Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | January 17, 2025

Graphic element with headshot of Helena Public Schools Superintendent Rex Weltz and the Helena Public Schools logo with tagline: "A great place to learn."

 

 

 

 

 

 


In today’s newsletter:

  • Two Helena educators earn Presidential Award
  • Community donates over $300K to Helena schools
  • “Face2Face: Smart Conversations about Kids & Screens”
  • Boeing offers summer student machining program
  • From scrap to sculpture: HHS Weld-Off is Jan. 23
  • Kindergarten registration now open

 

Dear Helena Public Schools Families and Staff,

 

We have great news to celebrate this week, along with updates on some exciting opportunities for students and parents alike.

 

Let’s start with the news. The district received notice from Washington D.C. this week that two of our educators, Sarah Urban and Jake Warner of Capital High, have won the nation’s highest honor for teachers of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)!

 

Ms. Urban and Mr. Warner are recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. These outstanding teachers are among 306 educators and mentors from across the nation, and only seven from Montana, to earn this prestigious award from the White House.

 

“These awards honor the vital role that America’s teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders, including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators,” stated the official White House press release announcing the winners. Each will receive a certificate signed by President Biden and a cash award from the National Science Foundation, which administers the recognition program. Recipients will travel to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony at a future date.

Sarah Urban

Jake Warner

Anyone who’s had the good fortune to visit Ms. Urban or Mr. Warner’s classrooms knows that their passion for science and math is contagious, as you’ll see in this story on the awards from KTVH.

Mr. Warner spoke with KTVH about his Tech Math class, which prepares students for trades careers such as automotives, manufacturing and construction. “I want them to be college and career-ready, right, but more than that, I want them to be brave and self-confident,” he told KTVH. “I want them to be able to tackle problems that they never thought they’d ever be able to.”

Please join us in thanking Ms. Urban and Mr. Warner for representing Helena Public Schools at the national level and inspiring our next generation of innovators!

Community donates over $300,000 to local schools

Speaking of innovation, I want to extend our district’s deepest thanks to all who donated to Helena Public Schools this week through the Montana Innovative Educational Tax Credit Program. Created by the state Legislature in 2021, the program allows Montana taxpayers to receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on their state income taxes for making a cash donation to their local school district.

Helenans showed up for our schools in a big way when the state opened its donation portal Wednesday, contributing more than $300,000 to support local students! That’s 15 times the $20,000 our community contributed last year. Helena also had the largest number of individual donors of any district in the state, at 67.

To all who donated: Thank you for investing in our students’ futures.

The district will carefully assess how to use these one-time monies, which can be applied to a wide array of innovative education projects defined in state law, including enhancing career and technical education programs, work-based learning opportunities and STEM programs; providing specialized equipment for students with disabilities; purchasing new technology; supporting English as a Second Language programs, and other innovative learning opportunities.

If you want to donate but missed the application window, the Montana Department of Revenue will reopen its giving portal this fall to award tax credits rejected from this week’s round of applications. For information, contact District Business Administrator Janelle Mickelson at (406) 324-2040 or jmickelson@helenaschools.org

Boeing seeks applications for summer program 

Continuing today’s theme of innovation, I’d like to share an update and a summer training opportunity from one of our community partners – the Boeing Company.

Last summer, six 2024 graduates from Capital High participated in Boeing’s six-week Machining Student Development Program: Ryan Ashley, Allen Christopher, Logan Lysager, Tyler McMahon, Andrew Pravecek and Augustus Swant.

Each shared their experience in a  “yearbook” and recap video released by Boeing this week. Applications for the 2025 program are now open! Interested students can apply through February 12, 2025. See details below.

Boeing Helena Production Manager David Ehlert summed up the opportunity: “What I have seen is some really motivated students that are very interested in this career in the machining world,” he said. “Whether you want to stay local in Helena or if you want to go to the broader Boeing, there’s career paths in almost any field that you could think of.”

Thanks to our district’s ongoing partnership with Boeing, facilitated by the Helena Education Foundation, our machining students train on state-of-the-art equipment in our high school shops. Those who excel can apply for internships and job shadowing at Boeing’s facility right here in Helena.

Career and tech education opportunities abound 

If machining isn’t your student’s career path, read on.

Helena Public Schools offers 12 unique Career and Technical Education pathways to prepare students for future work and educational opportunities. We collaborate with local employers to align curriculum with workforce needs in everything from manufacturing to marketing.

Graduates can also get a jump start, finishing high school with college credits, trade certifications and even associate’s degrees – saving time and money. See your school counselor to learn more or click here for details on how Helena Public Schools prepares students for rewarding careers.

Face2Face:
Smart Conversations about Kids and Screens 

Finally, I want to share how our district is partnering with the Helena Education Foundation (HEF) to address a universal challenge of 21st century family life: managing screentime.

HEF is collaborating with community partners to host a series of events exploring this topic.

Book Series
A series of discussions are scheduled around two books: “The Screentime Solution: A Judgment Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family” by Emily Cherkin, and Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”

In addition to school-based book discussions listed at this link, you’re invited to two upcoming book discussions on “The Screentime Solution” at the Lewis & Clark Library:
Sunday, January 26: 1 p.m.
Sunday, February 9: 1 p.m.

Keynote Speaker
A discussion with Emily Cherkin, author of The Screentime Solution is Tuesday, February 4, 7 p.m., at the Grandstreet Theatre

Film Screening
On the evening of Tuesday, January 28, all are invited to a film screening and discussion of the award-winning documentary “Chasing Childhood.” The screening is at 6 p.m. at Intermountain, 3240 Dredge Dr. The evening includes onsite childcare (register at hefmt.org) and a taco bar. We would like to join HEF in thanking the community partners who are making this event possible: St. Peter’s Health, Shodair Children’s Hospital, Intermountain and Sodexo.

I hope you can make time to participate in this community dialogue around phones, academics, mental health, safety and childhood. Everyone is welcome – teens, parents, grandparents, educators and all who care about kids.

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm!

Respectfully,


Rex M. Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

Logo reading "Better Together: Strong Schools, Strong Communities." The Helena Public Schools logo is overlayed over a mountain Range.

District News & Events

 


Face2Face:
Smart Conversations about Kids and Screens

The Helena Education Foundation is hosting “Face2Face: Smart Conversations about Kids and Screens,” a series of events designed to engage the community in dialogue about phones, academics, mental health, safety and childhood.

Keynote Speaker

A discussion with Emily Cherkin, author of The Screentime Solution

Tuesday, February 4, 7 p.m., Grandstreet Theatre, 325 N Park Ave.

Book Discussions
Click here to view the schedule of book discussions.

Film Screening
Click here to register for onsite childcare for the “Chasing Childhood” film screening.


From Scrap to Sculpture:
“Helena High Weld-Off” tests creativity, teamwork

đŸ”„âš™ïž You’re invited to the Helena High School Annual Weld-Off! This high-pressure, timed event gives students just four hours to transform scrap metal to sculpture, moving from design through fabrication. Students are judged on welds, creativity, teamwork and design quality.

The public is invited to view students’ creations at an awards ceremony on Thursday, January 23, at 6:30 p.m in the Helena High Welding Shop, Room 300. The shop is just north of the main, north entrance at HHS (there is a small brown shed next to the building).

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. after judging. Don’t miss this showcase of incredible student craftsmanship!


APPLY AT: https://boeing.avature.net/mtmfgsdp

 

Flyer on the 2025 Boeing Machining Student Development Program with link to apply: https://boeing.avature.net/mtmfgsdp


REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 2025 AT YOUR NEIGBORHOOD SCHOOL. CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW