Watch choir broadcast March 8 at Stage Stop

Photos courtesy Montana PBS

NEWSLETTERCHOTEAUPUBLICSCHOOLS Vol. 17, No. 7 March 2018

Choteau Schools will provide a safe, optimal learning environment, offering all students a well-rounded education.

Website: www.choteauschools.net

Members of the Choteau High School choir pose with their music teacher Lorran Depner and composer Tim Janis at the Montana PBS studio in Bozeman in Janu-ary. Join the choir to watch the concert on PBS Thursday, March 8, at the Stage Stop Inn in Choteau. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 7 p.m.

Easter Break:No school on

Friday, March 30, and Monday, April 2

The community is invited to come and listen to the Choteau High School choir perform in a Montana PBS program called, “Celebrate America Across Montana: Tim Janis with State School Choirs, 2018” on Thursday, March 8, at the Stage Stop Inn in Choteau. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert will be broadcast at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Montana PBS, the concert will also air on March 11 at 5:30 p.m. and on March 16 at 10:30 a.m. The program was taped in January at the KUSM-MontanaPBS studio in Bozeman. School buses brought hundreds of students from Montana school music programs including Anaconda, Big-fork, Choteau, Corvallis, Frenchtown, Great Falls Central Catholic, Hamilton, Hardin, Manhattan, Mount Ellis Academy, Powell County, Power and Sacajawea. Well-prepared and very professional, each choir came into the studio to record their performance. Janis, familiar to public broadcasting audiences from programs such as An Enchanted Evening, Beautiful America and Coastal America, is well known for his “Music with a Mission” philosophy, and has worked on many philanthropic projects. Please consider coming to the LIVE pledge event on Montana PBS. If you tune in on your television, or come to the LIVE event at the Stage Stop, on March 8, please consider pledging to Montana PBS as well. You will enjoy the incredible artistic talent and hard work of Choteau’s music students and Lorran Depner, our devoted and amazing music teacher. Our own Anna Jamison is one of the featured singers. You may have seen a bit about this in the Acantha in recent weeks. We are very excited to have been a part of this programming and the opportunity for our students to be a part of the experience. Tune in and have a look for yourself! Better yet, hope to see you at the Stage Stop on March 8.

Choteau High School choir member Anna Jamison, a junior, sings a solo in the choir’s performance of a Tim Janis song, “Move Mountains.”

PAGE 2 CPS NEWSLETTER

Parent-teacher conferences set for March 15

Parent-teacher conferences are set for March 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. For grades 7-12, we are focusing on students who are at risk and those who have Inter-vention P l a n s . We are mailing h o m e a f lyer to seek p a r e n t input as well as to note the need for a parent/teacher conference and to determine which teachers/classes parents

Wendi Hammond

7-12 PrinciPal

CPSNewsletter

Published by Choteau Pub-lic Schools, a public school system, governed by an elected Board of Trustees and an administrative team.

Mission statement of Cho-teau Public Schools: To pro-vide a safe, optimal learning environment, offering all students a well-rounded education.

Elementary School Office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 406-466-5364.

High School Office: Mon-day-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 406-466-5303.

Mailing address: 204 7th Ave. NW, Choteau, MT 59422.

MRS. HAMMOND

are most concerned about. I am also working on the teacher/staff end of input to see which students should be prioritized for conferences. As always, you are encour-aged to contact teachers anytime via phone message or email note to keep abreast of what is happen-ing in your child’s coursework. During parent-teacher confer-ences, we are trying something different to make the best use of the time. So, how does one prepare for such an appointment? Often, as parents, we are at a loss for words, not sure what to ask, and we may just skip the opportunity due to no clear plan or even an awareness that such an event/opportunity exists. When conferences arrive, par-ents can experience a feeling of anxiety or loss for words. Parents and family always want to hear about the student’s successes. Family is often very aware of the wonderful people their children are, but we also know that they are perfectly imperfect human

