Following months of collaboration, a committee assembled to revamp Park County School District 1’s book policy is near to sending the policy to the board for first reading. 

On the committee to review the policy are parents, community members, district staff and administrators. Twelve of the 21 members are administrators, employees or school board members in the district. 

Representing the district are Superintendent Jay Curtis, Assistant Superintendent Jason Sleep, English teacher JoEllen Varian, English teacher Logan Burns, composition/literature teacher Stacie Lange, composition/literature teacher Justin Waterworth, Title 1 teacher Allison Leighton, Westside School counselor Christa Buhler, Westside Elementary library/media teacher Jessie Otto, IMC clerk Michelle Hartman, administrative assistant Amy Johnson and school board trustee Laura Riley. 

The purpose of these representatives is to offer a perspective from a variety of stakeholders within the school district in cooperation with those of parents and community members. 

“I am able to bring a variety of perspectives to the committee from an educator’s view, a parent’s view and my experiences from having worked in other school districts in Wyoming,” Varian said. “We all want the best education we can provide to the students in our community that reflect the community’s values and needs.”

Lange said she is an eighth grade teacher who has more than seven years of teaching in Powell under her belt. Her role on the committee is to give insight regarding classroom and library material selection.

“My goal was to advocate to maintain the ability to choose literature that facilitates a love of reading for every student,” Lange said.

Leighton brings her professional experience as well as that of a mother and reader to the committee. 

“I feel like I bring an open mind to see all sides at the heart of this important process and want to assist in creating a policy through which there is transparency and fairness to all involved,” Leighton said. 

Hartman, who works in Southside Elementary School’s library, said that she suggested a 0-5 book rating system that has been approved and will be adapted to apply to material selection and challenges moving forward.

Curtis said the current policy at PCSD1 is inadequate. The policy states a parent who wishes that a material should be considered needs to submit and sign a reconsideration form to the building principal. The principal will then form a committee of two teachers and a librarian who will review the material and submit the report to the principal and district administrator. If the issue is still not resolved the report and the principal’s evaluation goes to the district administrator, final decision on material goes to the board and whoever they feel is important to the process.

The policy notes that parents cannot decide “the reading matter” for children who are not their own.

Following a review by the committee the policy will most likely undergo its first round of review by the school board and community at large in February. Following this review the policy will be slated for a second review.

Once the policy is reviewed, numerous books that have been subject to concern will be reviewed under the new policy. 

“The most important aspect of having a clear policy is the guidance it offers for everyone involved,” Varian said. “Creating an improved policy means that all stakeholders have access to a clear set of guidelines and answers many of the questions currently being asked. As an educator, I also appreciate the guidance it gives me with contemporary books.”