• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition:

• Matt Clark: 

    Thanks for getting all of your para evals done ahead of time.  Your evals were amongst the first to arrive.  I appreciate the extra time and effort you made to do this.  I also appreciate your willingness to take on the work experience program for our 8th graders again this year.  I know that takes a little time out of your summer, but it really means a great deal to our students and parents.  Thanks for going the extra miles!  I appreciate it!

• Ashley Robbins and Alle Brown: 

     Thanks a ton for stepping up to take on our 2nd-5th ESY needs this summer.  All of the old guard kept telling me, "Good luck with summer/ ESY school, nobody wants to do that anymore."  I was super excited to hear that Ashley was thinking about it.  When I heard you both committed it made me very proud to see that our SPED Dept still rocks and cares deeply about the success of students.  I also understand you are considering the WDE new teacher boot camp.  All of these duties require some time during the summer, away from family.  I understand the sacrifices you're making to help our students grow.  I appreciate your good, hard, positive work very much.

THANKYOU!

• Bart Lyman and Dan Mayer (BOCES): 

    I wanted to take some time and thank you for your work last week and this week and your commitment to helping UCSD #4 in a time of great need.  I don't think I've even had time to talk with Dan, because he's been with students every time I've seen him.  Bart's willingness to step into one of our most challenging IEP teams has been super helpful too.  I understand the sudden nature of our need probably caused some stress and created some additional inconveniences that you both had to make sacrifices for.  However, I think your work will have a positive impact on our students and their ability to grow.  I wanted you to know how much I appreciate this.

Thanks for your help!

• This month, we spotlight the maintenance crew at the Town of Mountain View for the many times they have provided assistance to the school district. They are great teammates. Representatives from the Town of Mountain View were on hand at the board meeting to be celebrated for the strong partnership between the schools and town. The people at the Town, from the secretary through the mayor, are always willing to step up in their support of students. From snow removal to loaning of equipment, the town and UCSD #4 continue to be great partners.

• April is Prom season and this weekend's prom and floorshow did not disappoint. Many thanks to the students, parents, and staff who help make prom the special event that it is. The Mountain View community is supportive of all things MVHS, but especially our prom and floor show. Traditions are worth keeping and the Mountain View Prom is no exception. Special thanks to junior class advisors Brittney Deckert and Michael Collins for their work long beyond their regular work schedule to keep prom a reality. And also a thanks to the choreographer of the floor show, Chelsea Brunski, for her willingness to corral 50 or so teenagers into their floor show event. Thanks to all, especially our students!

• On Monday, April 8, the MVHS chapter of National Honor Society inducted 34 new sophomore members. These newly inducted members of this prestigious group complement the other 60(!) members of NHS. 28 NHS seniors will be graduating this spring proudly wearing the gold stoll with their graduation gown showing their committment to the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. Thanks to Mrs. Christopher in her role as NHS advisor where she coordinates important learning and service opportunities for our highest achieving students.

• Congratulations to Mountain View Middle School Principal Tarl Van Dusen for his selection as the Wyoming Art Education Association’s Art Educator of the Year Award Recipient for Administrators for his support as a supervisor of art teachers and art programs. This award was given at a reception in Casper at the Nicolaysen Art Museum during the WYAEA Spring Conference on March 3rd.

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition:

  • IEP Team Members Tarl Van Dusen, Kim Stephens, Andrea Dolezal, Tae Colbert, and Brent Walk: I wanted to take a minute and recognize this IEP team in front of the entire district for their work with a particular case this year, so far.  They've had nine IEP meetings and two other meetings for a case so far this year.  A few of the meetings have gone for over two hours and have been tense.  This entire team agreed to meet, and did meet, at 6AM recently to accommodate for parents that could not take time off.  Throughout all of these meetings every team member has listened and maintained patience, professionalism, and a student centered focus.  Parent advocates, Consults, Specialists, Attorneys, and WDE staff all have expressed at different times how impressed they've been with this team.  As a result of their hard work, the student is still in school, attending and achieving at a higher level than they ever have.  Their hard work is having a positive impact on the student.  I believe they have the support and thanks of the entire UCSD #4 District.

