School district talks graduation

Though the 2020/2021 School Year just started, discussion of graduation appeared before the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees during their meeting on September 21.

While part of that discussion was about the graduation dates for the three high schools in the district, the larger part of that discussion centered around an early graduation request from a student at Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School. 

Early Graduation

CCSD2 Jim Copeland informed the Board of Trustees about the early graduation request under new business, adding that the student, Chandler Myers, was in a “unique situation” before reading from his letter.

“I’m writing to you to request early graduation. Currently, I’m in the 11th grade and have taken 12th grade required classes like English 12 and Government/Economics. Right now, I have a 91 (percent) in Government and a 100 (percent) in English 12. I am also in English 11 and have 100 percent,” wrote Myers. “I will be passing all my classes and I will be eligible, credit wise, to graduate in May of 2021. One of my reasons requesting early graduation is that my father is often on the road working and my twin sister is going to be graduating this year. If I don’t graduate, I feel like I will probably decide to drop out and get my GED and start working instead of graduating.”

Myers added in his letter that his second reason for requesting early graduation was to either enter the workforce or attend WyoTech.

“This is a young man that has a twin sister that, at some point back in time, he repeated a grade. He sounds like he’s caught up and is willing to take the extra work,” said Copeland. “He’s actually going to a zero hour to make sure he gets all of his credits done. Sounds like his grades are fine.”

Copeland added that both Steve Priest, HEM Principal, and Travis Ward, HEM Student Counselor, recommended approval of Myers’ request. While Priest was attending via Zoom, Ward was not in attendance at the meeting.

According to CCSD2 Policy IKF, which dictates graduation requirements within the district, students must have 24 total required credits to graduate. Those credits must include; four years of English, three years of mathematics, three years of science, three years of social studies, one and a half years of physical education, one and a half years of health education, one year of fine arts, one year of computer application or keyboarding, and seven elective credits.

“There’s a lot more to a high school education than the books. I don’t like the idea of a kid missing part of that,” said CCSD2 Board of Trustees Member Paul Clark. “I almost get the feeling like, if we don’t allow him to do this he’s going to drop out anyway.”

“One thing I don’t like, like Paul said, is the threat of ‘I’m going to drop out if you don’t do this’. I get what they’re saying and if you’ve got the credits,” said Chairman James Sewell. “I don’t like somebody saying ‘We’re going to do this’.”

Clark asked if the board could consider tabling the request until they were able to speak with Priest and Ward. Priest, however, was able to weigh in on the recommendation.

“He’s in all the classes right now and doing well. Ability wise, I think he’s doing fine. He currently works as a maintenance person for the Hanna Housing and that’s kind of what he wants to do, go into construction or something like that, when he’s done. That’s what we’re kind of working with, trying to set him up with,” said Priest. “We’re trying to prevent a dropout and do what’s best for the kid.”

Copeland informed the board that it was not uncommon to see a student who had previously been held back request early graduation or drop out of school. CCSD2 Board of Trustees Member Charlie George and Board Treasurer Joe Gaspari both supported the recommendation from Copeland, commenting that if Myers had already completed the necessary credits to graduate there wasn’t much to keep him attending school next year.

The board voted unanimously to approve Myers’ request on the condition that he complete the necessary credits.

Graduation Dates

Copeland also informed the Board of Trustees of the scheduled graduation dates for the Class of 2021 at all three high schools in the district.

Encampment K-12 School will hold their graduation at 6 p.m. on May 28.

Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow High School will hold their graduation at 11 a.m. on May 29.

Saratoga Middle High School will hold their graduation at 2 p.m. on May 29.

It remains to be seen if graduation ceremonies for the 2020/2021 School Year will be similar to the 2019/2020 School Year with social distancing and masks requirements due to the novel coronavirus.

The next meeting of the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees will be at 5 p.m. on October 19 at the Central Office in Saratoga.