Superintendent Changes

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

On July 15, 2010 I wrote my first blog post for this school district titled: "Oh to Live in St. Ignatius." It states: 

"It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to serve this community in the beautiful Mission Valley of Montana! I already have my Mission Blue and am ready to support the Bulldogs. I look forward to the challenges and the opportunity to meet parents, students, staff and community. I grew up as a Cornhusker in Nebraska, served as a district superintendent in Northwestern Wyoming, but feel right at home here in Mission."

For the past five years my family and I have worn Mission Blue with pride.  This has been our home. Deb and I have had a daughter graduate from this school. Her picture proudly hangs on the All State Wall for basketball along with name plates for several track records. She is a Bulldog! My youngest has made life long friends and enjoys Mission immensely. Our family has had a great experience with some exceptional professionals that work in this district. To say the least the Lewandowskis have been Mission Proud! We have been embraced by the community and have been part of HCA (Home Court Advantage) and Mission Possible.

At the end of this month, Mission Possible will be taking our family in a different direction. On June 1, 2015, I was offered a new opportunity with the Colstrip Public School District #19 as Superintendent. It is a district that is closer to my home. Even though Mission is dear to my heart, so are my family members in Nebraska and Wyoming. Having lost Deb’s mother this last March and knowing my Dad is not getting any younger, I want to take every opportunity to be close when needed. Mission is truly one of the last best places; however, love for family is difficult to replace.


My time at Mission has been some of the best years of my life. I will miss my job and the incredible people I have had the pleasure of working with throughout the past five years. I cannot thank all of you enough for the opportunities and experiences you have provided. Once again, thank you and God bless!
 

2015-2016 SCHOOL CALENDAR

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

The Board selected the District Calendar for the 2015-2016 school year at the May Regular Board Meeting.  

This Calendar is the same calendar that was utilized this school year except the start date is the week before Labor Day. The Calendar length is 170 days student days. The school day starts at 8:15 AM and ends at 3:30 PM. School begins on Aug 31, 2015 and ends on June 3, 2016. It has (1) Snow Day; (2) Culminating Event Days; (8) School Improvement Fridays; (15) Winter Break Days; (6) Spring Break Days. It has (141) Full Days; (20) Part Days; and (9) Half Days. There are (180) Professional Days including (10) PIR Days or Professional Development Days. See definitions below:


Full Day: This is a regular day of school. The day begins at 8:15 AM and dismissal is at 3:30 PM.

Partial Days: (GREEN COLORED DAYS)These days are scheduled on Fridays. The day begins at 8:15 AM and dismissal is at 2:15 PM.

School Improvement Days or Half Days: (PURPLE COLORED DAYS) On these days students will begin school at 8:15 AM and dismissal is at 12:30 PM. Staff will remain in school and continue with their professional responsibilities meeting with parents, school improvement teams, data collection and planning and preparation. These days will focus on school improvement through communication and collaboration efforts. These days take place on the second Friday of every month.

Student Days: Days students will be in attendance at school.

Staff Days: Days scheduled for the professional staff.

PIR Days: (ORANGE COLORED DAYS) Pupil Instruction Related professional development/training days. No school is scheduled for students.

Optional PIR Days: (DARK BLUE COLORED DAYS) Days scheduled for the professional staff that may be substituted for State Professional Development on October 15-16, 2015.

Vacation or Holidays: (YELLOW COLORED DAYS) Days recognized as holidays or breaks. There is NO SCHOOL on these days. 

If you would like a printable copy go to 2015-2016 St Ignatius Calendar. 

Impact Aid: a Lifeblood for School Districts

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

It is true that Impact Aid is the lifeblood of many districts in the United States. Impact Aid is the funding that districts receive in lieu of tax-exempt lands on Indian reservations and military bases. These lands are not taxed locally to pay for public education; however, the federal government pays the local school districts dollars for these federally impacted lands. Without these funds, many school districts would not be able to function. In essence, the more federally impacted land, in a district, the more the district relies on this funding because these lands are taken out of local tax revenues.