beings. So as much as we sup-port their success, what are the key questions that we could be asking when the moment comes and you are with that teacher or those few teachers that your child sees every day in class? You want to use the time well and ask the right questions. Here are five suggested questions to help make the conference more productive and help you as parents leave with a clear plan of action, support and high expectations for the young thing to graduate and be ready for life. 1. How is my child’s behavior in class? •Allstudentswillhavemo-ments of poor choices, as they are human. They will have bad days and will not connect well with every teacher. Worth asking. •Whatiftheyarewithdrawnor not focused? All people have some times of day that are better for focus and hard work. 2. How does my child do socially? •Schoolisnotjustaboutaca-

demics. The work place needs hard workers who know “stuff,” but it also needs people who can interact well with other people and can problem solve in a group. •Eachteacheryourchildseeswill have a bit of a different per-spective and unique information about social interactions in class. 3. Does my child seem en-gaged? •Lackofengagementandpar-ticipation can affect those with high grades and scores as well as those who are poor performers in school. •Otheraspectsoflife,thingsthat happen outside the school setting, can have a huge impact on how students connect at school. •If the content being taughtis not challenging enough, or is toodifficult,thiscanalsocausestudents to shut down. Ask! 4. What could be some goals for the semester? •Most of the teachers willhave clear ideas of how to pri-oritize work and assignments for the rest of third quarter and into fourth quarter. They may have a goal to suggest already — so ask. •The conference must havea clear outcome of “what do we do now?” •Workingtowardagoalwillhelp the student have a checklist of “what to do.” 5. What more could I do to help? •Be sure that the teacherknows that you are also invested in your child’s success! You are the student’s first teacher andwill be that constant as the child continues to grow and change. •Youandtheteacherworkingside by side, sharing information, and developing clear goals will set up our young charges for success. •Theremaybekeyinforma-tion or insight that you can bring to the table that the teacher does not know. Please share your key to success at home. We need you as a partner in this journey of education.

CES photo

Students enjoyed receiving Valentine’s Day carnations that the CES Student Council sold.

Pretty carnations

CPS NEWSLETTER PAGE 3

Start planning for standardized testingCHuCk Gameon

K-6 PrinciPal

MR. GAMEON

■ Jump Rope forHeart March 16 On Friday, March 16, from 12 to 2:15 p.m., Choteau Elemen-tary second, third, fourth,fifthand sixth graders are holding a Jump Rope for Heart event to raise money for the American Heart Association. This event offersmanybenefits.First, themoney our school raises will help fund potentially lifesaving research into heart and blood vessel disease and stroke, our nation’s number one and num-ber three killers, respectively. It will also fund the development of educational materials that teach the importance of heart healthandstayingfit.ChoteauElementary will also earn gift certificates forphysicaleduca-tion equipment. Jump Rope for Heart ben-efits the children, too.Besidesbeing fun, it teaches jump rope skills and the importance of physical activity. Depending on the amount of contributions collected, the students will be eligible for a variety of thank you gifts. Students who wish to participate, but do not want to ask for contributions will still be allowed to take part in Jump Rope for Heart. We welcome your attendance at this event to show your sup-port for the students and their efforts. Mr. Shepherd has many fun activities planned that will make for a great afternoon. If you have any questions about our Jump Rope for Heart event or if you are interested in volunteering at the event, please contact John Shepherd at 466-5364.

■ Social skillfor March The social skill for March is “How to report peer behavior.” The steps for this skill are: Look at the adult. Use a calm voice tone. Request to speak to the adultprivately.Giveaspecificdescription of the peer’s inappro-

