Trustees Approve the 2022-2023 Calendar

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski    

The 2022-2023 Colstrip Public School Calendar was approved by the Colstrip Board of Trustees at its Regular April 2022 Board Meeting on April 25, 2022. 

The Calendar length is 169 student contact days. School begins on August 24 and ends on May 25. It has (8) Winter Break Days; (2) Spring Break Days. It has (143) Full Days; (25) Part Days; and (1) Half There are (184) Professional/Staff Days and (7) Pupil Instructional Related Days and (8) Professional Development Work Days or "PDW" Days for teacher development, work and group planning. While there are no make-up days scheduled in this calendar, it provides 1/2 of a day for possible school closure (not including one day provided by the Office of Public Instruction).

Staff Start Date: August 19, 22, 23 PIR

First Day for Students:  Wednesday, August 24

Winter/Christmas Break: 8 days plus weekends

Spring/Easter Break: 2 Days plus weekends

Last day for students: Thursday, May 25 (Half day)

Teacher Check-out: Friday, May 26

No Make Up Day Scheduled

Make Up Day Flexibility: ½  day (plus one day from State)

 

Total Full Days 143

Total Part Days 25

Total Half Days 1

______________________________

Total School Days 169

PIR Days                   7

PDW Days                 8

______________________________

Total Staff Days   184

 ______________________________

Quarter One = 42 Days

Quarter Two = 41 Days

Quarter Three = 45 Days

Quarter Four = 41 Days

DEFINITIONS

Full Day: (WHITE COLORED DAYS) This is a regular day of school.Typical days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the following times:

Elementary K-3: 8:15 AM - 3:25 PM

Elementary 4-5: 8:15 AM - 3:30 PM

Middle School: 8:10 AM - 3:45 PM

High School: 8:05 AM - 3:33 PM

 

Partial Days: (GREEN ) School is dismissed early. These days are scheduled on Fridays. Partial day times:

Elementary K-3: 8:15 AM - 2:25 PM

Elementary 4-5: 8:15 AM - 2:30 PM

Middle School: 8:10 AM - 2:45 PM

High School: 8:05 AM - 2:35 PM

 

Half Days: (PURPLE COLORED DAYS) Half-days often occur right before holiday breaks. Half-day times:

Elementary K-3: 8:15 AM - 12:10 PM

Elementary 4-5: 8:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Middle School: 8:10 AM - 12:32 PM

High School: 8:05 AM - 12:20 PM

 

School Days: Days students will be in attendance at school.

Staff Days: Days scheduled for the professional staff.

PIR Days: (ORANGE COLORED DAYS) Pupil Instruction Related (PIR) or professional development/training days. No school is scheduled for students.

PDW Days: (LIGHT BLUE COLORED DAYS) Professional Development Work Days. These are days when staff will have professional development or a scheduled work day. No school is scheduled for students.  

Vacation or Holidays: (YELLOW COLORED DAYS) Days recognized as holidays or breaks. There is NO SCHOOL on these days.

Board of Trustees Promise to Colstrip Taxpayers

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Colstrip Taxpayer,

 

On April 4, 2022, the Colstrip School Board of Trustees passed the following resolution to assure the taxpayers of Colstrip that although the board has voted to bring an annual levy to the voters on May 3rd, the levy amounts will be reduced or eliminated with Coal Gross Proceed revenues.

 

The annual levies allow the District to provide competitive salaries and wages to our employees in order to attract and retain the best professionals and services for our children.

 

The Board wants you to know that as you vote for the general fund levies, the taxed amounts identified in the levy language will be reduced, if not eliminated by revenues from Coal Gross Proceeds in fiscal year 2023.  When you review your ballot for the May election, please remember: Your “yes” vote will provide the school with budget authority with little or no cost to the taxpayer.  Please call the District Office if you have any questions at 406-748-4699.

 

See the attached Adopted Resolution: Promise to Colstrip Taxpayers  for details. 