With minimal taxable properties on reservations and military bases, the district can have a very low tax valuation. It often results in higher taxes for fewer people. It also limits the amount that may be levied by the district to provide for its students. For example, in Montana, districts outside the reservations often put additional tax levies to a vote in order to provide for the quality of education that the people within its boundaries choose for their community. The opportunity to successfully run levies is a foundation of local control. You will often see districts running levies to pay for technology as well as building and ground improvements because the funding provided by the State of Montana General Fund is not sufficient to provide for all the needs of a school district; therefore, if a district chooses to fund expectations beyond the Montana General Funding Model, they have the local control to pass a levy in order to do so.

With all of this being said, what about school districts like St. Ignatius?

St. Ignatius is very dependent upon impact aid. It is our source to pay for all of our operational expenses. It is also the funding that pays for major technology as well as building and ground improvements. As stated in the U.S. News and World Report: Brent Gish, the executive director of the National Indian Impacted Schools Association calls Impact Aid "a lifeblood for our school districts" (Michelson, March 20, 2015). 

Why all the attention on Impact aid?

According to Gish,:“At a time which school reform is being implemented, school improvement, school restructuring — Impact Aid is a critical funding source to make this happen."  In addition, John Forkenbrock, executive director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools says that districts need to keep Impact Aid on their congress representative's radar as it can make a difference as to whether a district can pay the bills and its employees (Michelson, March 20, 2015).

The problem is that Impact Aid funding has significantly decreased in the past several years here at St. Ignatius. For example, last year we had a 39% drop in Impact Aid funding and have received less than our full allotment.  The last several years, the government is only paying 85% of full allotments. This type of loss in revenue affects our educational programs.

What can we do to make a difference in Impact Aid appropriations?

Montana has two senators on the Impact Aid Appropriations Committee: Senator Steve Daines and Senator John Tester. Please encourage our representatives to support funding for the entire Impact Aid Program. Let them know that Impact Aid is not only the Federal Government's obligation, but vital to the quality of education of our students. For many districts, this funding is the lifeblood that allows our school systems to operate.

Mission Community Mobilization

By Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

As a school administrator, I have had the privilege of building school tracks, schools, pools as well as additions and major renovations, but nothing is as exciting as the celebration of new playground equipment. Mission elementary students could not wait to experience what was in store out on the playground. They have worked hard to earn the necessary funds to help make this happen. What they couldn't earn they showed thanks for at the Mission Playground Possible assembly.

The assembly started by tracing the project from beginning to end. Many of the donors were recognized and several were able to attend

• Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation: Jack Gilbraith
• Blackfoot Telephone: Jim Blush
• Plum Creek Foundation: Rebecca Hendrix
• St. Ignatius PTO: Mary Leishman
• Indian Education Committee: Terry Durglo and Dana Hewankorn
• Recreation Brand: Jeremy Winters

In addition to the large donors that attended, we recognized all other contributions and donors as well. Students enthusiastically applauded each donor and contribution. The students showed the same love that was given with their applause. It was a proud day to be a Bulldog. After the assembly and the celebration concluded the playground was unlocked for student access.

I was so moved by the number of elementary students that came up to me and said "thank you." From kindergarten to the fifth grade, our kids know how to be grateful. In many cases it was a hug and then off to the new playground equipment. After seeing how much they enjoyed the new equipment, it only made me wish we could have gotten it to them even sooner.

This project has been a community project. Everyone has worked hard to earn the money and support needed to gain the needed attentions of larger donor organizations. Our community was determined to make this project happen. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. We had walk-a-thons, pennies for playground, Tupperware sales, silent auctions, pizza sales, pathways for playgrounds and GoFundMe websites in order to earn the money needed to get the flywheel moving. Once it got started, the momentum has continued into the next playground equipment project in the upper playground. We have already collected over $13,200. Another $24,000 and we will have the funds to apply to another matching grant and install our next playground structure.