  • Annie, Kim, Stacey, Megan and Marlene:  I wanted to take a little time and say thank you for helping with the BVE Coalition Family Night last night.   I know that took time away from your personal and family time.  However your commitment to going the extra mile for students was evident to many parents and students as they visited your booth.  In the end, the activity resulted in additional students being identified for kindergarten.  The earlier we can get students and parents identified and engaged in our district, the earlier we can start meeting their educational needs.  Thanks for helping with this last night.  You all help make UCSD #4 an excellent school district!

• MVHS would like to thank our three teachers who each teach a section of freshman Speech and Reading. These teachers once again put together an awesome display of the public speaking and presentation skills of our 9th grade students at the 2024 Annual Speech Showcase on Monday, March 25. Mrs. Deckert, Mrs. Christopher, and Mrs. Tinker continue to provide meaningful opportunities for students to deliver informative speeches, interpret literature (including poetry), and have group interpretations of popular literature. The effort and hard work of over 20 of our 9th grade students was on full display at this year's Speech Showcase. Thank you to these staff members and to all of the students who participated as speakers or by providing an introduction. Great job to everyone involved!

• MVHS would also like to recognize all of the participants in winter sports this year. Every single winter sports program has been recognized by the WHSAA as either Distinguished or Outstanding due to their combined average grade point average. These academic scores are a compliment to the student-athletes and also their coaches for their consistent focus on taking care of things in the classroom at the highest level:

  • Outstanding (Greater than 3.5)

    • Girls Basketball: 3.81

    • Boys and Girls Indoor Track: 3.64

    • Cheer: 3.52

    • Boys Basketball: 3.51

  • Distinguished (Greater than 3.0)

    • Boys and Girls Wrestling: 3.27

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition:

  • • Jolene Schnackenberg: I wanted to thank you for querying the data from Powerschool that I requested about IEP students that had been retained over the last 10 years and had dropped out of school. I know this request took some time. I appreciate how quickly you were able to get it and then how thoroughly you disaggregated it. I also appreciate your willingness to meet with me and explain it all. I'm happy to report to the admin team that, in the end, there really have been zero IEP students that were retained that have dropped out of school in UCSD #4. I think this is quite a testament to the support services provided through the UCSD #4. Very impressive! I'll share the data with you all when it's my turn again at our admin meetings. Thanks again Jolene for taking the extra time to look into this for me. Great work!

    • Tarl/ Kim/ Kelsey: This week hasn't been easy. In my twenty plus years of working with at-risk low SES populations I've had my fair share of student tragedies to navigate. I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the work you've done, and will do, to help our students get through this. The fact that one of our student's mother came to Tarl for support and advice about how to break the news to her son is such a HUGE testament to positive relations you build with students and parents. I wanted to let you know that I saw this. I know the extra time, stress, hours you've put in this week. I see the weight you bear for students, parents and the community. I really appreciate it! THANKYOU!!

• MVHS says CONGRATULATIONS to the four seniors of the Class of 2024 who have been awarded the esteemed University of Wyoming Trustees Scholarship. This is a "full ride" scholarship to the University of Wyoming for these seniors and will surely set them on a path of giving back to their community! Congratulations to Spencer Erickson, Bridger Lake, Ali Sibert, and Kate Walker. The four of you make MVHS proud. This year for the students across Wyoming recognized as Trustees Scholars the average GPA is 3.97 and these students have an average composite ACT score of 32. Students had a rigorous application process including online and in-person interviews before being selected as a Trustees Scholar.

• MVHS would also like to congratulate our Cheer Squad for their EXCELLENT performance at the Wyoming State Cheer Championships. This crew of hardworking girls brought home the 3A Game Day State Cheer Championship. This is the third year in a row that the cheer team has won the Game Day event and the eighth consecutive cheer championship for the MVHS cheer squad. Simply amazing. They truly are "Second to None!"

• This month, the spotlight shines upon 2nd graders who attended the monthly school board meeting to show their appreciation to school board members for the work they do to support our schools. Kelsey Van Dusen coordinated the effort.

