Last week, we ventured out after dark to the annual Wyoming School Boards Association conference banquet.
Held every year in November, it has been at Casper’s Ramkota Hotel for decades.
My best friend since 9th grade, Charis Reeves Kipper, worked for the WSBA for 30 years and organizing the annual conference was the biggest part of her job.
I loved our annual dinners in Casper in the days leading up to the conference.
She retired in May after notifying her awesome boss, Brian Farmer, in December, just after the 2023 conference.
Her timing was purposeful because she wanted absolutely no fuss made about her at the conference. She is without a doubt the most no fuss person I know.
A couple of weeks ago, Charis’s daughter let us know that she was getting a coveted award at this year’s conference banquet, but she didn’t want anyone to know.
Of course Owen and I were immediately in.
Then two days before the banquet, Charis called to say she was “coming to Casper,” and wanted to know if she could stop in for a visit the afternoon of the banquet.
What could I say?
So I was in my sweats, with my dress clothes hidden, my good jewelry tucked out of sight, my makeup bag hidden from my “command central” recliner and table that are my headquarters these days.
We had a great visit, she left, I changed into “good clothes,” for the first time in a month, and off we went.
We rolled into the crowded happy hour and the look on her face when she spotted us was worth all the pain of sitting through a nearly three-hour banquet.
The festive evening began with an inspiring musical performance from Lovell students.
From the heart of sugar beet country in Big Horn County, the singers are called the Sugar Beats Swing Choir and the band is the Electric Beats.
They were both really good and had us playing classic rock trivia.
We marveled that the band’s drummer is a seventh grader and he can sling those sticks.
Both Governor Mark Gordon and Superintendent of Public Education Megan Degenfelder spoke at the banquet, and both stayed throughout.
They cautioned the local school board members in attendance to be extra vigilant when the Legislature convenes this winter.
The mission of the WSBA is to educate, support and inspire school board members to strengthen public education for all Wyoming students.
During legislative sessions, it becomes the eyes and ears for school boards throughout the state who aren’t in Cheyenne.
Charis was awarded one of four Golden Bells, the most prestigious honor the association bestows.
Each huge engraved golden bell is rung as the award is presented.
Other Golden Bell recipients were education law attorney Tracy Copenhaver of Powell, longtime legislator David Northrup of Powell and longtime district business manager Roxie Taft of Upton.
Five current school board members received plaques as representatives of all outstanding school board members throughout the state.
The awards were presented by each district superintendent to
•Jennifer Axtell, Hot Springs School District 1, Thermopolis;
•Kim Dillivan, Park County School District 1, Powell;
•Joe Gaspari, Carbon County School District 2, Saratoga;
•Dawn Leonhardt, Fremont County School District 6, Pavillion and
•Curtis Rankin, Weston County School District 7, Upton.
Being a local school board member is pretty much thankless.
When things are going good in the schools, nobody seems to notice.
But when something or someone is amiss, it’s not a lot of fun.
I have been tough on the local school board here, nearly always because they don’t tell us a lot about what is going on, which leads to rumor, gossip and sometimes the third spoke, scandal.
They of course say they can’t tell us or they’ll be sued and the strife continues.
It was a great night to see school board members celebrate themselves and each other. And it was a reminder that they really do want what’s best for all kids, even though in some places they have a hard time telling us that.
Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at: SallyAnnShurmur@gmail.com
