Save Lives with Hope Squad
Presenters: Tobin Novasio, Lockwood and Dr. Gregory Hudnall, Hope Squad
The Hope Squad program is a school-based suicide prevention program in over 700 Elementary, Middle and High Schools across the U.S. and Canada. Hope Squad members reduce youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention. Students are not taught to act as counselors, but rather how to be peer advocates, recognize signs of suicide contemplation, and respectfully report any concerns to an adult. The program encourages all students to see the signs, seek help, and save lives. Lockwood Schools will share their story of implementation in an effort to save student lives across Montana.
COVID-19 Ongoing Challenges
Presenter(s): Tony Koenig, Director of Legal Services/Senior Counsel, Andrew Vigeland, Staff Attorney, and Kris Goss, Director of Policy Services/Senior Counsel, MTSBA
In this session, the MTSBA legal staff will review the best practices in responding to the challenges Montana’s public schools are facing during the 2020-2021 school year. School leaders will discuss the latest guidance related to health and safety protocols, personnel matters, student instruction and services, open meeting compliance, school events, relationships with county health officials, and financial operations when responding to COVID-19. This is an opportunity to hear and share the most recent information about effective school governance during the public health emergency.
Crowdfunding Best Practices for K-12 School Business Officials
Presenter(s): Kirk Smiley, Managing Director, DonorsChoose
Crowdfunding is becoming a viable funding source, filling resource gaps and providing strategic acceleration for academic programs. However, because the practice may be misunderstood, it may result in unexpected liabilities without the proper partners and safeguards in place. Learn how to implement crowdfunding best practices in your schools, get general crowdfunding guidance, find out which crowdfunding sites to trust, and learn how to uphold financial accountability while maintaining control over materials and supplies as well as safety and security of those in your district.
Unemployment 101
Presenter(s): Theresia LeSueur, Director of MTSUIP
You will gain a greater understanding of unemployment objectives and requirements. This includes the importance of responding for compliance with UI Integrity. The workshop will also cover types of separations and appropriate documentation, life cycle of an unemployment claim and understanding liability. The result is to provide tips to manage your unemployment rate and claims.
Being Prepared for Emergencies in Schools
Presenter(s): Kristen Maltese, FEMA Region VIII Regional Preparedness Liaison and Daniel Nyquist, FEMA Region VIII Senior Analyst, National Preparedness Division
FEMA Region VIII Staff will present on school preparedness activities including topics such as how to prepare for and respond to the effects of disasters, resources for developing emergency preparedness plans, access to federal relief disaster funding, and engaging youth in preparedness activities.
The 3 "Ships" = RelationShips, LeaderShip and PartnerShips
Randy Russell, Freeman School District
The 3 “Ships” - RelationShips, LeaderShip, and PartnerShips - will help you improve your relationships, develop your leadership skills and capacity, and assist you in developing more meaningful partnerships for the school board and superintendent. The 3 “Ships” will help you become closer as a team, develop your leadership skills as a team, and strengthen your public-private partnerships with your community.
A Pirate's First Five: On the Open Sea
Presenter(s): Jon Konen, Corvallis Public Schools, and Travis Niemeyer, Billings Public Schools
In this breakout, Travis and Jon will give the captains' orders (ideas) to keep your ship sailing, to keep the sense of adventure alive, and the responsibility to dig deeply into the captain's gut to keep y'er crew going the right direction during uncertain times. We've left port, we're on a sea we've n'er been, and we will make this an adventure to remember! Join us ya scurvy dogs!
2020 Healthcare Trends/Being a Smart Shopper
Presenter(s): DeAnna Anderson and Dawn Sullivan, MUST
2020 Healthcare Trends: This presentation will educate you on what is happening in Healthcare. We will dive into Wellness in the Workplace, the shift from Fee-For-Service to Value-Based-Care, and what is shaping the future of Healthcare. We will explore some of the newest trends that people are using to stay on top of their health.
Being a Smart Shopper: This presentation will answer some of the tough questions you have always wondered about your health care coverage, and good topics to ask about. For example, Can I use a lower-cost generic? Generic drugs have the same active ingredients, strength, quality, and safety as their name-brand counterparts, but they can cost hundreds of dollars less. Advantages of Preventive Health vs. Reactive Treatment – There is evidence that preventive health treatments provide more benefits than any other type of treatment. Researchers around the world uphold the value of keeping people healthy rather than “curing disease.” Why aren’t there more of these kinds of health programs in the mainstream?
Election Planning Scenarios
Presenter(s): Lance Melton, Executive Director; Debra Silk, Associate Executive Director, MTSBA
The focus of this session will be on the variety of possible scenarios under which Montana’s public schools will be operating depending upon the November 2020 election results. There will undoubtedly be changes to both state and federal education policy depending upon the results of this election which will impact funding, operations, COVID-19 directives, etc.
Best Practices for Planning and Managing School District Budgets
Presenter(s): Denise Williams, Executive Director, MASBO
Great session for new trustees, superintendents and business officials. We’ll review some basic budget concepts and terms, discuss strategies for managing ending fund balance and learn about strategies to optimize your district’s financial resources.
MTDA and EdReady Update: October Update
Presenter(s): Jason Neiffer, Mike Agostinelli, Ryan Schrenk and Bob Currie, Montana Digital Academy
Members of the MTDA and EdReady Montana team will present updates regarding our program's status as of October 2020, including a program availability update, EdReady's Gaps and Gains project, and updated data regarding MTDA services.
Exploring Your District’s Future Through Recent Montana School Building Projects
Presenter(s): Jeff Elliott, Superintendent, Three Forks Public Schools, John Fitzgerald, Red Lodge Public Schools, Bridget Ekstrom and Aaron Rudio, D.A. Davidson, and Dan Semmens, Dorsey & Whitney
To date seven Montana School Districts that have presented bond issues to their communities for approval since May have been able to successfully pass the Bonds despite going through the process during an uncertain COVID time. During this MCEL session through an interactive format, attendees will learn from the recent experience of two of these successful schools and hear the keys to (1) putting together a capital improvement plan for the School District, (2) communicating with the community in passing the Bond issue at a Bond election, (3) issuing the Bonds with favorable financing terms and (4) designing, constructing and managing the projects.
Partners of MCEL -- Lessons Learned - Future Focused
Presenters: Denise Williams, MASBO Executive Director; Dennis Parman, MREA Executive Director; Lance Melton - MTSBA Executive Director; Kirk Miller, SAM Executive Director
Join us for an interactive panel discussion as the Executive Directors of the sponsoring organizations of MCEL explore lessons learned from the impact of the pandemic on our schools and focus on the future as our schools continue to navigate these uncharted waters. The discussion will include an overview of resources available as produced through the efforts of the Montana Public Education Center (MT-PEC).
School Health Program - School Administrative Rules: Public & Environmental Health
Presenter(s): B.J. Biskupiak, Montana DPHHS, and Greg Montgomery, Montana DEQ
In January 2020 the DPHHS Administrative Rules of Montana regarding matters of public health in schools were officially updated to reflect evidence-based public health practices designed to protect the health of students and staff in Montana schools. This presentation reviews the key changes to rules and the steps schools can take to comply with the health-based regulations. Presenters from the Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Department of Environmental Quality will highlight the resources and support available to education leaders. Time will be allotted for questions from audience members.
Standards-based grading and reporting? No way! Oh, maybe?
Presenter(s): Jenny Combs, Alliance for Curriculum Enhancement (ACE) and Andrea Meiers, Lockwood Public Schools
Join us to learn about how and why you should be leading and supporting K-12 standards-based classrooms, assessments, grading, and reporting.