Dear Parents:

March 21 - from 1 p.m.to 7 p.m. is Parent/Teacher Conference time! We have scheduled conferences for our K-6 teachers. The 7-12 grade teachers will have their classrooms open from 1:00-4:00 and 4:30 -7:00 for parents to visit.  Our goal this year is to get 100% participation from parents/guardians.  Please join us!  :) 

2019 Twin Bridges Survey of Need for  Early Childhood Education ....

Please fill this out and return ASAP by email  or mail ( tdemien@tbschols.org or send it to Twin Bridges Schools  P.O. Box 419, Twin Bridges, MT 59754)

How many children do you have that are 5 years of age or younger that will not qualify for kindergarten for the:

2019-2020 _______________ school year?

2020-2021 _______________ school year?

2021-2022 _______________ school year?

Please state their age/s

Child #1____________                                Child # 2________________                    Child #3______________

Do you reside within the Twin Bridges School District?

Would your child (or children) qualify under any of the exceptional circumstances required for early admittance under Montana Code Annotated (20-5-101 (3)) stated below?

What kind of program would fit your current situation? (Please check all the boxes that apply.)

I would be willing to do any of the following to help. (Please check all the boxes that apply.)

Print Name _____________________________   Phone #_______________________________ Email _____________________________________________

Twin Bridges Middle School Festival Participants Bring Home Superior Rating 

McKenzie Stack 8th Grade- Superior Rating 

Ayla Janzen- 7th Grade -Superior Rating 

Emily LaYacona-7th Grade -Superior Rating 

Allie Dale-7th Grade -Superior Rating 

Ellie Meek and Emma Konen-7th Grade -Superior Rating 

Regional Science Fair Results

5th Grade:

Aiden Manger and Maisy Hutchinson -Bronze medals

Brooke Anderson - Silver medal

7th grade -

Allie Dale - Silver medal

Emily LaYacona and Ayla Janzen - Gold medal

8th Grade 

Zeke Redfield -Bronze medal

Ruby Waller -Gold medal

Ruby Waller  and Ayla  Janzen placed in the top 10 overall in the fair.  Allie Dale, Emily LaYacona, Ayla Janzen, Zeke Redfield , Ruby Waller all qualified for the state science fair. Go Falcons!

Exploratory Meeting on Early Childhood Education

          All parents of preschool aged children, you are invited to attend a meeting on Thursday, March 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the library at Twin Bridges School to help organize our efforts to develop a program for children 5 years of age and under.  The meeting will be short, but your input will be essential in determining the need for a quality program that would help children before the age of 5 get a vital learning opportunity at Twin Bridges School. The benefits of early childhood programs are abundant, but some of the benefits of early childhood interventions according to Early Leaning Coalition of Duval retrieved from www.elcduval.org/mission-vision-core-values/; (p1, 2017) is “Better performance in grade school: Children who receive early education are known to have a reduced need for special education instruction in elementary school and beyond.” We hope to see you Thursday.

Sincerely,

Tammy Demien

K-8 Principal

406-684-5656

March 6, 2019

As of February 28, 2019, 206 cases of measles have been reported to CDC from 11 states. There currently are no cases of measles in Montana. Most cases in 2019 are part of a large outbreak in Clark County, Washington. Given the proximity of this outbreak to Montana, we may have travelers to and from the area, which could increase the risk of exposure to Montana residents.

Measles is an extremely contagious virus that can be dangerous, especially for young children. The measles virus can survive in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the space. If exposed to the virus, anyone who is not immune is likely to get measles.

Public health authorities are recommending a proactive approach to prepare for the possible introduction of measles into our state. One important activity includes reviewing the immunization status of staff and students. While immunizations are required for students, unless a medical or religious exemption is on record, there are no immunization requirements for staff members.

People are considered immune to measles if any of the following are true:

• You are a pre-school age child with one measles vaccine (MMR – measles, mumps, rubella)

• You are a school-age child (K-12) who has had two measles vaccines (MMR - measles, mumps, rubella).

