A newsletter delivered each month after the Regular School Board meeting to update parents, students, and our Philipsburg community.
What It Means to Be a Prospector
“A PROSPECTOR is more than just a title.” — Zach Waldbillig
Current enrollment:
High School (9–12): 37 students (+1 Job Corps = 38 total)
Junior High (7–8): 29 students
Combined Onsite Enrollment: 66 students (67 including Job Corps)
Elementary (K-6): 83 students
Overall K-12 = 149 students onsite/151 total with 1 Job Corps and 1 ESSA
Infrastructure & Facilities
The door project in the Granite High School (GHS) entryway is still in progress, with completion anticipated by the April board meeting. Mr. McGuire has been repairing toilets, urinals, and sinks at GHS and is awaiting boiler parts to arrive to repair the cracked boiler section with Aaron McPherson of McPherson Plumbing.
Mr. Nelson has installed proper emergency lighting and exit signs in both buildings and emergency door alarms on the rear exit doors at GHS. These alarms sound when the doors are opened and require a key to deactivate, helping ensure that students and staff exit only through the main office entrance.
Additionally, Mr. Blume and his industrial arts class have completed the Granite High School sign project, which will be installed on the front of the building soon.
Philipsburg K–12 Public Schools recently purchased a lightly used 20-passenger school bus from the Garrison School District for $500. The bus, originally from Gold Creek Schools, is in excellent condition, with tires alone valued at approximately $500. Mike Lee was recognized as the March 5, 2026, “Prospector of the Week” for securing this exceptional deal for the school and community.
Academic Interventions
All 7th– 12th-grade students participate in EdReady twice weekly during advisory:
7th–9th: Algebra Prep
10th–11th: ACT Prep
12th: College Math Readiness
This structured intervention strengthens math skills and supports readiness for Algebra I, the ACT, and post-secondary success.
Students who complete Algebra I Prep will transition into MAST Prep, and next year’s 7th/8th graders will begin with MAST Prep to better align preparation with state testing.
Literacy intervention is provided daily at the elementary school on a rotating schedule for all grade levels, helping to improve reading proficiency and build student confidence.
Classroom teachers implement small-group reading and math instruction throughout the day across all grade levels, allowing for targeted support, increased engagement, and stronger skill development.
Shout Outs this month:
Congratulations to the Prospector girls and boys basketball teams on their seasons. Thank you to coaches Paul Kulaski, Brian Ward, Kendra McAnnally, and Jason White for their dedication and leadership, and to Athletic Director Kendra Kanduch for her hard work supporting the basketball program throughout the school year.
On Friday, February 13, students in grades 3–12 participated in an Outdoor Classroom Day, choosing between downhill skiing at Discovery or visiting the Butterfly House and Insectarium in Missoula. The event was the first of two Outdoor Classroom days planned for the school year and was a great success, even receiving coverage in the local newspaper.
The next Outdoor Classroom Day is scheduled for March 20, 2026, where students will either visit the U of M Planetarium and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation or ski at Discovery.
On February 17, Philipsburg Schools hosted the Granite County Spelling Bee. Congratulations to Huck Benson, an 8th grader from Granite High School, for earning 2nd place in the county. Great job! 🎉
Granite High School junior high students held a beach-themed dance on March 5. Thank you to Mrs. Burch and Mr. Hanson for helping set up and chaperone the event. Proceeds from the dance will support the 8th-grade graduation trip to Silverwood Theme Park in June. 🎉
Art Show Success! The 4th–6th Grade Student Art Show was a wonderful success, with many community members attending to celebrate our students' creativity and hard work. Thank you to everyone who came out to support and encourage our young artists.
We are also grateful to our generous local sponsors—The Philipsburg Brewery, Kiko’s, The Sweet Palace, Gem Mountain, Illume Gallery, Montana Gems, Saj Floral Shop, and Wicked Treats—whose donations helped raise funds to continue offering student clubs and enrichment opportunities.
A special thank you to John Piacquadio for volunteering his time and talent to lead the After School Art Club and inspire our students.
On February 24, Officer Ryan Eamon from the Anaconda Police Department presented a cell phone and social media safety assembly for students in grades 5–6 and 7–12. The presentation was well received by both students and staff, and Officer Eamon will be invited back next year.
6th Grade Polar Plunge Fundraiser
Sixth-grade students will be taking the plunge this Saturday to help raise funds for the Granite County Sheriff’s Office and Special Olympics — and they need your support!
Students are currently seeking donations and hope to raise at least $50 each to participate in the Polar Plunge. Every contribution supports a meaningful cause and helps make a positive impact in our community.
