The University of Montana Western would like to invite the community to attend four research presentations in March and April. The “On the Rocks” series will be hosting presentations on March 22 and April 19 and will feature Montana Western faculty members, Dr. Rob Thomas and Dr. Bill Janus. Dr. Thomas will be presenting “Uncovering the Ancestral Missouri River (Sixmile Creek Formation)” on March 22 and Dr. Janus will be presenting “Powering American Civilization: Ideology and Moral Philosophy Confront the Natural World” on April 19. The “Life: Inside and Out” presentations will be presented by Dr. Megan Kelly on March 15 and Katie M. Susong on April 12. Dr. Kelly is an Associate Professor of Equine Studies at Montana Western. She will be presenting “Covid’s Story: A Case Report Involving a Septic Tibiotarsal Joint in a Yearling Quarter Horse.” Susong, a Ph.D. candidate and UMW alumna, will be presenting on the topic “Biology of Aedes Mosquitos” as part of her research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Veterinary Science. Each of the seminar events will be held from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in Block Hall room 311 on the UMW campus. There will be a social with light refreshments from 3:30-4:00 p.m. before each presentation. Both series can also be viewed online via the Montana Western Learning Center’s YouTube Channel . For more information about the “On the Rocks” seminars, please contact Dr. Arica Crootof: arica.crootof@umwestern.edu . For more information on the “Life: Inside and Out” series or to request a Zoom link, please contact Dr. Bradley Wood: bradley.wood@umwestern.edu .

A new planning tool was announced Wednesday by the Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership (MWTP or Partnership), aimed to help local groups identify areas of greatest need for decreasing wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) and improving wildlife movement across our state highways. The Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership is a collaborative group of representatives from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), and Montanans for Safe Wildlife Passage (MSWP). Formed in 2019, the Partnership recognized that reducing WVCs means finding ways to accommodate wildlife movement across highways. As a result, the Partnership developed a statewide project application process for the public to propose collaborative, stand-alone wildlife accommodation projects within the state’s highway infrastructure. “Montanans care deeply about protecting our natural resources and keeping one another safe,” MDT Director, Malcolm Long, said. “After years of planning, MWTP celebrates a new opportunity to further public-private partnerships that reduce wildlife and transportation conflicts and improve wildlife connectivity in Montana.” Without action, this problem isn’t going away. Montana has one of the nation's highest incidences of wildlife-vehicle collisions per capita. Each year, MDT maintenance crews collect more than 6,000 wildlife animal carcasses, and more than 10 percent of all crashes in Montana result from wildlife collisions. Nationally, WVCs kill more than one million large mammals, cause hundreds of human fatalities, and lead to more than 26,000 injuries, all at an annual cost of nearly $11 billion nationwide. "The best solutions for wildlife vehicle conflicts are found at the local level with all the stakeholders engaged," said FWP Director Hank Worsech. "This tool provides the kind of information needed for those solutions to come forward." To draw out these solutions, the Planning Tool can identify one- to two-mile state highway segments that may be candidates for wildlife accommodation projects upon further analysis. It has been built on various data sources that have been compiled, weighed, and ranked, representing five key criteria for identifying areas of need across the state. The Planning Tool supports the larger Project Program, which addresses the need for transportation projects dedicated to accommodating wildlife with the collaborative engagement of stakeholders, including leveraging capacity and capital investment. Collaboration will be essential to focus public-private resources as groups prepare applications for the Project Program. The first application cycle will be open from May 1 to May 31. Readying projects for application will require coordination, time, and investment, which is why the tool and Project Program guidance documents are being launched three months prior to ensure those interested have ample opportunities to review resources before applying. The next application cycle is expected to be open from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30. MWTP will have one or two application cycles per year for the foreseeable future. Once an application is received, the MWTP will evaluate project proposals and select stand-alone wildlife accommodation projects that reduce WVCs and improve safe wildlife passage across Montana highways. The MWTP will then support selected applicants through the study and potential development phases. The MWTP expects proposed projects to demonstrate collaboration between landowners, the public, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, sporting groups, philanthropic interests, public agencies, local governments, community groups, and/or Tribal governments. The project selection process integrates information from the Planning Tool with other evaluation criteria and considerations, such as community support, surrounding land use, and engineering feasibility, to rate project proposals. To demonstrate the tool and explain more about the application process, members of the MWTP will host a live webinar in mid-April. The exact date will be determined in the coming weeks. Those interested in attending can visit the project webpage, https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/mwt/ , to learn more about the Partnership, the Planning Tool, and the Project Program, and be directed to the upcoming webinar.

