School Board Trustees: Strategic Planning, Homeschool Issues
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
School Board Trustees: Strategic Planning, Homeschool Issues Nancy Marks School Board Trustees faced scheduling issues with the Strategic Planning meeting at their regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting lasted three hours.
A public survey has been emailed to all parents and advertised via social media and in the papers asking the public to comment on questions about the 4-Day school week. The survey closes on April 20 and will be tabulated by Montana High School Association. Board members will then hold a special board meeting for public comment. The date will be announced in advance. Following discussion trustees will make a formal decision on the 4-Day school week. A decision on homeschoolers attending high school dances is covered in a separate story in this paper.
Special education records in Townsend schools will be disposed of 5 years after the student has graduated or left the school. Work contract statements for teacher of the deaf, Brittany Graham, and behavior consultant, Ann Garfinkle, were approved.
Senior student parents Emma Spurlock and Lacey Forrey presented a plan for the senior all-night party following graduation on May 21st and asked to use the high school facilities. Spurlock said they would have six to eight chaperones all night. They would like to use the gym, the home education room and the concessions booth. Trustees approved the request.
Employee resignations for Cassidy Driscoll, Don Cross, Lori Hansen were granted. Denise Bakkum resigned as advisor of the Broadwater Closeup student group.
Employees approved pending background checks were PreK-2nd grade special education, Morgan Nunn; Shari Toney, summer camp program; Scarlett McDaniel and Whitney Robertson, after-school program tutors; Gracianna Olds, American Sign Language interpreter substitute and Shannon Walker, substitute teacher.
Trustees approved policy manual updates. The 800-page document update was the result of several meetings with Superintendent Susie Hedalen and the trustees. “Thank you to everyone who worked in the five sessions we held. It was a huge amount of work. We are glad it is finished,” Trustee Shaun Scott declared.
Administrators’ reports included Elementary School Principal Christina Hartmann thanked American Legion Post #42 for presenting an Americanism program to the 5th graders. The summer camp schedule should be out by May 1st. The Kindergarten Roundup signed up 55 new students for next year. Signup has been extended to April 27. The K-5 spring concert is set for May 4 at 6:00 p.m.
Middle School Principal Brad Racht reported the students will be working on their Holocaust Remembrance night which will be open to the public on May 16 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The 6-8 Spring Concert is set for May 1st at 7:00 p.m.
High School Principal Sheri Heavrin reported two students qualified to go to national competitions in Decca and FCCLA student activity programs, Conner Lamb and Kristin Moos, respectively. The juniors will begin job shadowing in Helena, Bozeman, Townsend and Three Forks beginning April 17. The effort is organized by the high school counselors. The District Music Festival is on April 14 in Helena with the State Music Festival in Missoula slated for May 5th and 6th. The Future Farmers of America banquet is set for April 17. April 29 is Junior Prom night. “It’s a busy few weeks coming up for the students and us,” Heavrin declared.
Superintendent Hedalen reported the Old Baldy Education courses have been packed. She is working on publishing an advertisement for hiring new staff. “We will receive more COVID relief funding due to our ongoing growth of enrollment. It will help us stay within budget,” she explained.
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Board of Trustees: Left to right: Shaun Scott, Vanessa Flynn, Todd Olson, Chairman Jason Noyes and Kevin McDonnell shown remotely.
