November 26, 2020 The Lovell Chronicle 3
Tera Kostelecky uses art to connect with students Hospita| maintains strong
' financial position
BY RYAN FITZMAURICE
, Tera Kostelecky’s am-
bition is that within her art
room, she can make an im-
pact on her students’ lives.
The new art instruc-
tor for grades 6 to 12 for
Big Horn County School
District No. 2, Kostelecky
doesn’t come from the most
traditional background for
an educator. High school
wasn’t always easy for her.
“When I was in high
school, I didn’t enjoy going,”
Kostelecky said. “The most
impactful thing for me was
a few of the teachers I had.
They made a difference.”
After graduating high
school in Cody, she eventu—
ally moved on to Montana
State University in Boze-
man, where she earned a
Bachelor of Art in art k—12
education. She then attend—
ed Grand Canyon Univer-
sity in Phoenix, where she
earned a master’s in School
administration. .
In honor of the teachers
who impacted her, Kost-
elecky said she was driven
to go deeper into educa-
tion to find a better way to
reach students.
“Education is changing,
its ever-Chan ing,” Kost-
elecky said. “T ere’s got to
be a better way to impact
students.”
Art was a passing hobby
in high school, Kostelecky
Tera-Kostelecky
said, but as she attended
Montana State, that pas-
sion bloomed.
“When I was in high
school, {I‘ thought I was
pretty good at‘art,” Kost-
elecky said. "‘When I got
to Montana State, there is
v a big gap between what I
learned in high schooland
what I learned in college.”
Those years are also the
first time Kostelecky found
herself in the classroom. As
a teacher, she found a true
calling.
“After completing my
student teaching in Boze-
man, I continued my pro—
fessional education in my
hometown school district
as a substitute and paraed—
ucator. I realized then that
I knew God had me exact-
ly where I was supposed
to be,” Kostelecky said. “I
found every experience to
be rewarding.”
Taking a job in Lovell is
a chance to move closer to
home, Kostelecky said.
If you walk into Kost-
eleckys classroom, you’ll
see students working on
a variety of projects. Art 1
in high school is working
on creating a hotorealis—
tic animal wit black and
white colored pencils. Art
2 is tackling a pencil—drawn
self—portrait. Art 3 has just
been introduced to paper
quilling, an art form that
uses strips of paper that are
rolled shaped and glued to—
gether to create decorative
desi ns.
‘Basically, I try giving
students a wide variety of
experiences in their work
that reach to all elements
and principles of design,”
Kostelecky said. “I try to let
students become creative
on their own.”
Art gives students skills
to succeed in life, no matter
what direction they take,
Kostelecky said.
“If we really look, there
is art in and all around us
in our everyday life. Allow—
ing students to explore this
and develop the left side of
their brain will ultimately
allow them a higher level of
thinking,” Kostelecky said.
“...Problem—solvin is an es—
sential skill whic I instill
within my curriculum.”
The most important
task of every teacher, in ev-
ery topic, is the same, Kost—
elecky said.
“It goes beyond just art
concepts,” she said. “My
job as an educator is to
help kids see beyond the
classroom.”
Kostelecky also serves
as a volleyball coach for
the high school. It’s an ex—
tension of another pas—
sion Kostelecky has had her
whole life, physical educa-
tion and competition.
Kostelecky played vol—
leyball collegiately, she said,
and has found that going on
to coach the sport has been
another way for her to con—
nect with kids.
“I think there’s a level
of respect coming from the
coaching side, too,” Kost—
elecky said. “As early as
this summer, I was able to
connect with some of the
kids. It’s just a matter of re—
spect, letting the kids know
you love them and care for
them and building a level of
trust.”
Kostelecky said she re—
mains feeling fortunate and
passionate walking into the
classroom every day.
“It’s being able to go to
a job you enjoy because of
the kids,” Kostelecky said.
Governor provides additional support to Wyoming hospitals
CHEYENNE To ad—
dress the surge in COVID—19
hospitalizations around the
state, Governor Mark Gor—
don has authorized a three—
pronged approach to provide
additional support to Wyo-
ming medical facilities. The
state will receive resourc-
es from the US. Department
of Health and Human Ser-
vices, the W oming National
Guard and t rough traveling
medical staff contracted us-
ing CARES Act funds he di-
rected to the Wyoming Hos-
pital Association.
“I want to thank Pres—
ident Trump and his ad—
ministration for providing
much—needed resources to
Wyoming to deal with the
serious strain COVID—19 has
put on our healthcare sys—
tem,” Governor Gordon said.
“We have had to call upon
resources from outside the
state to help deal with this
surge in hospitalizations.
Many thanks to the Nation-
al Guard for answering our
call to help in our hospi-
tals. I also want to express
my deepest gratitude to our
frontline healthcare work-
Gui/Ml ~ Powell Thermode ~ Cody WWW Lovell
ers. Help is on the way.”
Hospitalizations are at
record levels and have been
increasing rapidly over the
last several weeks. There are
also several Wyoming hospi—
tals that have expanded ca—
pacity to meet the influx of
COVID—19 patients. Right
now, several hospitals are
also at capacity for ICU beds.
Two Health and Medical
Task Force (HMTF) teams
from the US. Department of
Health and Human Services’
National Disaster Medical
System will deploy to Camp—
bell County'Memorial Hospi-
tal in Gillette and Cheyenne
Regional Medical. Center to
help medical providers re-
sponding to the COVID—19
pandemic. Each 15—mem-
ber team includes physi—
cians and nurses who will
support hospitals in Camp-
bell and Laramie counties
for 14 days. The communi-
ties were selected based on
where the immediate need
was greatest.
