May 6 School Elections
School District #10
Building Reserve Levy Request of $175,000 per year for four years
For 383
*Against 418
General Mill Levy request of $25,636.31
*For 451
Against 351
Board of Trustees elected by acclamation – *Kathy Hilton and *Nicole Andersen.

Beaverhead County High School
Building Reserve Levy request of $50,000 per year for five years
*For 472
Against 439
General Levy request of $12,096.62
*For 533
Against 379
Board of Trustees elected by acclamation –  *Pierce Rouse, *Patti Jo Staudenmeyer, and *Ted Taylor.

Sheridan School District #5
General Levy request of $18,086.94
*For 79
Against 64
Board of Trustee elections (Two unopposed positions)
*Kevin Hokanson 16
*Jack J. Kaatz 125

Twin Bridges School District #7
Building Reserve Levy request of $25,000 per year for five years
*For 148
Against 108
Board of Trustees (two seats open)
Bruce Bacon 126
*Joan Phillips 133
*David Ashcraft 131
Tom Cox 104

Lima School District #12
General Levy request of $9,203.16
*For 82
Against 57
Board of Trustees (two seats open)
Corinna Greenslade 76
*Scott Huntsman 78
*Dale Stewart 92

School District #10 loses superintendent

By J.P. Plutt
Dillon Tribune staff
Dillon's School District #10 is looking for a new superintendent. Melinda Berkram has been with the district for ten years, the last seven at the top administrative post, but that tenure will end on July 1 when she takes over as principal at a Helena elementary school.
Berkram serves as Mary Innes School principal and the district superintendent. The District includes Mary Innes, a building that serves preschool and full-time kindergarten, Parkview Elementary School for first through fifth grade, and Dillon Middle School for grades six through eight.
Parkview Elementary Principal Matt Lewis recently accepted a similar position in Lewistown. According to Berkram, the district has offered the Parkview Elementary job to Greg Fitzgerald of Ennis.
Dillon Middle School Principal Randy Shipman will be the district's only holdover administrator when school starts next fall. Shipman has been in Dillon for three years.
The administrative changes occur just as the district embarks on what they hope will be a district-wide facility improvement project. The future of those plans were up to the voters at Tuesday's school election.
The search for a new superintendent has already begun. The Montana School Board Association will serve the district as facilitators of the search which has a posted application closing date of May 23. Berkram expects the interview process to be concluded in early June so that the new hiree would be on board July 1.
According to Berkram, the accredation of District #10 requires a full-time superintendent. She expects the board to fill the position as is – with the new administrator filling the dual roles of Mary Innes principal and School District #10 superintendent.
Berkram accepted the offer of the Four Georgians Elementary School principalship on Monday, May 28. She informed her workers of her decision via a system-wide e-mail on April 29.
Berkram says Four Georgians is the largest elementary school in the Helena School District with over 500 students in grades K-5.
The timing seemed right for a move, according to Berkram. She had always had an interest in Helena and with her youngest child graduating from high school this spring, she applied for the position when it opened.
Berkram's first three years in Dillon included a two-piece job description under then Superintendent Larry Blades. Berkram served as Mary Innes principal and also administered federal programs in both Dillon school districts as part of a K-12 administrative position.
The district restructured the administrative staff when Blades resigned and for the last seven years Berkram has been both principal and superintendent.
Berkram views school funding as the biggest struggle within the district during her time in Dillon. Part of the problem emerged as the district went through declining enrollment.
"Our enrollment has been stable for the past couple of years but we were in such dire straits, we're still really struggling," said Berkram of the financial picture.
The district has adopted a database decision making process during Berkram's tenure in which test scores, surveys and other data are analyzed to improve conditions with student achievement.
In addition, Berkram says the Board of Trustees policy has been reviewed and updated, and the district has embraced Effective Schools Leadership, a school improvement process that combines the efforts of teachers and administrators in leadership teams.
Berkram will pass off to her successor a Facility Review Process that is in its infancy. The hope is to address space needs and deferred maintenance projects through the successful passage of a Building Reserve Levy Request. The question came before the voters Tuesday, May 6. Results of the election were not available at press time.

