Ready to make an impact at SLE

SEELEY LAKE – "I've taken a pie to the face, slept on the top of the school roof and was duct tapped to a wall when the students met their goals [for "I Love to Read" month]," said Seeley Lake Elementary's new Superintendent Josh Gibbs smiling at the memories. "I didn't enjoy school and definitely didn't put my best effort in. I understand that school is not everyone's strong suit and I try and reach out to those students and build those connections....It is just those little types of things, nothing too elaborate, but for the kids that is really fun."

Gibbs started at SLE at the beginning of July and he has been thrown into the mix of developing school improvement and strategic plans, staff changes and establishing a reopening plan in light of the coronavirus pandemic. He looks forward to welcoming students on the first day of school and creating a learning environment that supports and encourages academic growth as well as provides social and emotional development. He thinks it is important to make students feel like they belong, feel welcomed and help them grow as an individual as well as supporting a positive working environment for the teachers and staff.

Gibbs graduated from Flathead High School in 2006. He received his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Montana State – Northern in 2011. Gibbs taught second grade for one year before teaching fifth grade for five years in the Cut Bank School District for six years. While teaching he also coached football and wrestling. It was after stepping into an assistant principal role that he realized he enjoyed the administrative side of education.

Gibbs started his master's degree in educational leadership from Rocky Mountain College in 2016. He graduated in 11 months and took his first superintendent position in Winnett K – 12 School District in 2018.

"I've learned that you wear all hats in the K-12 building," said Gibbs. "There are always going to be challenges but trying to have the mindset that no matter what they are, they will work out."

Gibbs said when he was a teacher he always tried to have a positive impact on the students in his class. As an administrator, especially in the role of principal, he was able to implement programs and ideas school-wide that impacted a greater range of students.

Gibbs was first attracted to SLE when it was featured in the August 2012 Outside Magazine's "The 30 Best Places to Work." This planted the seed as a place he would like to teach. When the superintendent position opened Gibbs applied.

Gibbs said he appreciated many of the programs SLE already had going and saw it as a great opportunity to move closer to his family in Kalispell.

Gibbs looks forward to greeting students at the door in the morning and interacting with them throughout the day. He follows the model that students should see three smiling faces before they get to their locker.

"Whatever happened at home, hopefully the students know that people care and they feel welcome here," said Gibbs. "Hopefully that will set the mood in the classroom where they are more willing to and want to learn."

Gibbs values opportunities at school that students wouldn't normally be exposed to at home including the arts, music and sports.

"Students may be able to find a passion that they would have never experienced without that class," said Gibbs who is also a big proponent of physical education.

SLE will continue to use PAX, a behavior modification program, and Accelerated Reader, two programs that were implemented last year. Gibbs also hopes to continue to work with local businesses to continue existing incentive programs as well as come up with other ways to recognize students and staff who put in extra effort.

Gibbs said he worked closely with Seeley-Swan High School Principal Kellen Palmer to align schedules and other things while dealing with COVID-19. Gibbs looks forward to continuing to build on the relationship between schools and the students. He wants to work with the freshman teachers to identify holes in knowledge for incoming freshman and work backwards to close the gap.

Gibbs also intends to implement STAR, a program for progress monitoring that SSHS uses.

Students will take the online test within the first couple weeks of school and then again in the winter and spring. The test information will be used as an internal data tool to report progress to parents and, when needed, develop a Response to Intervention (RTI) program, a program Gibbs has seen a lot of success with. Teachers can target areas where a student is performing below grade level and implement things in the classroom to address any deficiencies.

"The hope is if there is a student that is really struggling, then you have the support to show [how deficiencies were addressed]," said Gibbs. "Then maybe special education or Title 1 is really needed."

While he has no plans to coach, Gibbs said he enjoys supporting students in their activities outside of the school, whether they are school-sponsored or not.

Gibbs looks forward to building partnerships with the local business community, attending local events and reaching out to the members of the community that no longer have children in the school. He hopes SLE will become the pride of the community.

"I want to try and get them involved and see what is going on in the school," said Gibbs. "They can see what their tax dollars are going towards so they feel comfortable supporting the school and the types of things that we are doing."

Gibbs continued, "We are all here for the same goal. I think everyone would agree we are all here for the kids and supporting them, growing them to their potential."

When he is not working, Gibbs used to participate in downhill mountain bike races. Now he enjoys visiting family in Kalispell, outdoor activities and going to the lake with his wife Lindsea, children Beau, 2, and three-month-old Reagan and their Australian Shepherd named Kora. Lindsea is also a certified teacher in health and physical education.