By: Shelby High School Journalism Class

On April 16-17, Shelby High School students in Ms. Calvery’s Video Media and Journalism traveled to Missoula to tour KPAX Television station and to attend University of Montana’s High School Journalism Day.  The students in this class write news stories for the Howl Website and create the Howl Broadcast several times a month available to view on the school’s website. Three Rivers Communication provided a $400 grant to help fund the field trip, and students said the experience was worth the time and fundraising efforts they made to take the trip. 

Three Shelby High School Howl Reporters were awarded certificates for their news writing and photography. Penelope Heaton received first place for sports photography.  Reece Shandorf was awarded second place for his news writing about the high school roof leak and repairs, and Parker Parsons was awarded third place for a story he wrote about National Honor Society in the Howl Newspaper.

Sophomore student Aeris Stewart has been on the trip for two years, but she said this year was different than last and she gained valuable insight.  "One thing I learned from the KPAX tour was just how much teamwork and labor goes into filming advertisements, news stories, and weather, and covering current events. Even though only one or two people appear on the screen, it takes a large team to find advertising, write the story, get the interviews, and edit the clips for production. Seeing this first hand made me appreciate both large and small scale new stations more,” Stewart said.  While the class was touring KPAX, they witnessed how the KPAX reporters were covering Bernie Sanders giving a speech at the University of Montana stadium in real time action. 

Stewart also felt the classes offered on campus during the high school Journalism Day were important. While at the University of Montana Journalism Day, I learned how moving photojournalism can be. There is a lot of emotional depth and complexity in story telling with pictures." 

Another student, senior Parker Parsons, also enjoyed the trip. He said that even though he already has made the decision to major in engineering, it made him consider minoring in journalism or a communications field. "I thought it was cool to see the similarities between Journalism at KPAX and in our classroom. The trip really helped me to understand the Journalism field and to decide my future,” Parson said. Commercial Production Manager, James Sanders gave the tour, and he has made time for Shelby High School students each year. He stressed the importance of journalism and the transferable skills you learn in journalism classes to all other college degrees and occupations. 

All of the students who attended said the exposure to a news station and college campus was a good experience, and they liked that they got to choose classes at University of Montana that interested them.  While some students attended drone photography classes, others found value in learning about the laws that protect freedom of speech and press. "I’m thankful for the grant money Three Rivers gave us to help pay for our trip. We had a lot of fun. One thing I learned was how to use my words better. I also enjoyed the campus and interviewing people." 

The University of Montana hosts a High School Journalism Day each spring, and student reporters from across the state gather to celebrate journalism and students who actively participate in broadcast and print journalism at their schools.

Recently, Chief Deputy and Student Resource Officer (SRO) Dan McDonough started providing service to the students at Shelby Public Schools. Student Resource Officers are assigned to school districts to maintain safety, investigate incidents, educate students on legal manners, and most importantly to build positive relationships with students and staff.. Deputy McDonough brings experience in both education and law enforcement. He also is connected to the community as he grew up in Shelby. All around the United States SRO’s contribute to school safety and help build knowledge and comfortability with the role of law enforcement and McDonough wants to build rapport with students.

At the high school the principal and guidance counselor appreciate having an SRO officer to assist them. Both Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Waterud agree that one of the main roles of an SRO officer is to build relationships with students and help them see law enforcement as a support rather than only someone who will get them in trouble. Mr. Fisher also said that the SRO officer is really important in keeping students and staff safe.

Officer McDonough says that he enjoys his job as the SRO because he loves kids. Before he went into law enforcement he got a degree in teaching. He said he taught physical education outside of Bozeman. When he had a hard time finding a teaching job, he started working in law enforcement. He attended the Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) and then he was specifically trained to be an SRO and had his initial job in Three Forks. He said he had a bunch of different jobs in law enforcement where he handled big crimes and incidents. 

With his combined training in education and law enforcement, Officer McDonough said the SRO job is the best one he has had because of his impact on kids. As he starts at Shelby Public Schools he hopes that he’ll be someone students can trust and come to with questions. He hopes to get into coaching.

One of the officers that works with Officer McDonough is Sergeant Shandorf. Sergeant Shandorf said “Dan is really easy to talk to and work with. He wants to help anyway he can.” Sergeant Shandorf also said that he’s a strong leader and loves serving the community he grew up in. 

One of the parts of this job that surprised Officer McDonough was that many of the crimes that juveniles are involved with include technology. He’s had to learn how to teach kids to be safe and careful about their online activities. 

Officer McDonough is married to LeAnn McDonough and has two children: one in third grade and the other in preschool. He also has a Labrador dog. His wife, LeAnn, teaches at Shelby Elementary. On his time off of work he enjoys hunting, camping and exploring outside. He also enjoys coaching and playing sports. He said he encourages students and families to introduce themselves and get to know him, as he wants to be able to give advice and answer questions.

by Shelby High School Journalism Class

On Friday, March 22, ten students–two teams– representing each grade level from Shelby High School traveled to Simms High School to compete in the Region II Principal’s Cup academic trivia challenge. Annually, schools from AA, A, B, and C schools in central Montana meld multi-grade level teams of bright and knowledgeable students to duel in an academic battle of the minds. 