So many have done so much. As a collective whole, Mission answered the call of our students' needs. This project will serve as a template to follow for mobilizing a community. Mission is a great example of community mobilization.  Now...lets go out an get another $24,000 for the upper playground.

See the Missoulian for their coverage of the Mission Playground "Made" Possible assembly.

Mission Playground Made Possible

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Newly installed playground equipment. Photo by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

It has been almost five years since the "Playground Committee" began it quest to purchase much needed playground equipment for our elementary students. Since that time the Committee has gone through a number of changes. From Committee members to playground designs, the changes did not stop the enthusiasm and passion needed to make this mission possible. Our community raised over $34,000 along with a $25,000 matching grant in order to make this quest a reality.

Mission Community Mobilization  Photo by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

In addition to the $59,000 equipment. The "Installation Crew" saved $10,000 through their efforts to assemble and install the equipment. The community effort has been nothing short of amazing. This project has brought the very best out of our community. People have stepped up in so many ways to make Mission Playground Possible a reality. All of these efforts have resulted in a piece of equipment that speaks volumes about the love that Mission has for its youth.

Mission Community Mobilization can be detailed on the Mission Possible Playground GoFundMe site.

Brandon Gilleard heads up the "Installation Crew." Photo by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Brandon Gilleard, Rich Ferris, Rod Arlint, Steve McCollum and Chris Heffern begin installing the equipment. Photo by Brenda Arlint.

More photos available: CLICK "READ MORE"

Max Johnson Encouraged The Heart

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

For the past few months the administration team has been reading The Leadership Challenge by James Kouze and Barry Posner. We divided the book by chapters and each representative of the administrative team presented a chapter. We decided that the last section of the book will be done collectively. The section is called "Encourage the Heart." It speaks to the extraordinary things that leaders do to inspire others with courage and hope. Later this morning, our community will lay to rest Max Johnson. In the short time I have come to know Max, his actions epitomize the practice of encouraging the heart.

Point of case, in the Chapter 10 summary of The Leadership Challenge substitute Max Johnson every time it uses the form of the word leader. I think you will find that it represents him well:

Leaders give heart by visibly recognizing people's contributions to the common vision. With a thank-you note, a smile and public praise, the leader lets others know how much they mean to the organization.

Leaders express pride in the accomplishments of their teams. They make a point of telling the rest of the organization about what the teams have achieved. They make people feel like heroes. 

Hard work can also be fun work. Hoopla is important to a winning team. Everybody loves a parade. Leaders find creative ways to celebrate accomplishments. They take time out to rejoice in reaching a milestone.

And what sustains the leader? From what source comes the leader's courage? The answer is love. Leaders are in love - in love with the people who do the work, with their organizations produce and with customers (p. 273).

I didn't know Max before his stroke, but I know he did all of these things from a wheel-chair. Since moving to this community five years ago, Max went out of his way to greet me with a handshake and a smile. He made my family feel welcome. He went out of his way to clip news articles out of the paper and give them to my children when their name or picture appeared. This made them feel loved and appreciated. He always asked how Stephanie (my second oldest child) was doing at college. He didn't just ask, he listened. He made a point of celebrating her accomplishments here at St. Ignatius. It was like we were a part of his family. He cared about our family.

Max Johnson was an extraordinary man. He didn't know my family, but he made a point to love them. He loved everyone else in so many ways. From shaking hands with congregational members after communion at St. Ignatius to attending almost every athletic contest here at Mission.  Max Johnson "loved" Mission.

The obituary in the Missoulian stated that Max passed away on Saturday, February 28. His son, Scott, said that in his father's last days he woke up several times and said that he would be leaving on Saturday because his Dad was picking him up to put out salt. Scott told me that Max left this world at noon on Saturday, both hands on the clock were straight up, just as his Dad had said. Ironically enough,  I was talking to my Dad on the phone and told him what Scott had said. His response was: "You know the Bible says that salt is a necessity of life." This morning I Googled "salt." Sure enough, Wikipedia says that salt metaphorically it signifies permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value and purification. Metaphorically, I think Max has been putting out salt all of his life.

