Tournament Workers Make It Happen

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

The 2023 Montana 3B District Tournament was held from February 15th to 18th at Colstrip High School. The tournament involved twelve varsity teams (boys and girls) from the surrounding area, with the top three teams advancing to the Montana Class B Divisional Tournament. The tournament was a great success, with over 3,000 people attending the event. Colstrip Public School has hosted the event for over 10 years. In that time, there have been hundreds, if not over a thousand different people that have worked the event to make it a reality. This is an extraordinary contribution by the Colstrip community of time, energy and passion to serve the greater community and those communities surrounding Colstrip. It is truly something to behold. 

 

This year, on Championship Saturday, Tournament Director, Andrew Torgerson asked tournament workers and girls basketball team members from Colstrip and Lodge Grass to help present the flag that was brought to the school by the Army National Guard. Unfortunately not all of the workers were able to participate, due to the responsibilities at hand, but it was an opportunity to recognize so many that have worked so hard. Please keep in mind that those pictured are only a few of those that work the tournament.

 

It takes such a large number of volunteers and workers for this tournament. In fact, it would be remiss to try to name all of the individuals that work to make this event happen. With that in mind, I will attempt to provide an overview of those that are a part of making this tournament a successful event. In doing so, the District would like to thank and acknowledge the following groups and individuals for their contributions.

 

Organizers: The tournament was organized by the MHSA 3B District and hosted by Colstrip Public Schools.  Tournament Director and CHS Athletic Director Andrew Torgerson and High School Principal Robin Nansel were responsible for organizing the tournaments and making sure everyone and everything was in place. The MHSA provided the rules, regulations, and guidelines for the tournament.

 

Volunteers: The success of the tournament was largely due to the efforts of the volunteers who gave their time and energy to make the event possible. Over 100 volunteers were involved in the tournament, including parents, teachers, students, and community members. The volunteers helped with a variety of tasks, including ticket sales, crowd control, concession stand operation, statisticians, data management, and clean-up. Enough cannot be said about the effort and work done by our volunteers. They are remarkable and keep coming back to make sure this event is a success.

 
Officials: The tournament was officiated by certified officials who were trained and licensed by the MHSA. The officials were responsible for ensuring that the games were played fairly and according to the rules. The officials also helped to maintain a safe and orderly environment for the players and spectators.

 

Maintenance & Custodial Workers: The maintenance and custodial workers were responsible for keeping the tournament venue clean and well-maintained. They were responsible for ensuring that the court was in good condition, that the bleachers were clean and safe, and that the restrooms were clean and well-stocked. Students workers swept the floor between halves and games and made sure it was ready and clean for play.

 

Security: Volunteer security members, Colstrip Police Department and Rosebud Sheriffs Department were responsible for ensuring that the tournament was a safe and secure environment for the players and spectators. They helped to maintain order, prevent fights or disturbances, and respond to any emergencies that may have occurred during the tournament.

 

Concession Stand and Hospitality Workers: The concession stand and hospitality workers were responsible for providing food and beverages for the players and spectators. They helped to keep the concession stand organized and clean and ensured that there was plenty of food and drinks available throughout the tournament. Almost all of the hospitality food prepared and donated in order to provide coaches, drivers, volunteers, security, officials, workers of all types a place to eat and rest.

 

Administrators, Teachers and Staff: This group of individuals were responsible for oversight and response to the needs of the tournament. From security to clean up, this team provided the assurance and follow through to make sure everything goes smoothly. They are the helping hand and volunteer when there is none. Some had specific jobs including score table, clock, official game books, announcements, equipment manager, athletic trainer, and program sales to name a few. They were available at every game (2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) and were there all four days of the tournament until everything was put up and cleaned up.

Coaches and Teams: Even though this is the group that the tournament serves, it depends significantly on their cooperation, effort, sportsmanship to make sure everyone and everything is respected. They are responsible for putting forth their best effort and representing their schools appropriately.

Others: The fact is that I probably missed someone in trying to provide an overview of the tournament, I have included this category. The fact is that there are so many people, including the fans that make a difference. If I missed someone, I apologize, but thank you all the same.

 

In conclusion, the 2023 Montana 3B District Tournament was a great success, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the various workers and volunteers who made the event possible. The event provided a great opportunity for high school athletes to showcase their skills and compete at a high level. It also brought together members of the community and provided a great source of entertainment for local residents. We commend all of the workers and volunteers who contributed to the tournament's success, and we look forward to the next Montana High School Association event. Make Dust Colstrip Montana!

 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 

Colstrip Legislative Reception

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski    

It was a pleasure representing the District and celebrating Colstrip at the Colstrip Legislative Reception held Monday night at the Great Northern Convention Center in Helena. Our District was one of thirty co-sponsors for the event.  The event provided co-sponsors a venue to discuss concerns and opportunities with legislators. More importantly, it was an extraordinary night of honoring former Senator Duane Ankney.  