The W oming Nation-
al Guard wi I also be provid-
ing support to hospitals by
augmenting hospital staff.
11an Thanksgivmg
WE WILL BE CLOSED
TVHURSDAY,NOV. 2 _*
Guard members will be as-
sisting with activities such
as delivering meals and oth-
er activities to free up med-
ical staff. There will be 10
guard members assigned to
Cheyenne Regional Medi—
cal Center who will be de-
ployed for 30 days unless
extended upon request. As—
sistance with non—medical
tasks helps the hospitals fo-
cus their medical resourc-
es on tasks where they can
have the most impact.
“Our Guardsmen are
poised to assist when the
state is in a time of in—
. creased need,” said Maj. Gen.
Greg Porter,» adjutant gener—
al for the Wyoming National
Guard. “Our soldiers and air—
men are alWays ready to aid
our neighbors and affect—
ed communities and partner
with other agencies.”
Traveling medical staff
has also. begun to arrive in
Wyoming to assist with the
state's COVD-19 response.
The governor allocated $10
million in CARES Act fund—
in to the Wyoming Hospi—
ta Association to coordinate
this previously announced
effort. As many as 50 addi-
tional personnel are expect—
ed to be deployed through—
out the state by the end of
the week to provide staffing
relief and ease the burden
on hospital resources.
“This much—needed as-
sistance ‘came together with
the coordination of sever—
al agencies,” said Lynn Budd,
Wyoming Office of Home— '
land Securit director. “The
result is a irect validation
of the teamwork that is typi-
cal of Wyoming.”
As a part of Wyoming
Department of Health ef—
forts to support Wyoming
:hospital, capacity, the .de-
partment has been in con—
tact on an ongoing basis
with Wyoming hospitals to
discuss hospital capacity
and surge plans.
These efforts were suc-
cessful with the coordi-
nation of the Wyoming
Department of Health, Wy—
oming Office of Homeland
Security, Wyoming Nation—
al Guard, Health and Hu-
man Services and the Feder—
al Emergency Management
Agency.
BY RYAN FITZMAURICE
The North Big Horn
Hospital District stands in
strong financial position as
the COVID-19 crisis con-
tinues, officials reported in
the board of trustees regu—
lar Nov. 17 meeting.
According to Chief Fi-
nancial Officer Darcy Rob—
ertson, the hospital did
great in gross revenues in
October, coming out ahead
of bud et by $346,000.
A arge part of that
was an increase in ad-
missions. The hospital
, forecasted 16 admissions
for the month of Octo—
ber but had 27. Similar—
ly, they budgeted 121 vis—
its for the emergency
department and finished
with 158.
Lab tests saw a si -
nificant increase as we 1.
3,060 tests were expect—
ed, 4,125 were performed.
Long—term care is the
major area of the hospital
currently under budget,
Robertson said, due to an
inability to admit new res—
idents due to COVID-19.
Operating expens—
es were under budget,
by $39,000, Robertson
reported.
The hospital drew
$180,000 in stimulus mon-
ey in October, Robertson
said.
“Not a bad month,” she
concluded.
Board president Brett
Crosby noted that the
hospital has netted $1.5
million in short-term rev—
enue in the past fiscal pe—
riod. Removing govern-
ment assistance put that
amount at $800,000. The
boards target is to have
around $400,000 in short-
term revenue.
A large reason for the
hospital’s success is that
the board spent $300,000
under budget for expenses.
Clarification:
,.';.In,.;0ur Nov.‘ 19 sto- ,‘
.ry, “Hospital staff give .up-
date on COVID—19 condi—
tions”, the New Horizons
Center Director of Nursing
Renae Miller was quoted as
stating, “We turn the other
way. We don’t patrol visits,"
in response to a question
regarding whether fami—
ly members are allowed to
make physical contact with
a resident during a visit.
The “Lovell Chronicle
did not provide full con—
text for this quote. The
“That’s the kind of cau—
tion and consideration
we’re going to need for this
hospital to continue oper—
ating long term,” Crosby
said. “We’re in a very good
position.”
BOARD PURCHASES
The board approved the
purchase of an augmenta—
tive communication device,
which will allow patients in
speech therapy to commu-
nicate through non-vocal
means.
“There’s just this need
for people I interact with
and it’s not being met very
effectively at this time”
speech pathologist Dirk
Schroeder said. “Allowing
some of these devices on
board to bridge that gap will
greatly enhance my ability
to serve my patients."
The $6,232 approved
qualified to be paid for by
COVID-19 funding from the
CARES Act.
The board also ap—
proved the purchase of a
ventilator for $9,500, which
is paid for by the Big Horn
Basin Health Care Coalition.
“With the onset of
COVID—19 and the short—
age of respiratory ventila—
tors in our area, it is a rare
occurrence that this device
was even made available to
us,” the equipment needs
statement read. “With this
device, it will give the am—
bulance the ability to trans—
port three ventilated pa—
tients to other hospitals as
well as providing additional
resources to keep patients
alive while waiting for an—
other hospital to accept our
patients.
“It will ive us a total
of five venti ators between
the hospital and the respi—
ratory department. This
device comes with enough
supplies to take care of ten
patients and more supplies
available to reorder.”
following statement , ,has
been released by Miller in
response.
“We follow CDC, and
CMS regulations on visits
at all times. During end of
life situations we do give
the family some privacy
to grieve with their loved
ones. We instruct and ed—
ucate on the dangers of
COVID-19 and the precau—
tions to take, and families
are asked to verbalize their
understanding of the risks,”
Miller’s statement reads.
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