Thank you Max Johnson. You are the salt of the earth.

OUR GOLD STAR

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

This is the 23rd year that NBC Montana has recognized outstanding teachers through the "GOLD STAR AWARD" program. According to NBC Montana: "This program brings public recognition to educators (K-12) who have made significant contributions toward better education."

This year, our very own high school English teacher, Sara Keast, was not only nominated, but the recipient of the GOLD STAR.  Congratulations Sara for winning the KECI Gold Star Award! We are all so proud of you! See video below for more information.

February Regular Board Meeting Rescheduled

Chairman Gene Posivio and Vice Chairman Jeff Evans have elected to move the regular board meeting in February from February 17, 2015 to the following Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 7:00 PM. The change in date is due to the fact that Activity Director Rich Ferris has been notified that the boys and girls basketball teams will have to participate in the "play-in-games" to the district tournament. These games are scheduled on February 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM The boys basketball team will be playing in Ronan and girls basketball team will be playing in Florence. Because these contests are at the same time of the regular scheduled board meeting, they would leave our board without a quorum to conduct business. In addition, the district must have administration at both contests which would further handicap board meeting processes.

Once again, the February regular board meeting will be held Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 PM in the Multi-purpose Room.

The Color of Money

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

One of the most difficult concepts to explain to the public school constituency is the color of money. No, not the 1986 movie with Tom Cruise and Paul Newman, but the limitations in which some revenues in public schools can be spent. Because the majority of public school revenue is tax generated, federal, state and local leaders have indicated how it is to be used. In proving fiscal responsibility and accountability, all revenues received by the school district are specifically directed toward certain types of expenditures. In other words, a dollar isn't a dollar that can be spent at the discretion of the administration and board. Each dollar is tagged or "colored" if you will, to be spent as directed by local, state and federal mandates.

An example that comes to mind is the Quality Schools Project. It is a project here at St. Ignatius that is nearing completion in order to address the envelope of the middle school and high school. As you can see by the exterior upgrade on the roof, insulation, windows, doors and siding, this project was expensive. Despite the blog post, website post, Facebook posts and news articles that explain the work done as part of a grant our district was awarded from the Department of Commerce,  some constituents still voice concerns as to why money was spent on this upgrade especially when there are other needs in our school system. Even though these are legitimate concerns, this is where the "color" of the money comes into play. Because the grant of $549,000 is specifically designated for the "High School and Middle School Envelope Repair" it can't be spent in other areas.

The color of the "School Envelope Repair" money is just the first layer of this onion. Within the Quality Schools Grant, it specifies eligible costs or additional money colors:

• Engineering/Architectural Design - $23,857
• Construction Engineering Services - $40,857
• Construction - $261,854
• Materials - $130,927
• Contingency - $91,382

Every expenditure has to be accounted for categorically. In addition, all expenditures have to be specifically related to the project connected to the "High School and Middle School Envelope Repair." I have had employees ask if work can be done to other structures on campus with this money. Telling them no, is not an easy answer. Once again, the discretion of how the money is spent is determined by outlined use of funds by the Department of Commerce.

This is just one example of the "color of money." There are eleven categorical revenues listed on the district audit. Within those eleven general categories there are numerous sub categorical revenues all directed toward specific expenditures. It is the administration's job to make sure these funds are being spent appropriately.

The bottom line in this post is tax dollars have strings attached that restrict and direct their use. I hope that this provides additional insight to some of the processes and decision-making that take place in our public schools.

Pupil Instruction Related Day

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, January 30 2015 as it will be utilized as a Pupil Instruction Related (PIR) day.  This day is sometimes referred to as a Professional Development day. According to Montana Annotated Code: 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 inservice 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 inservice 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.
     History: En. 75-7405 by Sec. 369, Ch. 5, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 75-7405; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 638, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 430, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 138, L. 2005.


