EVANSTON — The school board meeting on Tuesday was marked by support for the school district and pushback against the parents who have frequently made sharp criticism and personal attacks against the district.

Judy Hatch gave a declaration of support for Uinta County School District No. 1 and its employees and administration in response to Nichole Mecham’s Facebook accusations a few weeks ago, in which she accused most school board members of nepotism and dishonesty.

Mecham has attended many of the school board meetings for the last year and a half and, along with a few others, has often spoken out in criticism of the school district.

Hatch, the mother of school board trustee Jenny Welling, said she and many others support the school leaders and are tired of the “parent group.”

“They know that you are doing the very best you can to serve all the rest of us and our children,” she said.

She gave a stinging rebuke to the handful of parents that regularly criticizes the school district.

“Innocent people of all kinds here are being attacked, hunted and slandered in an effort to bully them into submitting to this tiny group’s desires,” Hatch said. 

“What has been alarming is how many of them are frightened to say something for fear they will be slandered in the same way that many of you have been,” she added. 

She said she has heard that people are writing letters of support to the school board and that some people are getting attorneys to put a stop to the attacks from the few parents who have been taking things too far. 

“It is time to make some changes around here,” she said. “It is time to let you all do your jobs. It is time to give you time. It is time for harmony and respect to once again be honored in this school district, and then — and only then — will the children benefit.” 

As she left the podium, the audience and board rose in a standing ovation.

Former school board member Julie Burleigh also offered her appreciation and support for the school district. She cited several things the schools have done, including the recent graduation ceremonies and Not Yet Fridays, as well as Wyoming public schools’ high ranking.

“Those school reports made me cry, because I’m so excited for the good that’s happening in our district,” she added. 

“You do not deserve the attacks and the personal assaults that are coming on you,” she told Superintendent Ryan Thomas. “…[You] can see from all the good things that are happening this year from the school reports that positive energy is being fed from the top. We support you. We trust you.”

She then addressed each of Mecham’s accusations against school board members and school district attorney Geoffrey Phillips, offering support to each in turn for their work. 

Earlier in the meeting, Thomas honored graduating student Rylee Berger for her achievements, especially for a video she created with her teacher, Eric Stemle. The Wyoming School University Partnership had written a letter praising her work and saying the video became a catalyst for additional videos, and that she should include it on her resume. 

Her father, coach Ryan Berger, shared his high praise of the school district, saying he has loved being an employee of the school district. 

“In 18 years, I’ve never been so proud of this district and the direction we’re going,” he said. 

He thanked all his daughter’s teachers, coaches, bus drivers, custodians, principals and every other educator involved in her life. 

He then shared his own perspective on the importance of working respectfully toward a greater school district. 

“We do a really good job at holding each other accountable. I appreciate that,” he said. “... Don’t humiliate. Humiliation is hurtful.” 

Struggling to speak through strong emotion, Berger especially thanked Rylee’s coaches Garth Wagstaff and Pat Fackrell and superintendent Ryan Thomas for their efforts. 

“... Mr. Thomas, you don’t deserve a lot of the comments that you get and the things that I read on Facebook,” Berger told Thomas. “... And because of you, I really believe I’m a better person. And every day I think about that.”

He finished by saying Rylee got to where she is because she listened to the professionals in her life, especially her teachers.

“We have awesome curriculum, and we have awesome activities and we go above and beyond what this government asked us to do in FAPE (free appropriate public education),” he finished. 

In the school reports also shared at the meeting, representatives from each of Evanston’s schools shared similar sentiments, focusing on the many highlights of the year. Throughout the district, PTAs have blossomed and flourished, including a Latino parent group that has become involved in their children’s education; principals are working with teachers to enable better collaboration; and all schools have implemented new programs and activities this year to support students in academics and behavior. Many students have met growth benchmarks, but beyond that, students have become involved in service projects, community events, school activities and more. Evanston High School assistant principal Scott Kohler particularly mentioned revitalized school spirit and the “Toward the Highest” slogan. The students also donated more than 1,500 hours of service projects the day before school ended this year. 

Later in the meeting, Kohler said the Not Yet Friday program has given students ownership of their performance and is helping them build a stronger system of supports. It is still difficult to keep everyone on campus, and the high school wants to improve support for students on the upper end through AP practice and ACT prep. 

Teacher Brian Hill said the staff supports the program. 

“We want to have a chance to see these kids one on one,” he said. 

Horizon High School principal Shad Hamilton said the graduates are working to go forward in life either in education or careers, and two of the 17 students have also earned scholarships. He said the new quarter credit system is working very well, and a junior high structure is in the works as well. 

At the middle school level, Evanston Middle School has created a new slogan — Effort Makes Success — and principal Eric Christenot said the students’ growth indicates they will score at least 21 on the ACT. Davis Middle School Principal Chris Brown also shared several letters from students to teachers this year, a few of which described their teachers as father figures. Brown also promised that DMS will grow to be one of the top 10 schools in the state. 

All told, many of the speakers on Tuesday night focused on the successes of the past year and said they look forward with hope toward next year.