School board approves request and hears the positive impact of MBI

At its monthly meeting Monday, Havre Public Schools District Board of Trustees approved a request by Cottonwood School District, heard about what Havre High School's implementation of the Montana Behavioral Initiative has done for the school and discussed the district mobility/transiency report.

Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson presented the request from Cottonwood School District 57 to cross boundaries into the Havre School District. Carlson said that the Cottonwood district requested to cross boundaries to do an elementary school bus pick-up near First Lutheran Church Preschool. Carlson said that he sees "no reason not to allow it." The motion was passed by the board.

During the superintendent's report, Havre High Assistant Principal Ed Norman presented the area report which featured the Havre High School MBI Club. Norman said MBI is an approach that strives to create a positive social culture that "reinforces positive behavior."

It "creates clear lines" between teachers, staff, students and community, Norman said.

HHS MBI President Taylor Gopher showed the board his "Leave Your Print" shirt which features the words "Pony Pride" surrounded by the words "Safe, Respectful, Responsible, and Educated." Gopher said that these are the schoolwide expectations and standards they would like students to demonstrate at school.

Gopher added that the MBI group is teaming up with the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce to put up these "Pony Pride" signs in local businesses to remind students to also show positive behavior while out in the community.

Gopher and the high school's MBI club advisor Mandy Nitz presented a video the club made to demonstrate their first quarter theme "Respect" in the hallways and classrooms of school.

The board also heard the district mobility/transiency report. This report discusses the rate of students transferring in and out of the school district as well as students who move schools or districts often.

Carlson said that student numbers are down; he added that he can see student numbers declining as far away as Great Falls. Carlson said that he cannot seen anything clearly and directly creating this. He said he is going to keep searching to "find the additional pieces" about why the district numbers are down.

The board also announced that Havre High School graduation is set for Sunday, May 27.

The board meeting finished with a closed session which ended with the board voting on the expulsion of a student from Havre Public Schools District.