Dear Families, Staff, and the Helena Community,

While the weather outside may indicate otherwise, we are quickly nearing summer break. This season brings a distinct sense of energy building across our classrooms and hallways and is often a time of change and transition. Over the last month, we have shared several updates regarding leadership roles within our schools. Today, I have a few more important announcements to share.

First, some bittersweet news. Principal Wynn Randall will be moving to Butte to take on a new leadership role in education starting at the 2026-27 school year. We are incredibly grateful for Mr. Randall’s 13 years of dedicated service to Helena Public Schools. His impact on students and staff has been significant, and while he will be greatly missed, we wish him and his family the very best in this new venture. We have officially begun the search for Rossiter’s next leader and look forward to providing you with an update in the coming weeks.

I am also thrilled to announce another leadership transition. Kellie Boedecker, the current principal of Broadwater Elementary, will transition to Central Elementary as their next principal come the 2026-27 school year. Mrs. Boedecker’s extensive experience in instructional leadership and her commitment to fostering inclusive, student-centered environments make her an ideal fit for the Central community. With this move, we will begin the search for a new leader at Broadwater Elementary.

As we navigate these changes, our priority remains providing a stable and supportive environment for our students. Thank you for your continued partnership you bring to our schools.

Respectfully,

Rex M. Weltz, Superintendent
Helena Public Schools

04/19-04/25 Recap:

Up Next: 04/26-05/02

Upcoming Community Events:

• RESCHEDULED – Thursday, May 7: HHS + PAL Community Meeting, 5:30 p.m. – HHS Little Theatre

• Wednesday, May 13: Mosaic Community Meeting, 5:30 p.m. – Kessler Gym

If you have questions or want to chat about what’s next, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

FROM OUR SODEXO KITCHEN TEAM

REGISTER FOR 2026 SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM

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TAKE SURVEY

This year, in the weeks leading up to the Vigilante Parade, the Student Councils from Helena High and Capital High are going head-to-head in a friendly food drive competition! Students can bring donations directly to school, or contribute online:

2026 FOOD FIGHT DONATION LINK

Every item and every dollar counts toward the final total. The competition runs Monday, April 20^th through Friday, May 1^st.

Both high schools are fired up and ready to fight for the win! This is a prefect chance to get into your school spirit and make a meaningful impact for our Helena community at the same time. Let’s rally together, show school pride, and bring home a record amount of donations!

The purpose of increasing the Operations, Infrastructure, and Licensing technology mill levy for both the elementary and the high school districts is to maintain the district’s existing technology infrastructure and secure learning environment. This includes the routine maintenance and scheduled replacement of current devices, renewal of software licenses and cloud-based services used by staff and students, and upkeep of the network and security systems that support daily instruction.

Thanks to Helena Education Foundation and a grant from Boeing, our elementary schools get to learn and create with robotic LEGO kits. However, the robotic programming was not compatible with District laptops, so we needed to invest in iPads for the kits to be used. Note: these iPads are NOT a part of their normal classroom routine, but they are necessary tools for modern programs like these kits that supplement learning.

Here are younger grades at Four Georgians School putting the kits to action, and this is what their fantastic Librarian Chelsey Davis has to say about them:

“I have loved the opportunity to incorporate such a well-rounded and interactive learning experience into library lessons. The Lego kits can emphasize reading skills like storytelling, science concepts like force and motion, and technology skills that include coding. Perhaps most valuable, though, is that they are an activity in which students work together in teams. I have been so pleased for students to practice encouraging, supporting, and helping each other to try new things, recover from setbacks, and ultimately succeed in their building challenges.”

Resoundingly, from students I got feedback like, “I love this,” “this is the best day ever,” “this is the best library class ever,” “this is so cool.” More importantly, though, I heard students speak to each other kindly and encouragingly like great teammates. They said things like, “that’s okay,” “let’s try again,” and “we’ll figure it out together.”

MORE ELECTION AND LEVIES INFORMATION

LAST CHANCE MUSIC CAMPS

For older students with previous musical experience:

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And for younger students wanting to learn an instrument or how to sing in a formal ensemble. The discovery camp (from the green poster below) is the one that will be free to all current 5^th graders thanks to a Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation grant.

• HPS THREE WAYS TO DONATE

• RUNNING RESOURCE LIST ON OUR WEBPAGE

• HPS SCHOOLS’ FOOD DRIVES AND OTHER RELATED EVENT LISTINGS

• CONTACT CENTER FOR QUESTIONS AND TO GET CONNECTED (WEBPAGE)

VIEW WEBPAGE

SUN Bucks/Summer EBT household applications are currently being accepted by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)!

MORE INFO AND APPLICATION

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.]