Midwest School, First In Country To Have Night Football Under Lights, On Cut List
Reported byCowboy State Daily
Read the full story at Cowboy State DailyAI-assisted summary
Leaders of the Natrona County School District in Wyoming are considering closing grades 6-12 at Midwest School starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The possibility was described in a message to parents from the school's interim principal, which Cowboy State Daily viewed. The message points to funding and staffing difficulties tied to changes in the state's school funding model, along with significant ongoing facility needs. Midwest is a town of about 285 people roughly 44 miles north of Casper. The school is known for hosting what is recognized as the first completed high school football game played under electric lights, in 1925.
District leadership is expected to give a report to the Board Infrastructure Planning Committee. If that committee sends the idea on, the full board of trustees would discuss it on Oct. 26 and Nov. 9. The article says district representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The town's mayor says he learned of the idea through social media and fears for the town, its football field, and teacher housing. A parent of children at the school says her family would consider other districts. A former legislator who is running for state superintendent says last session's funding changes reduced support for small schools, and he hopes lawmakers revisit them.
Why it matters
Closing the upper grades could change where local students attend school, how they reach sports and activities, and where teachers live. It also shows how state funding rules can affect small rural districts and the communities built around their schools.
- School closures
- State funding formula
- Building repairs
- Enrollment decline
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
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- What information should a district share with families and town officials before a possible school closure is publicly discussed?
- How should a board weigh the costs of running a small rural school against the role it plays in its community?
- If secondary grades close, what supports could help students with travel, activities, and the move to a new school?
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