• MVHS would like to congratulate the entire cast and crew of the recent musical production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. On January 10, the MVHS Choir under the direction of teacher Kayleigh Bluemel saw months of hard work come to fruition with a matinee performance on January 10 for all the second through fifth graders in the district, and then the entire crew put together an evening performance open to the public. It was a true showcase of student talent and hard work. Every member of the cast and crew was spot on with their skills and talents and their hard work showed through to the whole community. Great job to all!

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition:

  • Amie Antonino: I recently learned about your willingness to help learn and provide transportation services for one of our students in lieu of some staff shortages. I understand the duty might present some inconveniences, however I respect your willingness to take these on, in an effort to help us better provide consistent services for our students. Having your help with this duty will ultimately translate to increased learning and growth for students. Thank you for helping with this!

  • Ashley Robbins: I wanted to let you know how impressed I've been with how you've handled some of the recent challenges that have come our way with 2/3rd grade cases. Your timeliness with coordinating meetings, communicating with staff and parents has been excellent. Your professionalism around some of the interesting staff dynamics that have come to light has also been commendable. Your willingness to accept feedback and directions from team members makes it easy to work with you. You're doing a great job this year. Keep up the good work!

  • Colette Bugas: While meeting with Mr. Carr, he informed me how impressed he was with you in a meeting with a student and a parent who were considering dropping out of school. Mr. Carr said it was very clear that the positive, caring relationship you have forged with the student and the parent made all of the difference in persuading them to reconsider and stick with high school. As an administrator, I always love it when other administrators tell me how awesome my staff is. Thanks for being awesome today! Great work!!

• Congratulations to the MVHS Student Council that was recognized at the State Student Council Summit as a "Student Council with Meritorious Distinction." This process for a student council to apply and meet all the criteria for this designation is rigorous and time consuming, yet our students have done it the last five years! What an honor to be led and served by this group of students. Fewer than 10 schools in the state of Wyoming received this recognition. Well done!

• One component of being a Student Council with Meritorious Distinction is the student council advisor has to be on her toes to be sure all of the components are met in this process and this often begins in the springtime, long before State Student Council. Well MVHS is lucky enough to have a Student Council Advisor who was recognized by her peers with the Jeannie Tinnen Advisor of the Year Award. Congratulations to Mrs. Colette Bugas for her hard work and this special recognition.

• In other Student Council news: Mckynleigh Barney received the MVHS Student Council's Hidden Hero Award. Thank you for all that you do, McKynleigh. She is dedicated to improving the lives of those around her. And another congratulations to Noell Kaiser as she was chosen as a Wyoming Association of Student Council's All-State recipient. Only 12 students from across the state earn this distinguished award.

• MVHS is also proud of Diana Tims who was recognized as the 3A Volleyball Coach of the Year. And, for the first time, assistant volleyball coach Jessica Anderson was recognized as the Assistant Volleyball Coach of the Year! Congratulations and thank you both for your hard work for our students.

• This month’s Spotlight shines upon teachers Colette Bugas and Linda Newton for being selected as Mentors of the Year by the DisAbility IN: Uinta County organization. Colette and Linda have been helping MVHS students transition successfully from high school to the work force, trade school and college for 25 years now. Congratulations and thank you to Colette and Linda.

• Congratulations to our State Champion Volleyball Team. Mr. Newton and the board recognized the consistency and effort of the volleyball team, particularly over the last four years where the team has played in the last four WHSAA 3A State Championship games, winning three of those games, including the last two championships. Thank you coaches, families, players, and especially our seniors.

• MVE would like to thank Mr. Madsen and all of our staff who helped organize our 11th annual Turkey Trot. This is a great event that is educational, but also gives us a chance to donate food items to our local food pantry. We also want to recognize our 3rd-5th grade students who participated. Running the mile on a cold day is not easy, and all gave their best! Great job to all!

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition for November (so far):

• Kara Olson (HS Sped para) - Thanks for being willing to help us with some student transportation needs this fall. The staff involved in the case have all spoken very highly of your ability to step in, work with the student and help ensure they have safe transportation to Hayden Peak. I understand the duty came up sudden and was probably a disruption to your regular routine. I appreciate your flexibility in accommodating our students' needs this way. Through this case I've learned that you are committed to students and your work has a positive impact on our students.

