SSHS Starts Challenge Success Program and Welcomes Altacare

SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) students returned to school Aug. 29. Along with the renovations to the building, SSHS is participating in the Challenge Success program offered by Stanford University and will be offering Altacare mental health services.

Funded by the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) bond passed last November, the renovations to SSHS will be completed by Thanksgiving. Once the glass comes in for the front entrance, students will be using key cards for entry and the public will be buzzed in. The public library entrance will be separate from the entrance to the school. The stage will also be complete allowing the music department to move from the new gym to the stage.

A team of eight people will be going to Stanford University to get information about the Challenge Success program. Challenge Success partners with schools and families to provide students with the academic, social and emotional skills needed to succeed.

The vision stated on Challenge Success’s website (www.challengesuccess.org) “recognizes that our current fast-paced, high-pressure culture works against much of what we know about healthy child development and effective education. The overemphasis on grades, test scores and rote answers has stressed out some kids and marginalized many more. We all want our kids to do well in school and to master certain skills and concepts, but our largely singular focus on academic achievement has resulted in a lack of attention to other components of a successful life—the ability to be independent, adaptable, ethical and engaged critical thinkers. Our work helps to foster learners who are healthy, motivated and prepared for the wide variety of tasks they will face as adults.”

The team consists of parents Charity Townsend and Carrie Sokoloski, students Bradley Miller and Trinitey Bartlett, MCPS Instructional Coach Seena Demmons, SSHS teachers Katrina Stout and Mary Stone and SSHS Principal Dr. Kathleen Pecora will be attending a conference Sept. 29-Oct. 1 to help learn more about the program and what it will look like at SSHS.

“Their goal is to help create schools that are healthy environments for our kids,” said Pecora. “We want them to do well [academically] but we don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we want them to be productive and healthy members of our community.”

A coach from Stanford will be working with the school throughout the year to see how the program continues. The program is being funded through Title 1 resources since it impacts all of the students.

“We are really excited about it and looking forward to it,” said Pecora.

SSHS will be teaming up with Swan Valley Elementary School to offer Altacare services. Pecora believes it will be a small team working with the students. The schedule will be available in the next few weeks. It is funded through Missoula County Public Schools.

Shawn Holmes is the counselor this year. He will be primarily working with scheduling and helping the seniors with scholarship and college applications

“Holmes will be working with all the paperwork kinds of things. That is one of the reasons we really wanted to get Altacare here was to provide the personal counseling,” said Pecora.

Crissina Quinn joined the SSHS staff as the family resource specialist and part-time teacher. She student taught for SSHS Government and Spanish teacher Trace Stone two years ago. She will be teaching psychology and drama electives. As the family resource specialist she works directly with parents and students helping them find financial assistance or solutions to immediate needs whether it be food or clothing within the community or outside. She helps families fill out scholarship and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications and assists families. She also will be helping plan enrichment activities on Friday.

“We’ve talked about various things to offer on Fridays that we don’t do because we either don’t have the staff or the time,” said Pecora. If members of the community would like to get involved and work with students on Fridays contact Pecora or Quinn at 677-2224.

SSHS still remains on a four-day school week with a half day Friday for extra help, test makeup and enrichment activities.

“In general the schedule worked really well, we are just tweaking it as we go to make it better,” said Pecora. She added the adjustments mainly affect the staff and no changes for the students.

“It’s been an awesome start to the year,” said Pecora. “We have a great bunch of kids and quite a few new kids. We are looking forward to a great year.”