TSD 401 sets end-of-school-year date, discusses graduation, and moves forward with mascot process

At a teleconference meeting Monday night, the Board of Trustees of Teton School District 401 approved an early finish to the school year, discussed plans for the end of the school year, and moved forward to replace the Teton High mascot. Parents and students are advised to watch for more details in the coming weeks.

• The board voted to end home-based learning for most students on Friday, May 22. Those students who have not yet met their academic obligations by that date have the chance to work through June 4 to finish assignments. Teachers will assist those students, and all staff will complete their contracts through Thursday, June 4.
• The board was updated about the plans for Teton High’s graduation. It will take place at 7 pm on Thursday, June 4, its original planned date. To accommodate social distancing requirements, the ceremony will be held at the Spud Drive-In south of Driggs. Each THS Senior will receive a single admission ticket for their family’s vehicle. Diplomas will be presented to graduates, who will walk across a stage that will be built in front of the drive-in screen. After dark, a video will be broadcast, including pre-recorded student, faculty, and administrative speeches, along with the THS traditional montage of baby pictures and senior photos.
• Basin High’s graduation will be held the same night (June 4) also at the Spud and will start at 5:30 pm with a similar presentation of diplomas. The administrators from the district’s other schools are fine-tuning end-of-year activities, including the 8th-grade promotion from Teton Middle School.
• The board voted unanimously to proceed with the process to find a new mascot for Teton High School: o First, the public is encouraged to suggest their ideas based on criteria set by the mascot committee of parents and staff. Everyone in the community is encouraged to nominate their favorite; multiple submissions of the same mascot will not carry more weight.
• The nomination process will take place online through Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at 5 pm. The link to see the criteria and submit a suggestion is https://forms.gle/NEXfCwSXJ3nnrLs49.
• The committee will then review the list generated during the brainstorming step and whittle these options based on their evaluation of how well each one meets the parameters. The final step will be an online vote by all students in grades 8-12.
• Subsequent committee meetings are expected to also be held remotely, in accordance with the Governor’s stages of public access.

Monday’s meeting, including nearly two hours of pre-submitted public comment, was live-streamed in two sections; both are archived on the district’s Facebook page.