• Sarah Walker (HS Sped para) - Thanks for being willing to help us with some student transportation needs this fall. The staff involved in the case appreciate your ability to step in, work with the student and help ensure they have safe transportation to Hayden Peak. I understand the duty came up sudden and was probably a disruption to your regular routine. I appreciate your flexibility in accommodating our students' needs this way. Through this case I've learned that you are committed to students and your work has a positive impact on our students.

• Andrea Dolezal/ Chary Porter (Middle School) - Thanks for inviting me to observe the gallery walk writing lesson in your classroom last week. Gallery walks are a great way to get kids up, moving and engaged. Each small group seemed engaged in the work that you wanted them to do. It was great for me to see how effective paras support services are for students. I saw Chary actively engaged with students during the lesson - supporting the learning and their needs related to it. It's obvious that you both put some thought and planning into the lesson. I'm confident our students' growth and progress will be positive under your cooperative support and instruction. Thanks for inviting me to observe.

• Sala Condos (Middle School Secretary) - Thanks for helping us out in Krista's absence last week. I know that you had to field several negative phone calls from a challenging parent of ours. I know how stressful that can be. Thank you for doing this and doing a professional job with it! Also - thanks a ton for being the point on the collection and ordering of flowers for Krista. I know that added a little to your plate that day, but I really appreciate the help with it. Your efforts help put our staff in the right state of mind to make a positive difference for students.

• Gayle Martin and Kelly Anderson (K-1 Sped Paras) - Recently it was brought to my attention that you both have continued the work towards the RBT certification that you started last year. On your own time, without anyone asking, you have completed course modules each month this fall. Although we compensate you for this work, I still think that your commitment to do it is impressive. I know you both have to take time away from personal obligations to do this. I know that the learning you are doing, you will and have applied to your job, which will help our students learn and grow more. You are making a positive impact on students in our district. Keep up the great work!

• Lori Jensen (Middle School) - Yesterday I noticed that, although you were scheduled to take leave, you stuck around to make sure your students got off to a positive start with your substitute. Many teachers would have just left. You went the extra mile recognizing there were a lot of subs and your extra 5-10 minutes getting students settled down and working could make a huge difference for the substitutes and the students. It's obvious you care very much about your students and their success. You are willing to sacrifice your personal time to help them find success. In my mind, it's the little things like this that make a huge difference for students. Thanks for going the extra mile!

• October's district spotlight shines upon Susan Anderson and Sarah Butters as members of the Wyoming Teacher- Mentor Corps. Both Sarah and Susan were nominated and selected for this role and are participating in this program voluntarily, which involves a good amounts of their personal time, including time in the summer. The program is sponsored by the University of Wyoming and is designed to develop mentors to support emerging teachers during the pre-service or induction phases.

• MVHS would like to recognize the efforts of our school counselor, Mrs. Stormy Hauf. The beginning of the school year can be a challenge, and Mrs. Hauf handles registration, schedule changes, and working with students with a genuine enthusiasm for doing what is right for students. And in October, Mrs. Hauf is coordinating ASVAB testing for juniors and an ACT retake opportunity for seniors as well as a nationwide ACT testing date here at MVHS. Mrs. Hauf has a real impact on the positive culture of MVHS and she works to make it a place where students learn and where they are safe. Thank you Mrs. Hauf for your hard work behind the scenes in making MVHS a great place to learn!

• MVHS would also like to thank a substitute on long assignment here at MVHS: Mrs. Mindi Mills! Working as a substitute teacher brings many challenges, but Mrs. Mills comes in to a very dynamic environment in English 11 and is helping students every day. She is engaging with students; she communicates with parents; she is a hard worker who takes her role in helping students learn very seriously. On several occasions, Mrs. Mills has said, "This is what I do; I help kids." She has the heart of a true teacher and is a valuable member of our staff while she covers Mrs. Christopher's classroom. Thank you, Mrs. Mills! 