The beginning of March means it is time to start thinking about standardizedtesting.TheOfficeof Public Instruc-t i o n ’ s t e s t i n g will in-c l u d e Smarter Balanced Assess -m e n t s for third through s i x t h graders and the science Criterion Referenced Test (CRT) for fourth graders. The testing window for Smarter Balanced Assessments is March 21-May 25. We can give the assessment anytime during that window. We are planning to start the assessments the week of April 2nd. Classroom teachers will let you know when it is time for your child to begin working on the assessment. The window for the science CRT is during March as well, and the fourth-grade teachers will keep parents informed when students will take this test. Please help your child prepare for this time period by being supportive of your child and of the testing. Positive comments can be a powerful tool in getting the best results from your child. Proper rest, a good breakfast and attendance are huge factors in getting an accurate picture of your child’s performance on the coming tests. We ask that all of the children in the elementary school are rested and ready for the testing during March and April. Thank you for helping to ensure each child is doing his or her best on the test. Please call Mr. Gameon at 466-5364 if you have any ques-tions concerning the standardized tests.

priate behavior. State a rationale for the report. Suggest possible solutions. Thank the adult for listening. Our primary students will be learning the difference between tattling and telling. All of the students in the elementary will also be working on the virtues of honesty and integrity. Please help your child learn this skill and make opportunities for them to practice the skill. Your involvement at home will make a lot of difference in your child’s educational experience. Please support our Social Skills pro-gram by helping at home.

■ FOR play set for March 7 The elementary Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club has been preparing a play for the elemen-tary school. They will perform the play on Wednesday, March 7, at 12:20 p.m. in the auditorium. The play is “The Ants and the Grasshoppers” and features these budding actors: Gus Lee, Madison Irons, Rocky Allaire, Olivia Jamison, Ava Gunderson, Lucy Armstrong and Andrew Major. Other members of the FOR Club made the props and the background for the performance and assist with the set changes. Please feel free to come and join us on March 7 for this fun play!

■ Parent-teacher conferences setfor March 15 Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for Thursday, March 15. Conference times for the elementary will be from 4 to 7 p.m. You may request a conference with the teacher or the teacher may request a con-ference for you at this time. We will be sending home conference slips to parents we are requesting a conference with in the near future. Please call the school on or before March 9 if you would

like to set a conference time with your child’s teacher on March 15. As always, you can stop by and visit with your child’s teacher at any time.

■ America Readsstarts March 19 We are looking for volun-teers to be part of the America Reads program at the elementary school. The spring section of America Reads will start on Monday, March 19. If you are interested in becoming a read-ing buddy, please contact Jerri Morris or Chuck Gameon at 466-5364 for more details.

■ Spring Program March 29 The new Choteau Elementary School spring program is on Thursday, March 29, at 1 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Mrs. McCormick and Mrs. Depner, our music and band teachers, have been preparing for the program, and I think it will be a wonderful performance for our families and friends. The fifth-andsixth-gradebandwillstart the program. We hope you will be able to join us.

■ Calling allkindergartners The elementary school is de-termining the number of students for next year’s kindergarten classrooms. If you have a child who will be entering kinder-garten next year, please contact the elementary school as soon as possible at 466-5364. The elementary school in conjunc-tion with the Big Sky Special Needs Cooperative will offer a Kindergarten Roundup Wednes-day, April 18. We would like all children who will be entering kindergarten to take part in this readiness screening.

PAGE 4 CPS NEWSLETTER

Juniors to take ACT March 20SHelly JoHnSon

K-12 counselor

Seniors: apply now for these scholarships

Here is a list of scholarships for graduating seniors: Montana State University-Northern Scholar Program. Newin-statefirst-yearstudentswho have aat least a 3.5 grade-point average and a 20 ACT composite score are eligible to apply. Each applicant will re-ceive a scholarship of either $500 or $1,000 per year and renewable for up to four years. The priority deadlinewasFeb.2andthefinaldeadline is May 31. March 15 — Montana University System Honor Scholarship. This scholarship is a full tuition waiver at any MUS school. Two hundred scholar-ships are awarded statewide. The value varies depending on the campus the student attends. The average value is $4,000 per year or $16,000 over four years. Students must have a cumulative 3.4 GPA, be on track to com-plete Rigorous Core and be en-rolled full-time at an accredited Montana high school to apply. Students earn a score based on their ACT composite and class rank. Apply at www.mus.edu/scholarships. More information is available in Mrs. Johnson’s office. March 15 — Horatio Al-ger Montana Undergraduate Scholarship. Scholarships are offered to students who have a financial need, who have displayed integrity, participated in co-curricular and commu-nity service activities and have demonstrated perseverance in overcoming personal adversity. Must plan to attend the Univer-sity of Montana or MSU, prove criticalfinancialneed($55,000or less adjusted gross family income) and have a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA. If you com-pleted a Horatio Alger National application in the fall, you will automatically be considered for the state application and need not reapply. Visit www.dpwfounda-tion.org/horatioalgermt.

