Schools

LAKE COUNTY – High school graduation ceremonies across the state might be a little different this year as officials consider how hundreds of graduates will turn the tassel while maintaining social distancing. The Office of Public Instruction, Board of Public Education and Montana Public Education Center shared a letter written to district and county superintendents last week after receiving dozens of inquires from schools asking for an opinion or guidance about how to proceed with the remainder of the school year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The letter was signed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen; Board of Public Education’s Darlene Schottle...

MSU News Service MONTANA — Montana State University Extension will offer several webinars that discuss economic effects from the current COVID-19 pandemic. The webinars will be offered from 2 to 3 p.m. each Thursday until April 23. The courses will be presented by MSU Extension specialists and ...

News from OPI MONTANA — The Montana Office of Public Instruction released preliminary estimates for how much funding Montana’s K-12 public schools will receive from the federal CARES Act stimulus bill that was passed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Of the $13.5 billion allocat...

Unified Command Center  LAKE COUNTY – Critical items are needed to protect food preparers in the Mission Valley, and donations are needed.  This is a request for masks, rubber gloves, large coolers, meal-size brown-paper bags, hot-food containers with sealing lids, and hand sanitizer,...

This week, I had a conversation with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discuss national responses to the COVID-19 outbreak and how the U.S. Department of Education can assist Montana schools. I encouraged flexibility for Montana schools. We also discussed equitable alternative education delivery and...