Editor:

Attention Natrona County Parents!

The Natrona County School District (NCSD) Board of Trustees has been working through the summer. They are re-defining terms; this is just a prelude to significant policy changes. The board decided not to recognize "schools of choice" or "lighthouse schools" because they felt that those schools went away when open enrollment was adopted. Schools like Woods, Park, Fort Caspar Academy, Casper Classical Academy, and Star Lane.

These schools have developed specific curriculum and programs that have proven to be successful. Parental involvement is a key factor in their success. Their structure is not like any other district school.

What this action does is say that these schools are the same as all other district schools. By denying these schools their identities and considering them the same as all the other district schools, it will shred the integrity of their programs and remove parental involvement. The success they have enjoyed will be lost.

They are also looking at the definition of "neighborhood schools," although that term also went away when open enrollment was adopted (you can see their intent when they are purposely inconsistent with the terms they want to define, and those they want to pretend don't exist).

This action will affect all the district schools: elementary, junior high/middle school, and high school. Your child will go to the school closest to you, unless there isn't room.

All the programs will be the same, even though many children learn differently. The board has been getting little response from parents on these issues, and I believe it is because many parents do not understand that the board will shortly be taking choice schools away and is moving quickly towards neighborhood cookie-cutter schools.

This would not be a bad thing if the board would utilize one of the successful programs, but considering that they want to deny that these programs even exist, I'm sure that won't be the case.

Although the new superintendent Joel Dvorak says he wants the district to be "transparent," his reign does not seem to be starting off that way. I urge the parents of Natrona County to contact the School Board and Joel Dvorak. Do not let them take choice and parental involvement out of the schools.

RENEE JORDAN-SMITH, Casper