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition for October (so far):

  • • Andrea Dolezal: Your work as a teacher and a parent this week in our district has impressed me. Thank you for taking time out of your personal schedule Wednesday evening to present to our Special Education Parent group. Your presentation was well thought out. Your willingness to share the presentation will benefit other parents. Thank you for your participation and leadership with this group.  I witnessed firsthand this week how your consistent practice of emailing and communicating achievement milestones in your reading class promotes positive parent relationships. For many parents your emails may be some of the only positive communication they receive from the school. I know that students and parents really appreciate this. I also know that it helps foster positive, productive relationships which will be very helpful for the IEP teams you serve on. I know this is extra work on your behalf, but I really think it is an excellent example for all teachers and administrators to follow. Our staff, parents and students benefit from this work. Thank you!

    • Chris Stoddard: I wanted to take some time to thank you this week for your work in helping the family that has students identified under the McKinney-Vento act. Your communication with them has been excellent and your work to help provide them with warmer winter clothing very timely. I'm glad to hear that they were appreciative. It's also good to hear their situation may be improving.  Your help on the IEP team for a student this week was also very important. Reaching out to the other health related service provider and being able to determine factually what was being provided and accomplished with the student and family was super helpful and will be moving forward with the case. The work that you do helps to remove barriers to learning for students and promotes growth for them. Awesome work! Thanks!

    • Brent Walk:  In the short time that I have worked with you I have come to recognize your ability to form positive relationships with challenging students and parents is invaluable to the district, the special education department and the middle school team. I've known you to be a strong coach for quite some time, but I've also known a lot of coaches that were not good educators. In the last month I've watched you lead hard, yet productive, conversations with parents and students that have ultimately led to their students' overall ability to improve their learning. Your heart and passion for helping students as a teacher is every bit as apparent as your passion for coaching. I know your work with staff, parents and students helps to make them better. Thanks!

    • Tae Colbert: I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your work this week. I know that your time on-site, in our school this week was not necessarily contracted. I understand that you took the time to get here, meet with students and participate in IEP meetings because you care about the teachers, students and parents in our district. The positive relationships you have developed with challenging students and parents proved to be very helpful in a recent IEP meeting. Through the trust you have built with the family, and your leadership, we were able to come to a team consensus around some changes in the IEP. Your help and work with our students and families are having a positive impact. Thanks!

    • Bonnie Rudy: I really appreciate the help and work you've invested in one of our cases this week. The time you spent with Christine Manning and your willingness to work with her to help establish a safe transportation routine for the student has been excellent. Your friendly, personable nature makes it a joy to have you on any team. I really appreciate your sense of urgency and knowledge of special education law with the case this week. Thank you for having the confidence to express your concerns and keep the team moving forward. I'm looking forward to your work with Mr. Clark, paras, drivers and Christine Manning as we attempt to get a student back into a safe, consistent, routine for school. Your work has a positive impact on our students and staff! Thank you!

    • Ashley Robbins: Thank you for taking the time to schedule the pre-conference and observation this week. Thus far your initiative to meet deadlines and get things done has been excellent. It was an absolute pleasure watching you teach this week. It is clear that you are an experienced teacher. Your lesson was well planned. You transitioned efficiently through three activities that incorporated three different learning modalities with ease. Your students were obviously well trained as to your expectations and the routines in your classroom. Your relationships with the students were caring, yet professional. They love you, but they also know you when it's business time. I think the 2-3 Pod is lucky to have you. I'm looking forward to future observations. I know that your work with our students and staff will have a positive, meaningful impact and lead to growth. Keep up the great work!

  • MVE would like to recognize Lisa Proctor, Tami Stoddard, and Angi Martin who helped organize or first Title I Family Night of the year for our 4th and 5th graders and their families.  The theme was glow in the dark, and students were able to participate in educational activities, have a treat, and each student received a book for their home libraries.  Many students and families were in attendance, and all had fun.  What a great event!  Thanks for making this such a fun and educational night for our students!

• This month's spotlight shines upon all Uinta 4 staff members for the systematic influence over many years which has resulted in MVHS attaining “Exceeding Expectations” on the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act School Report. We are one of only 10 high school to achieve this level!

