New Froid Superintendent Focuses On Student Goals, School Improvements

Lance Olson’s path to education began with a trip to China.

Growing up in Custer, Olson never imagined he would return to school to become a teacher. But in his early 20s, an opportunity to teach English as a second language gave him a way to travel to China. Once he stepped into the classroom, his plans changed.

“I found I was pretty good at teaching,” Olson said.

He went back to college to become an educator, eventually teaching social studies. Today, as Froid’s new superintendent, he still speaks about teaching with the enthusiasm that first drew him to it.

Olson said Froid’s reputation for education caught his attention, but the people helped convince him it was a place where he wanted to work. He had heard good things about the school’s staff, and the previous superintendent, whom he knew, encouraged him to consider the position. “The staff here is excellent,” Olson said. “The community just seems really, really excellent.”

As he gets to know the district, Olson wants to preserve what is working while strengthening the systems that support students and staff. This year, that means reviewing student handbooks, policies and safety programs and clarifying staff roles. He calls it “fine tuning the machinery.”

There is plenty of work happening around the school, too. A new bus barn is going up, the district is working to improve internet service, and Olson said plans include redoing the playground and remodeling the showers. The recently updated gym is one of the improvements already visible to families and visitors.

Olson is especially appreciative of the community foundation’s support. Along with raising money for school programs, the foundation has helped make the building a welcoming place for students. Olson said it plans to do additional work in the locker rooms after the showers are remodeled.

“I’ve never been in a school where there’s an entire foundation focused around, ‘Let’s make a successful school in any way we can,’ ” he said.

That willingness to work together is something Olson hopes to see grow beyond Froid. Small schools often face challenges finding teachers for specialized subjects, he said. Sharing an agriculture, family and consumer sciences, art or language teacher among nearby districts could give students opportunities that might otherwise be difficult for one school to offer alone.

Olson is also excited about a pro- posed program with Sheridan Electric that would allow schools to share larger, more expensive learning equipment. Under the plan he described, a lab would spend six weeks at one school before moving to the next. Students could work with equipment such as a CNC cutter while each school makes the most of resources it could not easily purchase on its own. The program is still being developed, with organizers hoping to begin next year.

For Olson, those opportunities connect to a larger goal: helping students see possibilities for their futures.

“We are a small school here at Froid, and we can individualize our education toward student wants and needs,” he said.

He wants students to set goals based on their own interests and motivations, whether those interests lead them toward college, a trade or another path. When a student says they dislike school, Olson said, it may be because they have not yet found the connection between what they are learning and where they want to go.

“They have dierent interests and dierent motivations,” he said. “When a kid’s telling you they hate school, it’s probably because they’re not seeing that they have a future.”

Olson also believes schools need a funding approach that better recognizes student success. With enrollment declining across the state, he said, districts face challenges when funding relies heavily on student numbers. He is interested in state eorts that consider how well schools prepare students for life after graduation.

Though his new role keeps him busy, Olson still misses teaching social studies. Geography, government and philosophy are favorites, and he joked that Froid’s social studies teacher may see him visiting the classroom this year.

Outside school, Olson is a father of four. His oldest daughter is in her second year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while his other children include a high school junior, an eighth grader and a sixth grader. His family lives in the Billings area, and he stays in Froid while working on campus three instructional days a week.

When he has free time, Olson likes hiking, walking outdoors and cooking Chinese food. He follows Montana State sports, especially football and women’s basketball, and appreciates seeing Montana athletes on the teams. His preferred morning coee comes with heavy cream and a dash of hot chocolate.

Olson hopes families and community members will feel comfortable reaching out when they have a question or concern. They can call or email the school, though he prefers meeting face to face when possible. Because he is not on campus every day, he asks people to arrange a time in advance.

As Olson settles into Froid, his focus keeps returning to the students: learning who they are, helping them discover what matters to them and making sure they can see a future worth working toward.