MHS welcomes back familiar faces

With the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak affecting both students and staff, the need to fill positions is currently the biggest challenge at Malta Public Schools.

At the Malta School Board Meeting held on December 9, 2020, Principal Clark reported that enrollment numbers are holding steady, and changes to planned presentations and celebrations have taken a bit of ingenuity and creative thinking. He noted examples of the changes that were made in order to best serve the students, while keeping both the children and staff as safe and healthy as possible. Christmas programs will look a bit different this year, with the performances traveling from classroom to classroom and then being recorded and broadcast on KMMR FM.

The adjustments to the early out on Wednesdays have been working well, with the added of change of cutting the afternoon recess to allow for more class time. The early out also provides time to give extra one on one instruction to kids who have been out of class or otherwise could benefit from that time, and noted that Mr. Genger had been pitching in to transport around 15-20 students to the Boys and Girls Club after school to ease the burden on working parents.  

Principal Bleth also spoke to how the school was adjusting to the ongoing strain faced due to post-Thanksgiving. He announced that the band concert would be postponed indefinitely and that Snowball will not be held this year. Semester tests will not be given this term, as it would not be a fair assessment of the students. He stressed the need to find and hire teachers and expressed his gratitude for the substitutes and the staff for filling in the holes and stepping up to the plate every day.

Bleth noted that Terry Lindgren would be returning to take on six out of eight periods of social studies instruction. The Athletic Director's duties will be split between Mr. Genger and Scott King, who held the position until 2019. Both are well regarded and, well, you could see some grins through people's masks. Welcome back, and thank you!  "Scott King is my own personal Santa Claus," laughed Genger.

Andres Lopez will be an assistant wrestling coach, and Kirk Stiles and Nate Costin will be splitting duties as practice coaches for high school basketball.

In the superintendent's report, Genger announced the resignation of Travis Somerfeld and thanked the staff for how well they have stepped up and work their very hardest for the best of the students through the suffering that 2020 has dished out and the constant stress the each change brings.

Meetings of the Malta School Board are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. and are open to the public. Please wear a mask.