All PIR days observed by the district are approved in the annual School Calendar by the Board. The January 30, 2015 and March 20, 2015 PIR days will focus on two instructional aspects: 1) student engagement with the simple use of classroom friendly data tools and 2) preparation for the "Smarter Balance" assessment that will be given this spring to students.

Dr. Mark Stock

The former aspect of our PIR will be delivered by Dr. Mark Stock. Dr. Stock has been a teacher, professor, superintendent and author.  In his words, the PIR that will be presented to the faculty is based on the fact that "It seems like it is getting more and more difficult to engage our students and get them to participate in their own education.  In this practical and teacher friendly workshop, staff will identify a current classroom difficulty that makes teaching difficult. They will then learn a small handful of practical data tools that they might use to apply to their situation. These same tools can be used by all grade levels and all professional staff including administration, counselors, nurses or anyone working in the schools.  There is no magic answer for getting people to own their own behavior.  But one thing is for certain.  If they don’t know where they are at, they certainly can’t figure out where to go next! Participants will leave with a few practical tools they can add to their tool box in the never ending effort to get students to try to engage and take ownership for their work." 

We are excited to have Dr. Stock work with the faculty and look forward to the outcomes produced in the classroom by students.

Promotional Initiative for St. Ignatius School Activities

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

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I started creating promotional posters as a way to recognize our student athletes and raise money for the St. Ignatius Activity Fund. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them. The intention behind the work is to provide a multimedia venue that affirms, supports and commemorates the positive student experiences at St. Ignatius Schools.

COST FOR THE PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

1.     12” X 18” Promotional Schedule Print

• 1.     Paper Only: Cost per each: $10.00

2.     20” X 30” Promotional Schedule Poster

• 1.     Paper Only: cost per each $18.00
• 2.     Poster Board: cost per each $35.00

Orders maybe placed by mail to the address below:

St. Ignatius School District

C/O Superintendent’s Office

P.O. Box 1540

St. Ignatius, MT  59865

Call: (406) 745-3811

All proceeds are be used to support funding for student activities at

St. Ignatius Schools (uniforms, travel, and other costs associated with activity programs).

Resolve, Resilience and Dedication

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

It is always a pleasure acknowledging senior students and athletes. For the past several years we have included senior athletes on a promotional poster with a sports schedule. Whether a senior starts on a team or not, their presence contributes a great deal of leadership. The fact that they have the resolve to continue to participate in extra-curricular activities speaks volumes about their resilience and dedication. We need these types of leaders in all walks of life. I am certainly very proud of their contribution.

Basketball Exemplifies Home Court Advantage

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Nothing is as exciting as a home basketball contest. It brings small communities together to celebrate, communicate and cheer on the home team. Mission is no different. It is always exciting to see what the Winter Sports Season has in store with new coaches and players.  Home Court Advantage (HCA) is best described through one of these events. Despite differences in a small town, everyone comes together to cheer on their colors and mascots.

The Bulldogs have celebrated HCA since September 2010. Safety, Support and Belonging have lead the way for increased academic scores, resiliency and excellence in all matters. It is the core of our mantra "Mission Possible." It is the foundation of Mission's Hierarchy of Needs.

As said in my 2010 post Now that's HCA Baby!: "Every student is VALUED in this SCHOOL! This is our school, and our student’s home away from home. It is a place of WELCOME and family for everyone. I feel strongly about the virtues that Home Court Advantage represents and even though this is just a symbol I believe it will help remind our students to act accordingly. Even more important, I hope that HCA will extend into this community. The circle in the middle will not be complete until this concept is realized." 

Today, I believe this district and community have "realized" this concept. The photos shared here are a big part of identifying Bulldog Belonging. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do sharing them with you. Go Bulldogs!

Now that's HCA Baby!