 

Thank you for your support,

 

Colstrip School Board of Trustees

Tanya Bradley, Bruce Brown, Steve Becker, DeeAnne Egan, Sabrina Neiman

 

 

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PROMISE TO COLSTRIP TAXPAYERS

 

WHEREAS:  the Board of Trustees of Colstrip Public Schools voted at its meeting of March 30, 2022, to propose an increase in its general fund operating levies for both the elementary and high school districts; and

WHEREAS:  the amount of the increased levy was set at the minimum amount needed to allow the Board to adopt the prior year’s budget with minor adjustments; and

WHEREAS: the Board of Trustees also agreed it would not impose any levies authorized during the May 2022 election to the extent that the district has access to other non-levy revenues to fund the general fund budget; and

WHEREAS:  the Board of Trustees will rely on revenues from the Coal Gross Proceeds tax that are due to Colstrip Public Schools pursuant to law, to reduce and/or eliminate any increase in any levies authorized during the May 2022 election; and

WHEREAS: the Board of Trustees wishes to document its directions to its staff leadership team in this regard and to provide an assurance to the Colstrip community.

 

BE IT RESOLVED:

1.              The Board of Trustees directs its staff to provide the Board with the FY23 Montana Department of Revenue estimates of Coal Gross Proceeds at the first regular board meeting after said estimates are received in the spring of FY22.

 

2.              The Board of Trustees directs that staff provide an estimate of the distribution based on current law of said Coal Gross Proceeds to the district’s FY23 budgeted funds no later than the date of its budget work session prior to the annual budget meeting currently scheduled for August 9, 2022. The Board recognizes that increases/decreases in taxable valuation, which will not be certified until August 2022, could offset the effects of Coal Gross Proceeds during the budget adoption process. 

 

3.         The Board of Trustees directs staff to specifically identify Coal Gross Proceeds revenues by its annual budget meeting, currently scheduled for August 9, 2022, for use by the Board of Trustees to eliminate, or if insufficient to eliminate, to reduce any increase in levies authorized during the May 2022 election. The Board further directs that any Coal Gross Proceeds received by the district for fiscal year 2023 be used as the first dollar source of revenue to reduce what would otherwise be covered by approved school levies authorized by a vote of the public during the May 2022 election. Imposition of levies approved during the May 2022 election will only occur if Coal Gross Proceeds revenues received by the district for FY23 fall short of anticipated amounts.

 

ADOPTED ON: April 4, 2022

ADOPTED BY: Colstrip Public School Board of Trustees

 

Notice of Annual School Election

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

NOTICE OF ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the undersigned Clerk of Colstrip School District No. 19, Rosebud County, State of Montana that the Annual School Election will be held on Tuesday May 3, 2022, at the following polling place:

 

Colstrip High School Activities Mezzanine

5000 Pine Butte Drive

Colstrip Montana

 

The polls will be open between the hours of Noon and 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election.

 

Electors will consider the following issues at the election:

• Elect two (2) trustees, each for a three-year term. The candidates for the positions are as follows:

o Sarah Cookman

o Jon (Jonathan) Currier, Jr.

o Tiffany Davenport

o DeeAnne Egan

o Wade Steere

 

• 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 $291,960.48 which is approximately 5.67 mills to meet the normal operational costs of the Elementary District General Fund for the 2022-2023 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 $7.65 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $15.31.

 

• 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 $188,758.99 which is approximately 3.67 mills to meet the normal operational costs of the High School District General Fund for the 2022-2023 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 $4.95 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $9.91.

 

A qualified registered elector who will be unable to go to the polls on the day of election may request an “Application for Absentee Voter’s Ballot” from the school district clerk/election administrator’s office located at:

Colstrip Schools Central Office

Colstrip High School

5000 Pine Butte Drive

Colstrip, Montana

 

If you miss this regular registration deadline (30 days prior to the election), you may still register for the election by showing up at the county election office by noon on the day before election day. The late registration certificate may be exchanged for a ballot at the school election administrator’s office until the close of polls on election day. The county election office is located at:

Rosebud County Courthouse

Clerk & Recorder

1200 Main Street

Forsyth MT 59327

 

A late registrant may obtain a ballot on election day at the following location:

Colstrip Schools Central Office

Colstrip High School

5000 Pine Butte Drive

Colstrip, Montana

 

DATED this 1st day of April, 2022

Joanne Schrupp

District Clerk