In this issue:

• MAST testing launches in Montana schools
• HEF Carnival Classic is Sunday!
• Support your school, save on taxes
• Fabulous Firsts: A book for every first grader
• Operate heavy equipment at Digger Days

Dear Families and Staff,

We have a great weekend teed up as we look forward to a favorite back-to-school tradition – the Helena Education Foundation Carnival Classic.

Head over to Memorial Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday to make family memories. From the donut-on-a-string challenge to the dunk tank, there’s something to make everyone in your family smile. Best of all, every dollar raised goes to student organizations, PTOs, sports and academic groups, and other school-related participants!

A big thank you to the Helena Education Foundation (HEF) for bringing this joyful celebration to families year after year. Their work truly brings our community together.

Looking ahead to next week, HEF will launch its annual “Fabulous Firsts” celebrations, presenting a hard-cover book to every first-grader in our district as well as each of our elementary school libraries and the Lewis & Clark Library. That’s more than 500 books! These treasured keepsakes help foster a love of learning in our young readers and families are invited to participate in the Fabulous First event at their child’s school. Watch for details from your school principal.

Check out the list of this year’s fun Fabulous Firsts titles!

Turning to district news, I shared in August that the state of Montana is taking a new approach to measuring student progress. Now that the school year is in full swing, I’d like to provide a bit more information on what you can expect.

A Little Background
For many years, Montana schools have used a single, comprehensive test each spring called the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC). This annual, federally mandated test helped measure whether Montana students in grades 3 through 8 were meeting their grade-level goals in reading and math.

This year, however, marks a significant change. Montana is among a handful of states that gained approval from the U.S. Department of Education to launch a new student assessment model. Instead of one large test in the spring, students will now take a series of three smaller tests – called “testlets” – throughout the school year.

This new model, called “MAST” (Montana Aligned to Standards Through Year), empowers teachers to identify areas where students might need help earlier in the year, while there’s still time to provide additional support.

Helena Public Schools already uses this approach – called a “through-year” assessment model – at the district level through our district “benchmark assessment” tests. The assessment tools we use for these tests include iReady, Acadience and MAP Growth.

These sophisticated diagnostic tools determine which learning goals students have met, where they need extra focus, and how their learning is progressing throughout the year – a metric known as “student growth.”

We will continue to use our district benchmark assessment tools alongside the state’s new MAST testlets to make sure we have the data our teachers and parents need to support student success.

Why two tests?
This double testing may seem duplicative. However, while the state’s new MAST model is an important step in the right direction, it doesn’t yet offer the same detailed insights that our district-level assessment tools provide, especially when it comes to tracking growth over the entire school year.

What do I mean by student growth? Let’s use an example.

Let’s say that “Sam,” a fourth-grader, struggles with multiplication in the fall and scores poorly on the first MAST testlet. With the support of his teacher and family, Sam works hard and masters multiplication by the end of the year.

However, because the third MAST testlet focuses only on new material taught in the spring, it won’t capture how much Sam improved over the course of the year. By contrast, the district’s benchmark assessment tools would accurately capture Sam’s growth and provide the robust detail needed to help his current and future teachers, as well as his parents, support his continued success.

What’s next?
Helena Public Schools embraces the state’s transition to the MAST assessment model, and we anticipate that student growth metrics will be added at some point in the future. We will continue to monitor and assess its capabilities, with an eye toward streamlining testing.  Until then, the district will continue our benchmark assessment tests to ensure that teachers and parents have the robust data they need to support student success.

District benchmark testing began this week and the first MAST testing will begin in mid-October. Watch for information from your school principal on both sets of assessments.

Finally, a quick reminder to check your school newsletter for your student’s picture day, open houses and other back-to-school events. And don’t forget to pick up a copy of the annual district calendar now available at your school.

Thank you for all you have done to make the past couple weeks a fantastic start to the school year!

Respectfully,

Rex M. Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

HPS in the News

District News & Events

HEF Carnival Classic is Sunday!

The Helena Education Foundation’s Carnival Classic is Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Memorial Park! Enjoy games, food, live performance and beautiful fall weather!

Lewis & Clark Public Health will also offer back-to-school vaccinations for all school-age kids 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.

Support your school, save on taxes!