The 2024 Montana BPA State Leadership Conference was held in Billings on March 12-15, One thousand three hundred and thirty-five (1,335) students and local chapter advisors from the middle level and secondary level attended in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. BPA Montana Association assisted the members through participation in the areas of competitive events, leadership, community development, and professionalism.
Students from 101 Montana schools demonstrated their knowledge of business and technological skills and abilities in 93 different competitive events from within the five core assessment areas of Finance, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, Digital Communication & Design, Management, Marketing & Communication, and Health Administration.
Montana BPA was pleased to donate $10,000 to Special Olympics Montana as their state-wide philanthropic organization. Colstrip High School, Glasgow High School, Hellgate High School, Joliet High School, and Laurel High School were recognized for their generous donations. BPA Montana also held a Special Olympics Event during the conference as an additional fundraising event.
Community members and Montana businesses also played a tremendous role in the success of the state conference by serving as judges for competitive events and presenters of workshops. In addition, Montana BPA has received more than $30,000.00 in financial support and/or in-kind support from Montana business and education institutions as part of the corporate sponsor and education partnership program.
In non-event awards, Montana BPA awarded Silver Star Awards for Chapter Development to the Capital High School, Flathead High School, Garfield County District High School, Glasgow High School, Helena High School, Hellgate High School, Joliet High School, Park High School, Simms High School, Skyview High School, and Twin Bridges High School. Cian Logan from Froid High School was recognized as the MT BPA Student of the Year, Jody Sandru of Twin Bridges was recognized as the Advisor of the Year, Brooke Channel was recognized as the Emerging Advisor of the Year, and Eric Swensen was inducted in the Montana BPA Hall of Fame. Skyview High School was recognized with the Spirit of Professionalism Award for all its outstanding contributions to BPA this year.
Alyssa Emineth of Red Lodge High School was recognized for her design efforts in creating the SLC conference logo and Montana trading pin. Kelsi Emmons of Powder County District High School was recognized for her design of the 2024 t-shirt.
On behalf of the Crazy Mountain Ranch, the MDU Foundation, and the Montana Business Education Association. It is BPA Montana’s pleasure to announce the 2024 BPA Scholarship Recipients: Our first recipient of the MBEA Scholarship was from Shields Valley High School, Ava Burkes. Ava plants to study Marine Sciences at the University of Maine. MDU Resources Foundation sponsored two scholarships. The first one was awarded to an individual who, because of his love for agriculture along with his four years of BPA experience and his interest in business. This scholarship winner will be continuing his career, majoring in Agriculture Business, and plans to attend Oklahoma State University, Hudson Rohrer of High School. The final scholarship recipient is sponsored by the Crazy Mountain Ranch. This recipient stated that competing in events the past four years in the Health Administration Assessment Area has sparked her interest in studying Biology, Journalism, and Russian at the University of Montana and pursuing a degree in cardiology down the road is Julia Kunau from Fergus High School.
The following members were celebrated for being approved for the Statesman Torch Award. Raeleen Czerp-Davis, Hallie Iverson, Madeline Creek, Clara Martin, Mackenzie Swan, John Szewczyk, Taylor Ferretti, Brooklynn Haab, Madelyn Holston, Sophia Mortag, Kylee Finn, Audrey Rumney, Caiden Sekuterski, Adisyn Wahl, Sophia Blanchard, Hanna Suganob, Copen Early, Zachary Foss, Megan Knack, Liz Olsen, Shoei Davis, Alison Kolar, Jaeleigh Davidson, Kaylee Olson, Nate Stentoft, Tanner White, Jayden Radonich, Gabriella Garay, Carmen Katzenberger, Julien Alviar, Addison Coach, Danielle Rhodes, Heath Drivdahl, Skylar Smith, Gracelyn Gonsioroski, Lauren Prevost, Alexa Nelson, Gavin Smith, Alexis Wichman, Chance McDaid, Rebecca Aye, Danielle Cahill, Avery Stephens, Caroline Elder, Asha Jerke, Reagan Long, Zoey Watson, Amanda Willis, Gunner Aflleje, Kylie Harrison, Alexis Medrud, William Mishler, Makayla Thielman, Taya Thomas, Rachel Eliason, Konrad Joy, Cort Kaufman, Keaton Miller, Christopher Piccioni, Ty Wheeler, Lane DiGiando, Kole Anderson, Alicia Dale, Lily Mooney, August Witham
BPA students were recognized as Member Recruiter Recipients 2024 for their efforts in recruiting new members: Allison Mari, Torri Hintz, Preston Kelly, Eva Murray, Travis Bailey, Zachary Blodnick, Eli Crist, Britton Krum, Clara Martin, Cayden Short, Daniel Shultz, Rebecca Vosen, Logan Meyers, Oliver Hurtle, Libby Peltz, Rebecca Vosen, Julien Alviar, Addison Coach, Riley Grenson-Glasoc, Eli Feezell, Shaelynn Jones-Moore, Ava Mallo, Valentina Sanguins, LouAnn Peters, Lillian Jansen, Reese Wallis, Danielle Cahill, Kazee Trower, Anna Williams, Mia Handran, Joy Williams.
