Montevideo High School

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! This week's spotlight shines on Sheila Koepke. Sheila is a Special Education teacher at the Montevideo High School, and she is the Jr. Class/Prom Advisor. She has been a Special Education teacher for 28 years, the last six years in Montevideo. Sheila's hometown is Granite Falls. She graduated as a Granite Falls High School Kilowatt. Sheila earned her undergraduate degree at Southwest State University and a Master's degree at St. Cloud State University. Sheila is married with two adult children. She enjoys spending time with her granddaughter and helping keep the family farm running. Sheila says, "I am a believer in the saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I am grateful for the many opportunities that the Montevideo community provides for our youth and the support they show our kids." Thank you, Sheila, for all that you do! Your hard work, dedication and passion for teaching are truly appreciated. #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation

Thanks to CCMH, Woodland Centers, and PTSA for the grants to our Student Center. Our students and staff are welcome to use these rooms and the resources in them for a quiet and safe space for self regulation. These areas are a huge help in keeping students in their routine while attending telehealth appointments, cutting down on the time spent outside of school. Our Counselor - Mrs. Mazer and Social Worker - Mrs. Dahl are out in front of students with more face to face interaction.

A BIG shoutout to our custodial and maintenance staff at Montevideo Public Schools! Today we celebrate National Custodian Day!✨ While many may not see the magic you work behind the scenes, we do! Your tireless efforts to keep our learning spaces at their best do not go unnoticed. On National Custodian Day, we want to thank you and tell you how much we appreciate you and value your dedication and contributions. You are a vital part of our school family! #HawkPride

Question of the week! Q: When and how can I vote on the referendum questions? A: There are three ways you can vote: - In-person, absentee/early voting at the District Office in the Montevideo Middle School, 2001 William Avenue, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm now until November 6 - Request an absentee ballot by calling the School District Office at 320-269-8833 or E-mail: election@montevideoschools.org - In-person voting on November 7 Election Day at the National Guard Training and Community Center between 7:00am-8:00pm #MontevideoForward Investing Today In Our Community's Tomorrow

Please take a moment to watch Mr. McKittrick's latest Superintendent's stream with important information on the upcoming referendum. https://youtu.be/DDdSJEHYAe8 Have a great day! Go Hawks!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Let’s get to know our Thunder Hawk staff! Meet Derek Webb, 2nd grade teacher of seven years at Ramsey Elementary School! “I lived in Graceville, MN until I was 10 years old, then moved to Ada, MN, and that is where I graduated from high school. I graduated from SMSU with a degree in Elementary Education (and 5-8 Mathematics Endorsement) in 2014. After graduation from SMSU, I was a graduate assistant basketball coach at South Dakota School of Mines. During that 2-year span, I earned my Master’s degree with North Dakota State University in Leadership in Physical Education and Sport. Marissa and I have been married for 5 years and we have two beautiful children. Baylor (2) and Maverick (5 months). They definitely keep us on our toes, but we are so incredibly happy! Almost all of my hobbies revolve around sports and/or competition of some kind. I am a major sports junkie and a die-hard Duke Blue Devils and New York Yankees fan! I know what you may be thinking, but I promise there is a credible backstory on why I cheer for those teams! I will also be entering my 7th season as the head boys’ basketball coach at Montevideo, and this upcoming spring will be my first year coaching junior high baseball! The thing I love the most about Montevideo and the Thunder Hawk community is that small-town love for one another. Your close friends turn into family, and everyone is rooting for one another to succeed. I would be nowhere without the advice and/or help from my colleagues (past and present), and I don't think that happens in every district. My family and I are so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful school district and the community of Montevideo!” We’re proud to have you on our team, Derek, and we appreciate your work and dedication to your students and the Thunder Hawk community. #StaffSpotlight #greatemployees #staffappreciation

It's Homecoming week which means that our recent alumni/college students might be visiting home this week and attending the Homecoming football game this Friday! Don't miss your chance to vote on the two referendum questions listed on the ballot for the November 7 special elections with early voting available at the District Office. We hope you'll cast your vote while home. #MontevideoForward

Join us tonight to learn more about the upcoming Montevideo referendum. Visit our website for details on the upcoming community info. sessions and to learn about the facilities referendum questions.

Happy National IT Professionals Day! Today we celebrate our Tech Team who keep our systems running smoothly, protect our data, and enable us to thrive in the world of technology. Their dedication and expertise ensure that our schools run efficiently and individuals stay connected. We appreciate our Chief Technology Officer Scott and our Building Techs: Serena, Jordan, Wendy, Mary, Dan, Monica and Grace for all they do. Thank you! #ITProfessionalsDay

Question of the week! Q: How do I learn more about how this referendum will affect my tax amount? A: Visit the property tax information page on our website and use the calculator feature to determine your tax impact https://www.ehlers-inc.com/microsite/montevideo2023nov/. #MontevideoForward

Stay informed on the district's facilities referendum by attending a Community Info Session: September 21 at 5:30 p.m. @ the High School October 16 at 6:00 p.m. @ Talking Waters October 17 at 12:00 p.m. Noon @ the Montevideo Community Center October 26 at 6:00 p.m. @ the High School Mark your calendar. We hope to see you there! #MontevideoForward"