Joint board to meet with Sonoran Institute

By Barbara Bauerle
Dillon Tribune staff
The Community Growth Area Task Force held their second meeting Wednesday afternoon and are preparing to meet with the Sonoran Institute from Bozeman on Wednesday, May 28 to receive help with the planning process.
According to Jennifer Boyer, Northern Rockies Program Manager with the Sonoran Institute, their researchers are already working on a growth model and Dillon "is at the top of their list." She said that John DiBari, growth model researcher, would be willing to come to Dillon to explain the model and answer any questions if the committee wants him to do so.
In an email to Chairman Larry Volkening, Boyer also sent an explanation of Senate Bill 201 and how it's supposed to facilitate the planning process. She said SB 201 creates a voluntary city and city-county planning process to help local governments get ahead of the impacts of growth and the infrastructure necessary to service that growth. It also creates a streamlined subdivision review process and creates a funding source to help pay for planning by allowing the county or city to collect planning fees.
Conversely the things SB 201 does not do is make growth policies regulatory, force a jurisdiction to use the streamlined subdivision review process or create any new regulatory powers.
Boyer said the institute would be able to help the committee with many aspects of the planning process, including identifying a 20-year urban growth area, critical wildlife habitat and corridors, projecting future growth and drawing a land use map.
The committee is exploring a larger venue to hold the meeting, such as the Lewis and Clark Room or the Swysgood Tech Center at the University of Montana Western.
At Wednesday's meeting, Volkening said the goal of the committee is to find out what those folks out there want to see for Dillon in the future. "The Sonoran Institute is waiting for us to tell them what we want them to do for us," he said.
The group also discussed preparing growth plan and how to ensure that citizens are involved in the process.
Their next meeting will be May 14.

Janine Pease to address Saturday’s UMW commencement

Noted American Indian educator Janine Pease will be the speaker at the University of Montana Western’s 111th commencement this Saturday, at 11 a.m. in the Straugh Gymnasium.
“We are honored to have Dr. Pease speak at such a historic moment for Montana Western. She is indeed one of Montana’s most influential citizens, and has made and is making a substantial contribution to higher education here and across the country,” Montana Western Chancellor Richard Storey said.
Storey noted that Montana Western’s commencement is a milestone for the 114-year old institution as the university graduates its first class of students who have attended solely under the university’s innovative one-at-a-time course delivery system, Experience One.
“As the first woman of Crow lineage to earn a doctorate degree and as the founding president of the Little Big Horn College, Dr. Pease has been a ground breaker in higher education. That is a role that is also true here at Montana Western,” Storey said.
Currently the vice-president of American Indian Affairs at Rocky Mountain College, Pease recently accepted the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fort Peck Community College.
Pease is a past president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, a director of the American Indian College Fund and was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.
Pease has won a number of prestigious awards including National Indian Educator of the Year, The MacArthur Fellowship Award (better known as the Genius Award) and the ACLU’s Jeanette Rankin Award. She has been named one of the “One Hundred Montanans of the Century” by Missoulian Magazine, a “Montanans to Remember” by Montana Magazine, and one of the 14 most important American Indians leaders of the 20th Century by.
She is also the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from six different colleges and universities, and was appointed to the Montana University System’s Board of Regents in 2006 by Governor Brian Schweitzer.

