Ten Sleep approves staff to conceal carry

TEN SLEEP – The Washakie County School District No. 2 School Board met on Monday, Sept. 9 to discuss what would happen with the future of the football program, and give final approval for employees in Ten Sleep schools to conceal carry firearms

Five teachers were officially approved for concealed carry at Ten Sleep School during executive session on Monday night, after they were able to pass a psychological examination, a class put on by the Worland Police Department, and a drug test to garner final approval to conceal carry.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 10, the day after approval, the teachers were allowed to conceal carry.

The board worked on the concealed carry rule most of 2018, giving final adoption to the concealed carry rule in January of this year.

The Wyoming Legislature in 2017 passed a law allowing districts the ability to arm staff.

FOOTBALL

Following injuries to start the season, Ten Sleep football was forced to end its football program once again, but Athletic Director Sarah Novak came before the board to present a plan to prevent that in the future.

Novak’s plan is to introduce an intramural flag football league in Ten Sleep, to help increase interest in the sport in Ten Sleep youth, so that the program will not have to shut down again in the future.

Novak and the board agreed to pay the football coaches who were hired for the season the amount they were owed for the work they had done for the team prior to cancelling the season.

OTHER BUSINESS

•The board approved an out-of-state trip for the five students that made it to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. The four students who will be attending the convention are Kinsley Anderson, Josie Decker, Elizabeth Bleicher, Anna Watson and Corey Rice.

•In the report from Principal Levi Collins, he was happy to report a positive start to the school year, even with the disappointment of the canceled football season.

Collins stated that they are discussing methods and ways to improve student growth based off of the WY-TOPP (Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress) results that were released at the end of August. The staff will use Wednesday meetings to dissect the data further and make individual growth plans and goals for each teacher to increase growth.

•Superintendent Jimmy Phelps said in his report that Office of Civil Rights training was completed last month in response to a requirement from the Office of Civil Rights in a complaint that was filed last winter.

Phelps stated that a new air filtration system was put in place in the school’s shop.

He will be attending the State Superintendent’s Policy Summit Septe. 30 through Oct. 2, with his priority being on a panel of superintendents to discuss school safety.

Phelps also noted in his report that Ten Sleep Middle School will not have a football team either, while volleyball is going well so far.

•Administrative Assistant Neysha Lyman reported that TAC*ONE , an active shooter response and tactical training out of Colorado will be coming to help Ten Sleep faculty and students. Joe Deedon will be the trainer coming in from TAC*ONE and will work with teachers on Oct. 15 and students the following day.

This will help teachers know how to understand and assess the situation, and help students understand how to listen to their teachers.