Culbertson School Is Ready For Another Great Year

Summer seems to be fading fast, but the anticipation and excitement to welcome staff and students back for a great 2023-2024 school year is building every day.

Our summer crew has been working diligently to prepare our building and the hallways are ready for some foot traffic.

This year, we are welcoming several new staff members to the team. Alyssa Hattlestad will be joining the elementary end to teach second grade. New to the junior high team of teachers is Bill Carlisle for junior high history. Junior high and high school students will have a new face in the business room, Milt Apple. Also new to science on the 6-12 end is Elizabeth Standley. We are thrilled to welcome our new staff members to round out our fully certified team of teachers.

Administration has two new faces this year: Nicole Simonsen (superintendent) and Janessa Parenteau (elementary principal). Simonsen was previously in Lambert for four years — three as principal and one as superintendent/ principal. Parenteau joins our team bringing in her administrative experience from Froid — three years as principal and four as superintendent/principal. Mike Olson will remain the junior high and high school principal. Olson is beginning his 12th year as the principal at Culbertson School.

The administrative team encourages the community and parents to stop in, call or email anytime with questions, concerns or just to introduce themselves.

Additional new staff includes Paula Carlisle in the front office and Andy Ellerkamp as head of maintenance. Our kitchen has three new faces this year: Carrie Fisher, Brittany Pirkle and Julie Bailey. Also on the custodial team are Denmar Labuga, Christian Damm and Jennifer Struna.

The new playground is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 5. The final curbing will be installed before school begins on Aug. 17.

Registration paperwork was mailed to returning students on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Class lists have been finalized for kindergarten through fifth grade students. They should be getting a postcard in the mail to let them know who their teacher will be for this school year. If you did not receive your registration packet or your child did not receive a postcard, call the office. New students can stop by the office to pick up their registration packets and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. We are asking parents to return their registration paperwork Aug. 8-11 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to avoid the long lines on the first day of school.

This year, we will be hosting an open house from 3 to 4 p.m. the day before school, Wednesday, Aug. 16. Please bring your children to meet their teachers and see their classrooms to help ease those first day jitters. This is also a great opportunity to drop off registration paperwork if you missed the chance Aug. 8-11.

Student athletes need to make sure they have a sports physical before the first day of practice. They will not be allowed to participate until they have their physical. The school is not providing sports physicals, you must make your own appointment. High school football, volleyball and cross country will begin on Friday, Aug. 11. Junior high football, volleyball, and cross country will begin on Monday, Aug. 14. Watch the school website, Facebook, Instagram and daily emails for specific times.