How are we already halfway through the school year? We hope you and your family are having a wonderful start to the new year and are happy and healthy. Students and staff have been hard at work and Tiger Nation has a lot to be proud of. In addition, the District is also preparing for local school elections which will be held on May 7, 2024.
LETTER FROM SUPERINTENDENT AYERS
Dear Parents/Guardians and Community Members,
The first semester of the 2023-2024 school year is in the books. Bring on 2024! Students, staff, and parents, please be on the lookout for a survey soliciting feedback on the four-day school week. Your feedback, thus far, has informed our day to day decision-making. Now that we’ve had an entire semester to adjust to the four-day school week, it is time to assess where we are in the implementation process and begin planning for the 2024-2025 school year.
The Manhattan School Board of Trustees approved the required update to Policy 3141 Non-Resident Enrollment at a Special Board meeting Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The required update was in response to legislation approved during the 2023 Legislative Session. The approved policy update ensures compliance with changes to the law. The 2023 Legislative Session included passage of HB203 which requires open enrollment across the state of Montana. Out-of-district enrollment will take effect in July of 2024. The application process is now available for Manhattan Public Schools. February 16 is the deadline for any out-of-district applications for the 2024-2025 school year. Enrollment details for non-resident applications can be found on the Manhattan School District’s website.
The Manhattan School District is conducting a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) survey as required by 2024 Montana School Accreditation. The survey will be linked to the District’s website, will be shared out via the District’s Facebook page, as well as emailed to students, staff, and parents. The survey window will be open February 1st through February 15th. Your input is invaluable. Please, please, please take the time to complete this survey, as it will help the District identify, understand, and better address educational challenges. The CNA is the first step in planning and improving the effectiveness of education investments that lead to better outcomes for our students here in the Manhattan School District.
The District is committed to continued transparency and accountability. We will continue to inform all stakeholders via Superintendent Advisory Council meetings, regular school board meetings, Facebook, email, website, and radio. We look forward to working alongside community partners with the intended outcome of providing an environment that promotes student success in education and in life. I hope you will join me at my monthly Superintendent Advisory Council meetings. Parents and community members meet from 5:30pm-6:30pm in the high school activities room. The Superintendent Advisory Council meeting is held the same night as the regular board meeting. Look for the agenda to be posted on the District’s Facebook page.
Please consider partnering with the Manhattan Public Schools as a corporate sponsor. Corporate sponsorship helps to enhance student achievement and increases opportunities provided to our school and community through extracurricular and cocurricular programs. Through partnerships with corporate sponsors, we are able to create a first class environment and provide top shelf programs. The District is seeking new sponsors to join our longstanding corporate sponsors and partners. We currently have advertising space on our arena scorer’s tables, video display boards in the commons, and game day banners for all softball games. Please contact Amanda Dyksterhouse at 406-284-6460, or at adyksterhouse@mhstigers.org, with any questions regarding corporate sponsorship.
Sincerely,
Brian K. Ayers, Superintendent Manhattan Public Schools
