NIOBRARA COUNTY - Niobrara County School District #1(NCSD #1) school board meeting was held on September 9. The school board has become more efficient with a scanning a QR code that not only has the school board agenda but also has a plethora of notes that include things from the superintendent report to maintenance reports.

The school board approved the purchase of a second bus, which will be the Tiger school bus in the amount of $265,300. The State of Wyoming will reimburse the district over a period of time in the amount of $213,000. The bus will have cameras, new seats and will overall be a more comfortable ride for the students.

Niobrara County High School will have new bleachers. The school board approved a bid of $162,545. There will be new sturdier handrails, stairs on the sides and center. There will be handicapped accessible areas. A new part of the bleachers in the front will have the capability of retracting or moving out to provide more seating. The bleachers might be installed late October or early November. However, realistically, they could be installed as late as spring.

Superintendent Dan Schmidt was happy to report that student enrollment has increased this year. The school district now has a student count of 317. Last year’s enrollment was around 289 students.

There were several large donations this year to the school lunch program. Some of the highlighted donations to the lunch program came from the livestock sale at the Niobrara County Fair, First State Bank of Torrington and Converse County Bank, Wyoming Beverage, Joe and Tina Netz and Mr. and Mrs. Single.

Chairwoman Lexi Ashurst, board member Amber Smith and Superintendent Schmidt will be attending the Wyoming School Board Association (WSBA) Fall Round Up. Ashurst told the board that it was good to network with other school boards. WSBA will be having their annual conference in November. During the conference, they will have a training for new school board members. Ashurst encouraged everyone to attend.

There is still a maintenance position open at NCSD #1. Superintendent Schmidt told the board that, for now, the district has a contract with Long and Associates. A technician will be available to work on regular maintenance and tend to the HVAC system as needed.

The board accepted the resignations from three staff. Teachers Andrea Osborne and Yvonne Stewart-Perry resigned and Cora Fitzgerald resigned as the middle school basketball coach. Cass Matney will be working with the junior class this year for the junior class play.

Petitions were approved by the board from parents that included 18 students to be homeschooled.

The next NCSD #1 meeting will be held on October 14 at 6 p.m. at the NCSD office.