HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – With just two weeks remaining in the 2020-2021 school year, Havre Public Schools Superintendent Craig Mueller spoke with New Media Broadcasters to reflect on a challenging year and discuss what lies ahead.
“I feel like we’ve done a great job handling the issues related to the pandemic. A lot of the credit goes to our parents, to our teachers, to our staff who put in so much extra time to help students be successful through the course of the pandemic. So I believe that’s been a success. There are some areas that we know we’re going to improve upon moving forward, with plans in place to move forward with an alternative program, including some options that will benefit all students.”
Mueller says that COVID-19 continues to be a problem at the District, with a total of 12 confirmed cases so far this month as well as over two dozen quarantines.
“The spread of the virus is something that is still real in our environment and we continue to require face coverings and face masks while staff and students are in our buildings. And we’re doing that through the end of the year with the hope that we can end this year in a good, healthy place.”
Although the CDC recently changed mask wearing guidelines to allow for more leniency for those who are vaccinated, Mueller says the fact that the majority of the District’s student population remains ineligible for the vaccine means the mask mandate needs to stay in place for now.
“In order to maintain where we are and continue to remain in school for our K-5 kids five days (a week) for the rest of the year and continue to work in those smaller groups on those Fridays in our middle and high school, the Board deemed it was necessary to continue to require face coverings.”
Graduation
Havre High School’s graduation ceremony has been set for 2 PM on Sunday, May 30th at Blue Pony Stadium.
Unlike last year, the home bleachers will be utilized, allowing for an increased number of attendees.
Graduating students will also be bused in from the High School to cut down on the number of cars in the stadium and allow for increased attendance.
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the High School Gymnasium and ticket limits will be implemented due to the size of the gymnasium.
Summer School
Although the traditional school year is almost in the books, summer school is just around the corner.
Havre’s Summer Learning Program for students currently enrolled in Kindergarten through 7th Grade will begin on June 7th and run through July 1st, with a focus on math and english/language arts.
“It’s a blended approach, which means you’re going to have a teacher face-to-face and there’s paraprofessional support that’s going to be provided. We’re running the program from 9 AM-Noon, and we’re offering breakfast and lunch with that as well as transportation if needed…We’re recognizing that there are some areas that need to be addressed again, and kind of give our students an opportunity to fill some of those gaps that may have been created as a result of the pandemic. But more importantly, to continue to challenge our students who are doing a good job, and know that going into next year, there might maybe be a little bit of hesitancy and they might be a little reluctant and fearful of what the next year is going to look like. So this is another opportunity to just get into the classroom, be challenged, be pushed, and also know that next year we’re going to be back as close to normal as possible.”
The sign-up deadline for the program is Friday, May 21st.
Students in grades 9-12 will be offered summer school credit recovery.
Upcoming Board Meetings
Two school board meetings are scheduled over the next week.
On Thursday at 6 PM at Havre Middle School, there will be a reorganization meeting where the new Trustees will be sworn in and a Chair, Vice-Chair and Clerk will be appointed. There will also be discussions about committee assignments.
Next Tuesday, there will be a special meeting at 6 PM to approve personnel actions. This will be followed by a planning meeting where the budget process and strategic plan will be discussed.
