Colstrip Public Schools invite you to make a difference and teach the next generation of student. We hope that you to come and join our team at Colstrip and "Make Dust!" Find out more about what makes this school district exceptional.
Colstrip Public School District #19 is a Nationally Accredited School System that is home to the Colts and Fillies. It is made up of one high school, one middle school and one elementary. The District provides one-to-one computers for its students as well as the latest technology and programming for teaching and learning. One of the District mantras is “Make Dust or Eat Dust” as the school system encourages students and staff alike to get out in front and take the lead.
Colstrip Schools also provide Home Court Advantage which results in safety, support and belonging for students and staff. The District schools have been very successful when it comes to academics, athletics and activities. The Colts and Fillies have won a number of district, divisional and state championships and awards. Our schools are a place where everyone works hard with a focus on its outcomes.
If you are looking for a place to belong and succeed, Colstrip Schools may be right for you.
COMMUNITY
Colstrip is a wonderful town with many opportunities for individuals, families and children of all ages. A large variety of recreational offerings, great school system, cultural events, headquarters of the four county economic development group, Southeastern Montana Development Corporation, excellent medical facilities and staff and a vibrant agricultural community make Colstrip a unique place to live and work.
Boating, fishing, picnicking and more happen at Castle Rock Lake. There is a well-developed and maintained trail around the lake offering year round walking, cycling or fishing access. A challenging, well-groomed and maintained nine hole golf course and a fully equipped recreation center offering year around classes taught by highly trained staff, an outdoor pool with waterslide and a newly constructed Splash Park. All of these community amenities are available free of charge to residents of Colstrip.
Colstrip has one of the most extensive and well developed park systems in the state with over 30 parks and 20 miles of paved pathways. Colstrip has received the Tree City USA award for several years running and was honored as Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary Sportstown in Montana.
School
board election ballots are landing in your mailboxes and the District is asking
you to support our students here in Colstrip. Please vote “YES” for our kids in
2023! The May 2, 2023 U.S. Mail Election Ballots went out in the mail on
April 14, 2023. THE PREFERRED METHOD TO RETURN VOTED BALLOTS IS BY U.S.
MAIL. However, ballots may be returned physically to the following locations,
at the following times: Location Prior to Election Day: Central Administration
Office at Colstrip High School Lower Entrance 5000 Pine Butte Dr,
Colstrip, MT. Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Location on Election Day: Central Administration Office at Colstrip High School Lower Entrance 5000 Pine
Butte Dr, Colstrip, MT. Hours: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
When you
review your ballot for the May election, please remember: Your “yes” vote will
provide the school with budget authority with little cost to the
taxpayer.
There are two levies to be voted on.
● High School General Fund Levy
Mill levy proposition to finance the school’s High School
General Fund: To determine whether the district shall be authorized to impose
an increase in local taxes in the amount of $111,424.82 which is approximately
2.24 mills to meet the normal operational costs of the High School District
General Fund for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The levy is ongoing once approved
by the voters assuming the district levies that amount at least once in the
next five years. Passage of this proposal will increase the taxes on a home
with market value of $100,000 by approximately $3.02 and on a home with a
market value of $200,000 by approximately $6.05.
●
Elementary General Fund Levy
Mill
levy proposition to finance the school’s Elementary General Fund: To determine
whether the district shall be authorized to impose an increase in local taxes
in the amount of $316,271.01 which is approximately 6.37 mills to meet the
normal operational costs of the Elementary District General Fund for the
2023-2024 fiscal year. The levy is ongoing once approved by the voters assuming
the district levies that amount at least once in the next five years. Passage
of this proposal will increase the taxes on a home with market value of
$100,000 by approximately $8.60 and on a home with a market value of $200,000
by approximately $17.20.
As you may know, it is
very important for Colstrip Public Schools to pass the General Fund Levies at
both the High School and Elementary School. Your support is critical. These
Levy Funds are crucial for maintaining salaries, equipment, curriculum,
activities and the operational expenses of this district. If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to call the Superintendent for more
information.
A vote for the Levy Funds
at the High School and Elementary District is definitely a vote for the
children in which we serve. Get the word out and support our kids and see that
these levies get a FOR vote. Thank you in advance for any, and all of your
effort in seeing this need through.
The Colstrip Public School
District #19 Calendar Committee would like to invite all of its
stakeholders/constituents to provide feedback on four different
calendars developed by the Committee. Once the survey results are
collected, the Committee will share the information with the Board at
its Regular April Board meeting for consideration in designating a
School Calendar for the 2023-2024 School Year.
If you would like
to take this survey on paper, please go to the Colstrip Public School
Central Office located in the lower level of Colstrip High School. Park
in the lower parking lot and use door #24 to access Central Office.
If you have already taken the survey, please disregard this invitation.
The 2023 Montana 3B
District Tournament was held from February 15th to 18th at Colstrip High School. The tournament involved twelve varsity teams (boys and girls) from the surrounding
area, with the top three teams advancing to the Montana Class B Divisional Tournament.