SCHOOL CALENDAR REMINDER Friday, September 15th is an Early Dismissal - Staff Development Day for the Thunder Hawks. Early dismissal times are: Ramsey 1:15 pm Sanford 1:20 pm MHS 1:25 pm MMS 1:30 pm

Stay tuned on our social channels as we answer a frequently asked question about the district's facilities referendum every week until Nov 7. We want to make sure your questions are being heard and answered. This week's question is: Q: How is this facilities referendum different from the last one? A: - Cost Reduction: We've put in the effort to lower the project's total cost by carefully resizing sections of the building while preserving essential improvements. - Career and Technical Education (CTE) is essential to the Montevideo area. Therefore, this referendum proposal revised the new high school to include new woods and manufacturing shops, Ag labs, and classrooms to support the new CTE space and provide our students with the skills and knowledge required for these careers. - Same Vital Improvements: Despite cost-saving adjustments, we're committed to delivering the same essential improvements our schools urgently need. - Community Feedback: We've actively incorporated the valuable input from our community, with a strong focus on addressing concerns related to the overall project cost. This has guided us in creating a more balanced and fiscally sustainable proposal that respects the financial considerations of our residents. #MontevideoForward

Did you know public school funding in Minnesota creates a unique opportunity for the Montevideo Public Schools and our local taxpayers to make extensive improvements to our facilities by capitalizing on significant state equalization funding provided for bond referenda? Learn more on our website: https://www.ehlers-inc.com/microsite/montevideo2023nov/ #MontevideoForward *Chart shows estimated sources of payments for debt service on the proposed bonds over the life of the bonds. Estimates assume no changes in property values, state equalizing factors, or in-state law. “Agriculture Land & Buildings” excludes taxes on the house, garage and one acre of land, which are included with “Residental / Other.”

We will have two questions on the November 7 Special Election Ballot. The change made to Question 1 on the ballot from the last referendum includes reducing the tax impact on taxpayers. Question 2 remains the same as the previous referendum and will only pass if question one is approved. More information on the referendum can be found on our website: www.montevideoschools.org/page/referendum #MontevideoForward

A special election is being held on November 7, and Montevideo Public Schools will have two school facilities referendum questions on the ballot to address district-wide needs. Since the previously failed referendum in the Spring, we've been listening to the community feedback and looking into other options for our schools' facilities planning. With much of the feedback received revolving around the cost of the referendum, we've found an option to reduce the tax impact and scale back spaces while keeping the important learning areas intact. Visit our website for more information on the referendum: www.montevideoschools.org/page/referendum #MontevideoForward

NEW TEACHER SPOTLIGHT We are excited to welcome Hunter Hamby to the Thunder Hawk family! Hunter is joining us as the Montevideo High School Band Director. Hunter grew up and graduated from Waconia High School in Waconia, Minnesota. He participated in Pep Band, Show Choir Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band and the Wind Ensemble. From there, Hunter pursued a degree in Music Education from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. He student taught at Cloquet and Duluth East High and fell in love with teaching. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hunter sought to further his education and accepted a Graduate Teaching Assistantship position at the University of Missouri Columbia and received his Masters of Trombone Performance degree. Coming back to Minnesota was always his goal, and he is excited to be back! Some of Hunter's favorite hobbies include kayaking, pickup hockey games, and camping in the great Minnesota parks. Go, Thunder Hawks! Welcome to Montevideo, Hunter! We're so happy to have you on our team! #HawkPride

NEW TEACHER SPOTLIGHT We are excited to welcome Mitchel Koebnick to the Thunder Hawk family! Mitchel is joining us as a Social Studies teacher at the Montevideo High School. Mitchel received a Bachelor's degree at Saint Cloud University while working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota. He spent the last couple of years working at Brandon-Evansville and St. Cloud Public Schools. Mitchel enjoys spending most of his free time fishing when he's not helping on his family's farm near Hutchinson. Mitchel is looking forward to his first year at Montevideo High School and wishes everyone the best of luck for the upcoming school year! Welcome, Mitchel! We wish you a great school year! #HawkPride

NEW TEACHER SPOTLIGHT We are excited to welcome Linden Kirscht to the Thunder Hawk family! Linden is joining us as the Grades 7-12 Vocal Music teacher. Linden graduated from Winona State University with a B.M. degree in Vocal Performance and a B.S. degree in Vocal Music Education. Linden spent two years with South St. Paul Public Schools developing passions and opening up the beginnings of some incredible programs. Linden is excited to continue growing as an educator with Montevideo Public Schools! Linden's hobbies include video games, exercise, music production, cooking and nutrition. Welcome, Linden! We are so happy you're here! #HawkPride

REMINDER - Online Registration is open for the 23-24 school year! Please update parent and student information, complete the registration process, and pay your Chromebook insurance fee through your JMC family portal before school open house on Tuesday, August 22nd. If you have any questions, please contact your school office. RECORDATORIO - ¡La inscripción en línea está abierta para el año escolar 23-24! Actualice la información de padres y estudiantes, complete el proceso de registro y pague la tarifa de seguro de su Chromebook a través de su portal familiar JMC antes de la jornada de puertas abiertas de la escuela el martes 22 de agosto. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la oficina de su escuela.