 

Speakers included the former Senator, Senator Jason Small, Senator Barry Usher, Representative Gary Parry, Representative Paul Green, Mayor John Williams as well as Governor Greg Gianforte. Their greetings echoed the part that Colstip plays in energy and service to the State of Montana and the greater United States. The reception boasted about the Colstrip community and the hard working and dedicated people that live here.

 

If hearing about the great things that Colstrip has to offer wasn’t enough, NorthWestern Energy announced that Avista would be transferring its interest in Units 3 and 4 at no cost to NorthWestern Energy by the end of 2025. The deal would give NorthWestern authority to use up to 444 megawatts of power from Units 3 and 4, double its current share. NorthWestern believed that the deal provides certainty for the community of Colstrip and Montana. That message resulted in one of a number of standing ovations.  For more information go to: https://www.ktvh.com/news/northwestern-energy-to-increase-stake-in-colstrip-power-plant?_amp=true

 

The final standing ovation was given to former Senator, Duane Ankney for his dedication and service at the legislative level since 1987. It was a great night for Duane and a great night for Colstrip. It was an evening that would not have taken place without the organizational efforts of Jim Atchison and the South Eastern Montana Development Corporation. Thank you one and all for the opportunity to celebrate our community!

 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

High School Gymnasium Storming Back

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski    

It is with a great deal of anticipation, that the District announces that the high school gymnasium's floor replacement is complete. The final finish is curing, as per manufacturer's recommendation, and the gym will be open for use beginning January 22, 2023. All formerly scheduled activities for the high school gymnasium will resume starting the week of January 22, 2023. 

The District would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding as everyone has made sacrifices as we worked through this unforeseen emergency.

FACTS OF THE MATTER

In the early hours of July 5, 2022 a hail storm struck Colstrip causing considerable damage across our community. Some places were worse than others. On the outside, the District buildings seemed to weather the storm without damage; however, the inside of the gymnasium had water. Pools of water were discovered in the gym by both emergency exit doors by the custodial staff as they came back from the holiday break. Once the water entered the building and pooled up, it began to travel back toward the door and run beneath the door jam down to the base of the current floor and down to the sub-floor.  Noticeable cupping could be seen and felt on the surface of the top floor approximately 30 feet in diameter of each of the two north doors.

 The water was the result of the overflow drains (located approximately 20 feet above the doors) spilling excess water out over the doorway with a north wind crushing it into the building. The regular storm drains were overloaded with hail and water. The overflow drains protect the roof from weight overload and allow water to escape in the case of extreme storms. The problem being, that the drains are located above the emergency exits in addition the emergency door sweeps were not water tight.

The standing water was immediately removed. The water that went under the floor was also mitigated as quickly as possible.  Testing for mold would have to be done. It would take two weeks for cultures to develop and be analyzed. Unfortunately, after that time period, the cultures indicated mold growth. Approximately 30 feet of gymnasium floor would have to be removed to get rid of the mold. 

At that time, an emergency board meeting was called. The Colstrip School Board of Trustees declared the damage caused to school facilities by the July 5, 2022 rain, thunder and hail storm as an unforeseen emergency as defined in 20-3-322(5). The school facilities damaged by the storm were scheduled for use at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, beginning on the first day of school on August 24, 2022.

The school insurance carrier agreed that the damage would be covered by insurance and the school should take additional action. As Superintendent, I contacted Tyler Bush, Design Build Engineer from McKinstry. McKinstry was hired by the District to provide Design/Build Contracting Services (project manager). Mold remediation took place immediately and the damaged floor was removed.

Contracts were developed to replace the floor. Due to the cost of replacement the insurance carrier had to gain permissions from their re-insurer before the contracts could be executed.

The re-insurer had to re-examine all details. Time was of the essence; however, total agreement took time. After two weeks, the contract to begin work was approved. Schedules had to be pushed back, but the  floor construction and demolition were underway. The board and public were provided updates from McKinstry and myself at the monthly board meetings.

In addition to the replacement of the floor, Colstrip athletic teams had to deal with a different practice and game facility. New schedules were developed. Our entire community made sacrifices to do the very best to make good out of a difficult situation. It was remarkable seeing everyone pull together to make things work. Signage was established at Frank Brattin Middle School. New wall mats were installed and lighting updated. Everything from concessions to entry had to be considered in order to host varsity contests.

Meanwhile, the old floor was removed. Upon removal, the new floor materials came in as scheduled. The new sub-floor was installed, emergency doors were replaced with a water tight solution, bleachers were pulled out and the new floor was put in place.  As contractors worked, it was the goal to get the gymnasium ready for District Basketball Tournaments and possibly senior night for the winter sport teams. 