March 16 — Montana Association of Clerks and Recorders Scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship will be of-fered to one Montana student who will be attending a Montana university, college or vocational-technical school. One applicant in each county in Montana is selected in the initial judging and that application advances to the district level. Each district then selects two candidates for consideration at the state level. Paper applications are avail-able in Mrs. Johnson’s office.Completed applications can be mailed or delivered to: Paula J. Jaconetty, Teton County Clerk and Recorder, P.O. Box 610, Choteau, MT 59422. For more information, call 466-2693. March 16 — Montana Community Foundation. The Montana Community manages 60 scholarship funds available to Montana students. Scholarships range from $500 to $5,000 and some are renewable. Visit www.mtcf.org/materials for more information and to apply. March 16 — Billings Clin-ic Foundation Scholarship. Health career scholarships are available to interested graduat-ing seniors. Applicants must be pursuing a course of study that will lead to a career in healthcare. Awards will vary from $500 to $1,000 per year. Apply online at:

www.billingsclinic.com/founda-tion/scholarships/. March 30 — Boe Brothers Foundation 4-H/FFA Scholar-ship. This scholarship is awarded to a high school graduate based on applicant’s character, leader-ship and citizenship in school, FFA and or 4-H and community activities; financial standing; future goals for the use of their education; active engagement in 4-H and or FFA in Teton County; and enrolling to attend MSU-Bozeman as a full-time student (to receive the top two awards). The $2,000 recipient does not have to attend MSU-Bozeman. Applicants must be going into an agricultural-related field orother fieldwhichwould allowthem to live in a rural area. Scholarship recipients must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8 in college to continue to receive the scholarship. Apply online at www.msuextension.org/teton/scholarships.html or contact teton@montana.edu for more information. Submit completed applications to: MSU Teton County Extension Office, P.O.Box 130, Choteau, MT 59422. Applications are due by 5 p.m. March 30. Email applications to jwolery@montana.edu. Ap-plications also available in Mrs. Johnson’soffice. March 30 — Anne Wiprud Memorial Scholarship. Ap-

plicants should have had an active 4-H career, been in a leadership role and plan to go into an agriculture, family and consumer science, Extension orruralhealthcare-relatedfield.The monetary amount of the scholarship is $400. Applications are available online at www.msuexstensin.org/teton under the 4-H and Youth Development heading and in Mrs. Johnson’s office.Applicationscanbesentelectronically by 5 p.m. on March 30 to jwolery@montana.edu. Hard copies of the applica-tion must be received at Teton CountyExtensionOffice, P.O.Box 130, Main Ave. S., Choteau, MT 59422 by 5 p.m. on March 30. April 3 — Montana Food Distributor’s Scholarship. Graduating seniors are eligible if they are associated with the food industry through employ-ment or family relationships within the industry. Information and application is available in Mrs.Johnson’soffice.Formoreinformation, call 800-735-1082. April 3 — Sun River Electric Scholarship. A $500 scholarship will be offered to a member of the senior class. Selection criteria: a GPA of at least a 2.5, applicant’s parents must be members of SREC, applicant must plan to attend a university, four-year or two-year or college of technol-ogy in Montana or out of state, submit a paragraph of their educational goals. Applications onfileinMrs.Johnson’soffice. April 3 — Sun River Elec-tric Line Worker Scholarship.

Need ideas for service learning hours? Check out the bulletin board at the CHS office.

