Helena Public Schools > Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | August 30, 2024
Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | August 30, 2024

In this issue:

  • Join us on a Helena Public Schools journey
  • Cell phones in the headlines
  • Making the first day count: Easing transitions to kindergarten, middle school and high school

Dear Helena Public Schools Families and Staff,

We’re off and running on a new school year, with pencils sharpened, laptops charged and minds ready to learn.

This week, I’ve had the joy of visiting each of our schools. The bright smiles from both students and staff make it clear: we’re all set for a great year. We’re ready to learn, grow, and strengthen the connections in our classrooms and throughout our community.

The start of school is exciting for everyone, but for kindergarteners, 6th graders, and 9th graders, it’s a big transition. Our district puts a lot of care into making these first days smooth, setting students up for success now and in the future.

From teachers making home visits over the summer to our new kindergarten families, to days of fun and festivities exclusively for our new middle schoolers and high school freshmen, our district has well-established strategies to help students gain confidence, build connections and start school on the right foot. In case you missed it, we shared some fun moments from one of these events this week, as the Bengals welcomed their Class of 2028.

If you find yourself wishing you had something like this back when you started middle school or high school, you’re not alone! School looks different than it did when even our youngest parents were last in a K-12 classroom. We’ve made giant steps forward in terms of proactively supporting positive school cultures and making sure every student has the resources and support they need to succeed.

Meanwhile, technology has opened exciting new frontiers. Laptops have replaced text books, and we use technology for just about everything we do, from checking grades on assignments to buying lunch.

Of course, along with the good have come challenges as we balance the conveniences and capabilities of technology with the detrimental effects on learning and emotional health. This week, the role of cell phones in schools has been in the headlines.

At the local level, Helena Public Schools began this discussion last spring when the use of cell phones in classrooms was raised by members of our Teacher Advisory Council as a focus area. Over the course of the summer, we expanded the discussion to include the Helena Education Foundation, which is developing a plan to engage our community in a broader discussion.

At the elementary and middle school level, cell phones are not permitted in classrooms or hallways and must be stored in lockers. High school students at our PAL Charter School put their cell phone in a designated locker when they arrive at school and may retrieve it at the end of the day. We also have individual teachers who have successfully experimented with “Yondr” bags – pouches that safely store student cell phones – in their classrooms. Their experiences will help inform our district-wide discussion of cell phone policy.

Over the course of this school year, our goal is to develop a district approach to cell phones that that is right for Helena – one that balances the best interests and needs of students, families and staff. In other words, we’re going slow to go fast. We’re taking the time necessary to adopt a thoughtful and well-vetted approach that will be successful and adaptable over time. I look forward to sharing further details as we determine the best strategy for our schools.

I shared last week that our district theme for this school year is “Better Together.” When our public schools and our community work together, we are all stronger. Here in Helena, we’re fortunate to have a long history of community support that has made our district one of the top performers in the state. But we don’t always get to connect the dots between our community’s investment in public education and the ways that support comes back to benefit our town, our state and beyond.

So, this year we’re taking our Helena community on a journey. We’ll check in each month with Helena Public Schools graduates near and far to learn how they are they’re contributing to the world and how their education at Helena Public Schools launched their success.
As we celebrate these remarkable individuals with our community and mark their locations on the map, we’ll connect the dots back to Helena Public Schools. Grad by grad, we’ll highlight the incredible opportunities our district offers for Helena students and the remarkable ways our graduates give back.

To find this month’s featured graduate, we needed look no further than Helena High, where 2007 grad Brian Kessler recently took the reins as principal. I encourage you to have your student read what Mr. Kessler has to say about school spirit and seizing opportunities!

Here’s to another year of learning, exploration, and community!

Enjoy this well-deserved Labor Day Weekend with your loved ones.

Respectfully,

Rex M. Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

Brian Kessler: Leading Helena High with Bengal Pride

Brian Kessler knew he would become an educator almost as soon as he set foot in a classroom – as a kindergartener.

“It just always has stuck in me that this is what I wanted to do,” said Kessler, who is beginning his first year as principal of Helena High School in the district that shaped him both personally and professionally.

“It’s been fun … having people in this building who taught me, and being able to work side-by-side and see their continued passion and inspiration that they continue to instill in students,” said Kessler, who graduated from Helena High in 2007.

Among those former teachers turned colleagues is Kathleen Prody, now Principal of CR Anderson Middle School. Kessler credits Prody, his freshman English teacher at HHS, with teaching him the fundamentals of good writing, a skill that served him well as he pursued teaching degrees in K-12 Health Enhancement and Social Studies at Montana State University.

“I went to college very prepared to take any classes that I needed to and to be successful in those classes,” says Kessler. Following college, he taught middle school in Livingston before returning to Helena High as a health and PE teacher. He then worked as an assistant principal and activities director in Havre before returning to the area to serve as principal of East Helena High School for three years. Kessler returned to Helena High as principal this fall, taking the reins from retiring Principal Steve Thennis.

Thinking back to his high school days, Kessler remembers feeling proud to be a Bengal – a sentiment that now drives his own leadership.

“Forever, the teachers in this building and the community around this building have demonstrated the intense pride that they have in what Helena High stands for, what Helena High can do for students,” Kessler said.

Kessler hopes to pass that same sense of pride and opportunity on to his students, encouraging them to make the most of their time in public education. “Be willing to step out and try something new,” he advises, be it ceramics or choir, drafting or debate. “This is the last time you get to try things for free.”

Kessler encourages high schoolers to take advantage of the Montana University System’s “One-Two-Free” program, which allows students to take two college courses for free. Students may then enroll in additional “Dual Enrollment” college courses at 50 percent of the regular cost of two-year resident tuition.

“When you look at the fact that you have students who can basically leave here with an associate’s degree or enough credits to be a sophomore in college for very cheap, it’s incredible,” said Kessler. “I would highly encourage students to take any and every dual credit opportunity that we offer.”

With his deep roots in the community and passion for public education, Brian Kessler embodies the success that Helena Public Schools fosters in its students—preparing them to lead with pride, just as he does every day at Helena High.

Helena Public Schools in the News

District News & Events

Reminder: Only 11 days to go until Carnival Classic!

The Helena Education Foundation’s Carnival Classic is Sunday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial Park. In addition to loads of family fun, the carnival will include a convenient back-to-school vaccination clinic.

Lewis & Clark Public Health will offer back-to-school vaccinations for all school-age children at the carnival (with parental permission only). No appointment is necessary! If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card as your insurance will be billed. For families who are uninsured or underinsured, vaccinations will be provided free-of-charge.

🍎 Apply now for Free & Reduced Lunch

If your family could use a little extra help with meals this fall, we’ve got you covered! Click here to apply for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program. By enrolling, you not only support your family but also help your school provide additional services to families in need—like academic supplies, sports participation fees, and other after-school activities.

Rest assured, your application is confidential and will not be shared with your principal or any other school staff.