Take Action:
Support Project 34 at Old Slade

Project 34 would turn the former Old Slade Elementary property into 34 workforce-attainable homes through a community partnership led by the Albany County housing and Land Trust. Laramie neighbors support this because stable housing helps Laramie keep the teachers, school staff, workers, and families our students and community depend on. This is a practical way to keep a former school property serving a public purpose.

Email ACSD1 trustees and show up to give public comment on May 13th.

Email ACSD1 trustees: boardofeducation@acsd1.org

Public comment: Wednesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at 1948 Grand Avenue

Click here to see the offer from the City of Laramie.

Learn more about Project 34 here:

Email the School Board

Your email should help trustees understand why this decision matters to the school district and the broader Laramie community. Keep it personal, respectful, and brief. You do not need to be a housing expert. The strongest emails come from people explaining what they have seen, why they care, and why they believe this project serves students, staff, and families over the long term.

Try to keep your email under 300 words. Focus on one clear reason you support the project rather than trying to cover every argument. End with a direct ask.

Helpful angles to choose from:

  • Staff stability: Housing affects ACSD1’s ability to recruit and retain teachers and staff.

  • Student continuity: When school staff can stay in Laramie, students benefit from steadier classrooms and stronger relationships.

  • Responsible stewardship: The Old Slade site can keep serving a public purpose by helping meet a real district and community need.

  • Community partnership: This project brings local partners together around a practical solution that benefits schools, employers, workers, and families. Partners include WyoTech, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, and the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance.

  • Family stability: Stable homes help families put down roots, which supports stronger schools and a stronger community.

Show Up for Public Comment on May 13th

Public comment is a chance for trustees to hear directly from community members before they make a decision.

The meeting is Wednesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at 1948 Grand Avenue. Sign in at the front desk before entering the board room.

When your name is called, step to the podium or microphone, state your name, and share your comments. Board members typically listen rather than respond during public comment. That is normal. Your comments are still heard and recorded.

If you have never given public comment before, it is normal to feel nervous. You belong in that room. Speak from your experience, keep your comments focused, and say clearly what you want trustees to do.

Public comment works best when it is:

  • Personal

  • Brief

  • Respectful

  • Focused on one main point

  • Connected to students, staff, families, or the long-term health of Laramie schools

  • Clear about the ask

You might mention:

  • Rising rents and home prices

  • Teachers or school staff struggling to stay in Laramie

  • Families leaving because they cannot find stable housing

  • Workers commuting long distances

  • The importance of keeping the Old Slade property tied to a public purpose

  • The need for long-term thinking, not just the highest short-term sale price

You can close your comment with:

I urge you to support selling the Old Slade property to the City of Laramie for workforce housing.

Sample Email or Public Comment

As a Laramie resident, I support workforce-housing future for the Old Slade property because housing stability supports strong schools.

When teachers, school staff, and working families can afford to live here, students benefit from steadier classrooms, stronger relationships, and a more stable community. When the people our schools depend on are forced to leave town or commute long distances, that affects the whole district.

The Old Slade property can continue serving a public purpose by helping meet one of Laramie’s clearest needs. This is a chance to make a long-term investment in students, families, educators, and the future of our community.

I urge you to support selling the Old Slade property to the City of Laramie for workforce housing.