Eastern Wyoming College faculty member Ellen Creagar has been appointed to serve a 6-year term on the Wyoming State Board of Education by the Honorable Governor Mark Gordon.

Ellen Creagar

The State Board of Education (SBE) helps to develop rules for evaluations and performance targets for schools, leadership and teachers; accredits K-12 schools across the state; works with the Wyoming Department of Education to develop and approve Wyoming State Content and Performance Standards; and, works with the Wyoming Department of Education to review and approve assessments of student knowledge that measure proficiency, student progress and promote college and career readiness.

The SBE consists of 11 volunteer regional representatives, appointed by the governor for staggered six-year terms. Creagar will represent District 1.

One of the current projects of the SBE is to construct a “Profile of a Graduate,” attempting to answer the question: “What does it mean to be a Wyoming high school graduate nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century?”

“As a parent of two children who went through the Torrington Schools, I have been invested in Wyoming’s public education system for 20 years, serving on parent boards and committees in the district. Further, I work with Wyoming high school graduates daily in my job teaching at Eastern Wyoming College. I recently created videos that address some of the Social Studies Standards as part of the Malcolm Wallop K-12 Curriculum Project through UW,” stated Creagar.

“I believe the work of the SBE is so vital to our K-12 system and that my work on the Board will help the ‘whole’ student. As we know in Goshen County, the work of schools goes far beyond the classroom; it is hard for children to learn if they are food insecure, if they don’t have digital access and devices, or if they are suffering from any type of trauma or emotional stressors. I was quite humbled and very honored by the nomination and appointment. I have the deepest respect for, and look forward to working with, the Governor’s Office, the Department of Education, and the Joint Education Committee as well as, of course, the other members of the Board.”

Creagar has taught history, political science, and social science at EWC since 1996.