• MVHS would like to recognize all of the students holding class officer positions for the MVHS Student Council. This week's Homecoming events were well organized and set up for maximum fun for the students. Whether it was game night on Monday, Stud Volleyball on Tuesday, Kickball on Wednesday, or the parade on Friday, and dance on Saturday, Mountain View High School students do Homecoming right! It takes many hands for Homecoming week to come off as successfully as it does and the student council officers and their advisor, Mrs. Bugas deserves special recognition for their organization, communication, and hard work during all of the events.

• UCSD #4 Special Education Director Staff Recognition for September:

  • Geraldine Schell: I wanted to take some time and thank you for your good hard work this week. I've stopped by almost every day this week and hit you with various questions and issues. You've always been happy to stop what you're working on to help me. I loved hearing about the interventions you've employed already with some of our new students. I can already tell that you are a valuable resource to the K-1 pod. I am really looking forward to seeing the growth of the students you serve this year. Thanks!

  • Krista Flint: It was pretty clear to me early on that you were very good at your job. I wanted to take a little time to thank you for your work the last few weeks though. As I'm learning the Sped process and all of the forms in Sped Advantage, I've been blown away at how efficient you are at keeping me and our case workers on track with everything. I've hit you with interruptions, questions and tasks all week and you've been happy to help me. I feel super fortunate to have you as our Sped Dept secretary, especially as a new director. Our department functions better with you at the helm and I know our students will grow because of it. Absolutely awesome work! Thanks!

  • Lori Jensen: In the two weeks I've worked here so far I've noticed that you are always out and about and supervising students in the morning. Your positive, friendly nature provides a warm welcome to students as they arrive. I've also noticed that you are the "go to" person for other sped teachers when they need help with the technical aspects of the IEP paperwork and meetings. I recently heard positive comments about an observation Tarl and Jeff did last week when you were co-teaching. I thought you did a great job with your transition meeting last week. I know you are a top-notch educator! We're fortunate to have you and I really appreciate how much you're willing to help us all. Our students and teachers are better because of you. Thanks!

  • Elizabeth Vitt: Thank you for taking the time and initiative to reach out to homeschool students and offer services. I believe your commitment here will eventually help these students stay in school and make more progress when they are here. Your willingness to take the lead on learning how to document the homeschool students with the private school form has been very helpful. Your expedient work with our EL student and screening them is appreciated as well. The work that you've saved me the last two weeks probably makes up for the time that you'll be in Italy. Honestly, I'm beginning to understand the trust and leadership you have with the related services department and our teachers as a whole. I'm excited to see you in action with students. I know they will grow because of your work! Thanks!

  • Lisa Jensen: I just wanted to say thanks! Thanks for taking the time to attend Dr. Peifer's case study session with me last Friday. I know you didn't have to do that. You might have even taken time out of your personal schedule for this. I appreciate that. Your feedback, engagement and questions in that session really impressed him. When he asked how our district stacks up with others in the state, I knew right away what he was thinking... He was thinking, "Are all of your teachers like this?" As you've transitioned into the 4th grade team I was impressed with your attitude and optimism around learning the new Voyager reading intervention program. I believe you are making a solid effort to integrate your experience and knowledge into this team. Thank you for the great work you are doing. I know that our students will grow and benefit from it!

• The August Spotlight on Success shines on the staff of the Uinta 4 and 6 BOCES (a.k.a. Valley Learning Center). The crew there are such strong supporters of students and families and their work benefits the entire Bridger Valley community. Not all of them could make it to be recognized at the August 8 meeting of the Uinta 4 board of trustees, but Amy and Wendy were able to represent Holly and Jamie and hear the appreciation from Superintendent Newton and the board for their contributions and hard work. Thank you to the staff and board for the Uinta 4 and 6 BOCES.

• MVHS would like to recognize Student Body President, McKynleigh Barney, for her presentation to parents at the Fall Sports parent and student meeting. McKynleigh presented to a large audience about the efforts of the MVHS Sportsmanship Committee over the last two years to keep good sportsmanship as a conversation among our students. McKynleigh attended the State Sportsmanship Summit last fall and has been a strong part of the Sportsmanship Committee and her leadership was on strong display as she explained to parents the purpose and activities of the Sportsmanship Committee.