See SCHOLARSHIPS on Page 5

Juniors will take the ACT Plus writing on Tuesday, March 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Choteau juniors will join other grade 11 students across the state who will also be taking this exam. Since 2011the state has funded the ACT through a GEAR UP grant which allows juniors to take the test with no cost to themselves or their families. Juniors in Montana will continue to be able to take the ACT free of charge because the Montana Office of Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE) received a seven-year $24.5 million GEAR UP grant. The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) will award Montana $750,000 annually to maintain ACT test preparation and a yearly examination. Approximately 10,000 Montana public school juniors will take the ACT this spring. The ACT Plus Writing consists of four multiple-choice subject area tests in English, reading, mathematics and science. The final portion of the test is an essay prompt which the student has 40 minutes to complete.

CPS NEWSLETTER PAGE 5

CES Penny War March 19-22 The Choteau Elementary School Student Council will do a “Penny War” fundraiser for ourplaygroundMarch19-22.Weareaskingthechildrentobringintheirchangetobenefitthe playground equipment fund. All pennies will mean points for the grade level. Any other coins or paper money will take away from the total positive amount of the pennies. Each grade level will compete against each other to have the most positive points. There will be a special prize for the winning grade. We hope you will be able to support the “Pennies for the Playground” campaign. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the elementaryofficeat466-5364.

Parenting classes starton April 3

March typically marks the transitionary month between the long, cold winter and the warming of the weather as we enter spring. I am not sure whether that is going to be the case this year, but I am hopeful we can put the snow boots away soon. I want to take advantage of this time to discuss our com-munication system when the weather could be an issue for school or for the buses. Choteau Public Schools purchased a product a few years ago, called School Mes-senger, to communicate with our staff and students. This software allows us to contact allfamiliesandstaffinanefficientmannerthrough email, voice call, or text. This is one reason it is so important for the school district

Make sure your school contact info is up-to-dateto have up-to-date contact information for all families. We also call the radio station in Shelby, KSEN/K96, as a means of communicating any changes to either the buses or to the school day. The School Messenger system would also be employed in the event of an emergency at our school so it is important that we can contact our parents. If you have not been receiving any communications via School Messenger this year, please contact either theelementaryorhighschoolofficesowecan update our system. Parent teacher conferences are coming up as we approach the end of the elementary’s second trimester and are getting close to the end of the third quarter for junior high and high school. Conferences are on Thursday,

March 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. in both schools. We always encourage all parents to be involved in their child’s education and the parent teacher conference is one way to ac-complish this goal. I would encourage all parents of junior high and high school students to come to the school on this night to visit with your child’s teacher(s). If you are pressed for time on thisnight,pleasecallthehighschoolofficeto set a time to meet with any or all of the junior high/high school teachers who work with your son/daughter. I would also encourage you to visit with our grades seven through 12 principal, Mrs. Hammond, in regard to ways to make parent-teacher conferences better for you or for help to facilitate face-to-face communication for you and your child’s teacher(s).

A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to graduating seniors or individuals that are at-tending lineman school. Application criteria includes: membership in SREC, minimum 2.5 GPA, ACT/SAT scores, community/school involvement, work history, letters of recommendation and a personal state-ment and short essay on goals. Applications availableinMrs.Johnson’soffice. April 5 — Western Area Power Admin-istration Nordmeier/Tafoya Scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to one or more individuals having a permanent dis-ability. Other criteria includes: attending a Montana college or technical school, enrolled for at least 12 credits in the 2018-19 school year, financial need and narrative of howscholarship will help in meeting personal and educational goals. Applications are available inMrs.Johnson’soffice. April 15 — Black Mountain Software Scholarship. All graduating high school seniors who will be continuing their educa-tion at an accredited institution regardless oftheirfieldofstudyareeligibletoapply.Two $500 scholarships will be awarded. To