During the state conference, the following members were elected to office for the 2024-2025 school year:
- President: August Witham Twin Bridges High School
- Vice President: Julien Alviar, Hellgate High School
- Secretary: Hanna Suganob, Conrad High School
- Membership Director: Avery Stephens, Sentinel High School
- Public Relations Director: Lexi Wichman, Moore High School
- Communications Director: Lane Digiando, Superior High School
BPA Montana students will now have the opportunity to travel to Chicago, Illinois to compete in the 2024 BPA National Leadership Conference which will be held May 10-14. Business Professionals of America is the leading CTSO (Career Technical Student Organization) for students pursuing careers in business management, finance, office administration, information technology, health administration, and other related career fields.
PLEASE NOTE: All districts must complete the Perkins Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment for FY 2025.
Perkins Grant Requirements:
Size: Class AA must offer three (3) approved Montana Career Pathways. Class A/B must offer two (2) approved Montana Career Pathways. Class C must offer one (1) approved Montana Career Pathways.
Scope: Rigorous Montana Career Pathway, opportunities for Dual Credit, online CTE courses, work-based learning, and/or Industry Recognized Credentials or Certificates. Validated by a local business advisory committee.
Quality: Meeting the size requirement for pathways that lead to two of the following three: high-skilled (requiring a degree or credential beyond high school), high-wage (60% above the median income), and/or high-demand (MT Department of Labor recognizes all industries as in demand in Montana).
Reporting: Compliance with all fiscal and data reporting requirements. (Districts that fail to complete or are continually late with the required federal reporting for federal programs risk eligibility.)
Spending: This grant operates on reimbursement- cash requests for Perkins need to occur a minimum of quarterly (4 times per grant cycle).
Application: Eligible recipients must complete their application by June 30. Any applications not submitted and approved by July 1 will be pulled back, and funds will be reallocated.
 |
|
We need your help!
The Montana Work-based Learning Collaborative is conducting an Employer Workplace Satisfaction Survey. The information will inform the work of the Collaborative, program builders, and decision-makers across the state to improve workforce support, work-based learning, and education opportunities so that young people are better prepared for employment success and employers gain skilled workers.
Start the survey!
|
We appreciate the organizations who are helping to distribute the survey:
- MT Association of Counties
- MT Chamber of Commerce (and local chambers)
- MT Department of Commerce
- MT Department of Labor & Industry
- MT Economic Development Association (and regional EDAs)
- MT Equipment Dealers Association
- MT High Tech Business Alliance
- MT Hospital Association
- MT League of Cities and Towns
- MT Manufacturing Extension Center
-
MT Nonprofit Association
- MT Primary Care Association
- MT Restaurant Association
- MT Retail Association
- MT Rural Health Initiative
- Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
- Office of Public Instruction
- Career & Technical Student Organizations
- Members of the Work-Based Learning Collaborative
As of the time of this email, we have not received a response on the form to accept State CTE Funding and/or the Perkins Grant Intent to Apply for Montana High School Districts. This form will take you less than ten minutes to complete. Completing this form is necessary to receive a state allocation and to have a Perkins allocation and application created. Districts are not required to apply for Perkins and identifying intent does not guarantee eligibility. If the district marks yes it intends to apply and then does not complete the Perkins application, it will not penalize them for future Perkins Grant funds.
|
Districts must complete and submit the online survey by April 1 to receive a 2024-2025 State CTE Funding Allocations and/or a Carl D. Perkins allocation and application in E-grants.
Montana State CTE Funding: The 2024-2025 Montana State CTE Funding is an allocation based on the prior school year data submitted through Infinite Campus and AIM and with Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO's) State Directors’ membership rosters. The factors of allocation are career and technical education enrollment, approved career, and technical student organizations (CTSOs), field supervision of students (extended contract day), district expenditures, and student participation in workforce development including but not limited to; attainment of Industry Credentials, and work-based learning.
