Philipsburg Schools Newsletter
June 2026
What It Means to Be a Prospector
"A PROSPECTOR is a role model to his or her fellow students because as a student and an athlete they are expected to act more mature than everyone else."
— Zach Waldbillig
Do you have what it takes to be a Prospector? Watch our Prospector video here:
📚Enrollment Update
We are excited to welcome students back for another successful year!
Projected Enrollment for 2026-2027
High School (9-12): 41 students
Junior High (7-8): 23 students
Combined 7-12 Enrollment: 64 students onsite (65 including Job Corps)
Elementary Enrollment: 84 students
Total K-12 Enrollment: 148 students onsite (149 including Job Corps)
🏫Summer Maintenance Underway
Our facilities team has already begun preparing our schools for the upcoming year.
Summer Projects Include:
Mr. White and Mrs. Thomason are stripping floors and deep cleaning classrooms.
Mr. McGuire and Charlie Nelson are working on elementary window improvements.
Construction has begun on a new concrete slab outside the concession area in preparation for the football season.
Thank you to our maintenance and custodial staff for keeping our facilities looking great!
📖Academic Success
ACT Scores Reach Five-Year High!
We are proud to announce that our average ACT score increased to 19.5, the highest score achieved by Philipsburg Schools in the last five years! This accomplishment reflects the hard work of our students and staff and demonstrates continued academic growth.
Assessment Updates
MAST assessment reports are available for review.
Staff continues to utilize data to improve instruction and support student success.
Attendance Matters!
Congratulations to our attendance award winners! Students who missed four days or fewer during the school year received a $100 gift card:
Casen Hess
Kruz Walter
Kenzie Armstrong
JJ Lee
Outstanding Attendance Award
Kenzie Armstrong earned the overall attendance award by missing only five class periods all year! To recognize her exceptional commitment, Philipsburg Schools will award Kenzie a Chromebook. Way to go, Kenzie!
Excellent work, Prospectors!
🌟Prospector Pride & Student Recognition
Prospector of the Week
Gabe Huckfelt was named Prospector of the Week during the final week of school.
Prospector of the Year
Kendalyn Walter was selected as the 2026 8th Grade Prospector of the Year.
A permanent plaque honoring Prospector of the Year recipients is being created and will include recipients from the past four years. Congratulations, Kendalyn!
🏅Prospector Athletics
State Tennis
Congratulations to:
Avree Rich
Grayson Tenesch
Both student-athletes qualified for the State Tennis Tournament and represented Philipsburg with pride. Special thanks to coaches Heather Rich and Leanne Tenesch for their leadership and dedication.
State Track Success
Addison Lilyquest
State Champion in the 800-meter run
State Champion in the 1-mile run
State Champion in the 2-mile run
Addison will continue her running career at Montana State University next spring. We wish her the very best and thank her for her outstanding contributions to Prospector athletics.
JJ Lee
State Runner-Up in the 200-meter dash
3rd Place in the 400-meter dash
Set a new school record in the 400-meter dash
We look forward to seeing what JJ accomplishes during his senior year. Congratulations, Addison and JJ!
❤️Community Service & Leadership
School Track & Field Day
On May 26, students participated in the annual Track and Field Day led by Mr. Hanson. Thank you to all of the families who attended and supported our students.
Community Service Day
Students made a positive impact throughout the community:
8th-grade students assisted Connie Schiedermayer at the thrift store.
7th- and 9th-grade students completed approximately 2 miles of highway cleanup along Highway 348.
Junior Class students updated the Granite-G graduation marker for the Class of 2027.
Thank you for demonstrating what it means to be a Prospector through service and leadership.
❤️Supporting Our Community
The Philipsburg Community Library received brand-new back stairs constructed by students in Mr. Blume's shop program. The project is valued at more than $5,000 and provides a tremendous benefit to the library and community. Thank you to Mr. Blume and our student builders for using their talents to give back to Philipsburg.
👩🏫Staffing Updates
We are excited to welcome several new team members to Philipsburg Schools:
Jake Kelly – Administration
Madison Lewis – Kindergarten
Robin Rose – 4th Grade
Anne Ostler – 5th Grade
Justin Gordon – 6th Grade
Lillie Giono – 7-12 English
Welcome to the Prospector family!
Employment Opportunities
We are currently seeking:
Substitute Teachers
Activity Drivers
Custodial Substitutes
If you are interested in supporting our students and schools, please contact the district office.
📅Upcoming Events
July
No School Board Meeting
Summer Camps Month
August
August 4 - Strategic Planning Meeting @ 5:30 p.m. at GHS
August 11 – School Board Meeting @ 5:30 p.m. at GHS
August 15 – First Day of Fall Sports Practice
August 18-20 – Teacher PIR Days
August 20 – Open House (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
August 24 – First Day of School
Thank you to our students, staff, families, and community members for another outstanding year. We are proud of all that our Prospectors have accomplished and look forward to another successful school year!
📱 Stay Connected with Philipsburg Schools
Get the School App
Download the Philipsburg Schools app from your device’s app store to receive real-time notifications about school events, announcements, newsletters, and updates.
Download for Android https://aptg.co/0FLGH1
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/Pd43CS
Watch this video for more information about our school app.
🌐 Website Resources
Our school website offers valuable information and resources for students, families, and the Philipsburg community, including:
You can also find:
Graduation Requirements
Assessments and Academic Rewards
“How to Help” student support strategies
Career exploration resources
Standardized testing information
Course Catalogs
Scholarship and FAFSA resources
Apprenticeship and College & Career Pathway information
📲 Follow Us on Social Media
Stay connected by following Philipsburg Schools on:
Please note: Social media accounts are not monitored for direct messages. If you need assistance, please contact the school directly:
🏛️ School Board Information
The Philipsburg School District No. 1 Board of Trustees includes:
Chairperson Genevieve Kulaski
Vice Chairperson Margie Lee
Trustees Karl Kanduch, Connie Schiedermayer, and Jennifer Graham
Community members can access:
Board messages
Meeting minutes
District policies
Academic calendar and district resources
School Board Meetings
Regular board meetings are held on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the GHS Board/Concession Room. Click here for more information.
If meeting dates or times change, notices will be posted:
Around town in public locations
On the school website
On the school app
On both school front doors
Community members are encouraged to attend and stay involved.
🏫 Facility Information
A facility information page is available on the district website.
The page will include:
Facility user agreements
Volunteer forms
Facility calendars
Helpful facility-use resources
📝 Out-of-District Enrollment
Families interested in out-of-district enrollment can find:
Policies
Application links
Important Deadline
Applications and all supporting documentation are due by 4:00 p.m. on the first day of June.
Applications must be hand-delivered during regular school hours to:
Superintendent/Principal
Assistant Principal
District Clerk
Location:
407 Schnepel Street, Philipsburg, Montana
✅ Attendance Reminder
Families are encouraged to review the Parent/Student Handbook for updated attendance policy information and how attendance may affect student grades.