Scholarships, from Page 4

CHuCk Gameon

suPerintendent

download copies of the application form visit: http://support.blackmountainsoftware.com/info/scholarship.pdf. April 15 — Mountain View Co-op Scholarship. Ten $500 scholarships are awarded to students who are patrons or whose parents are patrons of Mountain View Co-op. These awards are offered to graduating seniors with preference given to students whose parents are members or employees of Mountain View Co-op. Preference will also be given to students entering agriculture-related studies. Applicants must be planning to enroll in college or a technical school as a full-time student. Applications are available inMrs.Johnson’soffice. May 11 — Big Sky State Games Char-acter Counts! Scholarship. Big Sky State Games has teamed up with Kenco Security to recognize the importance of sportsmanship and character in Montana student athletes. High school juniors during the 2017-2018 school year are eligible to apply. Applicants need to have competed in the Big Sky State Games. Applications are available at www.bigskygames.orgorscholarshipfile.

The latest class Choteau Public Schools is offering in its series of adult education classes is “Circle of Security Parenting Program.” Suitable for parents and caregivers of children of all ages, including newborns, the class will be offered on Tuesdays, April 3 through May 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Choteau Elementary School. Instructor Amanda Walker will lead participants through an eight-week course designed to help parents who feel lost or without a clue about what their child(ren) might need from them. “Imagine what it might feel like if as parents we were able to make sense of what our child is really ask-ing from us,” Walker said. The program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. Using the Circle of Security Parenting model, the class will help parents to: Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read emotional needs, support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions, enhance the development of their child’s self esteem, and honor the innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure. Participants are asked to register for the class by calling the Choteau High School officeat466-5303.

PAGE 6 CPS NEWSLETTER

Choteau Public Schools music teacher Lorran Depner leads the elementary-age students in band class. We are excited to have so many young musicians dedicated to learning an instrument. Elementary and junior high students committed to learning and mastering their instruments keep our high school band program strong.

Around the high school

Alden Johnson uses masking tape to attach his watercolor paper to the board before adding color.

CHS photos by Principal Wendi Hammond

Garret Yeager, taking a physical conditioning class, stretches and works on flexibility before his set for squats and jumping exercises.

Christian Fuhringer and Kolby Kovatch show math teacher Ann Funk how their geometry formula works for their idea for solving the prompt.

Calvin Maples uses graph-ing calculator to check the mathematics for his calculus class. Teacher Craig Tucker encourages argument and discussion to help the young math scholars be more con-versant with higher-order thinking that is key to great math minds.

CPS NEWSLETTER PAGE 7

100 days of school celebrated

CES photos

Students in Brynn Rowley’s elementary classroom celebrate the 100th day of school in February by building towers with 100 cups. Pictured above right, Kayden Converse, Denali Buck and Karson Ragland work on their tower.

Students in Mrs. McCollom’s second grade celebrate the 100th day of school with several fun activities, snack mix, sorting and graphing. What fun!

Students in Wendy Ekegren’s first-grade class dress up to celebrate 100 days of school.

In these two photos (at right), Choteau Elementary School first graders show the projects they made to mark the 100th day of school in February.

Election NoticeChoteau School District No. 1

The annual Trustee Election for Choteau School District No. 1 will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Trustees whose terms expire this year are Mark Salmond and Brodie Gollehon, members of the joint Elementary and High School Board, and Pat Field, representing the Pendroy outlying district on the High School Board. The three positions are open for three-year terms.

Prospective candidates need to obtain a Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy from School Election Administrator Patty Mellinger at the high school office. The Declaration of Intent and Oath must be filed in the Choteau High School office by 5:00 p.m. on March 29, 2018.

A trustee must be elected or appointed from among the registered electors qualified to vote at general elections within the district.

The close for regular voter registration is Monday, April 9, 2018, 5:00 p.m.

NOTE: If you miss this regular registration deadline (30 days prior to the election), you may still register for the election by showing up at the Teton County Election Office at the Teton County Courthouse up to and including on Election Day. Between noon and the close of business on the day before Election Day, you may complete and submit a voter registration card that can be picked up at the Teton County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, but you will need to return to the district voting location at Choteau High School or the Pendroy Fire Hall on Election Day to pick up and vote a ballot.

Filing deadline March 29, 5 p.m.

