• Category 3

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: k - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 655
    Student Enrollment: 354
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1.7%
    White/Caucasian: 95%
    Hispanic: 2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.3%
    Native American: 0.8%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:11
    % Reduced Lunch: 37%
    % ELL Learners: 100%
    Founded: 1930
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Allison Evertz
  • CONTACT:
    300 N. Park Street
    Joliet, MT 59041
    406-962-3541
    aevertz@joliet.k12.mt.us
Joliet High School
Joliet, MT
We collaborate to establish five basic elements: beliefs, mission, objectives, parameters, and strategies.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Joliet Public School:
1. Has PAT (parent action team)
2. Has a strong Booster Club
3. Has partnered with local food bank to provide backpacks to hungry students over the weekend
4. Writes citizenship essays in coordination with the local Auxiliary Group
5. Has multiple advisory and steering committees
6. Participates with local Masons to help with our student of the week and Reading for Kindles
7. Does service-learning projects with local businesses
8. Utilizes coordination with Vocational Rehabilitation as it relates to transition services for students ages 14-18
9. Offers a Thanksgiving Dinner to the Community
10. Offers a strong Adult Education Program to the Community
11. Participates in Child Protective Team meetings monthly with other local, outside agencies
12. Participates in Local Emergency Planning Committee Meetings with other local, outside agencies
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Joliet Public School:
1. Has a Veteran's Day celebration along with local VFW chapter
2. Does donations to the Joliet Food Bank
3. Initiated a new program to eradicate hunger "Snack Pack Backpack"
4. Writes citizenship essays in coordination with the local Auxiliary Group
5. Has multiple advisory and steering committees
6. Embarks service-learning projects
7. Provides cookies and services to the elderly in the winter (through our Special Education Department)
8. Utilizes coordination with Vocational Rehabilitation as it relates to transition services for students ages 14-18
9. Offers a Thanksgiving Dinner to the Community
10. Offers a strong Adult Education Program to the Community
11. Participates in Child Protective Team meetings monthly
12. Participates in Local Emergency Planning Committee Meetings with other local, outside agencies
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
The administration "keeps the main thing the main thing". All conversations with staff and Trustees is rooted in bettering the educational community in some aspect. Our district established a goal-alignment structure that begins with the school board and the long-range planning process. From the Joliet School Board to the superintendent / principals to the teachers to the larger school community, we all recognize our primary responsibility of the entire school community. Representatives from every stakeholder group—students, parents, teachers, support staff, business leaders, administrators, central office personnel, the superintendent, and school board members—participate on the Long-Range Planning Team.We collaborate to establish five basic elements: beliefs, mission, objectives, parameters, and strategies.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Integrate more technology
Raise scores on SBAC
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
A process that we call "personalization". Each teacher in the high school quietly selects a lists of students that they check-in with regularly. We ensure that they feel supported academically, financially (we have a fund in our activity account set-up for student assistance), and emotionally. Teachers meet monthly to coordinate and provide direction on their students so that students get their needs met.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
We teach Native American lessons regularly, utilize a social-emotional curriculum though our weekly guidance lessons, and have an At-Risk committee (that brainstorms ideas and builds plans for students in outlier groups).
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We provide classes in core areas, such as math and reading. These two classes are capped at 10, and provide students with interventions that help them attain success in core areas. Curricular materials, professional development, and supplemental materials are provided with ESEA funds.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
The Joliet Teaching Staff has built a curriculum from the ground up. Over the course of three years, each teacher built a Yearlong Context Map. We have built proficiency scales are are currently building common assessments district-wide. This is the first year we have done standards based grading report cards, and we rolled out K-2. Every year thereafter, we will incorporate on additional grade. The transition will be slow and methodical, but eventually Joliet Public School will have K-12 standards based grading.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
The Joliet District uses NWEA data to bridge gaps in learning. We use SPIRE in the elementary, participate closely with Alliance for Curriculum Enhancement, and have early release days to utilize for Professional Learning Community. We have established data into cohort groups, and are tracking progress as measured by SBAC. Moreover, teachers are using proficiency scales and building common assessments to improve student achievement.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
the Joliet Public School is part of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). We work closely with advisory committees and groups to focus improvements. These goals and improvements are taken directly from our stakeholder survey that we embark upon yearly. In addition, we attained the Bronze award for our Montana Behavioral Initiative, and are well on our way to attaining the Silver Status.Part of our initiative is that Joliet J-hawks SOAR. We are Safe and Welcoming, Organized, Accountable and Respectful and Responsible. Through recognition and acknowledgement of good behavior, students earn SOAR bucks to be redeemed at our SOAR store.
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: k - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 655
    Student Enrollment: 354
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 1.7%
    White/Caucasian: 95%
    Hispanic: 2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.3%
    Native American: 0.8%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:11
    % Reduced Lunch: 37%
    % ELL Learners: 100%
    Founded: 1930
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Allison Evertz
  • CONTACT:
    300 N. Park Street
    Joliet, MT 59041
    406-962-3541
    aevertz@joliet.k12.mt.us