All high schools and K-12 districts with qualifying CTE Programs are eligible to apply. Carl D. Perkins Funding: Carl D. Perkins provides funding to strengthen the Career and Technical Education programs offered to students; helping them to explore careers in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand fields. There are 17 Montana Career Pathways that allow students to explore the areas of Agricultural Education, Business and Marketing Education, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Science, and Industrial Technology Education. Courses and programs must be taught by instructors endorsed in the respective curricular area. All high schools and K-12 districts with qualifying CTE Programs are eligible to apply. Elementary districts are not eligible.
For assistance, please contact the Career and Technical Education division at (406) 444-7915.
Click Here for Montana State CTE Funding and Perkins Intent to Apply Form
A delegation representing the Montana Business Education Association (MBEA) attended the Western Business Education Association 2024 Conference in Eugene, Oregon, February 15-19, 2024. Those attending this year's conference included MBEA President Jessica Goosen (Charles M. Russell), MBEA Past President Mandy Wichman (Hobson), Eric Swenson (OPI), and Stacy Dolderer (Great Falls HS).
The WBEA 2024 Conference featured a great variety of breakout sessions including topics on accounting, artificial intelligence, financial literacy/personal finance, social media marketing, instructional resources from the Federal Reserve, parliamentary procedure basics, career & technical student organizations, and professionalism/leadership in business education/career & technical education.
In addition to the breakout sessions, several of the MBEA members participated in various WBEA business meetings. As the WBEA President-elect, Jessica Goosen led the WBEA Strategic Planning Committee meeting, and participated in the Nominating Committee meeting, the WBEA Executive Board meeting as the WBEA President-elect and one of Montana’s two representatives to the board, and the WBEA Professional Development Leadership Training. As WBEA Secretary, Mandy Wichman participated in the WBEA Executive Committee meeting, the WBEA Executive Board meeting as the WBEA Secretary and one of Montana’s two representatives to the board, and the WBEA Professional Development Leadership Training. Eric Swenson played a dual role at the conference serving as both the WBEA Past President and WBEA Acting President due to the resignation of the WBEA 2023-2024 President earlier this winter.
During the WBEA Executive Board meeting, Mandy Wichman was elected to serve another two-year term as the WBEA Secretary. When the new membership year begins on July 1, 2024, Jessica Goosen will become the WBEA President, Eric Swenson will stay on and serve a second term as WBEA Past President and Mark Branger (Huntley Project) will begin the second year of a two-year term as the WBEA Legislative Liaison.
Mark your calendars and save the date for the WBEA 2025 Wild Card Conference, which will be in Billings, Montana, at the DoubleTree hotel, February 14-16, 2025. In 2026, the conference will be hosted by Arizona and by Idaho in 2027.
 |
|
Work-Based Learning is an important part of education:
It can provide the relevancy of information learned as well as assist with the knowledge and skills necessary in selecting a career.
Many businesses, agencies, and institutions offer work-based learning experiences, be they from the hosting site, being part of planning teams within state agencies, preparing the workforce through post-secondary institutions, or offering foundational education and training through high school career and technical education programs.
|
The outcome is the same—provide work-related experiences that will promote the selection of a career that fits their aptitudes and interests, along with meeting the workforce needs of Montana.
This manual was developed to indicate how to combine efforts, focusing on the student experience at the secondary level. Note, that after the forward section, there are two sections:
|
A Work-Based Learning Google Folder accompanies this manual for sample forms and documents. The file is fluid and ever-changing as best practices and resources are shared for inclusion. With that in mind, continually revisit to assist with your work-based learning efforts.
As this is a collaborative project. There are also links provided to other important entities of Work Based Learning provided at the end of the document. Those Resources can also be found here. WBL Manual Resources Page.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Applications are now open for Code.org’s Professional Learning Program for middle and high school educators! Explore the CS curriculum and collaborate with educators of all experience levels to develop lesson plans and hone your teaching strategies for the 2024-2025 academic year.
What is the Professional Learning Program? Hosted by highly trained facilitators, our professional development workshops will prepare you to confidently bring CS to your students as well as connect with an online and in-person community of peers. Most workshops have scholarship funding available.
|
Elementary teachers can sign up for a one-day workshop near you. Applications are not required for Computer Science Fundamentals workshops which take place throughout the country, year-round.
