CTAE July Newsletter
All things CTAE for Montana
Montana OPI Video Details Seniors’ Reflections on Undertaking Final Year of High School During COVID-19
 HELENA – The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) today released a video that highlights what life was like for graduating seniors during a global pandemic. Titled “In Their Own Words: Montana’s High School Seniors and Overcoming COVID-19 to Succeed,” the short video chronicles the reflections of nearly a dozen high school seniors from across Montana as they prepare to graduate. They discuss what kinds of unique challenges they faced during the 2020-2021 school year, the impact remote and hybrid schooling had as they attempted to learn and graduate, and their plans moving forward and succeeding in the future. Interviews were conducted at schools in Whitehall, Great Falls, Arlee, Rocky Boy, and Frenchtown.
“This was a difficult school year for families, students, and teachers alike, and we wanted to capture some thoughts from graduating seniors about what it was like to overcome the disruptions of a pandemic during their final year of high school,” said State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “This video, produced by the OPI Digital Communications Team, allows students to describe their feelings, concerns, and achievements in their own words, and offer advice to those coming after them. Their stories are a testament to our Montana resiliency.”
Montana FFA Executive Director Named
Montana Young Professional Woman of the Year
 Montana FFA Foundation Executive Director, Gwynn Simeniuk, was named Montana Young Professional Woman of the Year on June 11 at the Montana Young Professionals Summit in Sidney, Montana.
The goal of Montana Young Professionals is to bring young professionals from across the state together to foster relationships and grow from personal and professional development opportunities.
Fostering relationships and growing both personally and professionally is no stranger to Simeniuk. Her time at the Montana FFA Foundation began in May 2017 as the Program & Events Manager after she graduated from Montana State University with degrees in Agricultural Education and Animal Science...
Lockwood High School Launches Montana's
Newest Ag. Ed. Program
 For the first time ever, students at Lockwood High School have been enrolling in Agricultural Education classes!
The brand-new Lockwood High School is only two years old, and still has only Freshmen and Sophomore students, but is already launching Montana’s newest Ag Ed and FFA program. Lockwood High School Principal Gordon Klasna says their goal is to prepare Lockwood Students for great careers, and their school’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program will help provide a connection that is important to their whole community.
Lockwood has tapped Lindsay Harper as the Ag Ed Instructor to start Montana’s 97th FFA Chapter. “I’m super excited that Lockwood gets this opportunity, Harper said, “Having three CTE teachers in Metal Shop, Woods and Ag, will provide collaboration for entrepreneurship opportunities, leadership, travel and community service.” Harper has been the Ag Ed Instructor in Roundup for the past few years...
SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference
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SkillsUSA Montana Fall Leadership Conference will be held in Billings at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center from Wednesday, October 13 - Friday, October 15.
More details to follow in the coming weeks.
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Montana FCCLA Wins First Place at Nationals
 Congratulations to Emma Harrison and Fiona Varnum for winning FIRST PLACE at NATIONAL FCCLA for their Chapter in Review competition!
American Farm Bureau Offers Two
Professional Development Opportunities
 1. Increasing Relevance and Authenticity with
Phenomena Found in Agriculture
Day One, July 27, 10-2 CDT (4 free credit hours)
Designed to address Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), this virtual workshop livestream event will focus on using agriculture to increase the relevancy and authenticity of content in science classrooms.
Participants will focus on three-dimensional learning; specifically, using anchoring phenomena to drive student sense-making and problem solving. Disciplinary core ideas will be reinforced through guest speakers from the agricultural community who apply these concepts on a daily basis.
Topics covered:
- Cattle genetics / variability of traits
- Biogenic carbon cycle
- Sustainability decisions made by producers
2. Best Practices for Three-Dimensional Assessment
Using Agricultural Tasks
Day Two, July 29, 10-2 CDT (4 free credit hours)
This virtual workshop and livestream event will focus on assessment for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Participants will explore the relevancy and authenticity of agriculture and learn why agricultural literacy is important to society.
We’ll share best practices for assessing three-dimensional learning, as well as compare and contrast tasks designed for instruction and assessment created by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture to explore science through the lens of agriculture.
Guest speakers from the agricultural community will share their experiences to reinforce disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) and science and engineering practices (SEPs) and provide a real-world perspective.
Topics covered:
- Regenerative grazing & ecosystem dynamics
- Soil health
- Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils
- Carrying capacity of rangeland ecosystems
The Montana HOSA - Future Health Professionals Board
is Seeking New Membership
Montana HOSA is designed to empower the next generation of healthcare workers to meet the growing need here in Montana, as well as globally through education, collaboration, and experience. Montana HOSA is working to grow future health professionals who embody our core values of leadership, innovation, and service. You can learn more at www.montanahosa.org.
If you would like to join the Montana HOSA board, please submit your application as soon as possible.
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For questions, please contact:
Shannon Boswell, Division Administrator - 406.444.7915
Eric Tilleman, Agriculture Education Specialist - 406.444.4451
Vacant, Health Sciences Education Specialist - 406.994.6986
Ian Beagles CTE/Perkins Data Control Specialist - 406.444.9019
Mike Houghton, Industrial Technology Specialist - 406.444.4452
Austin Schweitzer, Marketing Program Coordinator - 406.444.2059
Eric Swenson, Business Education Specialist - 406.444.7991
Megan Vincent, Family & Consumer Sciences Education Specialist - 406.444.3599
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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