LEVERAGING THE POWER OF THE INTERNET

 by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski 

 The School District 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, St. Ignatius 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 St. Ignatius 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 at http://web.stignatiusschools.org/ under the “School Board” tab, or for direct access to the District’s Board Agendas go to: http://www.boarddocs.com/mt/sisd28/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

We hope you find this new tool useful and informative.

SENIOR ATHLETES

It is always a pleasure to be able to recognize our senior athletes. Just recently I teamed up with our Activity Director Rich Ferris and Technology Director Matt Lyon and took some promotional photos of our football and volleyball senior athletes. I took the pictures on the stage and then in cooperation with Matt Lyon we were able to do some creative photoshop work in the background.

Once again, we believe that it is important to provide multimedia products to affirm, commemorate and permeate the positive student experience here at Mission Schools. I think these photos are an example of just that.

If you would like to download a high resolution photo, please go to our Mission Possible Photography site where you can find these and other other photos.

2013 Senior football Players: Ryce Hegwood, Patrick Eichert and Jarred Brown.

2013 Senior Volleyball Players: Courtney Charlo, Gina Linsebigler, Kaylie Durglo and Kayla Billette.

Congratulations and good luck seniors!

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT NEEDED!

 by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski 

 BACKGROUND HISTORY: Two years ago the Playground Equipment Team efforts were stalled by lack of resources and grant follow up to make their work a reality. Today, there is a greater need and urgency than every before with larger class sizes and small classrooms as well deteriorating equipment to provide adequate equipment for our children to exercise and play. The District Office is determined to seek and find grant opportunities that will make our efforts a reality. The BOARD has made a financial commitment for individual efforts: in coordination with the Board, an individual(s) writing an awarded grant will be paid 7% of the awarded grant for playground equipment (see me for details). 

With the recent addition of additional personnel to the District Office, we too will make every effort to write and receive the needed grants.. NOW IS THE TIME!

MOVING FORWARD: The Playground Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 1,  2013 at 3:30 PM on the Stage in the Multi-Purpose room to review grant possibilities and vendors. I am inviting parents, teachers and the community to join us. I believe it will take approximately $160,000 to provide the needed playground equipment at both the lower elementary and upper elementary playground. I hope this effort will be embraced community-wide. Our success in these matters is of great importance as the playing areas for our youth are very limited in St. Ignatius. Let's kindle an enthusiasm that will lead us to this goal. 

FIRST STEP: Attend the meeting and keep an open mind to all possibilities. 

Here is the AGENDA:

1. Affirmation of Playground Committee
2. Review of the past efforts to present
3. Research and Direction Setting
1. Available Grants 
2. Board & Administrative Approval Process of Grants
4. Other

See everyone on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 3:30 PM.

Bob.

FLOWERS vonHoltum

Special thanks goes to Dorothy vonHoltum for the beautiful flowers she dropped by the office on Tuesday! Her home labor and toils to grow this arrangement are much appreciated by the District Office Staff! She is our "Little Flower." It is the little things that make a big difference.