Dear Families, Staff, and the Helena Community,

First, I want to acknowledge that we are sensitive to the impact of the current federal government shutdown on many of our families and community members. During this uncertain time, supporting those without a paycheck or assistance is critical. While we don’t anticipate immediate impacts on district operations, I’d like to echo East Helena Public School in that we strongly encourage any affected family to apply for free and reduced lunch. This program does much more than provide meals; it offers coverage of school supplies, clothing assistance, mental health services, college application fees, and much more. You can register HERE. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your school’s office for confidential help connecting with these resources—we’ve got your back.

Switching gears, I’d like to share an update on the process of appointing a new board trustee. At today’s special board meeting, the Board interviewed two of the three who have applied so far for the position. Because of scheduling conflicts, we moved the timeline up for interviews for those who have already applied. Our goal is to have as many trustee members as possible attend in person, as well as our applicants. We will maintain the October 31 application deadline, and anyone who applies from now until then will interview the first week of November.

In student news, I want to take a moment to share that students across the district are making strides for themselves by getting involved in local government (shoutout Warren Elementary) and practicing the safe, respectful, and responsible creeds at all HPS elementary schools; having conversations in the middle schools about drug and alcohol use and addiction dangers; and diving into the Prickly Pear Land Trust partnership to expand high school curriculums beyond the classroom; and thinking about college or career pathways and the financial aspects involved. HPS students are doing the best they can and are becoming great people – shoutout to all staff in our district for the impacts they make daily.

Respectfully,

Rex Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

BONDS PROJECTS UPDATES

• RFQs for the Capital High School project are due this coming Monday (October 27) and will be reviewed the next day (October 28) to prepare for interviews the following week.
• We are also preparing to launch the initial stages for the Kessler renovation. Tomorrow (October 25), we will publish RFQ Notice #1 for the Kessler Elementary project.
• RFQ/RFPs for GCCMs will be posted in November.
• Brews and Blueprints – After a summer of successful Brews & Bonds events and the historic passing of the Helena school bonds; the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to launch a new monthly series: Brews & Blueprints!
  📅 Join us Wednesday, November 5
  🕠 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
  📍 Brothers Tapworks

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

VISIT SITE

In addition to meals, participation in the Free & Reduced Lunch program helps the district identify students who may benefit from additional assistance with school expenses including:

• School supplies and clothing
• Sports and activities fees
• Instrument rentals
• Field trip fees
• Fees for academic tests such as the Advanced Placement exam
• And more!

Fall of the Berlin Wall Celebration

For the third year in a row, German Clubs are hosting a celebration to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. Students at both high schools come together to design a mural, reflecting on themes of unity and division, and paint it on a 6′ x8′ wall at the Holter Museum. The mural will be on display November 7^th during the annual Helena Art Walk at the Holter. German Club students will be there as well selling cookies and raffling a club T-shirt. On November 8^th we’ll have guest lecturers from MSU give a talk on German Reunification at the Holter at 4:00 PM. German Clubs will provide pizza and drinks at 5:00 PM, and the wall will come down at 6:00 PM.

Helena Health Science Alliance (HHSA) Sports Medicine and OT/PT Career Exploration

Helena Health Science Alliance focuses on building up health science education programming and skills training for middle and high school students.
For questions, contact:
Charlie Snellman | HHSA President & Founder
president@helenahealthsciencealliance.org

Updates from the District Kitchen

NEW ON THE MENU: We have finished prepping our newest dish made from foods grown or sourced in Montana.  You will see it tomorrow on the salad bars. Check out the flier!

SPECIAL OLYMPICS OF MONTANA: VOLUNTEER AND PLAYER OPPORTUNITIES

For interested students with and without intellectual disabilities – you’re invited to be involved in the local area Special Olympics teams as an athlete or as a volunteer for this year’s Special Olympics State Basketball Tournament, which will be held here in Helena November 6-8 (the final year before moving to Butte for the 2026-2028 years).

Coats for Kids Program

The Helena Exchange Club Coats for Kids program is dedicated to ensuring that every child in the Helena area stays warm during the cold months. From October to March (or until the snow stops!), they provide new coats and boots to elementary school children in need.

Their program is administered through local elementary schools, with limited items available for middle and high schools, as well as select outside organizations. They collaborate closely with school counselors, teachers, and secretaries who identify students in need and submit requests on their behalf.

LEARN MORE

Exchange Club invites you to the 28th Annual Festival of Wines, their signature fundraiser for the Coats for Kids program!

Each year, local schools and partners help us identify students in need, and Coats for Kids provides them with new winter coats and boots from Capital Sports. Join them on Saturday, November 8, at the Great Northern Hotel. Purchase your tickets today and use promo code TEACHER25 at checkout for 15% off General Admission as a thank you for your partnership.

Special for Educators: Teachers attending the event can enter to win $250 for classroom expenses. There will be four drawings, giving multiple chances to win!

The Angel Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting Helena School District children in need by providing essential school items such as clothing, shoes, and more.

The program application will open to eligible families Wednesday, October 1 – November 13. To qualify, families must complete the Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals. Submitting this application may also make your family eligible for additional support services. The Angel Fund is also providing $200 for school clothing to qualifying elementary students (double that for students experiencing homelessness) and $250 to qualifying middle and high school students (double that for students experiencing homelessness).

MORE INFORMATION

WHAT’S COMING UP THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT?
October 25 – November 8, 2025

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/.

For more information about the Kid Packs, what’s in them, how to get a Kid Pack for a child, or the Helena Food Share, go to https://helenafoodshare.org/get-help/kid-packs/.