Changes in Security Access Control

Frequency Operated Button Reader for
remote door entry. Located at all main
entries.

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Our school district in response to continued senseless school shootings and security breeches across our country has implemented some additional crisis prevention measures for the safety of our children and staff. This year alone there have been nine (9) school shootings in the United States with four months left in the year. In 2015 there were twenty (20) shootings in schools according to Wikipedia's "List of Shootings in the United States." In response to such horrific acts, we know that not all tragedies can be prevented, but we need to do everything possible to keep our children and staff out of harm's way.

School safety is our number one priority at Colstrip. In response, the district is tightening up safety protocols that are already in place as well as implementing new preventative measures that may inconvenience the public and traffic flow throughout our schools. While there are only a few changes, we ask everyone to be patient and cooperate with the District in providing a safe environment for all.

Because our buildings were designed before tragedies like Columbine (1999) and that of Sandy Hook (2012), we have multiple entries into our buildings that will have to be redirected. These changes will come at some inconvenience to the students, staff and public, but are necessary. We want to do everything possible to prevent and prepare for possible emergencies in our community. Restricting unmonitored access to students and staff is the first step. 

Public Access Changes:

1. All doors except for the main entries will be locked.
2. All access into any of the buildings by visitors must flow through the main entries.
3. All visitors must check in at the front office of the respective school visited and receive appropriate visitor tags to be worn while they are in the building. This includes parents, past students and community members.

In addition to restricting and redirecting public access, the district has implemented a new security access control system. All employees will use a FOB (frequency operated button) to enter into any facility across the district. Keys will no longer be used for entry through our external doors. Old keys will no longer work. The security access system will recognize the FOB held up by its owner and momentarily unlock the door for entry. The system will record the time of day each FOB and its owner enters the building.

Once again, during school hours all doors will be locked. Parents and community members that wish to enter the school during the school day, must enter the main entrance at the far right door and then push the view panel button located in the breezeway of each school entry (this is clearly marked).When the button is pushed the staff will be able to see the guest and then allow entry into the office area. If a guest does not report directly to the office, the school will go into lockdown with a sounding alarm. Once again, student safety will not be compromised.

Another necessary inconvenience will be the scheduling of our building. All school activities will be scheduled into the security access system in order to allow doors to remain open during events. Activities that are not schedule through each building office will not be recognized or allowed entry. We are asking those of you that wish to use the building to request your event to be scheduled 72 hours prior to your event. Please see Board Policy 4330, Facility Use Agreement for additional details. 

Providing for the safety and security of our school district's students and employees is critical. The inconveniences and extra work are necessary. Colstrip Public Schools is doing everything possible to embrace the challenges of change as well as the opportunities they present. We hope that you will be able to support these changes in order to better serve our community.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

New CREW Members Aboard

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

As we begin our voyage of the 2016-2016 school year, we would like welcome and introduce our newest educators. We are excited about all that they will bring to our students during the upcoming year. 

To the Moon!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Goal Setting: To the Moon

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Apollo 11 Crew: Armstrong, Collins Aldrin [3]

In President Kennedy's race to the moon speech [1] given on September 12, 1962, he says:

William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, said that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage.

If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred [2]. 

It is true that "all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties..." As we begin the new 2016-2017 school year, I can't think of a more honorable action than the teaching and learning of our youth. Not just for those that it may come easy, but also those that learn with great difficulty. The honorable profession of teaching and learning is driven by man's "quest for knowledge and progress." As a school district, we are "determined" and will not be "deterred" in setting and meeting the needs  of ALL students who attend our schools.

The first faculty and staff meeting took place yesterday, August 22, 2016. We spent most of the day looking at student scores of the past so that we could set goals for the year ahead. We looked into the mirror of our work through the lenses of the 2015-2016 student outcomes. We found that there are challenges that need to be embraced with the enthusiasm of opportunity. We watched Kennedy's race to the moon speech given at Rice University in that it is a great example of goal setting and that it might help us embrace the voyage that lies ahead. We wanted to set goals with Kennedy's bold determination in mind:

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too [2].  

Even though the task of goals setting was difficult for our faculty and staff. Goals were set to take our students to places they have never been in their academic endeavors.  We understand the needs of our students and will attempt to do better than we have done before. It is our goal to improve and get better at every level and in all areas. We will do this in a year's time. We will set sail on the 2016-2017 school year with the same zeal and enthusiasm of that of President Kennedy when he makes his plea to America to embrace the goal of going to the moon:

Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked [2].

NOTE: First landing on the Moon, Apollo 11, July 20, 1969 10:56 p.m. EDT

Our staff here at Colstrip is determined to take our students to the proverbial moon and back to ensure that all students learn at national target of excellence in mathematics, reading and language usage.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 

 

 

Colstrip Public Schools Awarded AdvancED School System Accreditation

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

It is official, I just received confirmation on our system accreditation status. See the news release below.

(Colstrip, MT – July 19, 2016) – Superintendent Bob Lewandowski announced today that Colstrip Public School District #19 was granted AdvancED School System Accreditation from the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the national commission that confers the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) accreditation seal.  This means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that Colstrip Public School District #19 is recognized across the nation as a quality school system.

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components:  1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review.  The system’s accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term.

“School System Accreditation as conferred by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission provides Colstrip Public School District #19 a nationally-recognized mark of quality for our system and all the schools within our system,” shared Bob Lewandowski.  “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, stated, “AdvancED School System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners.  Colstrip Public School District #19 is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.”

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the System Accreditation Process at www.advanc-ed.org.

About AdvancED and NCA CASI
Dedicated to advancing excellence in education through accreditation, research, and professional services, AdvancED is the world's largest education community, serving and engaging 30,000 public and private schools and school systems in more than 70 countries and serving over 16 million students.  AdvancED is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).

NCA CASI is a non-governmental, voluntary association of nearly 10,000 public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout the world.

Emergency Operations Planning

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

On August 2, 2016 the Colstrip Public School District #19 will be reviewing their current Crisis Response Plan to ensure the best emergency management and operations in the event of a crisis. We have invited stakeholders that would play a significant role in an emergency response to join the District in reviewing and updating the current plan.  

This group is made up of approximately 50 individuals from school officials, law enforcement to emergency response agencies from around the area. This Emergency Operations Planning Team will incorporate new technologies and resources to create a new plan that takes an all-hazards approach to emergency management and plans for mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery that support the mission and goals of the District in case of a emergency or disaster.

The mission of Colstrip Public School District #19 in an emergency/disaster is to:

1. Protect lives and property
2. Respond to emergencies promptly and properly
3. Coordinate with local emergency operations plans and community resources
4. Aid in recovery from disasters

The goals of Colstrip Public School District #19 are to:

1. Provide emergency response plans, services, and supplies for all facilities and employees
2. Ensure the safety and supervision of students, faculty, staff and visitors to the school.
3. Restore normal services as quickly as possible
4. Coordinate the use of school personnel and facilities
5. Provide detailed and accurate documentation of emergencies to aid in the recovery process

Colstrip Public School District #19 is doing everything possible to provide and promote SAFETY, SUPPORT and SECURITY for the students that attend our schools.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

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!"

At Colstrip, Education is a Priority! COLSTRIP KIDS WIN!

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

The community of Colstrip got out and made a statement about its priorities at the May 3, 2016 Election with their vote to support its educational systems. Kids are best served with support systems like this. I am very proud of this community and its on going support for education.

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT IN FRONT when it comes to educational support, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE STAYING THERE! Well done Colstrip! This is MAKING DUST!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

The unofficial results indicate

• Mill levy proposition to finance the school’s Elementary General Fund: To determine whether the district shall be authorized to increase local taxes in the amount of $355,873.99 which is approximately 4.58 mills to meet the normal operational costs of the Elementary District General Fund for the 2016-2017 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 $6.18 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $12.37.  

• Mill levy proposition to finance the school’s High School General Fund: To determine whether the district shall be authorized to increase local taxes in the amount of $168,302 which is approximately 2.17 mills to meet the normal operational costs of the High School District General Fund for the 2016-2017 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$2.93 and on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $5.86.