Malta School Board approves new scoreboard, extends Sup's Contract

The Malta School Board last Wednesday approved the purchase of a new score board for the Middle School and also approved a three-year contract extension to Malta School’s Superintendent Kris Kuehn.

The entire system currently in place at the Malta Middle School gym is becoming erratic – at times, the buzzer sounds at inopportune times -- and the Malta Athletic Club will be picking up a large portion of the bill.

The controllers for the new score board will be the same as the ones currently used in the high school.

Following a closed session Superintendent Evaluation, the Malta School Board approved a three-year contract extension to Superintendent Kuehn.

“Thank you very much,” Kuehn said following the board’s approval.

Malta Elementary Report

During Wednesday night’s Malta Elementary School Report, elementary Principal Theodore Schye informed the board of trustees that the school’s new dishwasher is up and running, working like a charm. Principal Schye added that the school’s new boiler is working well and heating the school without incident.

Schye also announced that the Missoula Children’s Theater will be coming to Malta on January 11 (see story on the top of page 5A.) Schye said the MCT, who will assist the students in performing The Little Mermaid, generally has about 60-to-75 parts to fill for the production and that student turnout is generally near 100.

“Unfortunately, some students are not selected,” Principal Schye said, “for various reasons. So one of the changes I have made in the last four or five years is that you have to be a member of the Malta School District to participate. We used to allow high school students to participate, but they have speech and drama and their own place to be in.”

Schye told the trustees that the Elementary School Science Fair will be held on February 16 and 17 this year with an Awards Ceremony to be held on the 18th.

“I have already had students asking me about when the Science Fair information will be coming out so they are already excited,” he said.

Principal Schye ended the Elementary Report by informing the Board of Trustees that the Loring Colony Christmas Program will be held on Wednesday, December 17.

Malta Middle School Report

Malta Middle School Principal Shawn Bleth informed the board that Malta’s eighth grade students will be taking the ACT Aspire Test this year instead of the ACT Explorer Test. Bleth explained that the ACT Aspire measures how students are progressing in college readiness through their abilities and the course of action they are taking in their schooling.

“The part I really like about it,” said Bleth, “is that this test gives students an idea on what they need to take in school to be on track to do what they want to when they get into high school.”

Bleth said if students have an idea of which areas they might want to study when they enter college that the ACT Aspire Test points them in the direction of classes to take as their schooling progresses and areas that they may need to place more focus on.

Malta High School Report

Malta High School Principal Scott King told the Board of Trustees that the school’s Christmas Concert is tonight, Wednesday, December 17., featuring both the Choir and High School Band.

King said that all Malta Schools have an early-out on December 23, students are being dismissed at noon for the Christmas Break, signaling the final day of the semester.

Principal King said that this year’s Snowball Dance will be sponsored by this year’s senior class and will be held on the 27th.