• You were born before 1957, or have received at least one-dose of measles vaccine.

• You have had measles disease (diagnosed by a health care provider and confirmed with a lab test).

• You have had a blood test that shows you are immune to measles.

If a case of measles occurs in a school setting, the local health department will work closely with the school to assess evidence of immunity for students and staff and determine potential risks of exposure to measles. Conducting assessments of staff and students now will save critical time in the event of a case impacting your school. If a confirmed measles case impacting your area is identified, recommendations may include post-exposure prophylaxis, and unvaccinated staff or students may be excluded from school until the risk of measles has passed or the individual receives a dose of MMR vaccine.

In the event a case of measles is suspected or confirmed, public health officials will help determine key response activities necessary to confirm the illness and/or guide the response to potential exposures. In addition, measles communications to students and parents/guardians should be coordinated with your local public health department to avoid potential issues with inconsistent information or instructions. Several instances of miscommunication have already occurred based on rumors and incorrect information being shared regarding “measles” cases. These issues can be avoided by speaking to your local public health department. Please be sure to have your local public health agency contact information readily available.

Steve Bullock, Governor

Sheila Hogan, Director

Up to date information on measles activity can be found at the DPHHS website. Visit www.dphhs.mt.gov and select the measles banner to access our updates. In the event of a case in Montana, we will immediately update the website and issue a Health Alert Network (HAN) Advisory through your local public health department.

Thank you for your help to ensure that our students stay healthy and safe!

Sincerely,

Dr. Greg Holzman, MD, MPH State Medical Officer Department of Public Health and Human Services

Spelling Bee

Allie Dale won 2^nd place or Runner- up recognition at the Madison County Spelling Bee on Monday, March 4^th.  Congratulations to Allie and all the students that participated in the Bee!

 Kindergarten Round-Up

                We are inviting all 5-year-old children and their parents/guardians to Twin Bridges Elementary for the Kindergarten Round-Up.  Children must be five by September 10, 2019 to qualify for the 2019/2020 school year. Parents or guardians should bring their precious children to the Twin Bridges Elementary School on Friday, April 12, 2019 from 12 to 2 pm. During this time your child will meet Mrs. Tilstra (Kindergarten teacher), receive a kindergarten readiness assessment, and attend kindergarten for an activity.  The parents or guardians will join Mrs. Demien (Principal) for refreshments and paperwork. Please bring your child’s immunizations, birth certificate, and proof of residency.  See you soon!

Twin Bridges School 6^th – 8^th Grade Receives National Recognition for Commitment to Empowering Students

Named a distinguished school for STEM and career learning program

Twin Bridges Schools announced today that it has been recognized as a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for providing broad access to transformative learning opportunities for students through PLTW Gateway^TM. It is one of just 148 middle schools across the U.S. to receive this honor. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S.

The staff at Twin Bridges Schools believe that Project Lead the Way prepares students for careers that don’t even exist yet.

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, Twin Bridges School 6-8   had to meet the following criteria during the 2017-18 school year:

• Offer at least one PLTW Gateway unit at each grade level;
• Have at least 50 percent of the student body participating;
• Have 25 percent of students advancing to high school participate in two or more units during their middle school tenure.

Through PLTW programs, students develop STEM knowledge as well as in-demand, transportable skills that they will use both in school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take. PLTW Gateway empowers students to lead their own discovery and uncover a range of paths and possibilities they can look forward to in high school and beyond.

“It is a great honor to recognize Twin Bridges School for their commitment to students,” said Vince Bertram, President and CEO of PLTW. “They are a model for what school should look like, and they should be very proud of ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to be career ready and successful on any career path they choose.”

Twin Bridges  is part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.

For more information on Twin Bridges  PLTW Gateway program or to set up a school visit, contact Tammy Demien/ Thad Kaiser  at 406-684-5656.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for PreK-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 11,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.

The safety of our students and staff is our paramount concern. Due to severe weather conditions, Twin Bridges Schools is canceled for today, Monday, February 25, 2019.

Thank you for your understanding.