Helena Public Schools > Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | December 19, 2025
Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | December 19, 2025

Dear Families, Staff, and the Helena Community,

You did it – you reached winter break! Your energy and effort have made this a fantastic first half of the year. Together, we have hit a lot of marks and time has flown by fast.

This break also marks a major milestone for someone in our district. On December 31, our Business Manager and Finance Director, Janelle Mickelson, will officially retire. When Janelle took this position, she had two goals: balancing the budget and creating a future for equitable physical spaces between the two high schools. She will leave us with both of those missions accomplished. Her grit and expertise have left an indelible mark on Helena Public Schools, and our gratitude for her leadership will be felt for years to come. Janelle, you’re a legend—thank you for everything.

As we turn the page to a new chapter, I am thrilled to introduce Sam Holman as our new Business Manager and Finance Director. Sam joined us last month, bringing extensive finance knowledge from her time at the Montana Board of Investments. You may know her or had her in class – Sam grew up in Helena, having attended Smith, HMS, and HHS. We are excited to have her on the team and can’t wait to see what the future holds with her at the financial helm – make sure to welcome her after we get back from break.

One more thing from me – I wish you a restful, joyful winter break. You’ve earned every minute of it.

Happy holidays, from me and mine to all of you and yours!

Sincerely,

Rex Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

If you are still reading this, Go Griz!

 

BONDS PROJECTS UPDATES

 

Recap:

Bonds: The $31.5 million Helena ESD and $130.0 million Helena HSD that were advertised in the Independent Record and on our website, sold within 30 minutes of their offering (in $5,000 increments) through D.A. Davidson on November 20, 2025.

  • The sale of the first set of bonds was completed Thursday, December 18, 2025.

HHS + Project for Alternative Learning (PAL) Project: Week 8 (12/14-12/20)

  • Schematic Design Week 3
  • HHS Building Systems Meeting and Building Committee Meeting
  • PAL Building Committee and Ed Spec Deliverable Review Meeting
  • Campus Core Admin Committee Meeting
  • Community Engagement: Rotary Meeting Presentation
  • Dick Anderson Construction confirmed by the BOT as the GCCM on Friday, December 19.

CHS Project: Week 6 (12/14-12/20)

  • Capital High School’s existing Architectural background floor plans and elevations are nearing completion.
  • CHS and HHS design teams road trip to Great Falls High for Career & Technical Education (CTE) case study site visit – Monday, December 15, 2025
  • Department Head Meeting – Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
  • DAG #2 meeting – Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 3:30 pm. Includes Gallery Walk (Interior Spaces)
  • Rotary Presentation – Wednesday, December 17
  • Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing engineers to begin background drawings and prep for site visits during winter break.
  • Working On Summer 2026 Work Plan and Time.

Kessler Project: Week 4 (12/14-12/20)

  • Rotary Club presentation – Wednesday December 17
  • Kessler Building Committee Meeting – Precedent Trip Planning
  • Bryant Elementary teacher feedback – Mosaic staff on-site for ½ day for teacher meetings
  • Teacher Engagement @ Kessler – Mosaic staff on-site for full day for teacher meetings
  • Program of spaces in development
  • Student Engagement planning underway

 

Up Next:

HHS + Project for Alternative Learning (PAL) Project: Week 9 (12/21-12/27)

  • Schematic Design Week 4
  • Campus Master Planning Conclusions Review Meeting
  • Holiday Time with Family! We will pick back up with updates in January.

CHS Project: Week 7 (12/21-12/27)

  • Capital High School’s existing Architectural background floor plans and elevations are nearing completion.
  • Develop Programming Document.
  • Developing Design Options and Site Planning.
  • Developing Options for Summer 2026 Work Packages.
  • Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing engineers to begin background drawings and prep for site visits during winter break.
  • Holiday Time with Family! We will pick back up with updates in January.

Kessler Project: Week 5 (12/21-12/27)

  • Existing site model to be developed
  • Ongoing Programming
  • Holiday Time with Family! We will pick back up with updates in January.
If you have questions or want to chat about what’s next, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Keep up-to-date on the bonds projects as we enter into each
phase of the processes:
VISIT SITE

 

COMMUNITY CORNER

Resources for Students, Families, and the
HPS Community
  • HPS THREE WAYS TO DONATE – partnership with Helena Food Share
    1. Community food pantries at each HPS school, in partnership with Helena Food Share
    2. Helena Food Share – food, money, volunteers
    3. HPS RevTrak Donations
  • RUNNING RESOURCE LIST ON OUR WEBPAGE
    • Resources for federal employees and military family affected by the government shutdown (and after)
    • Free and Reduced Lunch Program
    • Helena Area community resources
  • HPS SCHOOLS’ FOOD DRIVES AND OTHER RELATED EVENT LISTINGS – NEW EVENTS!
  • CONTACT CENTER FOR QUESTIONS AND TO GET CONNECTED (WEBPAGE)

 
VIEW WEBPAGE

 

 
The hats and gloves program on the HPS buses is still accepting donations. You can make donations at the entrance of the Lincoln Center or at the First Student bus barn at 3020 Big Sky Loop. If your student needs hats and/or gloves, please speak with their bus driver.

