Colstrip board moves to update enrollment, require annual physicals and consider multiple personnel hires

The Colstrip Public Schools Board of Trustees on Monday reviewed a slate of personnel recommendations, approved changes to nonresident‑enrollment rules and debated a motion to require annual physicals for students participating in athletics.

Board members heard a motion from a committee member to amend policy 3141 so that an exception to the enrollment deadline will be made for district employees who live outside the district; out‑of‑district students admitted under that exception must meet the same enrollment criteria as other out‑of‑district students. The motion was read into the record and placed on the board agenda.

Another motion concerned policy 3410 (student health and examinations). Richard Slater, who told the board he had consulted Coaches Association guidance recommending physicals every other year, argued the district should retain an annual physical requirement so parents and staff can be confident student health checks occur each season. A committee member moved to require a physical every year under policy 3410; the motion was read into the record and voted on during the meeting.

The board also considered multiple personnel actions on consent and action agendas: approval of district substitutes for the 2026–27 school year (naming Peyton McFarland and Kyler Noser), a list of seasonal hires for summer 2026 and a package of extracurricular sponsors and assistants. One amendment clarified that Carissa Verlaneyk is to be appointed as assistant (not the head sponsor) for band and vocal assistance, as noted by a member in the meeting.

In other business, the board reviewed a recommended disposition of obsolete district inventory, with staff proposing transfer of electronic waste to a vendor (Yellowstone eWaste) under district policy 7251. The board also received and discussed a recommendation to renew MHSA membership for the 2026–27 school year, which includes catastrophic liability and concussion insurance priced at about $4,502.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Approve CHS music out-of-state travel to New Orleans, June 2027 — motion placed on the record; second noted (outcome: not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Motion: Approve district substitutes (Peyton McFarland; Kyler Noser) — motion placed on the record (outcome: not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Motion: Approve seasonal summer hires (list read aloud) — motion placed on the record; roll‑call acknowledgements followed in the transcript (outcome: recorded as approved). - Motion: Approve extracurricular hires and amend Carissa Verlaneyk to assistant — motion placed on the record and amended (outcome: approved as amended). - Motion: Approve MHSA annual membership ($4,502 approx.) — motion placed on the record (outcome: not specified in the transcript excerpt). - Motion: Dispose of obsolete inventory under policy 7251 (transfer to e‑waste vendor) — motion placed on the record (outcome: approved). - Motion: Amend policy 3141 (nonresident enrollment) to add an enrollment‑deadline exception for district employees — motion placed on the record (outcome: approved as recorded in the meeting). - Motion: Amend policy 3410 to require annual physicals for students — motion placed on the record and voted on during the meeting (outcome: approved as recorded in the meeting).

The meeting record shows motions were read and seconded and several items were approved; vote details are recorded in the meeting minutes for specific items. The board also asked staff to follow up on outstanding outreach to a local rodeo association and scheduled routine training through the Montana School Boards Association.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified by role or name as they appear in the meeting record: Committee member (mover), Presenter (music instructor), Clerk (agenda reader), Richard Slater (S6).