May 2021
Superintendent’s Letter
Dear Parents and Community Members,
As I write this month's article my thoughts turn to our staff here at Arlee Schools. Not long ago, I read about a fascinating man named "Buck" Fuller who requested the following epitaph be carved on his gravestone, "Call Me Trim Tab." Richard Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was an American architect, author, inventor and futurist. Fuller published more than 30 books and coined several popular terms, including the word "synergy." Fuller often used "trim tabs" as a metaphor for how seemingly small, well-focused actions can produce significant, enduring outcomes.
A trim tab is a small lever on a boat or plane rudder that moves independent of the whole rudder. Modest movements of the trim tab can change the direction of a massively heavy boat or plane producing results far out of all proportion to the actual size of the trim tab. Fuller once said; "Something hit me very hard once, thinking about what one little man could do. Think of the Queen Mary—the whole ship goes by and then comes the rudder. And there's a tiny thing at the edge of the rudder called a trim tab. It's like a miniature rudder. Just moving the little trim tab adjusts the entire rudder. It takes almost no effort at all. I said that the little individual can be a trim tab. So I say call me trim tab."
In the Arlee School District, we have many "trim tabs." People who work diligently to make a big difference! We are almost at the end of another successful school year. It could never happen without the combined efforts of many dedicated individuals. I thank each one of you for your contribution—for being a "trim tab" that helps to successfully guide our school district as we strive to inspire, build and teach children. And, to our many students, parents and partners, we thank you for your great efforts. It's a marvelous thing to watch our entire community come together to provide for the education of our next generation.
Sincerely,
Mike Perry, Ed.D
Superintendent
Board of Trustees: Congratulations and thank you to Lindsey O'Neill, our incumbent Trustee who will serve a three year term on the Arlee School Board of Trustees. We appreciate your commitment to Arlee Schools and the community.
Elementary News
Hello All -
What a year we all have had! It is hard to believe that it is winding down and coming to an end. Our last day of school is June 2nd, but, before we get too excited to turn our students free for the summer we have a few things to finish up.
SBAC TESTING (State Mandated Testing) was conducted during the month of April for grade levels 3-6. This is a grueling and exhausting test and I am very proud of how well our students and staff persevered.
MAP TESTING (District Mandated Test) The testing window for the MAP test is the last three weeks of May. Teachers can work on these assessments at their discretion during this time. Most teachers like to take their time with this test so it isn't taxing on our young brains. The MAP test allows us to track progress within our district. It also identifies curriculum holes that we need to fill. I look at the MAP testing data daily; it is a good reflection on what exactly our ARLEE students know.
DISTANCE LEARNERS: All distance learners need to have their computers checked back into the school by May 26th. You may turn it in to one of the elementary offices.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION: We are ready to enroll all incoming Kindergarteners! Please come see Jen or Carolyn at the K-2 elementary office for your registration packet.
SUMMER SCHOOL: We are offering an elementary summer school session this year. The hours for summer school will be from 8:30 - 12:30. Summer school will start on June 7th and will end on July 1st. If you are interested in enrolling your student in summer school, please email your child’s teacher or me at atanner@arleeschools.org.
NEXT YEAR’S CLASS ASSIGNMENTS: We will be sending home your child’s next year’s classroom teacher information in the mail on May 10th.
Please stay safe and healthy!
Principal Anne Tanner
Jocko Valley Library’s Summer Reading Program 2021
The Summer Reading Program is free for all ages and runs from June 15th - August 3rd. Events are on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:00. Register with an adult from June 1st - June 15th at the Jocko Valley Library.
Event Schedule:
June: 15th, 22nd, 29th July: 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th August: 3rd Finale
Library Hours:
Monday & Thursday 1:00-5:00 Tuesday 9:30-11:00 (SRP Only) Friday 12:00-4:00
Visit us on Facebook, or call the library 726-3572 with any questions.
We will be holding this event outdoors (weather permitting) to maintain safe distancing.
To go into the library to swap books (or bad weather days), PLEASE have your child bring a mask!
Congratulations to Ms. Gabler's 6th Grade Class for taking 3rd place in the RISE Challenge Big Sky !!
They won $600 plus implementation funds from FEMA!
The mission of the RISE Challenge Big Sky is to create a generation of citizens with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to improve community resilience to natural disasters. Brightways Learning, a Missoula-based educational nonprofit organization, teamed up with Watershed Education Network, Earth Force, FEMA, and ASFPM Foundation to create the RISE Challenge Big Sky and offer it to Montana educators and students in grades 5-10.
