Wolf Point Doesn’t Receive Large School Grant

Wolf Point Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perkins was disappointed to recently that the school district wasn’t selected as a recipient for the national Catalyze Challenge grant.

Wolf Point was a final 10 finalist for the grant. The top four or five finalists will receive a grant between $400,000 and $1 million.

Last fall, local school officials met with the National Indian Education and the College of Menominee Nation regarding the grant. Perkins said supporters for Wolf Point receiving the grant include the Fort Peck Community College president Craig Smith and the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

“We made a lot of good relationships through it,” Perkins said of the application process.

The grant provides funding so a school district can expand training in technical fields such as electrical, plumbing and possibly technology.

The Wolf Point School District had agreed to offer items through an MOU if the grant is obtained including providing school personnel, having a lead instructor, provide a trailer or place for a lab and having a pathway to a career and technical education plan. “There were over 300 applications. We were in the final 10. Unfortunately, we did not receive one of the four awards,” Perkins said during a recent meeting. “However, NIEA is looking to funnel some leftover grant money this way. In addition, they are looking at other funding sources. The vision is not dead.”