FEBRUARY 2026 Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2026 DILLON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

TEACHING EFFECTIVELY-LEARNING SUCCESSFULLY

SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE: RANDY SHIPMAN

Hello from the district office here in School District #10! I hope this newsletter finds each of you doing well. In the newsletter this month, I would like to address a very important issue regarding the health and welfare of our students.

As educators in School District #10, a small and tight-knit community, we are in the business of teaching and caring for kids. We educate, nourish, comfort and keep kids safe. As part of our mandate, and because society dictates that educators do more to decrease bullying, address anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, we have increased protective factors. This includes promoting a structured school environment which emphasizes academics and promotes positive behavior through the implementation of specific rules and regulations.

By implementing these rules and regulations, we are creating structure. Structure and boundaries are what children crave. The National Institute on Drug Abuse focuses on the importance of calmly and firmly setting boundaries for children. “Doing so teaches children self-control and responsibility, provides a safe environment and teaches them the importance of following rules.” Furthermore, not setting boundaries can lead young people into their adulthood with a “disjointed sense of freedom” (Hopkins, 2018), ultimately setting them up for failure when they enter the working world. In addition, and especially for students who are affected by trauma, clear and consistent boundaries provide the stability that they lack. Licensed attorney, researcher, and family therapist, Paul Hokemeyer (2019), confirms that there is great value in the clarity of these boundaries because they are unambiguous and allow kids to know exactly what to expect; children can rely on these boundaries and the people who impose them.

It is no secret, although some of you may be unaware, that Dillon has a high population of students who have had or who are having Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACES (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). With trauma comes anxiety, stress, depression, and even suicidal ideation. In the article “Ensuring Students’ Emotional Health” (Cameron, 2019), it was stated that in the wake of such emotional issues, educators are being tasked with greater responsibility to find solutions. In response to this, the District has implemented the Montana Behavioral Initiative (MBI) in grades K-8, which identifies and prioritizes concerns, teaches acceptable alternatives to inappropriate behaviors, and creates a culture promoting healthy habits and respect in schools and communities. At the elementary school, PAX the Good Behavior Game (PAX/GBG) has been implemented in grades K-5 and Signs of Suicide (SOS) has been implemented in the middle school.

In addition to these programs, staff members and administrators attend many professional development sessions on trauma-informed best practices and collaborate with groups like the ACES Task Force and 406 Be-the-Change Coalition. Such programs and training are designed to help build social and emotional well-being amongst our students and create an appropriate social culture so that students can thrive academically and socially. In addition to MBI, SOS, and PAX/GBG, the District has developed a Board-approved set of rules and regulations which are outlined in each school’s handbook. These are designed to promote a structured school atmosphere which emphasizes academics and promotes positive behavior. These rules and regulations include dress-code expectations which are designed to reduce the emphasis on appearance and place the focus on academics, allowing students to be more engaged and on-task (Gullat, 1999). Researchers believe that a school climate that has clear rules and social norms can reduce and eventually eliminate inappropriate behaviors, such as bullying (stopbullying.gov, 2019).

It is a widely held belief that bullying can leave lasting physical, emotional and psychological scars which may take years for a child to overcome. Bullying can lead to depression and ultimately suicidal ideation. In a 2017 survey, it was noted that about 15% of all seventh and eighth grade students in Montana had attempted suicide (Rosston, 2018). As part of our clear and consistent rules, regulations and expectations at District #10, we have a zero tolerance for bullying policy and our staff works constantly to protect our students against all forms of bullying and harassment by enforcing this policy. However, bullying can still persist and according to stopbullying.gov, there are some groups of students who may face an increased risk of being bullied, including those who are perceived to be different from their peers, anxious or depressed. In School District #10 we believe that reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors, especially for students in the middle school, can shelter these children from such harm. With the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showing that 37 percent of Montana students felt hopeless for two weeks or more in a row (up 10 percent from 2009), and that 20 percent of students had contemplated suicide (up 7 percent from 2009), we must do better to help all of our kids.