The students proposal was to create a Flood Risk Sign and volunteer monitoring process to show the current flooding risk in a place commonly seen by people in their community.
Junior High/High School News
Dear Arlee Parents and Guardians -
We are in the last weeks of school and big things are happening. For those of you that will be attending Arlee High School next fall, class registration will be happening in the coming weeks. Please contact us if you have any questions. Other important information:
Graduation at the High School: We will be having a similar graduation this year in comparison to last year. It will be held at 3:00pm on May 30th. The ceremony will be on the football field with the following rules in place. Seniors will be allowed to have their parents/guardians in the chairs provided near the podium. There will be 2 chairs per senior, or 4 if you have a split family. If you feel you have a special circumstance, please contact me and we will figure something out. All other family members will be allowed to sit in the bleachers and all other guests will be welcome to bring their own chairs and sit in the designated seating areas. We will miss you seniors!
SENIORS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO WALK WITHOUT HAVING ALL FEES, BOOKS, MATERIALS, ETC. checked in. If you and your child are not sure if anything is owed, please call Val at the main office.
Yellowstone: The amazing end of the year trip for all eligible eighth graders is just around the corner. Notices have been sent home to parents on information about the trip. All chaperones will need to have completed paperwork including background check on file at the district office and board approved. The last board meeting that you can get approved is on May 11, 2021. Please contact Lonnie Morin, District Clerk, at 726‐3216 x 2101 for more information if you plan on chaperoning.
8th Grade Promotion: This year’s promotion is on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 7:00 pm, at either the old high-school gym or the football field depending on the weather. 8th Graders will be allowed to have their parents/guardians in the chairs provided near the podium. There will be 2 chairs per 8th grader, or 4 if you have a split family. If you feel you have a special circumstance, please contact me and we will figure something out. All other family members will be allowed to sit in the bleachers and all other guests will be welcome to bring their own chairs and sit in the designated seating areas.
There is a parent meeting scheduled on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 6:00 pm at the Junior High School. Any parent interested in helping with the planning and decorating for their child’s promotion ceremony please try and attend. If you are unable to make the meeting but would like to help, contact Jamie at 726‐3216 x 2404.
STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO WALK WITHOUT HAVING ALL FEES, BOOKS, MATERIALS, ETC. checked in. If you and your child are not sure if anything is owed, please call Jamie at the Junior High office.
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
More High School News
AHS is in the process of digitizing all the yearbooks that we have a copy of for the enjoyment of anyone who would like to go online to look at them. We are missing copies of the following years:
1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1981, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
If anyone has a copy of one or any of these year's yearbooks, we would love to borrow them for copying with the confirmation that they would be taken care of and returned to you in good condition. Please contact Val at 726-3216, ext. 2301 or Deanne at 726-3216, ext. 2305. Thank you.
Honors
Congratulations to Levi Fullerton on receiving 2nd Team All-Conference honors for basketball and to Halle Adams for receiving Honorable Mention honors!!
Also congrats to the following on achieving Academic All State honors for Basketball and Wrestling – Kendall O’Neill, Ethan Fiddler, Dallas Swab, Adalyn Jacobson, Halle Adams, Princess Bolen, Michaela Buck, McKaryss Fisher, McKirah Fisher, Xaria Jacobson, Noel Johnson, Titanya Lapahie, Raven Parson, Colt Crawford, Charley Crawford, Drew Knoll and RJ Knoll. Great job athletes!! In order to achieve academic all state, a student must letter in their sport and have a 3.5 or above GPA for third quarter.
Driver Education
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:
Getting a driver license is a huge passage for our teens. Reasons that parents/ guardians and teens have for getting their license at 14 ½ with Driver Ed are varied. For some teens they want freedom and think that the open road will lead them there. In some ways it most certainly will. For parents we may be overwhelmed with driving them to all the school functions and trying to keep up on their child’s social calendar. Whatever the reasons as parents/guardians and whether you are a first time parent/guardian of a new driver or a veteran parent/guardian of teen drivers, it is a commitment to teach our teens the rules of the road and the safety issues that come with sharing the road with others.
To help with these safety concerns and rules that govern our highways I can help. I will be giving your novice driver experience by first teaching them lessons in the classroom and then concurrently teaching them the skills for behind the wheel. If you are wanting to take Traffic Education we are offering a class starting in August of 2021. The fee is $225.
To ensure that you get up-to-date information about this class, please fill in this google form:
I have listed my number on this form if you have any questions that you’d like to visit about.
Safe Driving Everyone
Susan Carney Lammerding
Arlee Traffic Education Instructor