would go forward for the Highland Hills complex.
District 2 plans schedule talks
Times staff report
Carbon County District 2 School Board members are scheduled to hold a discussion on school schedules during a Tuesday meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the district’s central office in Saratoga.
The meeting is open to the public.
Talks should center on school schedule survey results and about how the schedules might change to accommodate school staff and the community. The Tuesday discussion should serve as the foundation for the board members’ votes during an upcoming board meeting next week.
Prior to the discussion, board members are set to participate in the second of a series of workshops with the Wyoming School Boards Association from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The focus of the workshop, which is open to the public, should include distinguishing when to be proactive and when to be hands-off in various situations, the art of goal setting, finding the school board’s reason and purpose, and how best to use limited time.
Carbon County District 2 School Board members are scheduled to hold a discussion on school schedules during a Tuesday meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the district’s central office in Saratoga.
The meeting is open to the public.
Talks should center on school schedule survey results and about how the schedules might change to accommodate school staff and the community. The Tuesday discussion should serve as the foundation for the board members’ votes during an upcoming board meeting next week.
Prior to the discussion, board members are set to participate in the second of a series of workshops with the Wyoming School Boards Association from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The focus of the workshop, which is open to the public, should include distinguishing when to be proactive and when to be hands-off in various situations, the art of goal setting, finding the school board’s reason and purpose, and how best to use limited time.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Lectures to focus on state prison
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Rawlins is to Wyoming as the wheel is to your pickup.
Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: The Legacies of Carbon County” lecture should show that, at least in so far as the prison relates to the big picture. The lecture, dubbed “Prisons and Lawmen of Carbon County,” should be held at CCHEC’s main campus on Rodeo Street at 7 p.m.
Tina Hill, director of the Old Pen, and Duane Shillinger, former Wyoming State Penitentiary warden, plan to lay out the rich history of how Rawlins came to be the seat of the state prison and what happened behind its walls once it was established.
“Rawlins has the reputation in the state as being a prison town, when in fact that is not the case,” Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said. Pointing out that each state has its institutional needs and different cities that host them, he said “Rawlins particular work here is a bit grittier. We’re graciously providing a service to the state.”
Manifest destiny is a buzz word for Shillinger, who believes much of the events in pre-territorial and territorial Wyoming hinged on the free spirit fostered by the philosophy. Manifest destiny was thought up by an East Coast journalist named John L. O’Sullivan and is generally defined as the belief that the United States was destined to span “from sea to shining sea,” by having both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans as its borders. Over time, and particularly with the tidal wave of Americans flowing west, it fostered a sense of freedom for conquest and became the justification for many heinous acts.
American Indians were slaughtered, as were a massive number of wild animals. According to Shillinger, pioneers believed their actions were protected by the idea of manifest destiny. The wild West was wild indeed, as prostitution sprang up alongside alcoholism, theft, fighting and killing.
Shillinger should expand on the Wyoming territory’s early years, illustrating what law enforcement was up against and its efforts to combat the surge of crime. In particular, he should hone in on the evolution of the prisons and law enforcement. He plans to focus on Carbon County, but “you can’t look at Carbon County without looking at the rest of the territory,” he said.
Hill should complement Shillinger’s presentation with anecdotes of particular law enforcement officials and notorious criminals who passed through the area. Between the two, the importance of Rawlins as the home of corrections should be reflected.
Times staff writer
Rawlins is to Wyoming as the wheel is to your pickup.
Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: The Legacies of Carbon County” lecture should show that, at least in so far as the prison relates to the big picture. The lecture, dubbed “Prisons and Lawmen of Carbon County,” should be held at CCHEC’s main campus on Rodeo Street at 7 p.m.
Tina Hill, director of the Old Pen, and Duane Shillinger, former Wyoming State Penitentiary warden, plan to lay out the rich history of how Rawlins came to be the seat of the state prison and what happened behind its walls once it was established.
“Rawlins has the reputation in the state as being a prison town, when in fact that is not the case,” Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said. Pointing out that each state has its institutional needs and different cities that host them, he said “Rawlins particular work here is a bit grittier. We’re graciously providing a service to the state.”
