Vote YES for Kids: Building Reserve Levy

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

TRUSTEE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A BUILDING RESERVE LEVY ELECTION BE IT RESOLVED:

The Board of Trustees for School District No. 19, Rosebud County, State of Montana, will hold a special levy election on Tuesday, the 15th day of June, 2021, which date is not less than seventy (70) days after the passage of this resolution. The election will be conducted by Mail Ballot. The first purpose of the election is to authorize the district to impose a levy each year for five (5) years beginning July 1, 2021, to raise the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($375,000) per year and being approximately 2.62 mills per year for a maximum of One Million Eight Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,875,000) to fund the Building Reserve of the elementary school district for the purpose of addressing playground drainage issues at Pine Butte Elementary School, the demolition of IBCLC and for projects involving safety and security, general repair and maintenance, construction, and renovation. Passage of this proposal will increase the taxes on a home with a market value of $100,000 by approximately $4.04 per year and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $8.09 per year. 

The second purpose of the election is to authorize the district to impose a levy each year for five (5) years beginning July 1, 2021, to raise the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($375,000) per year and being approximately 2.62 mills per year for a maximum of One Million Eight Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,875,000) to fund the Building Reserve of the high school district for the purpose of renovating public and academic restrooms to meet ADA code, repair sidewalks, upper and lower parking lot improvements, and for projects involving safety and security, general repair and maintenance, construction, and renovation. Passage of this proposal will increase the taxes on a home with a market value of $100,000 by approximately $4.04 per year and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $8.09 per year.

 Ballots go out in the mail on May 27, 2021.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

J.D. Old Mouse was the District's Home Liaison and Master of Ceremonies from 2010 to 2020. His invitation to go get "some'n, some'n" at concessions during ball games is comparable in certain respects to his invitation for all of our young Colts and Fillies to go out and be their very best in this life.

J.D. was a champion of our youth and their needs. He believed so much in Colstrip Public Schools that he continually fought to get as many kids as he could from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation to attend the school that he loved.

J.D. shared the Indian culture and led many powwows here in our schools. He not only announced, but sang as well. He was a man of conviction. He respected those he worked for and those he worked with.  He was a spiritual man that was willing to share his beliefs about his creator.

In his last five years at Colstrip Public Schools, J.D. battled health issues and conquered each of them. He stood tall over the loss of his legs and survived a kidney transplant.  J.D. Old Mouse walked the walk that he talked. He showed a resilience that is rare at best.

J.D. Old Mouse was "SOME'N SOME'N" for sure and for certain. He was loved and will be missed. Colstrip Public Schools will do its very best to see his passion lives on. A Scholarship Memorial is established in his name.

If you would like to donate to the J.D. Old Mouse "Some'n Some'n" Memorial Scholarship that will be awarded annually to a graduating senior that has shown exceptional resilience, please make checks payable to the J.D. Old Mouse Memorial Scholarship and send it to Colstrip Public Schools, P.O. Box 159, Colstrip Montana.

J.D. Old Mouse “Some’n Some’n” Scholarship Application

WHO CAN APPLY: Any senior that is on track to graduate from Colstrip High School in the second semester of their senior year. They must be able to indicate exceptional resilience in overcoming difficulties they have faced. Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.

APPLICATION PROCESS: All applications must be submitted by May 10 to the Counselor’s Office (See Jewel Davenport). The Applicant must submit a minimum of a 500 word essay describing the resilience they have shown in their lives. The Superintendent and the Administrative Cabinet will review the applications and select the recipient. The recipient of the scholarship will be announced at Graduation.   

Applicants are required to provide the following information:

NAME:

DATE OF APPLICATION:

GRADUATION YEAR:

ESSAY (500 word minimum):

 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 

Overcoming The Odds and Winning

Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Last Friday evening, October 4, 2019, the 1-2 Colstrip Colts faced the 4-0 Glasgow Scotties. The Colts are a young team, by the numbers, with upper class men that have been use to winning. This year winning has taken a learning curve. Winning traditions and celebrations are a little harder to come by, and giving up isn't an option when you are a Colt.

The past four years I have watched Assistant Coach, Andrew Torgerson jump into the arms of a winning Colt Football Team more times than not. All of the past graduates of Colt Football know what this is all about; however, last Friday's game was the first time that the team embraced this tradition with an unbelievable amount of joy as they taunted and waved the 200+ pound coach to leap into their arms. You see...it isn't all about their love for their assistant coach, it's what happens when you do what it takes to win. They knew what this tradition represented and they knew that they earned it by over coming the odds and winning 25-22.

Just look at the faces of these kids after the game as they look to their Head Coach, Stacey Yates, as he congratulates them on their victory. All too long I have taken both of these traditions for granted. Last Friday night was one of the sweetest victories I have experience (and I have to say I have been blessed to see the Colts win a number of times). This was special. What I had taken for granted as celebrations in the past became traditions of winning.

This is what I call HOME COURT ADVANTAGE! It's not just where you play (field, court or etc...), its who you are playing for and why. KNOW YOUR WHY!

Learning how to win is a hard thing to do and everybody has to go over a few bumps in the road before they learn how to drive. I think this group is getting the hang of it.

We call our students to BE YOUR BEST! Be your best self as well as performance. I am so proud of this team. Don't stop believing and making the sacrifice it takes to overcome the odds.

YOU CAN DO IT! has turned into YOU DID IT! Its a big difference in moving forward. Remember what it takes to win Colts and apply it to everything you do. Make Dust!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Capturing the Moment

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

There is no better compliment as an educator than those that come from a student. This act of kindness is definitely a great example of a student being their BEST SELF!

Special thanks to Senior Cody Blaede and all of the students that I have had the opportunity to capture during activities and sporting events. Its a pleasure being a part of your successes.

WELL DONE CODY BLAEDE!

 

 

 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Montana Activity Director Award Given

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Congratulations goes out to Colstrip High School Principal and Activity Director Mark Ator for being selected at the MIAAA Montana Activity Director of the Year.

Well done Mr. Ator. Way to make dust!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Challenge Met by the IBEW Local 1638

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski
 
We don't  get many surprises in Central Office, but today's coat delivery was among the best.  The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1638 brought New Year's Tidings to Colstrip students with coats and jackets for all ages.
Pictured to the right: Casey Krebs, Stacey Yates, Ted Stimac and Candice Stimac hold a few of the coats that were collected by the Local 1638 IBEW and donated for Colstrip students that may need a little extra warmth and style going into 2019.

It is great to see this type of community support for the kids of Colstrip. This random act of kindness certainly is a great example of our District's BE YOUR BEST CHALLENGE. This challenge calls our students, staff and community (in this case) not only to be their best at the jobs they do (Performance), but to be their best selves (Character). Ladies and gentlemen, this definitely meets the "Character" challenge in being your best self.

Well done IBEW, Local 1638! You not only brought warmth to students here at Colstrip, but you set an example to follow.

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GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"