Rumor vs. Reality and Board Meeting Follow Up

Rumor vs. Reality

Welcome to Sweetwater County School District #1's Rumor vs. Reality page. This page is intended to clear up misinformation spreading through the community. If you have a question about something not addressed on this page, send an email to communications@sw1.k12.wy.us.

Let's define some terms. A rumor is defined as a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth. The Reality we'll report here will always reflect the state of matters as they currently exist in our schools. And whenever possible, we'll provide links with more information and supporting or corroborating evidence.

2024-2025 (The data from the 23-24 year has been archived here: 2023-2024 Rumor vs Reality and Board Meeting Follow Up.pdf.)

One of the strengths of a democracy is our right to question public officials and hold them accountable for sharing the truth with us. Their answers may not always be what we want to hear, but reasonable people can reach reasonable resolutions.

Schools today WANT to communicate honestly and openly with their stakeholders. Therefore, when something you hear doesn't make sense or if it is new and disturbing, conflicts with your previous assumptions, is reported by your child as fact, or in any way upsets your status quo, you can take positive steps to not only discover the facts, but to help defuse your own discomfort level.

When you as a parent are uncomfortable with something you hear about your child’s school, consider the following:

Call the school, but don't do so anonymously. Identify yourself so reasonable and trusting two-way communication may be conducted. Most schools will not respond to anonymous correspondence.
Speak only of your concerns. If "all" your neighbors share your concern, the schoolhouse door is open to them to meet with the principal or teacher on their own.
Go first to the source of your concern. That is how we can provide the fastest and most effective help. Don't "jump over the head" of the teacher to contact the principal if it is a classroom issue. Similarly, if the issue is school-related, your first contact should be the principal (or assistant principal), not the superintendent or school board. Just as any effective business organization would do, the school will redirect your concerns or questions back to the appropriate level so the problem can be dealt with where it originated.
Use appropriate in-place committees or groups to raise your questions about a rumor, such as the PTA or PTO clubs, parent forums, parent-teacher conferences, and the like.
Discuss the matter in a civil and respectful manner. After all, you are expecting the same manner of response from the school personnel with whom you are speaking. And, this sets a tremendous example for your children.
Read the information sent home from school with your child and the school / district web page if you have access.
Read local newspapers, where information contrary to the "rumor" may have been reported.
Take your children’s reporting with a healthy dose of skepticism. Kids often embellish without realizing it.

Our schools are here not only to educate and prepare children for their lifetime, but also to serve the school community. Schools want you to know everything about current and future activities and plans. You should know everything about the operation of your school. You have the right to know. Students' beliefs in their school can only be as strong as that of their parents/family members.

Board Meeting Follow Up

Welcome to the section in which we will address questions that come through public comment when possible and other issues that arise during board meetings. Personnel and specific student issues will not be addressed publicly per policy to protect the rights and privacy of staff and students. The district follows federal law around the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Here are our public comment guidelines published with every board agenda.

If a member of the public initiates specific complaints or charges against an employee, in order to protect the employee’s rights to privacy and due process, the Board will only hear those complaints or charges in closed session.
The Board encourages concerned individuals to file complaints using the appropriate District complaint procedure and appropriate forms, which can be obtained from the District’s website.
As per Policies BDDH and KD i.e. Public Participation at Board Meetings, please limit your comments to the Board to one time.
If your comments have been previously submitted in writing, please refrain from addressing the Board a second time.
Written comments will be posted to the agenda in the written public comment section below.
Written public comments must be received by 1:00 p.m. on the day of the Board Meeting and will be available for the public and Trustees to view but will not be read aloud at the Board Meeting.
Policies BDDH and KD titled Public Participation at Board Meetings continue to state that questions asked by the public shall, when possible, be answered immediately by the chairman or referred to staff members present for reply; questions requiring investigation shall be referred to the Board or administrative staff for consideration and later response.

2024-2025 (The data from the 23-24 year has been archived here: 2023-2024 Rumor vs Reality and Board Meeting Follow Up.pdf.)

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