The staff at the schools of District #10 work tirelessly and earnestly not just with our most vulnerable students, but ALL students. They are top-notch and we are all lucky to have them teaching our children. Staff members are charged with providing quality education and with supporting students emotionally. Many hours beyond what is required, and a lot of heart, goes into educating the children in our community. Please know that we are and will continue to promote and provide the safest and most optimal learning environment, where our most precious resource – the children of the community of Dillon - can focus on their education and become the best version of themselves.

Don’t forget that you can stay informed about what is happening at your child’s school by accessing our website at www.dillonschools.org. Academic information such as teacher lesson plans, grades and sports schedules can be located on this website. In addition, this site contains the lunch menu, student handbook, our district policy manual, board meeting agendas and the school calendar.

Finally, I would once again like to express how excited and honored I am to be your Superintendent in School District #10 and a part of such a great community. I would like to thank everyone in advance for working with us to make our district a success. If there is any way that I may be of assistance to you, please stop in or call the district office at 683-4311.

PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY NEWS: GREG FITZGERALD

It’s hard to believe, but we are nearing the end of our second trimester. We have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months.

February is “I LOVE TO READ” month. We will be celebrating and promoting the joys of reading throughout the month. Be on the lookout for a list of activities that you can do with your children at home and at school during the month of February.

Reading Primetime will take place on Friday, February 6th from 5:30-7:30 pm in the Parkview Cafeteria. This is an excellent opportunity for our fourth and fifth grade students to spend some time reading with their parents. We are very appreciative of our Parent Council who graciously donates funds to purchase books for the students that attend this evening of family engagement.

As a reminder to parents please make sure students are not dropped off to our school prior to 7:45 am. Our doors to the school do not open until 7:50 am daily. This time of year can be incredibly cold and we do not want our students outside for more than five minutes in the morning. If the temperature drops below 0 degrees students will not go outside. It is important, however, that students are prepared for adverse weather conditions and have appropriate clothing in case of emergencies.

Parkview lost and found items are donated on a biweekly basis. If you think your child has lost something at school, please contact our office to schedule a time before or after school to come look through lost and found items.

If you need a message delivered to your children, we ask that you contact the office before 3:00 pm Monday-Thursday and before 2:00 pm Friday’s. It is difficult to get messages out to students if phone calls are made after that time. Additionally, anytime a student is absent parents must call the office to let us know the reason for the absence.

MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS: JOEL ROGERS

Happy February from Dillon Middle School!

Here at DMS we are off and running in quarter number three which means quarter number two report cards were sent home with students on Friday, January 23^rd. If you did not receive a report card, please call the office and we would be happy to print another one for you. Duplicate copies can also be picked up at Parent/Teacher Conferences in early March.

As we head into quarter three at DMS, I would like to also put out a couple more important upcoming dates. First, Wednesday, February 4^th will be a 12:00 pm Early Release Day for students. This date is one of the two Early Release dates adopted in the calendar this year for staff development. Second, Freshman Orientation at BCHS will also be on Wednesday, February 18^th at 6:00 p.m. in the BCHS Auditorium. Third, I would like to invite you to meet with DMS teachers on Monday, March 3^rd and March 4^th from 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Our conference format is open-campus in which you are free to stop by anytime, between 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on either/both days, to visit with any teacher(s). Lastly, Friday, March 6^th is a No School Day for students and staff. Please mark these important dates on your calendars.

Finally, I wanted to all make you all aware, if you did not already know, another way to keep up with important happenings at the middle school is by tuning into KDBM on Monday mornings at 6:50 a.m. At that time, some of our DMS students are hosting the weekly middle school news program which is a great learning experience for our students, and it is another tool for you as parents/community members to keep up with what is going on at DMS. We are grateful to KDBM for facilitating this great communication and learning opportunity for our students, parents, and community!

Once again, I appreciate all you do to support students and staff at DMS, especially this school year. If there is anything I can help with, please don’t hesitate to contact me here at the DMS office. Very Respectfully, Mr. Rogers

Dillon School District 10