“We need a procedure to deal with these requests,” said interim Superintendent Dr. Kathy Hitt, noting that the potential impact on the district could be huge. “It is time for a discussion to occur.”

She said a major stumbling block to approving such requests is that the local district would have no input as to the curriculum provided to the student, “but we would be held liable for the student’s test scores and any special needs the student may have.”

Hitt indicated the district currently offers two virtual programs students have access to at the high school building–Odysseyware and Virtual High School. She said many students use the two programs. “We have an obligation to do what is best for the kids, for those in our buildings and especially in any distance education program,” she said.

In a related conversation, trustees also discussed the number of home-schooled students in the district and what curriculum programs they follow. District administration will prepare further information for the board on both topics and report back.

In other discussion from Friday’s breakfast work session:

• Hitt informed the board that planning for the reconfiguration of Lander Schools has entered its next phase with formation of a steering committee and sub committees to address implementation issues. Hitt said the steering committee has met twice and has established four sub committees to review staffing, curriculum and instruction, facilities and interventions. She said both certified and classified staff plus a parent from each school building would participate in the process and as soon as the committees are filled, the work on implementing grade level school campuses would begin. She said the board and public would receive regular updates on the progress.

• Trustees chairman Bruce Palmer proposed a steering committee be created to begin the process of hiring a permanent schools superintendent. Palmer said issues that need to be determined before an actual search is launched include a determination of what qualities a candidate should possess in addition to professional qualifications. Further advice will be sought from the Wyoming School Boards Association and the topic will be addressed again at the board’s Sept. 21^st regular meeting.

• Faced with requests to purchase school property in Jeffrey City and the possible sale of school land for a new rodeo grounds in Lander, school trustees Friday asked administrators to prepare an accounting of all of the district’s holdings and facilities before any formal decisions are made.  The topic could be the subject for a future listening session.

• Hitt said the Lander schools would be provided with a coach from the Wyoming Department of Education to help administrators address several issues, including the change in district leadership with an interim superintendent and student performance issues. Hitt noted that two schools in the district did not meet Annual Yearly Progress benchmarks, so the WDE Coach would assist the district in the school improvement process.

• Trustee Teresa Nirider, a public health nurse, said that all children attending school in Lander, and across the state of Wyoming, are required to have certain vaccinations within 30 days of the start of school. Nirider said that under state law, those students who do not have all of their inoculations could be withheld from attending school. Hitt said a reminder would be sent to parents with specific information on what vaccinations are required.

• In personnel action at Friday’s meeting, the following staff members were hired: Peggy Bartlett and Charlie Gillman as bus drivers, Jennifer O’Connor as a part time paraprofessional and Kim Garrett, a paraprofessional, both at South Elementary and Keith Gibson, a Special Education paraprofessional for North Elementary.

The next regular meeting of the Lander school trustees will be Tuesday, Sept. 21^st.

Saturday’s operation took place near Shoshone Lake for a hiker who was separated from his companions. 

According to Sheriff’s reports, a 25 year old Utah man went missing on Friday while attempting to reach Shoshone Lake.  The other men in the party searched for the man most of Friday with no luck, and then telephoned the Sheriff’s Office early Saturday morning to report the incident.

The unidentified man was located around noon Saturday in the immediate area and was fine.

Yesterday’s incident took place in the Beaver Rim area when a 55 year old Cody man called his wife late Monday night to report that he had wrecked his vehicle while hunting.  The wife drove to the Fremont County Area Monday to search for him, however ended up calling Search and Rescue yesterday (Tuesday) when she couldn’t find him.  As of late this morning (Wednesday) the search was still being conducted by ground crews and fixed wing aircraft. 

According to Riverton Fire Chief Matt Lee, a trailer house at 939 East Monroe was reported on fire around 12:30 this morning.  The reporting party said everyone was out of the residence and the home was fully engulfed in flames.  When fire crews showed up on scene, they discovered the two back bedrooms were on fire. 

Lee said firefighters vented the back two bedrooms, then sent in two firefighters into the residence and had the fire out within minutes.    