Manifest destiny is a buzz word for Shillinger, who believes much of the events in pre-territorial and territorial Wyoming hinged on the free spirit fostered by the philosophy. Manifest destiny was thought up by an East Coast journalist named John L. O’Sullivan and is generally defined as the belief that the United States was destined to span “from sea to shining sea,” by having both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans as its borders. Over time, and particularly with the tidal wave of Americans flowing west, it fostered a sense of freedom for conquest and became the justification for many heinous acts.
American Indians were slaughtered, as were a massive number of wild animals. According to Shillinger, pioneers believed their actions were protected by the idea of manifest destiny. The wild West was wild indeed, as prostitution sprang up alongside alcoholism, theft, fighting and killing.
Shillinger should expand on the Wyoming territory’s early years, illustrating what law enforcement was up against and its efforts to combat the surge of crime. In particular, he should hone in on the evolution of the prisons and law enforcement. He plans to focus on Carbon County, but “you can’t look at Carbon County without looking at the rest of the territory,” he said.
Hill should complement Shillinger’s presentation with anecdotes of particular law enforcement officials and notorious criminals who passed through the area. Between the two, the importance of Rawlins as the home of corrections should be reflected.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Film tour planned
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
From the highest mountain passes in the world to ice caverns deep within the earth’s crust, the stories of exploration, adventure and exotic lifestyles come to the screen in the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, scheduled to hit Laramie on Saturday and Sunday.
One man tightropes high above the red earth, practicing his rock climbing balance. A team of snowkiters slide like an above-ground school of fish across the glass of a frozen lake. A woman pauses high atop a Norwegian fjord, taking one last breath before taking a running jump. A badger rolls over in his burrow, waving away the bright camera lights. Skiers explain their respect for the mountain and for the cultures they cross. These are examples of what could appear on screen.
As one of the most widely recognized events of its kind, the Banff festival is held throughout 10 days in Banff, Canada, showing upwards of 60 films along with other events including a book festival. “It is one of the first,” film festivals centered around mountain activities, said Jill Sawyer, media and communications officer at The Banff Center in Banff, Canada. “But there are now many around the world.”
After the festival, which is held in late October, the world tour staff makes a selection of the most well-received films, the award-winners and a handful of others that ensure variety in the presentation. This collection immediately hits the road.
“It will be a collection of high-action, high-energy films,” said Dan McCoy, coordinator of the University of Wyoming outdoor adventure program. He plans to show the award-winners and choose shorter cultural and environmental films to create variety. The university is one of two Wyoming locations to show the film. The other is in Jackson. UW is in its ninth year of hosting the event.
The event should be held in the arts and sciences building auditorium. Seating begins at 6 p.m. both nights and show time is at 7. The event is free and open to the public, but seats are limited.
Times staff writer
From the highest mountain passes in the world to ice caverns deep within the earth’s crust, the stories of exploration, adventure and exotic lifestyles come to the screen in the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, scheduled to hit Laramie on Saturday and Sunday.
One man tightropes high above the red earth, practicing his rock climbing balance. A team of snowkiters slide like an above-ground school of fish across the glass of a frozen lake. A woman pauses high atop a Norwegian fjord, taking one last breath before taking a running jump. A badger rolls over in his burrow, waving away the bright camera lights. Skiers explain their respect for the mountain and for the cultures they cross. These are examples of what could appear on screen.
As one of the most widely recognized events of its kind, the Banff festival is held throughout 10 days in Banff, Canada, showing upwards of 60 films along with other events including a book festival. “It is one of the first,” film festivals centered around mountain activities, said Jill Sawyer, media and communications officer at The Banff Center in Banff, Canada. “But there are now many around the world.”
After the festival, which is held in late October, the world tour staff makes a selection of the most well-received films, the award-winners and a handful of others that ensure variety in the presentation. This collection immediately hits the road.
