Nashua Teachers, Staff, Students and Superintendent Bring Change to School

“The key to my success as a superintendent is my staff, my community, my teachers and my board. I am only as successful as the people I work with, from teachers, bus drivers, aides, substitute teachers, janitorial staff, the entire building is dedicated to the students. I am grateful for them, thankful for what they do each and every day. I am excited to be a part of it all.” This was the first thing that Nashua School superintendent James Russell said when sitting down with The Glasgow Courier on April 18 to discuss the successes of Nashua students and future plans for the school.

It is clear Mr. Russell credits everyone around him and who are involved in Nashua school students’ lives for the success of the students. Without them, Nashua students would not have the ability to go above and beyond in their role as students. For example, on April 8, Kaitlyn Miller brought awareness to childhood hunger by hosting a silent auction that brought in a little over $1,500 to fund the Nashua school snack pack program. The entire student body dressed in orange on April 10 to bring awareness to childhood hunger. The Nashua Jobs for Montana Graduates (JMG) students are currently in the process of cleaning up and refurbishing the visitor’s locker room. One student has even designed a mural that will be put up. “They brought the idea to the school board with a presentation because they had school pride. They wanted to make the school their own,” said Russell regarding their motivation to taking on the project. Older students read to younger students during I Love to Read Week and students came together during the week of the famous Cat/Griz game, bringing in over 400 pounds of food, which was donated to the Valley County Food Bank. Juniors and seniors are also going above and beyond by taking dual credit classes at Miles Community College in order to earn college credit while in high school.

“My staff is always looking for ways to improve. They are willing to listen and share ideas. My school board is constantly looking for ways to support our teachers and students by giving them experiences and broadening their horizons,” said Russell. This show of support of one another was apparent when the idea of installing and implementing a greenhouse on school grounds was first brought up. “The lunch ladies recently received a grant to update their salad bar and I was looking for ways to get the students involved. Building a greenhouse came about because so many programs and classes can implement it into their curriculum,” stated Russell. The greenhouse is still in the developing stages, however teachers, the community and the school board are excited to see it come into fruition. “There will be community plots around it, and the goal is to use it year-round, though in Northeast Montana, that might not always be possible. The goal is to also produce enough to stock the salad bar two to three days a week,” continued Russell. “There are so many opportunities with a greenhouse. There are so many different programs that can be tied into it. The maintenance of the greenhouse will be up to the students and tied into the various classes. It really gives them the opportunity to be a part of the process.”

Another improvement down the road is to add additional classes to the dual-credit classes offered through Miles Community College. Currently only psychology and statistic classes are available, however the hope is to be able to broaden to include science and English classes as well. “It gives the students the opportunity to earn college credit and helps us give them experience for college, while also saving money in the long run,” said Russell. “The teachers of the students who take advantage of the program put in extra work to make sure there is clear communication between the student’s professor and the teacher.”

At the beginning of the school year, Russell presented the elementary school students with the saying, “Have Fun, Work Hard, and Be Kind.” Unknown to him at the time, that saying would stay with the students through winter break and even while the school year is winding down. After visiting with each elementary class on April 18, he decided to turn the saying into the mantra “Porcupines are kind; Porcupines have fun; and Porcupines work hard.” With the assistance of students and staff, signs will be made and hung throughout the school. “We have great junior and high students who are supportive of each other and the younger students. The school is a family. We are able to do things because the students help the school grow,” stated Russell.

“Our teachers care about the students. I have a fantastic staff who are dedicated and passionate about their students. We have such fantastic schools in our area, and their [the teachers’] hard work shines a spotlight in our area of how great our teachers are. I am excited to see where we go in the future, and I am truly driven by fantastic teachers, students and the community,” continued Russell.

There is a saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Nashua is taking that saying seriously for every student in the school, not only by going the extra mile but also working together as a staff, as community members and as school board members to make a difference in their lives.