Click on the "Read More" link to see the additional 42 photos taken on December 18, 2014.

Wrestling Quadrangular

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Sometimes it is hard to cover all of the events and activities of the school; however, when I do, I try to share the photos taken. Here are approximately 40 photos taken at the December 11 St. Ignatius Quadrangular with Eureka, Florence, Noxon and Mission.

Click "Read More" to see additional photos.

Holiday Wishes

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Wishing you the best this holiday season!

Holiday Spectacular Decks the Halls of Mission

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

The middle school and high school bands and choir decked the halls for the holiday season with their performances last Tuesday evening. Director Kendal Anderson did an outstanding job preparing the students for this celebration. There were bitter-sweet moments when Anderson talked about her accompanist, Lindsay Johnson. Johnson has been her accompanist since she was in fourth grade. Lindsay is a senior this year and will be greatly missed next year.

As for the band and choir performances, they were AWESOME! The kids did a great job. It is always spectacular to see the holiday spirit get such a boost from our youth.

The High School Choir singing "A Christmas Trilogy."

Lindsay Johnson performing her piano solo "The Meadow."

Please click "Read More" to see an additional 100 photos of the holiday spectacular performed by the middle and high school.

Do You Want To Build A Snowman?

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Do you want to build a snowman? As tempting as that may seem, you didn't even have to go outside to embrace the winter holidays. The St. Ignatius Elementary students brought all of the spender of the North Pole right here to Mission. There were snowmen, reindeer, elves, life-size toys, snowflakes, solders, ballerinas, and last, but not in the least, Santa Claus. All of this and much more in a one hour musical production. It was AWESOME!

I couldn't help but enjoy our kids. They were having so much fun and doing a great job presenting The North Pole musical.
 
To see MORE PHOTOGRAPHS of the concert, click on the blue link below "Read More." There are over 130 photos of the concert in the connected link.

Warning: after viewing the photos, you may just want to build a snowman!

Okay...bye!

(click the blue link called "Read More" below)

The Season Is Upon Us

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Tis the season... basketball kicked off the 2014-2015 season here at home with the girls teams playing in the Mission Tournament. To see more opening weekend photos click "READ MORE" located below the Winter Sports Schedule.

If you are missing the extra curricular action in wrestling or basketball see the Winter Sports Schedule for the next game or match.

 

Click the "Read More" link below to see girls basketball action photos:

IT IS HERE!

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

There is nothing like seeing a vision play into reality. Mission Possible Playground has generated just that. Our team has been working for the past four years to generate the momentum to engage the generosity and diligence of so many that care about our students. YOU HAVE DONE IT!

The people that support this community are to be commended. YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE!

The love and compassion expressed by your donations and hard work arrived in December. We will be storing the playground equipment until the Spring thaw. Special thanks to our local hardware store, Gambles,  for unloading and storing the equipment. Once the ground is suitable to work, the playground equipment will be installed in the lower playground.

 WE DID IT!

Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Donates $10,000 to Mission Possible Playground

Chief Executive Officer, Jack Gilbraith presents a $10,000 check to Tammy Demien and Bob Lewandowski

by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation awarded a grant to Mission Possible Playground for $10,000 in 2014 for the lower playground equipment and another $10,000 in 2015 for the upper playground equipment. Principal Tammy Demien wrote the grant for $20,000 and the school was awarded the grant last Friday, December 5, 2014.

I can't begin to tell you how excited we are to have this type of donation to add to our community efforts. This brings our total fundraising up to $60,224.21 for the lower playground equipment and $10,000 for the upper playground. We are so grateful for the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation. Their donation/grant is so generous. It will make a difference in the lives, health and well being of the children we serve in our community.

The equipment is set to arrive this week in St. Ignatius. We will continue to accept donations until the upper playground equipment is funded. At this time we are short $168 from completely funding the lower playground. WE ARE ALMOST THERE!

THIS IS MISSION POSSIBLE!