Understanding Emergency Closure Make-Up Days

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Sometimes things seem more complicated than they should be. This is the case with emergency school closures or "snow-days" as in this case.  This past winter (I am using the word "past" hoping we don't have any more weather related closures), we dismissed school on the following days due to extreme weather conditions:

• January 10 - Early Dismissal
• January 15 - Full Day
• February 5 - Full Day
• February 8 - Early Dismissal
• February 9 - Full Day
• February 20 - Late Start

According to Montana school law, these days represent aggregate hours of instruction and need to be made up by the District as each school is required to meet a minimum of aggregate hours of instruction (see MCA 20-9-806).

Without going into the aggregate hour details, our schools will make up some of the aggregate hours without a vote by the Board of Trustees in the following manner:

• The District built in a snow day on April 27, 2018, Students and staff will be required to come to school on April 27, 2018.

The District must make up additional hours and is recommending on doing so at the end of the school year, pending Board approval. This will require a majority vote by the Board of Trustees. Here lies the proposal that will be brought before the Board at its regular May meeting:

•  WHEREAS: These hours will be made up by changing May 24, 2018 from a part day to a full day and at the end of the year by moving the last day of school from May 30, 2018 to May 31, 2018. Students will come a full day on May 30, 2018 and there will be an early release on May 31, 2018 (PBES 12:15 PM, FBMS 12:30 PM, CHS 12:20 PM).

I offer this information for transparency and planning.The District is required to make up aggregate hours missed and the Board must approve changes to the school calendar. At this time, these are the recommendations of the administration to meet those required hours. By sharing this information, before the fact, it should help everyone understand the process and plan for the proposed changes.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Transforming School Culture

Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

On behalf of Colstrip Public Schools, I am pleased to announce that we have secured Anthony Muhammad PhD for the District-wide Pupil Instructional Related Day (PIR) on September 24, 2018.  Dr. Muhammad will join us from 8:00 AM until 2:45 PM in the High School Commons for this professional development. If you are unfamiliar with Anthony Muhammad's work here is a quick biography:

Anthony Muhammad is one of the most sought after educational consultants in North America. He currently serves as the CEO of New Frontier 21 Consulting, a company dedicated to providing cutting-edge professional development to schools all over the world. He served as a practitioner for nearly twenty years. Dr. Muhammad served as a middle school teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, and high school principal. His tenure as a practitioner has earned him several awards as both a teacher and a principal.

Dr. Muhammad is recognized as one of the field’s leading experts in the areas of school culture and organizational climate. His work has allowed him to work with schools in all 50 U.S. states, 10 Canadian provinces, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dr. Muhammad is a best-selling author. He is the author of the books The Will to Lead and the Skill to Teach; Transforming Schools at Every Level (2011); Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division (2009); and a contributing author to the book The Collaborative Administrator: Working Together as a Professional Learning Community (2008). He has published 26 articles in education journals and publications in seven different countries.

Teamed with Solution Tree, Dr. Muhammad has presented several times to our administration at Professional Learning Community Institutes.  His latest book is in its second edition Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division. To find out more, here are a few links to help: 

• http://newfrontier21.com/consulting/anthony/ 
• https://youtu.be/5jYbhTzHvLg 
• https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Anthony-Muhammad-62939074119/
• https://www.cosa.k12.or.us/events/anthony-muhammad-all-means-all 

We are excited about this opportunity and hope that his presentation will help us "create schools that provide adequate guidance and support for all students and that schools aspire to become transformational institutions that make the community a better place to live in and our world a better place" (2018, Transforming School Culture; Muhammad, A., p. 156).

The Core Purpose of Colstrip Public Schools is to effectively focus on learning and growth for all students in a safe, healthy, caring and collaborative environment that ensures each student achieves intellectual and personal excellence, and is well prepared for college and career pathways. 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Emergency Lock-down Drill

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Tomorrow, Friday, April 13, 2018 our schools will undergo emergency lock-down drills. The drill will take place at each building and will be happening at different times throughout the day. This is NOT an active shooter drill. It is only a lock-down drill. Students and staff will be asked to respond to a lock-down alarm. The District believes that practicing emergency drills will best prepare our students and staff in the case of an actual emergency.

Upon completion of each drill the administration team gathers to provide evidence of our efficiency of lock-down procedures. We log this data as it is our goal to improve each time we drill. Furthermore, we are trying to drill at different times during the day to enhance our student and staff's understanding of each drill at it applies to different situations.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"