School board approves 5K run, Sunnyside ribbon-cutting planned

The Havre Public School District Board of Trustees met Tuesday to approve a 5K benefit run and a trip to Washington, D.C., and to plan the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovations at Sunnyside Primary School.

The High School Partners Advocating Student Success Team, led by Havre High School Adviser Karla Coy, were looking to start planning for a 5K run to “highlight graduation in May.”

The 5K would start and begin at the high school, running past Lincoln-McKinley Primary School and Sunnyside Intermediate School. The run is currently scheduled for May 16.

The 20 students on the team will be seeking sponsorship from local community members and businesses, as well as asking for donations. Coy said that they hope to not have any expenses that will fall on the school or students.

The funds raised by the event would go to things like funding attendance awards and incentives to get students motivated to participate in school events and get good grades. Coy said they would eventually try to set up online tutoring for the students.

Superintendent Andy Carlson spoke on behalf of the Student Success Team, touting that they try to find ways to get students to stay in school and decrease dropout rates. this would be the couple-year-old team’s first attempt at a big event.

Another high school organization, Close Up, was seeking permission to take a trip to Washington, D.C., to give students a chance to learn about the nation’s capital.

Kipp Lewis, the vice principal at the high school, spoke on behalf of the Close Up program and their trip.

“Having been part of a Close Up program at a previous school, I can’t stress how important it is for these kids to experience this,” Lewis said. "… It’s just a great experience for them.”

The students who want to go can fund their trip through fundraising and scholarships or out of their own and their parents’ pockets.

The board unanimously approved the request.

Carlson said the renovations at Sunnyside are going pretty well and asked the board what would be a good time to schedule a ribbon-cutting ceremony so the community can see the work that has been done at the school. They decided 5 p.m. Tuesday would be a good time.