Malta Elementary School to get new PA system for next year

The 20-month saga of updating Malta Elementary School’s public address system has finally ended. Last year, lightning struck near the school and put the PA system on the fritz. At last Tuesday night’s school board meeting, approval was given to purchase and install the new, $33,446 system.

Malta School’s Superintendent Kris Kuehn told the board that $22,841 of the bill will be covered from insurance money and that nearly another $2,300 will be covered by a TIP Grant and other past fundraising monies.

“Which leaves the District’s obligation at $7692.41 for a new PA system at the Elementary School which is one that is badly needed just for the everyday function,” Kuehn said, “but is also a pretty good safety measure.”

The school board unanimously voted in favor for the new PA system.

Malta Elementary News

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Malta Elementary School Principal Theodore Schye told the Board of Trustees that the school’s enrollment stands at 231. He said the chocolate sales that the school’s students have concluded. The sale of the chocolates – which gives the school a return of 50-percent of all the sales – was another success and the profits will go toward paying for more Chrome Books for the school as well as water bottle fillers on the schools water fountains.

“PIE has purchased 27 Chrome Books for us and the Mustang Foundation has purchased another 25,” he said. “Our goal, by this time next year, is to have 105 Chrome Books and 22 tablets for the kindergartners. We are still utilizing the computer labs that we have and these will be used in the classrooms.”

Principal Schye announced that DIAL Pre-School Screening will take place on March 25 at the Malta Lutheran Church. He said the last few years have seen 35-40 kids, up from five or six years ago. The Denver Screening – for children under three – is also taking place in Malta. For more information on either screening, call 654-2320.

Principal Schye also announced that pre-school visits to the kindergarten will take place on April 23 and 30. The preschool students will start the day with an in-class exercise before heading out to recess and then heading home.

Malta Middle School News

Malta Middle School Principal Shawn Bleth told the board that Payton Clausen recently qualified for the State Geo Bee to be held on March 27 in Billings.

Principal Bleth talked at a board meeting at the beginning of the school year about how the Title One Math Program would be handled differently than in years past. He explained that in the past there were two different classes, but this year Mrs. Tollefson and Mrs. Brewer are in the same class for four out of six periods each day.

“It’s been fun to watch as the year has played out,” he said. “There are some pretty cool things happening there.”

Bleth said the change has helped students greatly and that the percentage of students failing math is down by 33-percent from where the number previously stood.

“We are heading into the right direction there,” said Bleth.

Bleth also informed the board about a new, online math program which will be available for students. Bleth said a recent study showed that nearly half of Montana students, when they arrive on college campuses, have to take remedial math classes. The Program – called EdReady -- is curriculum from the National Repository of online courses that was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for students from grades seven through twelve to use.

“Students can go online and take a math test to see where they are at and then (the program) customizes lessons for that student to go through to improve in the areas that they have been determined to be weak in.”

Bleth said the program is free for both students and the school and both Malta Middle and High Schools are looking into how best to utilize the resource.

Malta High School News

Malta High School Principal Scott King told the Board of Trustees that the end of the school’s third quarter was on Thursday. He also announced that he has been approached by officials from Saco, Whitewater and Hinsdale Schools regarding a multiple school prom to be held in Malta on April 18 at the Tin Cup.

“It is the first time we have ever joined into a venture like this,” King said. “We have so many kids that crossover and attend each other’s proms, our Snowball is a great example.”

King said at the last Snowball there were 52 couples in attendance and that he is expecting a couple more at the April 18 event.

“We are really looking forward to this opportunity,” said King.