Malta School Board meeting recap

The Malta School District held their first regular school board meeting for 2016 where each of the district’s three school principals gave their monthly reports and a discussion about purchasing a new school activity bus was discussed.

Malta School’s Superintendent Kris Kuehn informed the board’s trustees that the bus to be replaced has recently had engine troubles that start with the radiator. The board’s transportation committee brought several different busses with a wide range of prices to the board to look at. After 15-minutes of discussion, the motion was made to continue to proceed with the purchase of a new bus for the school, a 2010 Thomas with a a price tag of $105,000 (which would include the cost of getting the bus to Malta and detailing it with Mustang and M-ette insignias.)

During the Malta Elementary School Report, school principal Tad Schye told the trustees that the school’s enrollment is currently at 231 – up from last year at this time when the number was 225. Principle Schye said the elementary school’s girls basketball season started the beginning of January (grades five and six) and their games will be played during halftime of upcoming Malta High School basketball games. The team’s coach is Dan Bain and is made up of 14 fifth grade girls and five sixth grade girls. Principal Schye added that Mrs. Kuehn, through Title 1, will be hosting a Family Fun Night at the school on Thursday, February 4, starting at 6 p.m.

In his final bit of information on the night, Principal Schye reported that school librarian Lynne Nevrivy said that the school has doubled the number of total books read from the same time last year.

During Malta Middle School Principal Shawn Bleth’s report, he informed the trustees that the school will be hosting the Malta Jamboree on Saturday, January 23 and the Middle School Music Festival will be held in mid-February. Principal Bleth said the school’s volleyball team currently has 23 members and three coaches, one of which was awarded a contract later in the meeting.

Malta Middle School Geo-Bee second round winner was Colt French who now moves onto the written portion of the competition and will await to hear back if he has qualified for state event. Bleth said that in 2015, students from the school were taken on an ice-fishing trip with Malta Walleyes Unlimited and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. He said this year Marc Kloker, Region 6 information and education program manager for Montana FWP will be coming into the middle school to teach in Mr. Twiggs seventh grade science classes. The classes Kloker will teach will include aquatic insect identification and fish dissection.

“Then, of course, we will get out and do some fishing if the weather cooperates,” Bleth added. “Marc Kloker used to be a science teacher before he went over to work at FWP, so we are excited to have him come in and be a part of our classroom.”

During Malta High School Principal Scott King’s report, he informed the trustees that this year’s senior graduation will be held on Sunday, May 22 at 6 p.m. Principal King said the school’s sophomores will be taking the CRT Science Test on Tuesday, March 15 and the juniors will take the ACT Tests on Tuesday, April 19.

Upcoming events at the high school include; the Speech and Drama State Meet will be on Friday, January 29 in Ennis, the District Honor Band and Choir will be held on Monday, January 25 in Glasgow and said that on Friday, February 12, the school’s Jazz Combo will combine forces with the culinary arts classes and will host a Valentine Dinner and Jazz Band Concert.

“So, if you are looking for something to do for Valentine’s Day, bring your sweetheart and come have dinner and enjoy a Jazz concert,” he said.

Prior to the Wednesday night meeting, the board’s trustees were treated to a large dinner cooked and served by the culinary arts classes. Each review from the trustees was better than the next and all agreed the food was excellent.

The next Malta School Board meeting will be on February 10 at 7 p.m.