“It will be a collection of high-action, high-energy films,” said Dan McCoy, coordinator of the University of Wyoming outdoor adventure program. He plans to show the award-winners and choose shorter cultural and environmental films to create variety. The university is one of two Wyoming locations to show the film. The other is in Jackson. UW is in its ninth year of hosting the event.
The event should be held in the arts and sciences building auditorium. Seating begins at 6 p.m. both nights and show time is at 7. The event is free and open to the public, but seats are limited.
SMART boards are parting gift
Times staff report
SMART boards are the parting gift of Carbon County School District 1’s Director of Technology Marc Stauffer.
As the man versed in business technology steps down after three years of building District 1’s hardware and software infrastructure, he hopes his efforts will last for the next five or 10 years.
As part of the overall plan, district officials purchased 12 SMART boards at the beginning of this school year, Stauffer said. They are white boards that connect to a computer, making them interactive. “It gets students interested in learning,” he said. The plan is to purchase 15 more this summer, and the new elementary schools should come equipped with them.
Teachers can use SMART boards the same way they would use a black board, but it also doubles as a projector for movies or a screen for Internet browsing. Teachers can even design quizzes to appear like a game show on screen and students can press buttons for the correct answers.
Students and teachers benefit from this type of learning, Stauffer said. Students are attracted to it because it tends to mirror their after-school activities. When teachers use certain SMART board capabilities, they can get instant statistical feedback on their students’ progress. For instance, 50 percent of the students answer a question wrong in the quiz. The teacher sees this and can ask why that particular question might pose a problem.
Stauffer’s technology plan has two components: reliable technology and teachers who are capable of using and teaching it. The update was necessary in order to match the district’s capabilities with state and federal standards. Stauffer said the hardware update, which goes far beyond SMART boards, is nearly complete and is designed to support itself for at least five years.
The second part should be turned over to Duane DeWald, manager for grants and data analysis for the district, who will use surveys to try to assess what teachers need in terms of technology training. Curriculum developers then try to close the gap.
SMART boards are the parting gift of Carbon County School District 1’s Director of Technology Marc Stauffer.
As the man versed in business technology steps down after three years of building District 1’s hardware and software infrastructure, he hopes his efforts will last for the next five or 10 years.
As part of the overall plan, district officials purchased 12 SMART boards at the beginning of this school year, Stauffer said. They are white boards that connect to a computer, making them interactive. “It gets students interested in learning,” he said. The plan is to purchase 15 more this summer, and the new elementary schools should come equipped with them.
Teachers can use SMART boards the same way they would use a black board, but it also doubles as a projector for movies or a screen for Internet browsing. Teachers can even design quizzes to appear like a game show on screen and students can press buttons for the correct answers.
Students and teachers benefit from this type of learning, Stauffer said. Students are attracted to it because it tends to mirror their after-school activities. When teachers use certain SMART board capabilities, they can get instant statistical feedback on their students’ progress. For instance, 50 percent of the students answer a question wrong in the quiz. The teacher sees this and can ask why that particular question might pose a problem.
Stauffer’s technology plan has two components: reliable technology and teachers who are capable of using and teaching it. The update was necessary in order to match the district’s capabilities with state and federal standards. Stauffer said the hardware update, which goes far beyond SMART boards, is nearly complete and is designed to support itself for at least five years.
The second part should be turned over to Duane DeWald, manager for grants and data analysis for the district, who will use surveys to try to assess what teachers need in terms of technology training. Curriculum developers then try to close the gap.
Panthers win first round
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
It’s been a long haul for the Saratoga High School boys basketball team this last month, but practice made perfect as the Panthers took one more step toward the regional title on Thursday.
The Panthers beat Normative Services 88-59 in Torrington during the first round of the 1A east regional tournament.
However, it wasn’t all a cakewalk. Thursday’s game was a challenge only because Saratoga made it one. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was an overwhelming desire to do well or maybe it was a lack of focus, but the Panthers made too many turnovers, Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said.
The Panthers need to sharpen their minds and bodies as they go into Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against Midwest. Saratoga’s tallest player stands at 6 foot 2 inches tall, 8 inches shorter than one of Midwest’s posts and six inches shorter than the other.
