Havre schools move back to normal year

The Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday evening to adopt a more traditional calendar for the coming school year in response to concerns voiced by community members and district staff.

HPS Superintendent Craig Mueller told the board he’s visited all 5 schools in the district and spoken with a number of community members who have expressed their concerns with the calendar adopted by the board in a 5-to-3 vote last month, one that would have had the school year starting Aug. 15 with the first semester ending before Christmas break.

At last month’s meeting Mueller recommended this option to the board, but it received pushback from teachers who almost universally supported staying with a more traditional calendar, provided the board wasn’t willing to implement a four-day week, which they had been lobbying for.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mueller said he spoke with teachers and staff and, based on what he heard, he decided to recommend the board opt for a more traditional calendar, which would provide more time for professional development and preparation for the coming year, as well as be easier for sports teams.

He said he also heard from many community members who agreed with teachers and staff, including a lot of folks from local farming families who were concerned about having their children in school so early in the year when they would otherwise be able to help with harvest.

“I appreciate all the people who voiced their concerns to me,” Mueller said.

Trustee Jacob Ingram thanked him for his time and diligence talking to so many people for their opinions.

The board also approved a number of policy revisions on first reading, as well as a new policy designating an at-risk coordinator to collect and disseminate data regarding dropouts in the district, and coordinate the district’s program for students that are at high risk of dropping out.

In the wake of the pandemic Havre schools have seen a rise in dropout rates, which board members, staff and administration have all expressed serious concern about, and Mueller said this policy outlines what the new coordinator, as well as administrators like him, need to do to study and address the problem.

He said the coordinator will create a dropout-reduction plan every year to present to the board to keep them informed about the issue, a plan that will be made available to the public as well.

The board also voted to partner with Learn Design Apply Inc. for some upcoming grant-writing services.

District Clerk Chris Wendland said the firm has a 50-year history in grant writing and, last year, had a success rate of 90 percent with their applications.

Wendland said the firm has identified an opportunity for a Community-Oriented Policing Services Grant through the School Violence Prevention Program that could provide up to $500,000 with a 25 percent match, for a project to improve school security.

He said projects can include shoring up coordination with law enforcement, metal detectors, improved locks, lighting and more. Wendland said Highland Park Early Primary School’s fire alarm system and the district’s keyfob system have both been identified as possible projects the grant could be used for.

He said the firm’s services could be obtained for a one-time fee of $5,000 and they will apply for the grant as many times as it takes to get it for no extra charge.

In addition to Mueller’s endorsement of the partnership, Havre Public Schools Education Foundation Chairman Kyle Leeds spoke in favor of using the firm, calling it a great investment.

“You’re not going to find a better deal than that in the grant world, I can tell you that right now,” Leeds said.

He said the Foundation would be happy to talk with the school about how to come up with the necessary match, calling this just the kind of project his organization would love to sink their teeth into.

Highland Park Early Primary School Principal Mark Irvin also provided a report on his school’s recent activities, specifically touting their recent efforts to incentivise reading for students.

Irvin said they’ve implemented a number of programs to get students reading more, including giving students rewards and recognition the more they read.

He said students can earn “Snow Bucks” by reading which will be entered into a drawing for prizes provided by HPS’ Parent Teacher Organization, which has proven very effective.

He said the organization has also donated a huge number of books, and the local Masons have donated Kindles as well.

Irvin said that he also wanted to thank the Havre Chamber Agribusiness Committee and Montana State University-Northern for donating money to purchase agriculture-related books for students.

Trustee Brittnee’ Loch’ said she has seen first-hand with her children that the program works and thanked Irvin for his work.

Irvin also said the school has been able to give away a tremendous number of books to students, books that would otherwise have languished unused, including through their backpack program which normally sends students home with food, and can now send them home with reading material as well.

In the upcoming year, he said, he’s hoping to leverage the school’s new iPads to get students reading books electronically as well.

During his report he also talked about the school’s recent improvements to their health program, especially for younger students, which includes everything from germs and anatomy to stress and conflict resolution.

Havre Middle School’s incoming principal Curt Leeds also spoke to the board, thanking them for their trust.

“I want to thank the board for giving me this opportunity to come home,” Leeds said.

Leeds was born and raised in Havre and taught in Shelby for four years before returning to town to teach math at Havre High for seven years.

For the last three years he’s been principal of Box Elder School, a role he will leave at the end of the year.

At the meeting he, as well as Mueller, Irvin and the board, bid farewell to Director of Special Education and Federal Projects Karla Geda who will be leaving the district soon.

“She’ll be a great loss,” Mueller said, “not only in her knowledge but her presence around the district. I really appreciate her support in the last 10 years that I’ve been a member of the district and I believe many feel the same way. I want to wish her the best in her future, but I do want to point out that she will be greatly missed.”

Geda spoke as well saying her time with the district has been a phenomenal experience and thanked everyone for the time they shared together.

“I’ve loved every bit of the time,” she said. “ … There’s never been a more supportive community.”

“I will miss the students greatly,” she added.

The board applauded her performance over the years and the school and Chair Curtis Smeby thanked her for her many years of service.

Before the meeting ended, Geda announced that the schools will be holding a community event in the last week of this month and they are always looking for volunteers.

Mueller also encouraged anyone in the community with students 13 and older to attend a presentation by nationally recognized social media safety expert Richard Guerry April 20 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Havre High School.

Before adjourning the meeting, Smeby also thanked all the candidates in the upcoming school board election, many of whom attended the meeting, for their participation in Monday’s forum, which he thinks went very well.