A neighbor called fire crews back around 4am this morning reporting that the wind had fanned the fire back to life, however Lee said it turned out to be nothing.

Lee said the home and most of its contents were saved.

The opening of the bridge is being delayed due to erosion of the river bed.  In the coming week, paving of the roadway detour route will be completed, and signing and guardrail will be installed.

The permanent bridge was damaged beyond repair due to June flooding in Fremont County.

about 100 acres and forced the evacuation of a subdivision.

     Albany County Sheriff James Pond says the fire was reported

about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near the community of Fox Park.

     Pond says no structures have burned. He says the fire forced the

evacuation of the Fox Borough subdivision.

     Pond says air tankers from Colorado dropped retardant on the

fire on Tuesday evening. He says the fire is burning in trees

killed by the bark beetle infestation.

     The U.S. Forest Service is coordinating the firefighting effort.

Local fire departments are also providing protection for homes in

the area.

fight the wildfire burning near Boulder. The Rock Springs

Rocket-Miner reports today that three members of the Sweetwater

County Fire Department and an engine are headed to Colorado.

     The 11-square-mile wildfire which has destroyed dozens of homes.

     Assistant Fire Warden Wayne Silvers said Colorado authorities

have requested help with water tenders and other types of engines.

Authorities say the wildfire burning near Boulder has destroyed at least 92 structures and damaged another eight, but it’s not clear how many of them are homes.

     Boulder County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Rick Brough said Tuesday that

none of the roughly 3,000 people forced out of their homes will be

allowed to return for at least two days.

     Authorities say the 7,100-acre fire in the foothills west of

Boulder isn’t contained at all.

Authorities are investigating reports that the fire might have

started when a car ran into a propane tank.

acres of trees near communities and in more than 350 recreation

sites as it deals with damage from an insect epidemic that has

killed millions of acres of pines in Colorado and Wyoming.

     The agency has mapped out the projects in response to questions

from U.S. Sen. Mark Udall about how $30 million will be spent on

Colorado’s bark beetle problem. The Colorado Democrat said in June

that he was worried that the money might not be enough to address

the problem.

     Doug Young of Udall’s staff says the Forest Service has provided

detailed information about where projects are planned.

     Udall is sponsoring a bill to provide more help for the

infestation.

encouraging residents to participate in events planned in a number

of communities around the state during September to celebrate

recovery from addiction to alcohol and drug addiction.

     Deputy director of mental health and substance abuse services

Rodger McDaniel says that while substance abuse affects many

Wyoming families every year, people who misuse alcohol and drugs

can and do recover.

     He says every community in Wyoming has a stake in recovery.

     McDaniel says real stories of recovery and wellness can inspire

others to ask for help.

     Community events are being supported by mini-grants from the

Wyoming Department of Health’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Services Division.

     Office supplies, computers, tools, even vehicles – people can

buy all sorts of things at the annual Gillette city auction.

     Those things aren’t nearly as peculiar as the dozens of lawn

gnomes sitting in the evidence room at the Police Department.

     The city plans to offer the 143 gnomes at its auction Thursday.

     The Gillette News-Record reports Gillette police recovered

dozens of gnomes stolen from yards around northeast Wyoming in May.

Two teenage girls are the alleged culprits.

     Some people have claimed their gnomes. Those not picked up are

considered lost and found property.

     —

     Information from: The Gillette News Record – Gillette,

http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com

approval to developers who want to build a 70-acre shopping complex

and office development on the city’s east side.

     The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the city council voted

8-to-1 Tuesday in favor of the Blackmore Marketplace project.

     Within five to seven years, the development could provide more

than 500,000 square feet of retail space at the corner of East

Second Street and Blackmore Road. Businessman Mick McMurry owns the

land.

     The city council would have to give two more approvals and

complete a traffic study before development could move forward.

     Councilwoman Kim Holloway cast the lone vote against the

development. She says the development was “just sprawl.”

     —

     Information from: Casper Star-Tribune – Casper,

http://www.trib.com