“It’ll be defense by committee, not individually,” Hohnholt said. “We’ll do the job.”
Midwest has speed, but relies mainly on planting the two redwoods at the base of the net. The plan is to try to make Midwest play defense as much as possible and keep the ball away from its end of the court.
Times staff writer
It’s been a long haul for the Saratoga High School boys basketball team this last month, but practice made perfect as the Panthers took one more step toward the regional title on Thursday.
The Panthers beat Normative Services 88-59 in Torrington during the first round of the 1A east regional tournament.
However, it wasn’t all a cakewalk. Thursday’s game was a challenge only because Saratoga made it one. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was an overwhelming desire to do well or maybe it was a lack of focus, but the Panthers made too many turnovers, Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said.
The Panthers need to sharpen their minds and bodies as they go into Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against Midwest. Saratoga’s tallest player stands at 6 foot 2 inches tall, 8 inches shorter than one of Midwest’s posts and six inches shorter than the other.
“It’ll be defense by committee, not individually,” Hohnholt said. “We’ll do the job.”
Midwest has speed, but relies mainly on planting the two redwoods at the base of the net. The plan is to try to make Midwest play defense as much as possible and keep the ball away from its end of the court.
Surveys to show the way
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
When Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune takes on the superintendent role in July, he wants to know where the school sits in its goals for creating an educational environment, where it is headed and how everybody feels about it.
Toward this end, the district is in the midst of a series of surveys to establish a panorama of viewpoints. In three phases, the district’s manager for grants and data analysis Duane DeWald is surveying parents, teachers and administrators, and students.
“We want to get a picture from all sides,” DeWald said. He is issuing, tracking and analyzing the data from the surveys. “Parents, teachers and students is our 360 degree evaluation,” he said.
In October 2007, the district kicked off the survey series with phase one, directed toward parents. Phase three, to be issued in March, should incorporate student input on how they view their participation in education.
Currently in phase two, DeWald has teachers and administrators taking three surveys. The set is designed to provide insight into the effectiveness of educational measures, the integration of technology in education and quality of life for teachers.
The first teacher survey is Robert Marzano’s “What Works in Schools” survey. DeWald presented its results at last Thursday’s school board meeting. According to his findings, District 1 teachers and administrators often have different opinions about teaching methods that work. These, DeWald said, are areas for improvement. But the survey also shows marked success in areas that were already targeted for improvement.
Marzano’s survey is based on 35 years of educational research. This is one of the reasons it was chosen. Since the district is currently using Marzano’s theories of how students learn to better design its curriculum, it makes sense to use surveys that relate.
“We want to use surveys that are well-measured and accurate,” DeWald said. “And we need to know the results are applicable.”
The last of the three teacher surveys should finish on Friday. DeWald plans to analyze the data and present his findings to school board members in March. The board members should see the “quality of teacher work life survey” on March 13 and the “level of technology integration survey” on March 27.
After DeWald finishes gathering data, the information should fall into the hands of each school’s development teams so they can design plans for correcting problem areas.
Times staff writer
When Carbon County School District 1 Associate Superintendent Neil Terhune takes on the superintendent role in July, he wants to know where the school sits in its goals for creating an educational environment, where it is headed and how everybody feels about it.
Toward this end, the district is in the midst of a series of surveys to establish a panorama of viewpoints. In three phases, the district’s manager for grants and data analysis Duane DeWald is surveying parents, teachers and administrators, and students.
“We want to get a picture from all sides,” DeWald said. He is issuing, tracking and analyzing the data from the surveys. “Parents, teachers and students is our 360 degree evaluation,” he said.
In October 2007, the district kicked off the survey series with phase one, directed toward parents. Phase three, to be issued in March, should incorporate student input on how they view their participation in education.
Currently in phase two, DeWald has teachers and administrators taking three surveys. The set is designed to provide insight into the effectiveness of educational measures, the integration of technology in education and quality of life for teachers.
