Board Receives Report Of Dual Credit Program
As part of the Wolf Point School Board meeting last week, high school principal Kim Hanks and guidance counselor Erin Loendorf presented information about the school’s dual credit and early college program.
The educators explained that the dual credit program allows students to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously through approved coursework. Early college enrollment allows eligible students to take full college courses while still in high school. The program appreciates a partnership with Fort Peck Community College.
From 2022-2026, 145 students have been enrolled in dual credit classes and 90 have been taken early college classes. There have been 14 dual credit courses offered.
College credits aren’t just being awarded in math, English and science, but also are in career and technical education areas.
In other business during the meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perkins shared a letter received from the Frazer School District. The Frazer School Board decided to not allow the Wolf Point School District to enter the Frazer School District to pick up students or drop off students during the current school year. Perkins pointed to Montana Code Annotated 20-10--126 (2B) that reads, “A district may extend a bus route across another transportation service area if the district determines that it is necessary in order to provide transportation to pupils in the district’s own transportation service area. Under this subsection, a district may not transport pupils from outside its transportation service area.” Perkins said Wolf Point has followed the law and hasn’t gone into the Frazer School District. Perkins added that impact aid funding is based on where students attend school. Trustees voted to approve of a request from Frontier School to enter the Wolf Point School District on its bus route.
Trustees approved the recommendation of purchasing a duplex located at 301 Fourth Ave. S. for $85,000. The current owner has replaced the sewer line. The building will be used for staff housing.
Hires include paraprofessionals Cloelle Buck Elk, Marissa Hamilton, Mackiera Schindler, home/school coordinator Gail Sanchez, bus monitor Arianna Mee, substitute bus monitor Dawntana Nation, assistant custodian Lennoxx Lilley, adult education coordinator Dawn Garfield and student workers Ashlynn Balch, Kyriae Standing Rock and Xander Weston.
Extra-curricular hires included Angela Figueroa for McKinney Vento Homeless coordinator and junior high student council advisor, Abigail Traeholt for junior high student council advisor, Charlie Page for high school assistant football coach, Preston Swenson for volunteer assistant junior high football coach, Jed Loucks as junior high head football coach and Darryl Ricker Sr. as junior high assistant cross country coach.
During the public portion of the meeting, Wolf Point Community Organization chair Jason Hamilton explained that WPCO receives funding requests from sports teams to pay for such things as meals and snacks. He has heard comments in the past that such donations are against Montana High School Association rules. Perkins advised Hamilton to talk with athletic director Cody Larson about the matter to figure out MHSA guidelines.
“We don’t mind, but we don’t want to get the school in trouble,” Jason Hamilton said about the donations.
Lawrence Hamilton spoke about that the school needs to have uniforms that fit all their student athletes.
Stephanie Knowlton of the Fort Peck Tribal Courts’ youth to wellness program said officials are working to develop a stronger unified effort to keep students in school.