Middle and high school teachers will begin with a five-day workshop on Computer Science Discoveries, Computer Science Principles, or AP Computer Science A in the summer, with academic year workshops thereafter.
Computer Science Discoveries offerings—
- June 17-21: Boise, Idaho
- June 24-28: Virtual
- July 22-26: Virtual
- July 29-August 2: Tukwila, Washington
- August 17-October 2: Virtual
Computer Science Principles offerings—
- June 17-21: Boise, Idaho
- June 24-28: Virtual
- July 22-26: Virtual
- July 29-August 2: Tukwila, Washington
AP Computer Science A offerings—
- June 17-21: Boise, Idaho
- June 24-28: Virtual
- July 29-August 2: Tukwila, Washington
The cost of CSA, CSD, or CSP is $1,500/person. This covers the tuition of both the summer and academic year workshops (9 total days of training). Any travel, lodging, or food costs for in-person trainings are separate. Scholarship opportunities are available to cover the costs of Code.org training tuition for qualified applicants.
June 17-19, 2024, the Culinary Institute of Montana is hosting a Culinary Teacher Professional Development called “Recipe For Success”. This three-day industry immersion will include technical skill training, lab management, equipment use, and STEM applications including culinary math and the science behind cooking. A Gourmet Chef’s Table dinner will be produced for the attendees by the students of the Culinary Institute. Priority Deadline is April 15th and there is a limited attendee allowance due to lab space. Registration is $250 and includes lodging, meals, and mileage reimbursement. Secondary teachers attending can use Perkins funding to support related costs.
The Office of Public Instruction has developed this webpage to support local school districts concerning financial literacy instruction for K-12 schools.
 |
|
This event will include general student sessions, a trade show, over 20 competitive events, and numerous guest speakers. Much of the event is open to the general public and we look forward to seeing you there.
|
Registration is now open for the Montana Council on Economic Education’s (MCEE) 2024 Teacher Professional Development Seminar, June 27-28 in Bozeman on the MSU campus.
With the support of sponsors, Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation, Robinhood Markets, Reach Higher, and First Security Bank in Bozeman, MCEE covers all associated costs for the program.
Educators will qualify for 14 hours of OPI renewal unit professional development credit.
Professors from Montana State University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics support instruction and curriculum development. MCEE and its board of directors will host a Teacher Appreciation Dinner Thursday evening.
The program is focused on current economic research, teaching economics fundamentals, personal finance classroom resources, and student engagement ideas/programs.
Enjoy two days in Bozeman, Montana, on the campus of Montana State University. Classes will be offered in Linfield Hall. Teacher's housing will be provided on campus.
MCEE and its generous sponsors will cover your expenses for
- Lodging
- Mileage
- Meals
- Parking
- Class Materials
Click here to review previous agendas. Register today to reserve your spot. For questions, please contact MCEE Executive Director Dax Schieffer at mcee@montana.edu.
 |
|
We are working to recognize the hard work that Industrial Technology Teachers do in their classrooms! What better way to do that than by getting students to nominate their teachers. Please feel free to share this Link with your students or on your school’s social media, so that they can nominate their teachers. The winners will receive a prize and recognition. Thank you for your help getting the word out to students.
If you think your Industrial Tech Teacher goes above and beyond for their students and school please nominate them for ITE teacher of the month!
|
|
Industrial Tech teachers inspire students every day. They give students the opportunities to work with their hands and learn real-world skills in fun and engaging ways. We would like to thank them for what they are doing with a little well-earned recognition!
Who is an Industrial Tech Teacher? This link lists all of the subjects/Classes that an Industrial Technology Teacher Can teach! There are lots of content areas included when you are an Industrial Tech teacher, especially in your shop classes.
|
|
 |
2023-24 CTE-Perkins Office Hours
Every Wednesday 7:00 am-4:00 pm
Our Office hours are a great place to jump on and ask any question regarding the Perkins process or application. Our Specialists are there to help with one-on-one instruction!
For questions, please contact:
OPI CTE Unit General Questions
Shannon Boswell, Career Technical and Adult Education Director
Eric Tilleman, Agriculture Education Specialist
Jamie Corley, Health Sciences Education Specialist
Kaitlin Trutzel, Industrial Technology Specialist
Eric Swenson, Business Education Specialist
Gayla Randel, Family & Consumer Sciences Education Specialist
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.
|
