We made it through a bitterly cold February and are now enjoying some much-needed spring-like temperatures. Thank you all for ensuring that students were prepared to ride the buses during that extreme cold stretch, and thank you, bus drivers, for putting in the extra time to have the buses ready to roll and for making sure our students arrived safely!
February may be our shortest month, but the students at Scranton Public School certainly made the most of it. They have been busy preparing for History Day and working on science fair projects. The math meet teams have been hitting the books, getting ready to compete later this spring when Billings County hosts the annual math meet. Our high school sent an academic team to compete in Beach, and FBLA is preparing for the state convention. Meanwhile, our athletic teams have either wrapped up or are entering tournament season after a long and successful set of regular seasons. Good luck to all the students as they move forward in their activities!
The staff had a busy month as well. The main focus lately has been preparing for our Cognia Accreditation review coming up on March 6. This is quite an undertaking, as our team has spent a great deal of time reviewing standards and identifying our strengths and areas for improvement as a school. It is amazing to reflect on the many wonderful programs we offer. Through this process, we have assessed what we do well, identified areas for growth, and developed action plans to ensure we continue providing the education our students deserve. In next month's newsletter, I will report on the external review's findings and explain how we plan to use their recommendations to enhance student outcomes at Scranton Public School.
Our new buses have arrived! In August 2023, we ordered a new mini bus, a medium-sized route bus, and a new activity bus. They arrived right after the new year and are already busy transporting students to and from school and activities across the state. I have applied for grants to assist with bus replacements, and we also received some funding from the county. The cost of buses has increased by 25% over the past five years, but maintaining a safe fleet remains a top priority. We will continue seeking grant opportunities to replace older buses and plan to put a few buses up for bids this summer to ensure they find new homes.
March will be Reading Month in the elementary school, and it promises to be a fun event. Mrs. Erickson has once again put together a fantastic month of activities, and the staff brings great energy and excitement to the event. I'm especially excited, as this year’s theme is The Oregon Trail. I am one of the few staff members who was here when this game on the old Apple II was a popular hit! It should be a great reading month—hopefully, none of our students get dysentery or bitten by a rattlesnake!
We just had a great turnout for our spring parent-teacher conferences, and we hope our students make a strong push toward the end of the school year. It’s hard to believe that students will begin registering for the 2025-26 school year in late March. We encourage parents to check out the course offerings on the school webpage under the high school tab. There, you’ll find a list of in-house classes, as well as online and dual-credit courses. Mr. Cagle is always available to answer any questions about course options.
As we move into spring, we look forward to a busy season. From this point on, it seems like there’s one event after another! Academic competitions, spring sports, music contests, prom, and much more will be taking place. Continue checking the Scranton School App to stay updated on our packed schedule.
Good luck to all our students and advisors as we march toward the end of the school year. Keep Soaring to New Heights! Thank you, everyone, for your continued support, and please don’t hesitate to stop in and check out all the great things happening at Scranton Public School!