Please be mindful of icy road conditions, students walking to stops, have students dressed for the weather and do not leave students unattended at their bus stops if conditions deteriorate.
 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW?

 
Kindergarten – Your child is eligible to start kindergarten in Fall 2026 if they will be five years old on or before September 10, 2026.

  • All Kindergarten registration for Fall 2026 opens Jan. 7, 2026 at Noon!
  • Kindergarten registration for siblings of a current student is now open.

For more information go to our WEBPAGE. It includes registration instructions and other need-to-knows.

 
KinderSprouts – Helena Public Schools’ FREE preschool program for QUALIFYING STUDENTS. To qualify your child must:

  • Be 4 years old by September 10, 2026.
  • Take a skills screening assessment to determine if your child would benefit from early literacy or numeracy intervention. Screenings will begin in February 2026 – schedule a screening at https://shorturl.at/ioxwF.

For more information, go to our WEBPAGE. You can also find frequently asked questions HERE.

 
Montessori – If you have a student you plan to register for Kindergarten for Fall 2026, and are interested in being in the Montessori program, mark your calendar for April 24, 2026 as the application deadline date.

For more information go to our WEBPAGE. It includes application instructions, dates to remember, and other need-to-knows.

 
In 2021, the Montana Legislature passed House Bill 279, allowing Montana taxpayers to receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on their state income taxes – up to $200,000 per year for donations to Montana public school districts. Married taxpayers filing jointly may take a tax credit of up to $400,000.

Due to the popularity of the program, the level of tax credits available has been raised each year since. A total of $7.2 million is available for the 2026 tax year.

YOUR donation can help Helena Public Schools expand our innovative educational programs that benefit our students- just like in Helena Middle School Visual Arts Instructor Lori Smith’s classroom, where students are enthusiastically enjoying the new innovative technology and having fun while learning and expanding their creativity, working collaboratively, and engaging in innovative S.T.E.A.M. experiences in Art class with the use of the new tools and equipment.

 
 

Interested in Donating? Fill out the donation form and bring the completed form and your donation to the Helena Public Schools Business Office at 1325 Poplar Street.
HPS will enter the information with the amount donated, into the DOR Education Donations portal. The DOR will pre-approve the donation (so long as the individual and statewide thresholds noted above have not been exceeded) and you will receive a confirmation number along with a receipt that you will file with your 2026 taxes.Your donation will be returned if it is not approved by the DOR.

 
DOWNLOAD THE FORM AND DONATE TODAY!

 

 

There will be a total of 12 lucky winners chosen from grades 3rd -5th grades here in Helena. These finalists will compete in our in-person contest at the Capital High Base Kitchen on March 7th – 8am-12:30pm. All contestants will receive a personal chef coat and hat just for making it to the competition. The grand prize winner will win a 3’ fire trophy and have their recipe submitted for the regional and nation level competition. There are also a variety of other prizes available in each of the other categories the student chefs can win.

Please fill out the recipe card (found below) and turn into your school’s office or with the kitchen staff. A student can submit as many recipes as they want, but only one can be chosen. The recipes must be submitted by February 6th. All winners will be chosen by February 20th. All parents/guardians will be called after the 12 contestants have been chosen, and they will need to verify that their chef will be able to physically compete in a real-life cooking competition on the day of the event.

 
BLANK RECIPE CARD

 

MAKE A NOTE:

  • Grant writing workshop on January 7th, at 3:45pm – Lincoln Center
  • Pen and Ink Submissions due on January 16th (see below)
  • Great Ideas & Spark Grants due January 27th

WHAT’S COMING UP THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT?
December 20, 2025 – January 3, 2026

Saturday, December 20:

  • CHS GCCM RFQ/RFP Notice #2

Sunday, December 21:
Monday, December 22: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Tuesday, December 23: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Wednesday, December 24: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

  • District Office Closed
Thursday, December 25: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
  • District Office Closed
Friday, December 26: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Saturday, December 27:
  • CHS GCCM RFQ/RFP Notice #3

Sunday, December 28:
Monday, December 29: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Tuesday, December 30: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Wednesday, December 31: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Thursday, January 1: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

  • District Office Closed
Friday, January 2: NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK
Saturday, January 3:
  • KES GCCM RFQ/RFP Notice #1

 
If we missed something, please let us know – helenamtschools@helenaschools.org. As a good rule of thumb, always check with your school on what they have going on. You can also find upcoming event information and more in this year’s calendar online at https://helenaschools.org/25-26-calendar-flipbook/.