Malta Principals give first reports of 2018-19 school year

With the first day of school just a week away, Malta School Principals were in action at last week's Malta School Board meeting, getting the trustees up-to-date on the recent happenings of the schools and what to expect when the 2018-19 school year commences.

Malta Elementary School's new principal, Candance Wipplinger, told the trustees that the MES open house will be held on Wednesday, August 22 and said that the current enrollment sits at 211 total students (kindergarten 26, first grade 35, second grade 42 - the largest class at the elementary, third grade totals 36, fourth grade has 42 and fifth grade has 40.)

"There is a possibility there that we will have some more kindergarteners showing up," she said.

Principal Wipplinger said she is getting comfortable in her new office at the elementary school (the PCN will feature her next week in the newspaper.)

Malta Middle School Principal Shawn Bleth told the School Board that an orientation for new teachers will be held this Friday and the current enrollment at the school is 110, about where it has been for the past several years. Principal Bleth said that the Malta School's new website (same URL) is up and running, adding that the site will look different depending if it is viewed on a computer or cellphone.

Malta High School Principal and Activities Director Scott King said enrollment at the high school currently sits at a total of 142 (42 freshman, 30 sophomores, 38 juniors, and 31 seniors) which is also on par with the totals for the past several years.

Principal King said that the next PIR Meetings for the school's teachers will include a class with Phillips County Sheriff Scott Moran covering three different types of lockdown levels (soft, medium, and hard) in case of emergency situations. Principal King said that the MHS and MMS open house events are scheduled for Tuesday, August 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. In his last bit of news, Principal King said that graduation for the Malta High School Class of 2019 is set for May 19.

During new business, the Malta School Board tentatively approved a move to trade in two old busses as part of the purchase of two brand new, smaller busses at a cost not to exceed $120,000 (the trade-in and purchase of one bus was reportedly a sure thing, the second trade in and bus purchase was contingent on the company still having the second vehicle for sale and willing to take the old bus.)

The next Malta School Board meeting is slated for Wednesday, September 12 at 7 p.m.