Special thanks to the Board of Trustees and the Administration at all levels for making needed adjustments and new schedules. Thanks to the Athletic Director and coaches for their support and adjustments to carry out their practices, games and season. Thank you goes out to the students and the industrial arts classes for their help in the removal of the old gymnasium floor as they will be using the maple product to build projects.  The list of thanks goes out to so many that are unmentioned. It is because of your efforts and contributions to make things better that our community will be able to enjoy the High School Gymnasium in time for our winter culminating events. Way to MAKE DUST Colstrip!

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making It Count on PIR Days

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

​The Colstrip staff made every moment count during their Pupil Instructional Related day on September 26, 2022 with pedagogical author and speaker Dr. Marie Hubley Alcock. The staff worked on developing curricula that aligns in grades and content K-12. Current standards were vertically aligned and assessment option were introduced. This was a day of working, learning and preparing a guaranteed and viable curriculum that will be used and assessed on an on-going bases. 

Pupil Instruction Related days are mandated by Montana Code Annotated 20-1-304. Pupil-instruction-related day. A pupil-instruction-related day is a day of teacher activities devoted to improving the quality of instruction.

The activities may include but are not limited to in-service training, attending state meetings of teacher organizations, and conducting parent conferences.

A maximum of 7 pupil-instruction-related days may be conducted during a school year, with a minimum of 3 of the days for instructional and professional development meetings or other appropriate in-service training, if the days are planned in accordance with the policy adopted by the board of public education.

The days may not be included as a part of the required minimum aggregate hours of pupil instruction.

 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

 

Back to School Welcome 2022-2023

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

The entire Colstrip Public School Staff is ready to "Make Dust" in 2022-2023. Part of the New Teacher and Staff Orientation that took place on Tuesday, August 16 was a quick photo to introduce the new faces to the community. The color photo includes our entire staff for 2022-2023. 

The bottom photos are of the new teachers and staff.  Please welcome our new teachers from left to right: Jane Goedert (HS Business), Angie Gotfredson (FBMS Art and Family Consumer Science), Heidi Becker (Elementary 1st Grade), Hailey Brauer (Elementary 4th Grade), Deanna Patton (HS Family Consumers Science), Henry Scarber (Elementary 5th Grade), MaLesha Siegel (Elementary 2nd Grade), Precilla Hance (Elementary 5th Grade), Taylor Ramsey (FBMS History), Wayne Graham (CHS/FBMS World Language). 

Please welcome our new staff members from left to right: Don Limberhand (home liaison), Micheael Engelhart (CHS Custodian), Britney Allen (District Clerk), Stacey Batie (FBMS Secretary), Amy Quinlan (Maintenance and Bus Driver), Dani Erickson (Payroll Clerk), Steven Hanson (CHS Custodian).

If you run on to these folks at school or in the community, please give them a warm welcome.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

First Things First: Emergency Response Safety Training

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

​The entire staff met on Friday, August 19 for the first time to start off the 2022-2023 School Year. After welcomes and introductions, the TEAM began reviewing the District Emergency Safety Plan's protocols and procedures for executing building and district responses. Together with Police Chief Cory Hert, the District was able to get Billings SWAT, led by Nathan West (and his team) to present to the staff as well as a number of officers representing multiple city and county departments. The topic and demonstration was based on Active Shooter Response Operations. 

The staff reviewed the systems and tools available in responding to an emergency. After the training many the staff said they felt better prepared to respond to an unknown emergency or threat. 

The District conducts a minimum of eight drills throughout the year including fire, earthquake and lockdown drills. Safety and well being is of the upmost importance in our District. The District has multiple alert systems as well as security and surveillance systems. We will continue to improve and adapt to best practices to keep our students, staff and community safe.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Teachers are not only Essential, but Vital to our Community

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski    

The past two-and-one-half years have been very difficult for the educational community. COVID and the wave of consequences that it has brought, as well as the aftermath of damage it has left makes an already difficult job for educators, next to impossible. Making lemonade out of lemons is a daily process. Educators have been in the mist of this battle; in fact, teachers and staff members are on the font-lines of COVID in our society. They come to school and opened minds and touch hearts despite the levels of risk that they incur.

This week is so important as it is Teacher Appreciation Week! As trite as it sounds, most educators don't get into this profession to make money, they are in it to make a difference. In cleaning up after COVID, they are working to bring our communities back together. Their classrooms are filled with numerous losses, mental health challenges, in addition to learning gaps that were created by the pandemic. Teachers are a part of so many different lives. They are MAKING DUST AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE! 

We need to recognize that teachers can provide the pathway back to normal. Our country needs public education and the people that serve our families more than ever. Teachers need support and we need more of them. Please take the time to let them know that they have your support. Take time to let them know that you appreciate the work they are doing. When you VOTE, keep teachers in mind. The payment that comes from appreciation does more for our youth than we know.  

I know we all appreciate the road that our teachers have been down serving our community during this pandemic. Let them know it. Go out of the way to give them a call, text, email or thank them personally. It is in giving that we receive.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!