Local Lookout: Court OKs school closures | School funding in limbo | Caregivers share stories

Court affirms decision to close schools despite parent objections
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
A Laramie County District Court judge has affirmed the School Facilities Commission’s decision to pass a plan that will effectively close eight elementary schools in Laramie County School District 1. Judge Peter Froelicher wrote that the state commission’s decision was in accordance with law, not an abuse of discretion, and not arbitrary and capricious, as the suit had alleged. The parents argued that closing the schools would harm their children by transferring them from small neighborhood elementary schools to larger, consolidated schools. The closures also would limit the families’ abilities to walk to school, and instead, the children will have to be bused, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. Read the full story.

School funding recalibration forces ‘blind’ budget for Albany County school district
Laramie Boomerang
Uncertainty surrounding proposed changes to Wyoming’s school funding system is forcing Albany County School District 1 to adopt its next budget without knowing how much state funding the district will receive. School administrators and trustees are discussing the growing uncertainty tied to changes to Wyoming’s school funding model and its potential impacts on salaries, insurance, facilities funding and extracurricular programs, the Laramie Boomerang reports. “This might be the shortest budget discussion ever because my answer is ‘I don’t know,’” the district’s chief financial officer told the school board. Read the full story.

Future of some Campbell County school resources, programs uncertain after school funding recalibration
Gillette News Record
Local school officials are upset with Wyoming’s new school funding recalibration model, which was passed by the Wyoming Legislature and became law without the governor’s signature. Campbell County School District Superintendent Alex Ayers said the new law creates an uncertain future for some programs and services and also financially punishes teachers residing in mineral-rich school districts like Campbell County, the Gillette News Record reports. Read the full story.

Caregivers share experiences
Lander Journal
At the Houlihan Narratives storytelling event at the Inn at Lander, physician assistant Jim Hutchison paused his story and addressed the packed venue. “If you’re a caregiver — or have been — raise your hand.” Amidst a sea of raised hands, the audience could see what the evening’s theme, “When Love Changes Shape,” was meant to reveal: That caring for sick or aging loved ones is more common, and less solitary, than it often feels. A collaboration between the Houlihan Narratives and Lander nonprofit Anam Cara Caregiving brought six storytellers to the stage to share personal reflections on aging, caregiving and grief, the Lander Journal reports. Read the full story.

Media association names Powell senior top student journalist
Powell Tribune
When Nalani Jordan was a kid in Basin, she’d get on her bike, ride around town, go to the library and read National Geographic magazines. Once a week, she’d purchase a copy of the newspaper, sit down and read it. She said she’s always been interested in the news, from local to global. Since those youthful days, she then moved to Powell, joined Powell High School’s The Prowl newspaper as a sophomore and this year has served as the paper’s editor. She was recently named the top student journalist in the state, the Powell Tribune reports. Read the full story.