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District highlights early-childhood gains, new curriculum and book program
Summary
Sheridan County School District #1 staff presented data on expanding preschool enrollments, the adoption of a grant-funded Connect for Learning curriculum aligned to Wyoming standards, and a book-distribution program that has given more than 2,000 hardback books to early learners.
Kendra Barney, the district early-childhood coordinator, told the Sheridan County School District #1 board that enrollment in preschool programs is rising and that the district has adopted a new, grant-funded curriculum to improve kindergarten readiness. "We wanted to make sure regardless of which site children attend they have equitable access to every skill and piece of knowledge to enter kindergarten ready," Barney said.
Barney said the district used funds from a Wyoming Department of Education trust grant to buy five classroom kits of Connect for Learning, a play- and project-based curriculum aligned to Wyoming Early Learning Standards. Each classroom kit included extensive teacher resources and roughly 300 books for students, she said. The district also piloted the curriculum in two classrooms before expanding it to all preschool settings.
At the same time, Barney described a countywide decline in early-childhood facilities, saying the district had lost about "50%" of preschool opportunities over five years and that licensed infant care is limited to two providers locally. Those gaps, she said, are driving demand for full-day preschool placements and increased collaboration with community partners.
A parent, Britney Whis, described how early supports helped her son and younger daughter. "They met with me and had a plan — we were doing that together. By the time he completed Kinder Boost he was fully ready," Whis said. Whis also identified herself as chair of the visual and performing arts at Sheridan College.
Barney said the district tracks screening data three times per year for four-year-olds and reported notable improvements at midyear and end-of-year screenings after targeted tier-one instruction and interventions. She urged continued community and board support to expand spaces and sustain the curriculum implementation.
Next steps noted to the board included continuing collaboration across campus sites, setting cross-district PLC (professional learning community) times for teachers, and following up on space needs to move more half-day offerings to full-day programs.
