Information about Course Sign Ups

Hello Hellgate Community,

I am very excited to write this email inviting all of you to start choosing potential courses for next school year. We have spent the past few months examining our programming and looking for ways to improve our great school. We will continue to offer a vast elective sequence, our IB Diploma Programme, IB courses and classes around the building, and a rigorous AP Program. Juggling these three entities is always a school-wide balancing act. Your selections matter and the courses you choose over the next two weeks will determine a lot of the classes we run in the fall.

Right now, we are planning to run a 7-period schedule next year. The exact start/end times and periods in the day are still part of a daily conversation around our district. It is clear that we will be embracing a post- COVID world full of additional opportunities and a more “normal” school experience for all of our Knights. There is a lot of information that I am trying to distill in a concise way.

Friday 4-23-21        Counseling Email outlining specifics
Monday 4-26-21            Short video about process in classes
Monday 4-26-21           “Q” opens/students can begin requesting courses
Monday 5-10-21           “Q” closes and courses can no longer be selected
Mid-August                 Student schedules are completed and viewable

I recognize that this process looks differently this year and we were unable to provide the same service and parents nights we so value. We will be available over the next few weeks in classes and during lunches for individualized conversations about what courses may work best. We also have worked extensively with our departments to help provide guidance in specific areas of focus. We have added a variety of new classes and options in many areas. Please take your time; we do not schedule on a “first come first serve” basis. I encourage all of you to:

Monday 4-26-21    Examine the course sheets and online catalog (website)
Tuesday 4-27-21    Start asking questions of your content area teachers about next steps
Wednesday 4-28-21    If you still have questions, seek out help from adults in the building
Thursday 4-29-21    Think about options and take time examining your next year 
Monday 5-3-21    Start entering your courses and filling out your sheets (counselor video)
Monday 5-10-21    4:00 Window closes *make sure you get your selections complete*

Hellgate High School is unique in so many ways. We are able to incorporate an enormous elective sequence with rigorous programs in both IB and AP while also providing academic assistance in a variety of subject areas. Creating a safe and welcome learning environment is our core mission and it takes a huge collaborative effort. Thanks in advance for your help and I look forward to building an exciting experience for all of us next school year.

Message from Principal Miller, January 21st

Hello Hellgate Community, 

It's hard to believe that we are finishing Semester 1 on Friday. I recognize that 2020 has been a huge educational challenge for all of you, our students, and our staff. I am proud of the work we have been able to accomplish despite our ever changing COVID landscape. The month of February will bring some additional modifications that I hope to outline in this email. 

Second Semester starts 1-26-21. Please remember: 

• Check Q for updated class schedule 

• If you would like to change a class, please fill out the form below and we will look at availability. The form is open until 2-5-21. 

• Course Change Request Form 

• New Bell Schedule (see below) 

Bell Schedule for all of Second Semester 

• 1st: 10:00 (5 mins for announcements)-11:35 
• Lunch: 11:35-12:15
• 2nd: 12:20-1:50
• 3rd: 1:55-3:30

Counseling Team Changes 

Our counseling team has changed for Second Semester. Right now Ms. Kolczak is working ½-time at HHS and Tracy Ledyard is filling in the other ½-time for the L-Q Alpha. The split workload is designated below. 

Katie Boynton
Last Names: A-E
keboynton@mcpsmt.org
728-2400 X6054

Ben Martin
Last names: F-K
bdmartin@mcpsmt.org
728-2400 X6051

Christine Kolczak
Last Names: L-Q (Grades 11 and 12) 
clkolczak@mcps.k12.mt.us
728-2400 X6052

Tracy Ledyard 
Last Names L-Q (Grades 8,9, and 10) 
taledyard@mcpsmt.org
728-2400 X6062

Jessica Buboltz
Last Names: R-Z
jlbuboltz@mcpsmt.org
728-2400 X6053

Week of January 25th, 2021

• Monday - Remote Monday (Grading Term for Semester 1 Ends) 

• Tuesday and Wednesday - Start of Semester 2/New Bell Schedule/Alpha Split 

• A-K Periods 1-3

• A-K Periods 1-3

• Thursday and Friday -Start of Semester 2/New Bell Schedule/Alpha Split 

• L-Z Periods 1-3

• L-Z Periods 1-3

Week of February 1st, 2021 - Week of March 5th, 2021 

• Monday - Remote Monday Schedule (TBD) 

• Tuesday - Friday

• All students A-Z 

• Periods 1-3 (for 5-weeks) 

Week of March 8th, 2021 - April 23rd, 2021

• Monday - Remote Monday Schedule (TBD) 

• Tuesday - Friday

• All students A-Z 

• Periods 4-6 (for 6-weeks) 

October 21, 2020

Hello Hellgate Community!

Welcome to a new week and our last rotation of classes this quarter. Today, our students arrived to periods 5 and 6. We will complete this schedule on November 6, 2020. I want to use this transition to give an update and “thanks” for a very successful COVID school year. We started our year under a number of uncertainties that persist today. We still have swirling conversations about our schedule, athletics, content delivery, and most importantly, student safety.

We will not have answers to many of your questions about the specifics of our schedule for at least another week. Our School Board is in deep conversations right now about what our bell-schedule will look like and how we can best continue to deliver a safe educational experience to everyone. Quarter 1 will end on November 6, 2020. Next week after the board meeting, we should know what the schedule for Quarter 2 will look like. Quarter 2 will begin November 9, 2020 with periods 1 and 2.

Despite all of our collective uncertainty: Nationally, statewide, and locally, we have had a great year so far. Our goal was to prioritize student safety while emphasizing relationships and classroom learning. Our staff has been able to quickly transition to 2-hour class periods, change delivery models, adjust to ever-changing class lists, and implement a host of building-wide cleaning / sanitation protocols. With all of your help and support, we have worked to adapt to our new COVID world and still maintain the fundamentals of what makes Hellgate so amazing.

It has been wonderful to see many of you at our modified extra-curricular events. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing our students involved in band concerts, virtual classes, Student Government, clubs, volunteer activities, and athletics. There have been many times that have felt just like a high school should, and I value our ability to create these opportunities. When focused on the moment or particular event, I almost forget about COVID --and it is a great reprieve.

I want to extend a huge “thank you” to all of you for working with us and our entire staff during this very unusual time. I know it is not how any of us wished the 2020 school year would go, but it is because of a giant collective effort and partnership that we have been able to provide the very best education experience possible under our altered landscape. It has been a real treat to walk around the building and see our students engaging with our staff on all sorts of things that look very “normal,” and I am grateful for the ability to be a part of it. I will pass along additional specifics as soon as I am able to do so. In the meantime, have a great week and stay safe.

Judson Miller
Principal

Hellgate Visitor Policy

All parents/visitors and guest speakers must check in at the main office to receive a visitor's pass. You must have an appt. to see a teacher and we will call that teacher before you leave the office to confirm the appt. There will be NO exceptions to this rule.