The first teacher survey is Robert Marzano’s “What Works in Schools” survey. DeWald presented its results at last Thursday’s school board meeting. According to his findings, District 1 teachers and administrators often have different opinions about teaching methods that work. These, DeWald said, are areas for improvement. But the survey also shows marked success in areas that were already targeted for improvement.
Marzano’s survey is based on 35 years of educational research. This is one of the reasons it was chosen. Since the district is currently using Marzano’s theories of how students learn to better design its curriculum, it makes sense to use surveys that relate.
“We want to use surveys that are well-measured and accurate,” DeWald said. “And we need to know the results are applicable.”
The last of the three teacher surveys should finish on Friday. DeWald plans to analyze the data and present his findings to school board members in March. The board members should see the “quality of teacher work life survey” on March 13 and the “level of technology integration survey” on March 27.
After DeWald finishes gathering data, the information should fall into the hands of each school’s development teams so they can design plans for correcting problem areas.
Saratoga can't take a step forward
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers were still shaking off the dust Thursday night after their time off, and it cost them a forward step in the regional tournament.
Losing 52-38 to Hulett in Torrington, the Saratoga High School girls basketball team seemed to not see each other on the court, coach Amy Davis said. They played tough defense, but were slightly outmatched in size. The girls also turned the ball over a few too many times.
“(Hulett) didn’t beat us as much as we beat ourselves,” Davis said. “It just means we have to play more games to get to state. The girls seem to like to take the hard way.”
Channing Love was the high scorer with nine points, followed close behind by Allison Young and Kelsey Jones, who bucketed seven each. Other contributors were Katie Clegg, Brooke Forster and Chelsea Collver.
Facing Upton on Friday at 10 a.m., the Panthers should face great outside shooting from a team that plays up close and personal. They are smaller girls, according to Davis, but play a tough game. “(The Saratoga girls) will have to come with an offense,” she said.
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers were still shaking off the dust Thursday night after their time off, and it cost them a forward step in the regional tournament.
Losing 52-38 to Hulett in Torrington, the Saratoga High School girls basketball team seemed to not see each other on the court, coach Amy Davis said. They played tough defense, but were slightly outmatched in size. The girls also turned the ball over a few too many times.
“(Hulett) didn’t beat us as much as we beat ourselves,” Davis said. “It just means we have to play more games to get to state. The girls seem to like to take the hard way.”
Channing Love was the high scorer with nine points, followed close behind by Allison Young and Kelsey Jones, who bucketed seven each. Other contributors were Katie Clegg, Brooke Forster and Chelsea Collver.
Facing Upton on Friday at 10 a.m., the Panthers should face great outside shooting from a team that plays up close and personal. They are smaller girls, according to Davis, but play a tough game. “(The Saratoga girls) will have to come with an offense,” she said.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hospital removes asbestos
This one was a front pager. AND my first to get picked up by the Wyoming AP!
(the top blurb is the AP rendering. the bottom part is what appeared in our paper)
Workers remove asbestos from Rawlins hospital
Eds: APNewsNow.
RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) — Asbestos is being removed from Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
Hospital administrators are closing four rooms at a time to perform the work.
The asbestos removal is part of larger renovations that started in November to help the hospital in Rawlins save on utility costs.
Work has included an overhaul of lighting fixtures and the installation of tinted film on windows.
———
Information from: Rawlins Daily Times
• Asbestos abatement is part of the hospital’s energy savings project.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Hunched over her microscope, Susan Annon was in the midst of evaluating whether it would be safe to re-enter the four closed rooms in the east wing of Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s second floor on Wednesday.
As asbestos is removed, hospital administrators are closing four rooms at a time to perform the precise, dangerous work. The abatement is part of larger renovations that started in November, an endeavor deemed the energy savings project.
The first two stages of the project are complete. One stage included an overhaul of the lighting fixtures that made them more energy efficient. A slightly tinted film was also installed over all the windows to control the temperature in the building. The final stage is to install new heating and air conditioning ductwork, but the project is currently held up in state department offices, awaiting approval. Once approved, the installation should take 20 weeks.
