School briefs
Judy Graham, left, talks about how focused and attentive her student Benjamin Repine is in class, Monday at a school board meeting in Libby. Teachers also recognized students Braylin Brooks, Elise Erickson, Kinley Hill, Ryan Beagle and Maicy Munra-Svendsbye (Luke Hollister/The Western News)
Mary Miller, left, recognizes Ryan Beagle for exemplary work as a student, Monday at a school board meeting in Libby. Teachers also recognized students Braylin Brooks, Elise Erickson, Kinley Hill, Benjamin Repine and Maicy Munra-Svendsbye (Luke Hollister/The Western News)
Jerry Powell blows a thank you kiss while audience members clap for him and other special olympics participants, Monday at a Libby school board meeting. (Luke Hollister/The Western News)
Newly elected Troy Public Schools board trustees Sylvia Maffit and Ben Valentine are sworn in by Troy Mayor Dallas Carr on Monday, May 13. Each will serve a three-year term. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby Schools
Website update
The Libby School District is planning to create a new website after receiving a letter from the Office for Civil Rights stating that the current school website is not up to ADA standards, according to the Libby Public Schools superintendent.
Craig Barringer, superintendent, said the current website is “not even able to be ADA compliant.”
The website will be created over this summer and will probably cost in the range of $12,000 to $30,000 to create, he said.
The district will make sure the website is smartphone friendly and has accessibility services such as reading for the blind.
The ADA will make website recommendations to the Libby School District, Barringer said. Once the school receives those recommendations the school will move forward with plans to make the new website ADA compliant.
Board members
The Libby Public Schools Board of Trustees reappointed two trustees and stated they have two trustee openings, Monday.
The board is looking to fill the positions by their Monday, June 10 meeting, said Libby Superintendent Craig Barringer. No one ran for the openings last year, so the board has to appoint.
The deadline to apply is Friday, May 31, by 3:30 p.m, he said. Applicants can stop by the Libby School District's business office to submit a resume and a letter of interest.
Troy Schools
Early kindergarten
The Troy Public Schools Board of Trustees discussed ways to keep the Troy preschool program going after the Montana Legislature failed to fund preschools in the state, at their regular meeting Monday.
Troy Superintendent Jacob Francom said that the school can use funding it receives based on the number of students to instead have an early kindergarten program.
According to an information sheet from the Montana Office of Public Instruction, schools can use the state funding only if the program is operated as a kindergarten with students younger than five given age waivers to attend.
Francom said the funding requires that the school use a kindergarten curriculum. Additionally, each student must be individually approved by the board of trustees.
The funding would not be available until the 2020-2021 school year. For next school year, Troy would be able to use a portion of a literacy grant to fund the program.
Student health
Trista Gilmore, Lincoln County Public Health Nurse, spoke to the Troy Public Schools Board of Trustees about successes of her work with students.
Gilmore began spending a day each week working with the school's students.
She told the trustees that she has been able to engage with the students on subjects ranging from personal hygiene to having regular doctor visits and health issues teenagers deal with.
Troy Schools have requested that Gilmore spend two days a week with students next school year.
Gilmore said she will be at the high school on Wednesdays and the elementary school on Thursdays next year.
New trustees
The Troy Public Schools Board of Trustees two newly elected members -- Ben Valentine and Sylvia Maffit -- attended their first meeting as trustees Monday.
During the reorganization meeting, Maffit was voted unanimously to replace departing trustee Craig Pierce as board chair.
Valentine and Maffit were sworn in by Troy Mayor Dallas Carr.
Jacob Francom, Troy superintendent, presented Pierce with a plaque for his service as a trustee. Francom said there was also a plaque for departing trustee Hy Boltz, who was not present for the meeting.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with you guys. I'm sure we'll see you around,” Francom said.