Dan's Web Site - UoP (CMP 520)

The Wyoming Boys' School (WBS), under the Department of Family Services, serves as a rehabilitative/correctional facility for court ordered delinquent boys, ages 12 through 18. Located five miles south of Worland, WY on approximately 40 acres of land, the WBS has four Dormitories, which house up to 95 students.

The current student population for each dormitory are the following: Dorm 1 = 27 Dorm 2 = 17 Dorm 3 = 21 Dorm 4 = 18

The on site, year round school, is NCA accredited for grades 7 -12 and also offers a GED program to qualified students. A number of students elect to pursue GED testing as an alternative to a high school diploma.

The State Department of Education has outlined requirements and guidelines for issuance of certificate. There are 22 total credits required to graduate from Colter High School. Students must complete (4) credits in English, (3) credits in Social Studies, (3) credits in Math, (3) credits in Science, (2) credits in Health/PE and (7) Elective credits to earn an accredited high school diploma.

This mother, in a letter to the WBS, summed up what we try to accomplish. "Until my visit with my son on Christmas day, I was devastated and depressed at the thought of him at the Boys' School. The facility has done so much for him in this short time; I can't begin to tell you how much it meant to me to see him walk in the room, standing tall, with clear eyes and a smile. He shared with me some of the things he has learned from group sessions pertaining to anger control and assuming his own consequences for his behavior... I think the physical training has given him a sense of pride and control. He is able to measure his progress through his physical accomplishments, and he told me the stronger he gets physically, he also seems to be able to focus and concentrate mentally...Again, thank you for everything you have done for my son."

The Wyoming Boys’ School has two school improvement goals. One of the school’s improvement goals is to help each student increase his problem solving skills by making decisions with positive consequences. The second improvement goal is to help each student improve his communication skills through written language.

The average age of the students is 16 years. Lengths of stay ranges from 90 to 120 days on the short term Dorm to over a year on the long term Dorm. Students placed at the Boys' School have had on average 5 previous out of home placements.

Funding for the Wyoming Boys' School is $9,288,545 for the 2003-2004 biennium. Most of this funding comes from the State general fund. There is 94 staff positions appropriated for the Boys' School.

The Wyoming Boy's School provides a safe and structured environment with programs designed to meet the students' needs. A variety of group learning sessions in areas such as victim awareness, criminal thinking errors, substance abuse and family dynamics are coupled with counseling and Psychiatric support provided by Washakie Mental Health Center and the Department of Health.

Mrs. Francis, an English teacher at WBS has implemented an action plan called Stop, Drop and Write. Once a month students are given a written prompt and asked to write a five paragraph essay. The students are instructed to write an introduction paragraph, three paragraphs in the body of the paper and a closing paragraph. Students must turn in all prewriting, a rough draft and an edited/revised final draft.

Ms. Froyd, a math and computer instructor at WBS designed and developed an action plan called Problems of the Week (POW). Once a week students are given a POW to answer using their problem-solving skills. Students are asked to work on problems that relate to a specific subject area and theme for a period of one month. After one month a new subject area and theme is selected to help students improve their problem-solving skills across the curriculum.

On April 27 & 28, 2005, a WBS 12th grade student will give a presentation over HIV/AIDS. This student will show a video on the history, development & destruction of AIDS, and then he will follow up with a PowerPoint presentation on the transmission, stages, and treatment of AIDS and provided statistics on HIV/AIDS in teens. This WBS senior will earn credit to graduate upon completion of the presentation.