January 2021
Superintendent’s Letter
Dear Parents and Community Members,
The school year is almost halfway done and yet it feels like it is the beginning of the year to many of us. It seems as though in most articles I talk about advice for our students and parents and I wanted to spend this month praising the students here at Arlee Public Schools. We truly have fantastic students in our schools. Over the past couple of months I have been able to watch our students participate in situations that we could never imagine. We see them adapt to regular school days, remote learning, substitute teachers and all that Covid-19 chooses to throw at them. Everyday I watch these students and find myself impressed by their actions in one way or another. It is so easy to concentrate on the negative aspects of our lives, take the time to appreciate your children and make sure that they know of your appreciation. A farmer was walking over his farm with a friend, exhibiting his crops, herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep. His friend was greatly impressed, especially with the splendid sheep. He had seen the same breed before, but never had seen such fine specimens. With great earnestness he asked the farmer how he had succeeded in rearing such fine sheep. The simple answer was, “I take care of my lambs.” We love working with your wonderful students and look forward to every day we spend with them.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at 726-3216.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mike Perry Ed.D., Superintendent
Elementary News
I hope all of you have found the holiday season to be a happy, healthy, and a safe one. Our last day of instruction before the winter break is Thursday December, 17th. We will resume instruction on January 4th, 2021. Please encourage your child to read and practice their math facts over the break!
When we return on January 4th, 2021 we will be ready to rock out the rest of the school year. I want to remind everyone, no matter what path they choose to take for their education, it is imperative that we all work together. As you all know, education is struggling during this COVID crisis and it takes an entire community to keep our kids learning.
Distance Learners: If you would like to return to in class instruction after the Christmas Break we would love to have you. Please notify your building office of your plan so your teacher can prepare for your much anticipated arrival.
On Campus Learners: Be ready to return to school “bright eyed” for the start of the new year. Stay healthy over the Christmas Break!. As you return to school I ask all of you to make sure you are healthy. If you aren’t feeling well, stay home we will excuse your absence. Let’s try to finish the rest of the year strong!
It is my hope that 2021 brings all of us less stress, better health and some normalcy. I appreciate each and everyone of our Arlee families. Stay safe and enjoy the holiday break.
Principal Anne Tanner
Board of Trustees News
Arlee School Board of Trustees: In May 2021, the Arlee School Board of Trustees will have one open position for a three year term. Filing of the Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy opens on December 10, 2020 and closes on March 25, 2021. The Declaration can be found on the Arlee School District website at arleeschools.org under School Board/Election Forms. The Declaration can be turned into Lonnie Morin at the Administration Building on the Arlee Campus or to the Lake County Elections Office in Polson. Elections will be held by Mail Ballot again this year. If you have any questions please contact Lonnie Morin at 406-830-8180. Thank you to all who have served on the Board to date, your service is greatly appreciated.
Junior High/High School News
Dear Arlee Parents and Guardians -
I want to start this letter by saying thank you to the families that have focused on finding solutions to the problems presented by Covid. 2020 is wrapping up and I look forward to working alongside all of you in 2021. Thanks again Arlee for being so supportive in these trying times.
High school winter sports are in full swing and if you have an athlete in your family, please remind them to check their grades to ensure their eligibility. Keeping sporting events as safe as possible is going to be tough, and sadly that means this year's attendance will be limited. Please be on the lookout for updates of this attendance policy on the school website as we get closer to the first games.
Junior High girls’ basketball will have their first practice January 4th. Please make sure you have all of your paperwork in and that your student athlete is caught up on all of their grades.If you are having difficulty finding your child’s grades, please visit our website (www.arleeschools.org).
Important dates this month:
Winter Break will be December 21st through January 1st
NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King Day January 18th
Second Quarter ends January 14th
This will update the student’s eligibility.
As always, Val, Jamie and I are here for any questions or concerns. Please call us at 726-3216 (ext. 2404 for Jamie, ext. 2301 Val or ext. 2300 Mr. Beckham). We are here to help!
Stay healthy and safe!
Mr. Beckham
Athletics News
Basketball: Arlee has a new coaching staff for boys' basketball this year. Shawn Matt was hired as the head coach and Matt Santay is the assistant. Shawn Matt is a 1998 graduate of Arlee High and the first coach to be hired to coach basketball who actually played basketball for the Warriors for four years. While in high school he also lettered in football and track. He went on to Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas for a time and played some basketball there too. Shawn has been married to his high school sweetheart, Miranda, for 23 years. He has three kids, Shonlea, Shoni and Baby Shawn. He and his family run a ranch and they rodeo, camp and swim for fun.
Matt Santay is 29 years old and grew up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where he was a three sport athlete, including 4 years of varsity basketball. Since leaving the Marine Corps in 2015, he has coached high school AAU basketball in Detroit and Seattle. He and his fiance, two dogs and cat moved to Missoula in January so that he could pursue a degree in Wildlife Biology at the U of M. Matt says he is really excited and honored to be a part of the Arlee basketball team and community.
Wrestling: The Arlee wrestlers also have a new head coach this year. Mr. Ken Hill has stepped down for a time, and his former assistant for 8 years, Paige Carney, has taken over his position. Paige is 36 years old and an AHS alumni, graduating in 2003. He wrestled all the way through school for 13 years and finished in the top six places at State the last three years of high school. He is married to his beautiful wife, Nicole, and they have a two year old daughter, Paisley. He has lived in Arlee for the majority of his life and is a welder by trade and has his own welding/fabrication business.
The new assistant wrestling coach is David Clarke. Dave wrestled for the Frenchtown Little Guy program through sixth grade, then at Arlee in Junior High and back at Frenchtown for his high school career. Dave was the 1987 Freestyle, Greco and B-C State champion and was Frenchtown's first Century Club wrestler. Due to injury, Dave stopped competition wrestling and became the head coach for the Arlee Little Guy wrestling program from 1988-92. He was also the president and/or coach of Frenchtown Little Guy Wrestling Club from 2005-2015. Dave is a lifelong resident of Evaro and lives with his wife Trish. He has two daughters, Andrea and Colleen and a son, Keith.
Basketball and Wrestling Spectators Guidance
As we approach the beginning of our winter sports season and basketball games beginning the first week of January we want to let you know the guidelines that we will be implementing for basketball and wrestling seasons. In order to help keep exposure down for our athletes and community, Arlee Schools will allow 4 spectators per athlete for both basketball and wrestling. The visiting team will be allowed to bring 2 spectators each contest. We will be providing passes to the players, managers and coaches to allow their spectators into the games. We ask that all spectators wear a mask and practice social distancing while in the gym. We have put in a new camera system that will allow all games to be broadcast on the NFHS network which is available for only $10 per month. The other schools are also allowing only 2 visitors per athlete at this time. We will keep you all updated if there are any changes to either home attendance or visitor attendance. Thank you for your support and understanding at this time. Go Scarlets and Go Warriors.
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Do you have concerns about your child’s development?
Arlee Schools can help!
Join us for a free screening
to identify young children
who may be in need of early intervention or special education services.
Concerns might include: speech/language, learning and understanding, coordination and movement, social skills, self-help skills (eating, dressing, toileting), behavior management, vision or hearing.
Due to COVID-19 Arlee Schools will be doing things a little differently this year. Families can call to set up an appointment that will allow for limited contact and thorough cleaning between screenings
If you have concerns/questions about your child ages 3 and up:
please call Donna Coffman at 726-3216 to reserve a screening time
for Friday, February 12th 12:30 – 3:00
For children ages 0 to 3:
Contact Catherine A. Hafliger at the Missoula Child Development Center