The tournament was a great success, with over 3,000 people attending the event.
Colstrip Public School has hosted the event for over 10 years. In that time,
there have been hundreds, if not over a thousand different people that have
worked the event to make it a reality. This is an extraordinary contribution by
the Colstrip community of time, energy and passion to serve the greater
community and those communities surrounding Colstrip. It is truly something to
behold.
This year, on
Championship Saturday, Tournament Director, Andrew Torgerson asked tournament
workers and girls basketball team members from Colstrip and Lodge Grass to help present the
flag that was brought to the school by the Army National Guard. Unfortunately
not all of the workers were able to participate, due to the responsibilities at
hand, but it was an opportunity to recognize so many that have worked so hard. Please keep in mind that those pictured are only a few of those that work the tournament.
It takes such a large number of volunteers and workers for this tournament. In fact, it
would be remiss to try to name all of the individuals that work to
make this event happen. With that in mind, I will attempt to provide an overview of those that are a part of making this tournament a successful event. In doing so, the District would like to thank and acknowledge the following groups and individuals for their contributions.
Organizers: The tournament was
organized by the MHSA 3B District and hosted by Colstrip Public Schools.
Tournament Director and CHS Athletic Director Andrew Torgerson and High School
Principal Robin Nansel were responsible for organizing the tournaments and
making sure everyone and everything was in place. The MHSA provided the rules,
regulations, and guidelines for the tournament.
Volunteers: The success of the
tournament was largely due to the efforts of the volunteers who gave their time
and energy to make the event possible. Over 100 volunteers were involved in the
tournament, including parents, teachers, students, and community members. The
volunteers helped with a variety of tasks, including ticket sales, crowd
control, concession stand operation, statisticians, data management, and clean-up. Enough cannot be said about the effort and work done by our volunteers. They are remarkable and keep coming back to make sure this event is a success.
Officials: The tournament was
officiated by certified officials who were trained and licensed by the MHSA.
The officials were responsible for ensuring that the games were played fairly
and according to the rules. The officials also helped to maintain a safe and
orderly environment for the players and spectators.
Maintenance & Custodial Workers: The maintenance and custodial workers
were responsible for keeping the tournament venue clean and well-maintained.
They were responsible for ensuring that the court was in good condition, that
the bleachers were clean and safe, and that the restrooms were clean and
well-stocked. Students workers swept the floor between halves and games and made sure it was ready and clean for play.
Security: Volunteer security members, Colstrip Police Department and Rosebud Sheriffs Department were responsible for ensuring that the tournament was a safe and secure
environment for the players and spectators. They helped to maintain order,
prevent fights or disturbances, and respond to any emergencies that may have
occurred during the tournament.
Concession Stand and Hospitality Workers: The concession stand
and hospitality workers were responsible for providing food and beverages for the players and
spectators. They helped to keep the concession stand organized and clean and
ensured that there was plenty of food and drinks available throughout the
tournament. Almost all of the hospitality food prepared and donated in order to provide coaches, drivers, volunteers, security, officials, workers of all types a place to eat and rest.
Administrators, Teachers and Staff: This group of individuals were responsible for oversight and response to the needs of the tournament. From security to clean up, this team provided the assurance and follow through to make sure everything goes smoothly. They are the helping hand and volunteer when there is none. Some had specific jobs including score table, clock, official game books, announcements, equipment manager, athletic trainer, and program sales to name a few. They were available at every game (2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) and were there all four days of the tournament until everything was put up and cleaned up.
Coaches and Teams: Even though this is the group that the tournament serves, it depends significantly on their cooperation, effort, sportsmanship to make sure everyone and everything is respected. They are responsible for putting forth their best effort and representing their schools appropriately.
Others: The fact is that I probably missed someone in trying to provide an overview of the tournament, I have included this category. The fact is that there are so many people, including the fans that make a difference. If I missed someone, I apologize, but thank you all the same.
In conclusion, the 2023
Montana 3B District Tournament was a great success, thanks to the hard work and
dedication of the various workers and volunteers who made the event possible.
The event provided a great opportunity for high school athletes to showcase
their skills and compete at a high level. It also brought together members of
the community and provided a great source of entertainment for local residents.
We commend all of the workers and volunteers who contributed to the
tournament's success, and we look forward to the next Montana High School
Association event. Make Dust Colstrip Montana!
It was a pleasure
representing the District and celebrating Colstrip at the Colstrip Legislative
Reception held Monday night at the Great Northern Convention Center in Helena.
Our District was one of thirty co-sponsors for the event. The event provided
co-sponsors a venue to discuss concerns and opportunities with legislators.
More importantly, it was an extraordinary night of honoring former Senator
Duane Ankney.
Speakers included the
former Senator, Senator Jason Small, Senator Barry Usher, Representative Gary
Parry, Representative Paul Green, Mayor John Williams as well as Governor Greg
Gianforte. Their greetings echoed the part that Colstip plays in energy and
service to the State of Montana and the greater United States. The reception
boasted about the Colstrip community and the hard working and dedicated people
that live here.
