MONTAGUE — The Montague School Board discussed the early part of the school year during its regular meeting Monday, including a couple of minor schedule tweaks.
One change, at Oehrli Elementary School, involves the rotation of what the school calls 'specials' - courses like music, physical education, art, technology, etc. that take place outside the main classroom. In the past, students rotated from one of the 'specials' to the next on a daily basis during the week, but for this year, the school has changed to having students go to each one for an entire week at a time. The goal is to improve continuity in instruction for those subjects.
Another change was to the school's agreement with the school teachers' union, allowing a slightly modified work schedule for the strength training and leadership class helmed by Phil Koops. Due to the in-depth class lasting 90 minutes and taking place in the morning, the board unanimously approved a 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. teaching schedule for Koops to allow that class to begin earlier than the rest of the school day. Principal Christy Thommen reported that 22 students are currently in the class, most of them athletes. "Eight or nine" of the students are female. The class is open to any student who completes two prior health classes, which in practice requires the student be an upperclassman.
Each school's principal shared their excitement over the beginning of the school year; Oehrli Elementary principal Sandie Lundquist said it has been the smoothest start to the year she can recall in her career as a principal, and new NBC Middle School principal Steve Gray said the school has added five new students since the beginning of the school year.
