Trego's Mountain Ear

"Serving North Lincoln County"

Tag: Trego School

  • Trego School Went to Distance Learning Last Week- Back in Person

    Trego School Went to Distance Learning Last Week- Back in Person

    Last week, Trego School went to distance-learning in response to a covid exposure in the school, in accordance with the school’s Health and Safety plan. School resumed in-person this week.

    A bit before this time last year, Trego School was also doing distance learning. That August (2020), the school had installed shields around the desks, HEPA filters, as well as filters in the school’s heaters. Since we hadn’t had all that much in the way of local cases, the filters proved of far more utility for filtering the smoke out of the air that September.

    Trego School moves to Distance Learning

    In accordance with the school’s Health and Safety Plan, the school has moved temporarily to distance learning. The School’s Health and Safety Plan is a three part plan outlining the response to each potential scenario. Part A is “Traditional Learning with Precautions” and has been in place since the school year started in September. The…

    Filters come to Trego School

    Trego School’s Health and Safety Plan includes HEPA filters installed in air purifiers and in the heaters. While the filters for the heaters have not yet arrived (and are not expected to be needed soon, given current temperatures), the others are here. HEPA filters specialize in filtering out the really small, things measured in microns…

  • Why is the Sign Gone?

    As you may have noticed, the Reader Board for Trego School, situated between the community hall and the post office, is no longer present. So what happened?

    Some History: In June of 2016, Trego School entered into a lease agreement with Leroy Mee, allowing the school to place the Reader Board on Mr. Mee’s property. The term of the lease was ten years, at a rate of $100 per year. The school paid the full $1000 in 2016.

    Earlier this year, the Montana Department of Labor Safety and Health received an anonymous complaint about the way the letters on the Reader Board were changed (the concern was that the use of vehicle and ladder presented a safety risk to school employees). The Department did not issue a violation. It’s nice to see such a concern for public safety and the health and well being of Trego School.

    Recently, the estate of the late Leroy Mee provided Trego School with a check for $500 dollars in order to end the lease. Later, at their request, the school refunded twenty-five dollars and two cents to the estate for the part of this year that the Reader Board was in use.

    The School is currently looking into a new placement for the Reader Board.

  • School Started on the First

    School Started on the First

    It’s that time of the year again. Classes at Trego School started on Wednesday, September 1st. The Back to School BBQ will be held on Friday, September 10th.

    School enrollment at the start of the school year is nearing 30 students. With a fourth classroom teacher hired, class size averages about 7 students per class (7.25 to be more precise).

    The district was able to use part of the district’s ESSR (covid relief funds) to fund the hiring of that fourth teacher, a decision made to help keep class sizes small. While classrooms are still multi-grade, most classrooms hold only two grades.

    The official count for this year’s enrollment isn’t actually in- for funding purposes, the count happens only twice a year. The first is in October. If enrollment reaches thirty, the amount of funding the school receives will increase.

    Looking at the broader trend, we last discussed Trego School enrollment back in January.

    Data as of January 2021

    This year’s start of 29 is a bit lower than January’s 31. Not a steep decline, but the trend merits watching.

  • Back to School Bread

    This versatile classic frequently receives compliments. It can be made into rolls and bread-sticks. With a little cornmeal it becomes pizza dough.

    It also serves as the foundation of Lunch in a Bun, a popular menu item at Trego School. For lunch in a bun, each bun has a filling. Sometimes, it is taco meat and cheese. At other times, they are filled with pepperoni, ham and cheese, then served with marinara sauce.

    These numbers in this recipe are reduced to result in a smaller amount of bread than is produced in the school kitchen.

    Single Rise Dough

    2 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
    3 Tbsp. Sugar
    3 tsp. Salt
    1 cup Water
    1 cup Warm Milk
    1/3 cup Oil
    2 Eggs
    6-6 & 1/2 cups Flour or Bread Flour

    1. Decide on which mixing method you would like to use
      • If dissolving yeast in warm water, use a water temperature of 110 degrees
      • If mixing the yeast right in with the dry ingredients, use a water temperature of 115-120 degrees
    2. Mix as much flour as possible in using a mixer. Work the remaining flour in by hand and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic
    3. After mixing and kneading process is complete, let dough rest for 10 minutes
    4. Scale into proper size units (bread loaves, sandwich buns, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc.
    5. Mold your dough into the shapes you will be making. Pan into the proper sized pans.
    6. Proof the dough units until almost double in bulk. When touched gently, a unit that is fully proofed will full out the dent slowly.
    7. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes for loaves and approximately 15-20 minutes for dinner rolls and smaller units.

  • Mobile Bookstore Donated Books to Trego School

    Trego Elementary school recently received a donation of books from Saint Rita’s Textual Apothecary. Trego School is continuing to expand its library- and its filing system.

    The school has been working to expand the library and replace the card catalog with a more modern system, in conjunction with the school’s reading program. They are still hoping to acquire more books for students of all ages.

    This week marks midterm of the fourth quarter- the last day of school (and end of the year picnic) will be on June 3rd.

    Our thanks to the mobile bookstore for helping to foster a love of reading in our community.

  • BackPack program begins at Trego School

    BackPack program begins at Trego School

    What is a BackPack program? In essence, students are sent home with a “backpack” of food for the weekend. The premise is that while students receive meals at school (indeed, meals are free to all students at Trego School), they may need some supplementation on weekends and holidays. Thus, a BackPack program. Students are given a pack of food for the weekend to take home each Friday.

    BackPack programs are typically supported by Food Banks and other sponsors. In Lincoln County, Libby and Troy schools both have BackPack Programs on the state map.

    The program is starting out big, with a large bag of food going home with each student. North Valley Foodbank has provided Trego School with the initial bag, and with the “BackPacks” for several weeks.

    Bags of food went home with students Friday
    The typical Friday “BackPack” to take home is sized to feed a single child over the weekend
    Thank you to North Valley Foodbank for helping to look after our kids.