The event started at 9 am with individual awards for students who ranked in the top 10 of all students for each grade level. Notably, both freshman students from Shelby placed in the top 10 for individual test scores. Aeris Stewart placed 10th and Grayson Barker placed 4th. Barker joyously told his teammates, “This is going on the fridge!” when he received his certificate with a smile. 

At the beginning of the day, the Principal's Cup committee also awards two seniors with $500 scholarships. This year, Shelby student Delaney Clark was awarded one of these scholarships.  Clark said she applied for the scholarship but was surprised when her name was called. “I appreciate how the principal’s from Region II fund a scholarship to support students even after the move on to college,” Clark said.   Principal Kyle Fisher proudly congratulated her.

After individual awards were given, student teams dispersed into selected rooms to compete against other schools in a series of rounds that follow a bracket. 

Thumbs ready to press the red button and be the first team to buzz in, each team of 5 students size up the opposing school and nervously wait for the first of the 16 random questions. Freshman Aeris Stewart, who competed for the first time this year said, “it was nerve racking at first, but then it started to feel like a fun game of Jeopardy.” 

Prior to the competition, individual students took a proctored and timed 100 question test based on random trivia questions in Math, Science, History, English, and Fine Arts. Then, the individual scores are compiled to create a team score for seeding purposes. Each of the school’s teams are placed in a bracket with several rounds of trivia questions.

In the weeks leading up to the event, academic advisors Sanna Clark and Kristi Calvery held lunch practices for students. Students also spent time reviewing books and authors, math equations, and science terminology.  Some students also read short biographies of scientists and important people in history. Clark also used the time to explain to students  the rules and scoring: 5pts for correct answers, and negative 2pts. for incorrect answers.

The competition is fun for students, but teacher Kristi Calvery said she also believes it is significant and beneficial for schools to continue.  “There are many reasons why I believe this competition is important. First, it creates a comradery among our students, who all have an eclectic set of knowledge and experiences: Kobe Hooker may solve a math equation, Aeris Stewart might know the author of a novel, and Grayson Barker knows how many pieces are in a chess game. I also believe it cultivates motivation for students to learn more. This year our students scored very closely with many of schools, and they put in tremendous effort,” Calvery said. 

Principal’s Cup has been an annual event for 21 years, and Principal Fisher said he looks forward to it every year.  “Principal Cup is always a fun day for our students to showcase their academic skills.  I am proud of our students for the hard work they put in and representing Shelby High School well.”

by Adele Lamb

This past week, the Marias Clinic partnered with Shelby Public Schools to open the first on campus clinic thanks to the Montana HealthCare Foundation. The clinic, which is right in between the elementary and junior-senior high school is open for all students and staff and is equipped to help with a variety of healthcare needs.

This clinic was started by the Montana Healthcare Foundation as one of their initiatives. The Montana Healthcare initiatives' mission statement is to provide health services in school settings to help kids miss less school and support better academic outcomes. The group supports partnerships between schools and health care providers to create school-based health centers in communities that need them most. 

Shelby is just one among many schools who have these new clinics. According to the Montana Healthcare Foundation Website, currently they have supported the startup of school-based health centers that serve 58 of the state’s highest-need schools. 

Superintendent Elliott Crump reported that the Board approved the on site clinic on June 13, 2023. “The Board felt there was sufficient need within the district to offer this service: and as such, the Board approved the clinic,” Crump said.

The clinic is open Monday - Friday at 8:00 - 4:30 but closes at 3:30 on Fridays. Brook Dager, Lead School Practitioner, said the clinic offers primary care needs for things like illness, asthma, diabetes, or other conditions. She said the clinic can also give first aid and help in emergency situations. 

Dager also said the clinic offers counseling and psychiatric care.  Counselors are available several days a week, so students can easily access counseling during the school day. 

The Center for Disease Control published a report after the 2021 Youth Behavior Risk Survey results were released that concluded: a comprehensive public health approach is needed for suicide prevention with attention to disproportionately affected populations.

Since the clinic is just opening– many students, parents and teachers are wondering how it works. Dager said students can come to the clinic by appointment or by walk-in basis. She said students do need to have a signed parent waiver form. However, in case of emergency the clinic can send out an email for parents or guardians to docusign. The purpose of the waiver is for students to go to the clinic without a parent being present. Forms can be picked up at the school office or the clinic.

One student, a freshman, Regan Torgerson said that having a clinic outside the school is beneficial for students. 

Crump and the District hope the clinic will be able to provide access to students and staff who might not have had access for their healthcare needs. This addition is hoped to be an advantage and contingency for everyone.