Board to the Public: December school board meeting
Posted 12/24/24
GUERNSEY – Chairman Gary Anderson opened the Dec. 9 meeting of the Platte County School District No. 2 school board with Viking Pride student and staff recognitions. Elementary student …
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Board to the Public: December school board meeting
The Guernsey-Sunrise Lego League, under the direction of Karen Wambach and Daphne Malcom, were given awards during the December school board meeting. The team was recognized for their excellent performance during state competition, including creating a robot to perform a specific action – all while under the pressure of time constraints.
Lisa Phelps
Superintendent Lisa Weigel (center) and transportation supervisorJeff Keisershared how appreciative the district is of all the skill and willingness volunteer Max Garner (right) gives in support of Platte County School District No. 2 activities.
GUERNSEY – Chairman Gary Anderson opened the Dec. 9 meeting of the Platte County School District No. 2 school board with Viking Pride student and staff recognitions. Elementary student Anthony Ward and staff member Trilby Douglas were recognized, along with secondary student Jordan Atwood and staff member Troy Reichert.
Mindy Kelley was awarded a Veterans of Foreign and National Citizenship Education teacher post recognition award for promoting citizenship education in her classroom and at the school.
Troy Reichert was recognized for being selected by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) as the 2025 ACTE Region V Carl Perkins Community Service Award. The award recognizes the finest career and technical education (CTE) teachers at the middle and secondary school levels who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom and communiti9es.
Karen Wambach’s and Daphne Malcom and some of the Lego League students were present to be recognized for their competition in Casper. The team placed 19th out of 51 teams overall. Each of the participants received an award at the school board meeting.
Amy Hollon’s theater students were present in costume and shared how theatre has helped them overcome stage fright and gain confidence in public speaking. They thanked the board for their support, asking for the board’s continued support of the theater program at the school.
Max Garner was presented with an award recognizing his many hours of volunteering in the transportation department for the school district.
There was no public comment at the meeting.
In accordance with Wyoming state statute, the board voted to re-organize the structure of the board, with the following officers selected: chairman – Blaine Ayers; vice chairwoman – Sarah Seyfang; treasurer – Kevin Gross; clerk – Gary Anderson. Appointments to various boards were also made: BOCES – Gross; parks and recreation – Seyfang; legislative advocacy – Shawna Reichert; calendar committee – Seyfang and Gross; negotiations – Seyfang and Anderson.
The Wyoming School Board Association awards and a discussion reporting state meeting takeaways took up a significant portion of the meeting. Awards were presented from the WSBA to recognize Anderson to the Hall of Fame – the second time a PCSD No. 2. Board member has received the award. Board member Seyfang said there was a lot of conversation at the state meeting regarding the conceal and carry, and trauma-based issues with students. Anderson felt it was one of the best WSBA conference he had been to. Ayers found the idea of students putting their cell phones away during class, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) programs in combination with active fact checking was a move in the right direction. He also reported what was discussed at the conference about the funding model and how Wyoming is not gaining students – this will affect funding for districts in the future across the state.
In a report on the district’s facilities, Jeff Keiser told the board he takes pride in PCSD No. 2’s facilities, but he was pleased with multiple comments from high-level guests from around the state have been in the building for various functions. Anderson thanked Keiser for the work he and his team put in to keep the building and grounds in such good condition. Keiser responded, part of his approach is to maintain everything and fix issues when they are small, so they don’t become a big problem later.
Principal Liesl Sisson reviewed the 2024-2025 School Improvement Plans with the trustees. She said she met with the student advisory committee for input regarding testing atmospheres, and one result was a desire to do state testing in locations other than the gym since there were a lot of distracting noises in the large room. Another successful holiday bazaar was held at the school, hosted by Mrs. Kelley and her students, Parks and Recreation and Community Ed. High school basketball has begun, with 11 girls on the high school team. On Jan. 6, students will go to Cheyenne for the state culinary competition. On Dec. 18, a RIDE (Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education) celebration was scheduled to begin with a breakfast at 7 a.m.
Assistant principal Jeremy Dietchman reported the kindergarten class had pancakes and pizza the week prior to the board meeting. The November Hug-In-A-Mug event hosted 90 people. The fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students made birthday cards for the VFW. The sixth grade hosted a Thanksgiving dinner in their classroom for their parents. Representative Scott Smith came into the school and visited with the students.
Student support specialist Jen Raser highlighted some of her responsibilities, which include K-6 behavior academics, scheduling for secondary students and ensuring all students are on a path to qualify for a Hathaway grant if they desire to pursue it. She is also responsible for district test coordinating, ACT practice and actual ACT testing in April, as a member of the reunification committee she has attended Power School training with Curtis Cook. She is also part of the RIDE group and working with the Gear Up program. Raser is preparing for the FASFA testing in January, and is also a part of the Platte County Cares group.
Superintendent Lisa Weigel thanked the team who planned, prepared and celebrated district staff – past and present – for the National Education Week breakfast. She reported there was a great turnout, and everyone seemed to appreciate it. Weigel said the Winter’s Eve festival was a great success. She thanked the economic development team and Tri-County Parks and Rec. for their time putting it together, noting there was “great” participation from the district’s students, staff and community.
The superintendent informed the trustees the first Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) negotiations with the Wyoming Education Association consultant and district team met for the first time this school year. During the meeting the process and framework was reviewed and further conversation and collaborative work will take place January through April.
Weigel thanked Guernsey-Sunrise Education Association for holding the jean fundraiser to help support a family in need; and thanked the board of trustees for approving a holiday dinner and evening at the VFW for all staff, subs, and coaches on Dec. 6. Weigel also invited the board to the office Christmas reception on Dec. 20 and wished everyone a great holiday break.
The board of trustees took the following actions at the meeting: approved minutes of Nov. 11, 2024; , financial statements and payment of bills as presented, the 2024-25 school improvement plans for elementary, junior high and secondary grades, the resignation from special education director Kyra Hageman effective the end of the school year. The board also tabled the approval of fall coaching positions until the January 2025 board meeting and approved the assignment of business manager Nicki Quynn to the EILCP (workman’s comp) board.
Closing out the meeting, the board gave the following comments. Reichert congratulated the staff and board on their awards and said she heard a lot of good and positives in the community about the district. Gross said the past two months had been busy and he thought the Veteran’s program went over very well and he enjoyed being a part of it. The Christmas reception at the VFW was also nice, and he wished everyone a merry and safe holiday. Anderson thanked everyone for coming to the Christmas party. He also said in January or February there will be a combined workshop with Platte Co. School District No.’s 1 and 2, and Prairie View Community School – a public charter school. The meeting will be a way for all the school systems in Platte County to communicate and cooperate with one another. Anderson also wished everyone a safe and merry Christmas. Seyfang wished everyone a safe and good holiday break. She also thanked the district staff for what they are doing, and encouraged them to keep up the good work. Ayers repeated the thanks and wished everyone a safe and merry holiday break. He added, what Guernsey-Sunrise school does to help students learn about the U.S. flag and what the various folds actually means is “awesome”. There was a great turnout for the Christmas reception at the VFW, and he thanked everyone who came for that. Concluding the meeting, Ayers wished everyone a safe and merry Christmas.