If hearing about the
great things that Colstrip has to offer wasn’t enough, NorthWestern Energy
announced that Avista would be transferring its interest in Units 3 and 4 at no
cost to NorthWestern Energy by the end of 2025. The deal would give
NorthWestern authority to use up to 444 megawatts of power from Units 3 and 4,
double its current share. NorthWestern believed that the deal provides
certainty for the community of Colstrip and Montana. That message resulted in
one of a number of standing ovations. For more information go to:
https://www.ktvh.com/news/northwestern-energy-to-increase-stake-in-colstrip-power-plant?_amp=true
The final standing
ovation was given to former Senator, Duane Ankney for his dedication and
service at the legislative level since 1987. It was a great night for Duane and
a great night for Colstrip. It was an evening that would not have taken place
without the organizational efforts of Jim Atchison and the South Eastern
Montana Development Corporation. Thank you one and all for the opportunity to
celebrate our community!
It is with a great deal of anticipation, that
the District announces that the high school gymnasium's floor replacement is
complete. The final finish is curing, as per manufacturer's recommendation, and
the gym will be open for use beginning January 22, 2023. All formerly scheduled
activities for the high school gymnasium will resume starting the week of
January 22, 2023.
The District would like to thank the community
for their patience and understanding as everyone has made sacrifices as we
worked through this unforeseen emergency.
FACTS OF THE MATTER
In the early hours of July 5, 2022 a hail storm
struck Colstrip causing considerable damage across our community. Some places
were worse than others. On the outside, the District buildings seemed to
weather the storm without damage; however, the inside of the gymnasium had
water. Pools of water were discovered in the gym by both emergency exit doors
by the custodial staff as they came back from the holiday break. Once the water
entered the building and pooled up, it began to travel back toward the door and
run beneath the door jam down to the base of the current floor and down to the
sub-floor. Noticeable cupping could be seen and felt on the surface of
the top floor approximately 30 feet in diameter of each of the two north doors.
The water was the result of the overflow
drains (located approximately 20 feet above the doors) spilling excess water
out over the doorway with a north wind crushing it into the building. The
regular storm drains were overloaded with hail and water. The overflow drains
protect the roof from weight overload and allow water to escape in the case of
extreme storms. The problem being, that the drains are located above the
emergency exits in addition the emergency door sweeps were not water tight.
The standing water was immediately removed. The
water that went under the floor was also mitigated as quickly as
possible. Testing for mold would have to be done. It would take two weeks
for cultures to develop and be analyzed. Unfortunately, after that time period,
the cultures indicated mold growth. Approximately 30 feet of gymnasium floor
would have to be removed to get rid of the mold.
At that time, an emergency board meeting was
called. The Colstrip School Board of Trustees declared the damage caused to
school facilities by the July 5, 2022 rain, thunder and hail storm as an
unforeseen emergency as defined in 20-3-322(5). The school facilities damaged
by the storm were scheduled for use at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school
year, beginning on the first day of school on August 24, 2022.
The school insurance carrier agreed that the
damage would be covered by insurance and the school should take additional
action. As Superintendent, I contacted Tyler Bush, Design Build Engineer from
McKinstry. McKinstry was hired by the District to provide Design/Build
Contracting Services (project manager). Mold remediation took place immediately
and the damaged floor was removed.
Contracts were developed to replace the floor.
Due to the cost of replacement the insurance carrier had to gain permissions
from their re-insurer before the contracts could be executed.
The re-insurer had to re-examine all details.
Time was of the essence; however, total agreement took time. After two weeks,
the contract to begin work was approved. Schedules had to be pushed back, but
the floor construction and demolition were underway. The board and public
were provided updates from McKinstry and myself at the monthly board meetings.
In addition to the replacement of the floor,
Colstrip athletic teams had to deal with a different practice and game
facility. New schedules were developed. Our entire community made sacrifices to
do the very best to make good out of a difficult situation. It was remarkable
seeing everyone pull together to make things work. Signage was established at
Frank Brattin Middle School. New wall mats were installed and lighting updated.
Everything from concessions to entry had to be considered in order to host varsity
contests.
Meanwhile, the old floor was removed. Upon
removal, the new floor materials came in as scheduled. The new sub-floor was
installed, emergency doors were replaced with a water tight solution, bleachers
were pulled out and the new floor was put in place. As contractors
worked, it was the goal to get the gymnasium ready for District Basketball
Tournaments and possibly senior night for the winter sport teams.
Special thanks to the Board of Trustees and the
Administration at all levels for making needed adjustments and new schedules.
Thanks to the Athletic Director and coaches for their support and adjustments
to carry out their practices, games and season. Thank you goes out to the
students and the industrial arts classes for their help in the removal of the
old gymnasium floor as they will be using the maple product to build
projects. The list of thanks goes out to so many that are unmentioned. It is because of your
efforts and contributions to make things better that our community will be able
to enjoy the High School Gymnasium in time for our winter culminating events.
Way to MAKE DUST Colstrip!