• The Mountain View High School staff is so appreciative of the hard work of our maintenance, custodial, and grounds crew. The work this team puts in over the course of the summer in order to have the building ready for students is daunting. They do it with a smile and they do a fantastic job of getting floors and classrooms ready as well as having our gyms and grounds ready for athletes. Thank you to this whole team!

• The UCSD #4 Special Services Department would like to recognize Mr. Clark this month. Mr. Clark's work this summer has been incredible! Mr. Clark was observed out and about with the summer work crew supervising and working with them. He also had an unexpected hand in organizing and planning the changes resulting from the DVR director. Mr. Clark spent some time teaching/ providing services for ESY and his students this summer too. As the new Special Ed Director transitioned into the new position we've had some difficult cases where we have had to start having IEP meetings already. Mr. Clark's quick response to emails and texts, sometimes after hours, has really helped us to be able to move at a pace to be prepared for students when they return to school. We know Mr. Clark is spending time away from family to write the IEPS, PWNs and required Sped paperwork in a timely manner for these cases. His commitment and time with these cases will translate into well planned, organized and quality educational experiences for students. In the end, families and students benefit from the work Mr. Clark is doing. We are excited about the growth Mr. Clark's students will make this year. We wanted to let you know how much we appreciate the work you've done this summer! 

• As the new Special Education Director, I want to thank Mrs. Wentz for inviting me to come visit her classroom this summer and meet some of her students. As the new guy, that made me feel a little more comfortable. I also wanted to thank Mrs. Wentz for the extra time that she put in this summer helping me interview paras and make sure there were appropriate transportation schedules for some of our students transitioning to high school. I know this work required additional time away from her family and summer time. I believe Mrs. Wentz's prompt help and attention to the matter will translate into staff that are better trained and more prepared to meet the needs of students when school starts. I'm excited to work with Mrs. Wentz and see how her students progress this year.

• In a recent special education staff meeting during a team building activity where I asked staff to tell us about one thing they were looking forward to for this school year, Amy Lansdowne responded by saying, "Easter, I just really like Easter and eggs and all of the games that go along with it!" or something to that effect. She made us laugh... or, well at least me. Thanks! When I visited Amy's room today as she was prepping it for next week her friendly, positive demeanor was awesome. She showed me the stage and other facilities she uses for her students. I can already tell that Amy's humor and positive, friendly qualities will help to put students at ease that might otherwise struggle with her content area (PE). I can see how students will love her class, just because they love you! I'm looking forward to working with you and seeing your students grow this year. 

• Linda Newton and Colette Bugas recently attended the professional development session on reading intervention with Dr. Kilpatrick. I attended part of it as well. Having spent a good chunk of my career at the secondary level... I was beginning to question what I had gotten into about halfway through Dr. Kilpatrick's presentation. I won't lie, it was a bit over my head. You can imagine my surprise when both Linda and Colette started asking for Dr. Kilpatrick's books and expressing enthusiasm and ideas about how they intended to use the training to improve the reading instruction and interventions at the high school level with students (who are struggling readers). I grew excited to help support their efforts with this and I'm confident students will benefit. Thank you for embracing Dr. Kilpatrick's training and working to put it to use to help our students! If you approach the rest of this year with this mindset—it's going to be one of your best years! It will have a positive impact on students.

• This month we spotlight our Transportation Training Coordinator and Bus Driver, Carmen Erickson, for the excellence she demonstrated at the Wyoming Pupil Transportation Association's 2023 Wyoming School Bus Rodeo in Casper a few weeks ago. Out of 64 competitors, Carmen received 5th place in the Transit Class, completing a variety of specific tasks related to driving and safety challenges that complemented her skills and training as a bus driver. Great job, Carmen!! Carmen was joined in the spotlight at the July school board meeting by Transportation Director Brian Deru, accepting the district's thanks to the entire UCSD#4 Transportation Department for their hard work in driving our students!