Joe Jones, the consultant overseeing the work, has his hands full with asbestos right now. Several years ago, he did a study on the presence of asbestos in the building and knew it was there. “It’s not harmful unless disturbed,” he said. The ductwork scheduled to take place will go through the asbestos areas, so it needed to be removed.
Jones sought the help of two firms to perform the project. Casper-based Enviro Engineering is doing the actual labor while Annon, an industrial hygienist for Century Environmental Hygiene in Colorado, is checking the progress. By monitoring the air inside and outside the four-room containment areas, she ensures the safety of the hospital’s air.
“We will do nothing to endanger human health and the environment,” Jones said. As the project consultant, he is there as a liaison between the hospital and the contracting companies. His job is to see that everyone’s needs are met, particularly the needs of the hospital in terms of both its business and its patient care.
“The project is extremely clean,” Jones said as he walked into the plastic-shrouded containment area after being informed that the air inside was safe.
“We can’t shut the hospital down,” he said, “so we have to work around it.” Inside the rooms, the walls were covered in thick plastic secured with heavy duty tape. The plastic is pulled inward by a negative air machine. “This machine sucks 99.9 percent of the air out of this room,” Jones said. “No air escapes from these rooms into the hospital.”
The abatement of the four rooms took approximately two days between preparation, removal and cleaning. Even though the plastic was scrubbed clean, Jones said it would be thrown away with the old ceiling tiles that were dressed in paper-like asbestos film to provide fire-proof safety.
(the top blurb is the AP rendering. the bottom part is what appeared in our paper)
Workers remove asbestos from Rawlins hospital
Eds: APNewsNow.
RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) — Asbestos is being removed from Memorial Hospital of Carbon County.
Hospital administrators are closing four rooms at a time to perform the work.
The asbestos removal is part of larger renovations that started in November to help the hospital in Rawlins save on utility costs.
Work has included an overhaul of lighting fixtures and the installation of tinted film on windows.
———
Information from: Rawlins Daily Times
• Asbestos abatement is part of the hospital’s energy savings project.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Hunched over her microscope, Susan Annon was in the midst of evaluating whether it would be safe to re-enter the four closed rooms in the east wing of Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s second floor on Wednesday.
As asbestos is removed, hospital administrators are closing four rooms at a time to perform the precise, dangerous work. The abatement is part of larger renovations that started in November, an endeavor deemed the energy savings project.
The first two stages of the project are complete. One stage included an overhaul of the lighting fixtures that made them more energy efficient. A slightly tinted film was also installed over all the windows to control the temperature in the building. The final stage is to install new heating and air conditioning ductwork, but the project is currently held up in state department offices, awaiting approval. Once approved, the installation should take 20 weeks.
Joe Jones, the consultant overseeing the work, has his hands full with asbestos right now. Several years ago, he did a study on the presence of asbestos in the building and knew it was there. “It’s not harmful unless disturbed,” he said. The ductwork scheduled to take place will go through the asbestos areas, so it needed to be removed.
Jones sought the help of two firms to perform the project. Casper-based Enviro Engineering is doing the actual labor while Annon, an industrial hygienist for Century Environmental Hygiene in Colorado, is checking the progress. By monitoring the air inside and outside the four-room containment areas, she ensures the safety of the hospital’s air.
“We will do nothing to endanger human health and the environment,” Jones said. As the project consultant, he is there as a liaison between the hospital and the contracting companies. His job is to see that everyone’s needs are met, particularly the needs of the hospital in terms of both its business and its patient care.
“The project is extremely clean,” Jones said as he walked into the plastic-shrouded containment area after being informed that the air inside was safe.
“We can’t shut the hospital down,” he said, “so we have to work around it.” Inside the rooms, the walls were covered in thick plastic secured with heavy duty tape. The plastic is pulled inward by a negative air machine. “This machine sucks 99.9 percent of the air out of this room,” Jones said. “No air escapes from these rooms into the hospital.”
The abatement of the four rooms took approximately two days between preparation, removal and cleaning. Even though the plastic was scrubbed clean, Jones said it would be thrown away with the old ceiling tiles that were dressed in paper-like asbestos film to provide fire-proof safety.
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