Colstrip Board Approves Canvas and Reorganizes Its Leadership

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Joanne Schrupp presents the canvas results to the Board.

County Superintendent Joby Parker swears in new members.

 The Colstrip School District Board #19 reorganized and swore in new candidates at the May 9, 2016 Meeting. This is part of the reorganization process. The Board Members first approved the ballot canvas as seen in the photo. District Clerk and Election Officer, Joanne Schrupp presented the canvas for approval. The canvas contained two items: the Elementary General Fund Levy and the High School General Fund Levy. The Board approved the canvas results. The levies officially passed. The Board also approved election results for new board members by acclamation since there wasn't any opposition.

Bruce Brown and Deb Peters were each appointed 3 year terms by acclamation and Tanya Bradley will fill in the remainder of a vacated position for one year, also by acclamation.

José Ortiz was nominated and reinstated as the Chairman as was Deb Peters as the Vice Chairman.

The Board then appointed the following members as board committee representatives:
Transportation: Bruce Brown, Deb Peters
Facilities: Deb Peters, Bruce Brown
Curriculum Steering: Tanya Bradley , Steve Craig
Policy Review: Steve Craig, Tanya Bradley
Technology: Steve Craig, José Ortiz
Communications: Deb Peters, José Ortiz

Congratulations to all!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

A Purpose-Driven Education Through Strategic Planning

By Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Just short of seven years ago, on April 13, 2009, the Colstrip Board of Trustees formally adopted its new Strategic Plan.  Colstrip Public Schools’ Board and Staff Leadership Team embraced the method of strategic planning as a continual and ongoing process to set the direction of the District for years to come.  This is not a "strategic planning project" that is completed. Adoption of a strategic plan is an affirmation of the general intent and direction articulated by the Core Ideology, Envisioned Future and Goals and Strategic Objectives. It is understood that progress toward achieving strategic objectives will be assessed annually, and the plan will be updated based on achievement and changes in the needs of the children served by the Colstrip School District. 

Strategic Planning allows Colstrip Public School District to create a direction for the school district that strategically focuses its resources on identified wants, preferences, and needs of its community. As part of this process, Colstrip Public Schools has begun a strategic planning and thinking process which will lead to a stronger and more vital school district.  This process has been ongoing as Colstrip Public Schools moves into the future.  This strategic plan is intended to help Colstrip Public Schools in focusing its resources in a manner which will best benefit the children enrolled in Colstrip Public Schools.  

The Colstrip Board of Trustees and Staff Leadership Team began the strategic planning and thinking process necessary to amend its current educational goals to better fit with its commitments to children, to community engagement, and to knowledge-based decision making processes. The Board and Staff, through this process, to date have discussed at length how it could best meet the present and future needs of the students of the Colstrip Public Schools.  Point of fact, the School Board monitors Strategic Planning processes at every monthly meeting to assure the direction set are being met or are meeting the needs of our students 

One of the first  items the board and community determined in the strategic planning process was the Core Ideology of the District. The Core Ideology describes a school district's consistent identity that transcends all changes related to its relevant environment. The Core Ideology consists of the following two elements: 

1)   Core Purpose - the school district's reason for being (see slide above).

2)   Core Values - essential and enduring principles that guide a school district (see slide below). 

The Core Ideology and Purpose provide a foundation for purpose-driven governance. The framework used by the Colstrip School District for its strategic planning process was adapted from a model developed by Jim Collins, author of “Built to Last” and “Good to Great.” The Board focuses on five different planning horizons, starting with the long term issues first to provide focus to shorter term efforts. 

Follow up posts to this blog will further explore the strategic planning process and the District's Envisioned Future and the process associated in developing the District's Big Audacious Goal and Vivid Descriptions. 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Colstrip Public Schools Appoints New Board Member

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Lindsey Wertman being sworn in to office.
Also pictured are Joanne Schrupp and Chairman Jose Ortiz.

Colstrip Public School Board #19 appointed Lindsey Wertman as a new trustee on October 26, 2015. Lindsey served as a board member for the first time at the November Regular Board Meeting on November 9, 2015. She will also serve on the following Board Committees: Steering Committee and the Policy Review Committee.

We want to welcome Lindsey to her new position as a Colstrip Public School Trustee. We also want to thank her for her application and interest in the children here at Colstrip Public Schools.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Transparency through eGovernance

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Even though the School District has been paperless for a number of years, it is leveraging the power of the Internet to radically improve the governance process while saving time, taxpayer dollars and the environment. This new eGovernance initiative is a remarkably powerful, easy-to-use solution that enables the District to maximize the effectiveness of board meetings with increased transparency, providing a basis for better and more open communication with the public, while dramatically increasing productivity and saving thousands of dollars annually.

The paperless meeting solution is a 100% Web-based service. By making meeting agendas and supporting documents available on the Internet, Colstrip Public Schools will be able distribute documents associated with board meetings more quickly and efficiently, at a dramatically reduced cost to the organization.

Electronic distribution will not only save time and resources, but it will also provide unprecedented public access via the Colstrip Public School’s Web site to agenda items and other governing body-related information. This process will allow interested parties to review information prior to board meetings. All documents associated with the meeting are automatically archived and can be accessed by meeting date or by using the system’s comprehensive search feature.

The new eGovernance features can be accessed via the District’s Web site under the “School Board” tab, or for direct access to the District’s Board Agendas go to:
http://www.boarddocs.com/mt/cpsd19/Board.nsf .

We hope you find this new tool useful and informative.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"