If you would like to donate or support one of our students, your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping our students give back! 💙❄️
Donate here:
https://p2p.onecause.com/26pintlerplunge/team/6th-grade-philipsburg-elementary-school
And don't forget to check out 6th Grade News!
Booster Corner:
We’re proud to support our students, but we still need more Booster Club members! If you're interested in helping with events, fundraising, or student activities, please reach out. Every helping hand makes a difference! Reach out to Margie Lee about becoming a Booster member.
Thank you for your continued support of our Titans and Prospectors!
Upcoming Events:
March 2026
March 16: HS Track and Tennis start
March 17: St. Patrick's Day - Wear green for Good Luck!
March 18: Elementary Student Council Lunch Meeting
March 20: Outdoor Classroom Day for 3rd - 12th graders
March 24: Granite High School students in grades 7–12 will attend an assembly on tobacco use and abuse featuring speaker Michael R. DeLeon. The event is sponsored by Amanda Bohrer (Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Public Health), Deb Robinson (Granite County Public Health), and Granite High School. The student assembly will take place from 2:15–3:45 p.m. in the GHS gymnasium, followed by a staff-only session from 4:00–4:45 p.m.
March 30: MAST Testing Window Opens 3rd - 8th graders
April 2026
April 1: Parent-teacher Conferences - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
April 2 - 7: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
April 10: School in session this Friday
April 13 - 16: ACT Test Week
April 14: School Board Meeting @ 5:30 p.m.
April 22: Philipsburg will host the 2nd Annual Health and Prevention Fair in the Granite High School gym from 9:00–11:00 a.m. The event is organized by Deb Robinson of the Granite County Health Department, who hosted a successful fair last year and expects a similar turnout this year.
April 28: 4th Quarter Midterm
More events are listed on our Events Calendar.
Get the School App and Stay Informed:
Download the school app onto your phone and receive notifications about what's happening at Philipsburg Schools!
Useful Links:
Our website has a bunch of information for students, parents, and our Philipsburg community. You can access our Events calendar on the home page. The Elementary Secretary Brandi Morales issues a weekly newsletter that you can find under News. These Monthly Newsletters will also be located under News. If you get the School App, you'll receive push notifications when a newsletter has been posted to the website.
You can find the Printable Academic Calendar on the website in the top-right-hand corner. You can access your Parent Portal in Infinite Campus and Student Portal in Infinite Campus on the website, as well as the School Store. All three links are in the top-right-hand corner of the website.
If you need to find information on Graduation Requirements, Assessments, Academic Rewards, "How to Help" Strategies, Career-related Exploration, Standardized Testing, or the Course Catalog, click on Academics in the website's Menu.
You can also click on College & Career Pathways to get scholarship information, FAFSA information, apprenticeships, and more.
Facility Information:
We'll be creating a facility information page soon for our website that will have helpful links to our new facility user agreement, volunteer form, facility user calendar, and more. Keep an eye out!
Out-of-District Enrollment:
Check out our Out-of-District Enrollment on our website to stay abreast of policy, application links, and requirements. Application deadline with ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION is due by 4:00 p.m. on the First day of June and MUST be hand-delivered to the Superintendent/Principal, Assistant Principal, or District Clerk at 407 Schnepel Street, Philipsburg, Montana during regular school hours, Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Attendance Policy:
Make sure to read the Parent/Student Handbook on the new attendance policy and how it affects your student's grades. Here are three key points:
Excused absences are caused by illness, danger to health from serious exposure (weather), or imperative necessity (emergency medical and dental appointments, death or funeral in the family). Students are allowed three (3) days to make up missed work.
Unexcused absences are with parent/guardian knowledge but for reasons not listed above or due to no prior notification. A parent/guardian can apply for a waiver for an upcoming lengthy absence with the principal.
Missing nine (9) or more days per semester per class, the student receives a 2% reduction per class for each additional absence on the 9th and subsequent days. Ex: a student misses a total of 12 days and has a 74% at the end of the semester, an additional 2% x 4 days = 8% points off 74% = 66% for a final semester grade.
Social Media:
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Board Meeting Information:
The Philipsburg School District No. 1 School Board consists of the following members: Chairperson Genevieve Kulaski, Vice Chairperson Margie Lee, and Trustees Joy Lucero, Connie Schiedermayer, and Jennifer Graham. You can find their Contact information here.
You can access school board messages, minutes, and policies here.
The School Board meets every Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the High School Library. If a scheduling conflict arises and the meeting time/day changes, a notice will be posted around town in public areas, on the website, and on the school app. A notice will also be posted on both school front doors. We hope you're able to join us!