PAGE 8 CPS NEWSLETTER

Help Sponsor CHS Track

Call Chuck Gameon, 466-5303, to reserve your sign space.

Choteau Public Schools is now selling advertising sponsorships to raise money for future maintenance of the all-weather track on the CHS campus. You can help keep this track in good shape for future students and community members by advertising your business or family on a double-sided sign that will be displayed on the track perimeter fence. The cost of an annual sign contract is $250.

REMINDERState law prohibits the use of all

forms of tobacco on school property.

Role modeling healthy

behavior helps our students

be tobacco free.

Valentine’s Day projectCES photos

Choteau Elementary School second graders make valentine bags by creating a plan with a budget of $1. They used that plan and dollar to “buy” decorations to create their bag to hold valentines. Thank you to our Valentine Store clerk, Grandma Rose Wilson, for helping us.

CPS NEWSLETTER PAGE 9

A European trip to Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Paris is planned for June of 2019. This is a great opportunity for students and adults to not only travel the world but also to expandtheirglobalcompetence.Ifyouwouldliketofindoutthe details of the trip and ask any questions that you might have, please call Michaela Zwerneman at 466-5303 or 899-4596 or go online to www.explorica.com/Zwerneman-4257. This inclusive trip package provides everything you need for a remarkable trip: round‐trip airfare; eight overnight stays (10 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms; full European breakfast and dinner daily*; full‐time services of a professional Tour Director; guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary; visits to select attractions as per itinerary; guided sightseeing tours with high‐tech headset as per itinerary; and Tour Diary™. *Note: On arrival day, only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided.

European trip in June 2019 is planned

Students at workCHS photos by Principal Wendi Hammond

Choteau High School students Shamus McNeil and Jonathan Moore spot each other on the bench press to build upper-body strength. This elective physical conditioning class encourages young people to develop life-long habits of self-care, fitness and healthy living.

Janae Castle is in physical conditioning class working on building strength by doing what is called a “clean and jerk” or “cleans” for short. Behind her, Cody Woodrum moves to another equipment area for his workout.

Kelly Johnson works on science concepts with student Zack Selander. She uses hands-on ex-periments, photos and short videos to ensure that the science terms and concepts are learned.

At left, Art teacher Jami Gameon demon-strates some watercolor techniques with the Basic Art 2 course. Here Abby Hadlock, Daymian McLoughlin, Tristin Gibson and Alden Johnson watch her before they tackle their own art assignment.

PAGE 10 CPS NEWSLETTER

BOX HOLDER

NONPROFITUS POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT #14

CHOTEAU, MT59422

CHOTEAU PUBLIC SCHOOLS204 7TH AVE. NWCHOTEAU, MT 59422

CPS NEWSLETTER PAGE 11

4-H International programs at Montana State University need families for the sum-mer of 2018 to host 25 Japanese students and three adult chaperones. We are helping get the word out about the need for host families. This could be you! You can go to the MSU International Programs website for more details at http://montana4h.org/programs/international/. There are many opportunities for Montana families to experience another culture in-depth by hosting a foreign delegate. Every summer, foreign youth delegates come to the United States for one month. Families welcome these youth into their homes pro-viding room, board and a loving atmosphere. Families that want a longer experience can host a year-long, high school student from Japan, Korea, Mexico, or a Eurasian country. Hosting a 4-H International Program for Young Adults (IPYA) delegate is another way to get involved. IPYA delegates are 18-30 years old and come from primarily European countries to learn about rural farm and ranch practices.

This is a unique opportunity for you and your family to learn about another culture. Students will be staying in Montana for one month to experience what it is like to live with an American family. Program dates are July 22 to Aug. 17. The student delegates range in age from 12 to 16 years of age. Families with their own children within two to three years

of the same age span as the student delegate and even the same gender as the person they hosting are the best match. Please consider applying for this unique experience. To apply, contact Stephanie Davison at MSU at (406) 994-3502; email: sdavison@montana.edu; or https://www.states4ex-change.org/apply/host/.

Consider hosting a 4-H exchange youth