Lady Beaver netters picking up wins and momentum on courts

By Pat Wulfekuhle
Dillon Tribune sports
The Lady Beaver tennis team continued their winning ways last week, as they swept their own triangular against Hamilton and Livingston last Tuesday. The win against Livingston was the first win in the nine years that head coach Lois Woodard has been associated with the program.
With their confidence high and their tennis game strong, the team traveled to Billings Friday and Saturday to compete in the always tough Billings Central Mayfair Invitational. The team showed why they will be a team to reckon with come tourney time, as they went 3-2 on the weekend.
The Lady Beavers defeated Cody, WY (6-1), Fergus County (4-3), and Hardin (7-0); while they lost tough matches to host Billings Central (4-3) and Glendive (4-3).
“The teams we played were either strong in singles or strong in doubles,” noted Woodard. “The girls are really looking good. Mayfair was a good tournament for the girls. They now realize what is needed to play two to three matches a day.”
Woodard mentioned that while in Billings, she rotated her number one and two players in singles and double every other match.
Dillon 4 Livingston 3
Singles – Anna Arrasmith, Liv, def. Stacie Velasco 6-2, 6-0; Kelsi Nordahl, Dillon, def. Meagan Chapman 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-8; Emily Paffhausen, Dillon, def. Alexandra Ricketts 7-5, 6-3; Sara Downey, Dillon, def. Victoria Foster 6-0, 6-2.
Doubles – Hanna Barney/Mollie Morrow, Liv, def. Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer 6-3, 6-1; Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich, Dillon, def. Mariah Gersack/Lainey Harriman 6-1, 6-2; Kalie Condon/Dani Hendrickson, Liv, def. Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle 7-6, 4-6, 10-5.
Dillon 7 Hamilton 0
Singles – Stacie Velasco, Dillon, def. Katie Andre’ 6-1, 6-1; Kelsi Nordahl, Dillon, def. Rebecca Hankel 6-2, 6-1; Emily Paffhausen, Dillon, def. Jenny Schreckendust 6-0, 6-0; Sara Downey, Dillon, def. Kelsi Della Silva 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles – Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer, Dillon, def. Kelsey Jura/Alyssa Smith 6-4, 1-6, 12-10; Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich, Dillon, def. Laura Cornelisse/Stella Quinlan 6-3, 6-0; Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle, Dillon, def. Alycia Burt/Tara Stromberg 6-1, 6-2.
Dillon 6 Cody, WY 1
Singles – Stacie Velasco, Dillon, def. Jill Ross 6-4, 6-0; Kelsi Nordahl, Dillon, def. Macy Taggert 7-5, 6-0; Emily Paffhausen, Dillon, def. Christa Muror 6-0, 6-2; Sara Downey, Dillon, def. Alison Johnston 6-0, 6-4.
Doubles – Birgetta Roney/Allison Scott, Cody, def. Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich 6-4, 6-3; Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer, Dillon, def. Savana Baxey/Kealin Roach 6-1, 6-0; Erin Rose/Ellie Stanisich, Dillon, def. Kierston Harmon/Chanel Leiois 6-0, 6-1.
Dillon 4 Fergus 3
Singles – Abby Knab, Fergus, def. Kelsi Nordahl 6-1, 7-5; Stacie Velasco, Dillon, def. Shani Anderson 6-0, 6-4; Emily Paffhausen, Dillon, def. Taylor Machler 6-1, 6-0; Sara Downey, Dillon, def. Abby Gordon 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles – Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer, Dillon, def. Kylee Snapp/Marian Ferry 6-3, 6-3; Diamond Braine/Kylie Jimmerson, Fergus, def. Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich 6-7 (7-2), 6-3, 7-2; Kate Mongor/Samantha Kindred, Fergus, def. Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle 6-1, 6-2.
Glendive 4 Dillon 3
Singles – Megan Gieger, Glendive, def. Stacie Velasco 6-4, 6-2; Asniea Duke, Glendive, def. Kelsi Nordahl 6-0, 6-3; Ashlea Burman, Glendive, def. Emily Paffhausen 7-6 (7-3), 7-5; Katie Turner, Glendive, def. Sara Downey 1-6, 7-6 (7-4).
Doubles – Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer, Dillon, def. Blair Milne/Carly Selvig 6-1, 6-3, Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich, Dillon, def. Kelsay Tweit/Katy Peterson 6-2, 6-4; Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle, Dillon, def. Kallie Maddler/Whitney Palpey 6-2, 7-6 (7-1).
Billings Central 4 Dillon 3
Singles – B. Hatzell, BC, def. Kelsi Nordahl 6-0, 6-3; Stacie Velasco, Dillon, def. W. Frank 6-0, 6-0; Emily Paffhausen, Dillon, def. K. Wilmonth 6-4, 6-4; Sara Downey, Dillon, def. K. Stanley 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles – C. Muskett/K Dahlin, BC, def. Sammi Mitchell/Anna Brammer 6-0, 6-7 (7-3), 7-4; J. Robinson/G. Sebastian, BC, def. Alyse Baker/Nadine Dietrich 7-6, 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5); B. Weber/T. Thaden, BC, def. Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
Dillon 7 Hardin 0
Singles – Nadine Dietrich won 6-1, 6-0; Anna Brammer won 6-3, 6-2; Emily Paffhausen won 6-1, 6-0; Sara Downey won 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles – Stacie Velasco/Kelsi Nordahl won 6-0, 6-0; Alyse Baker/Sammi Mitchell won 6-0, 6-1; Laura Briggs/Jo Wehrle won 6-1, 6-0.
(No opponent’s names were listed)

Dillon track efforts reflect nice weather

By Pat Wulfekuhle
Dillon Tribune sports
On a picture perfect spring day, the Dillon track teams traveled to Anaconda for the annual Wayne Estes Invitational. After enduring many weeks of nasty weather, the teams were able to shine as several athletes established personal bests on the day. Both teams ended the day by finishing fourth in the team standings, with the boys trailing Corvallis, Missoula Sentinel and Belgrade, and the girls finishing behind the same three teams.
“We are really starting to gain momentum in our consistency,” stated head coach Tami Myers. “Our runners and throwers are starting to achieve their goals each week.”
Leading the way for the boys was Bryce Carver who captured the 200 meters in a season best time of 22.98 seconds. Carver also picked up a second in the 400 and the 400 relay. The Beavers’ Logan Norris continued his stellar season, picking up a second in the 1600 and fourth in the 800 meters. Both of his times were personal bests. Another standout effort was put in by Shane Conover in the hurdles. Conover also achieved a personal best in the 110 hurdles.
For the girls, Ellie Fjeseth led the team with two seconds in the shot put and the discus, while Abbi Hoerning added a second in the javelin and a fourth in the discus. The Lady Beavers runners were led by Jordan Rogers, who finished fourth in the 800 and fifth in the 1600 meter runs. Sprinter Maggie Warren continues to find consistency on the track, capturing third in the 400 and helping lead the 1600 relay to a third place finish. Coach Myers noted that Warren’s times were very consistent in both events and that she believes that they will continue to fall the next couple of weeks.
“Our week to week work ethic is starting to show,” added Myers. “The kids are working hard to improve every day in practice and each time we compete.”
Boys team scores: Corvallis 115, Missoula Sentinel 104, Belgrade 60, Dillon 49, Three Forks 44, Butte Central 21, Twin Bridges 17, Livingston 16, Boulder 16, Anaconda 11, Whitehall 6.

Girls team scores: Belgrade 103, Missoula Sentinel 93, Corvallis 70, Dillon 64, Livingston 56, Three Forks 48, Whitehall 41, Boulder 24, Anaconda 18, Twin Bridges 16, Butte Central 4.

Clay Pierson and Dawne Degel continue to lead Twin Bridges on the track

The Twin Bridges track teams traveled to Anaconda last Saturday as they competed in the Wayne Estes Invitational. Neither team had great success, but each came away with an individual winner.
The boys were led by Clay Pierson who captured the 100 meters and took third in the 200. The girl’s team was led by Dawne Degel’s victory in the high jump and the third place finish by their 4 by 100 meter relay team.
Both Degel and Pierson have not competed in many meets lately as they have been gone to Washington, D.C. for school matters.
Boys team scores: Corvallis 115, Missoula Sentinel 104, Belgrade 60,

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