Community members in Beaverhead County and surrounding areas may soon be receiving a Community Health Needs Assessment survey in their mailbox. This survey will be sent to a random sample of homes and will help Barrett Hospital & HealthCare and Beaverhead County Public Health Department identify healthcare and health services needed in the community. The assessment asks for input on items ranging from local health resources, barriers to care, and gaps in services to trends regarding health and healthy lifestyles. Citizens can voice their opinion by completing the survey they receive in their mailbox and returning the completed survey by March 31. This project, administered by the Montana Office of Rural Health will assist the organizations in an analysis of local community needs, use of local healthcare services, and overall community health. This process was developed to maintain quality healthcare to serve the continuing and future needs of the community. “It’s important to be in line with what is happening in our community so we can be working for the betterment of our community,” explained Barrett Hospital & HealthCare’s Chief Executive Officer, Taylor Rose. “This assessment aligns us with other local community groups so we can work collaboratively to make sure we’re supporting our community’s needs in every way possible.” An accompanying goal of the Community Health Needs Assessment survey is to keep healthcare dollars within the local community. While the vast majority of healthcare can be provided locally, rural citizens often drive miles and miles to large medical centers for care, spending money on healthcare and non-health care purchases that could be spent locally. It is estimated that within a typical rural community, millions of dollars of revenue are lost in this way. About Barrett Hospital & HealthCare: Established in 1922, Barrett Hospital & HealthCare is a non-profit Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and medical clinic provider in Dillon, Montana. Based on The Chartis Center’s Rural Hospital Performance Index, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has recognized Barrett Hospital & HealthCare as a Top 20 CAH five times, including in 2022. For more information, visit www.barretthospital.org

The University of Montana Western Foundation is honored to announce the establishment of the George and Ellen Nelson Family Scholarship endowment. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a Montana Western student who is an active participant in campus activities including athletics, clubs, and service organizations. The recipient must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and be in good standing with the university. The love for Western has been passed down for generations in the Nelson family. Genevieve McCracken, Ellen’s mother, earned a teaching degree from Montana State Normal College (now the University of Montana Western) in 1930. George and Ellen both attended Western Montana College (now UMW) and received their degrees in education. Additionally, George and Ellen’s daughter, Linda, attended Montana Western along with their granddaughters, Mackenzie and Madison Rask. After George’s passing on October 16, 2022, the Nelson family felt that establishing the scholarship would be a fitting tribute to his legacy and also an acknowledgement of the connection the family felt to the university. Raised in Livingston, Montana, George was active in athletics, where his love for the sport of basketball was sparked at an early age. After a successful basketball career at Park County High School, George came to Western to play for the Bulldogs. While at WMC, George earned all-conference honors for three straight seasons and played on basketball teams that either won conference titles or tied for them. The Bulldogs made regular trips to the national tournament during his playing days. As a senior, he was voted the league’s most valuable player. His four years on the court remain the most successful span in Western’s basketball history, and in 1981, he was inducted into the Bulldog Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the first class of honorees. After graduation in 1960, George served six years in the Army National Guard and simultaneously taught and coached in Conrad, Rudyard, and Shelby. He then returned to Western to pursue his Master’s in Education. He helped coach the 1967 Montana Western baseball team to victory in the Frontier Conference Championship and was again inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, this time along with the entire baseball team. After graduation, George served as athletic director and head coach of all sports at Belgrade High School. His seven-year coaching career there included achieving a 60-11 overall football record, six district titles, three divisional trophies, and a victory in the 1973 Class B State Championship. He was named Class B Coach of the Year by the Montana Coaches’ Association. George returned to Western in 1974 as head football coach. That same year, he was selected as the head coach for the Shrine Football Game. His six-year Bulldog coaching career included a 1977 Frontier Conference Championship and a Frontier Conference Coach of the Year award. During his tenure as head football coach, George served one term as president of the Frontier Conference and one term as vice-president of the Montana Education Association unit at Western. In 2013, he was inducted into the University of Montana Western Hall of Fame for coaching the 1977 football team. George retired from coaching in 1980 and worked as the director of the Western Montana College Alumni Association until 1986. Under his leadership, the alumni association created the Western Montana College Athletic Hall of Fame. Before officially retiring in 1996 from WMC, George served as the director of student teaching and placement for several years. “We are grateful that the Nelson family has chosen to create this endowment that will forever honor the legacy of George, Ellen and their family. Their lifelong commitment to this university has been extraordinary and this scholarship will impact generations of Bulldogs,” said Roxanne Engellant, UMW Foundation Executive Director. If you would like to learn more about this scholarship opportunity and the University of Montana Western Foundation, please call 406-683-7305 or email roxanne.engellant@umwestern.edu .

The No. 15 ranked Montana Western Women's Basketball team defeated the RV Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears in the Frontier Conference Tournament semi-final matchup by a score of 64-55. How It Happened Mesa King got the scoring started for the Bulldogs with a field goal from just inside the arc. The Bulldogs continued as they put together a set of strong defensive stands that were capped off by a three-pointer from Shainy Mack to go up 8-2 in the first four minutes of the game. Forced to call a timeout, Rocky Mountain responded by holding the Bulldogs scoreless on the next possession as RMC's Ky Buell hit a mid-range shot of her own. Just before the end of the first quarter, Buell laid it in to cut the Bulldog lead to 15-14 heading into the second quarter. Kyla Momberg found the basket first for UMW in the second quarter; however, RMC picked up momentum and took a 19-17 lead with 8:40 left in the half. Jordan Sweeney and Mack combined for four points to put the Bulldogs back on top at 21-19 with just over six minutes left in the first half. The Bulldogs then finished out the half up 27-23 on Rocky Mountain, led by Sweeney with eight points. With 6:31 left in the third, Joelnell Momberg drained a key three-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 37-33 lead. Rocky Mountain answered with a three-point play from Buell. The Bulldogs continued to hang onto the lead at 47-38 after Sweeney hit a three just before the end of the third. Sweeney continued to shine for the Bulldogs as they stretched their lead to 12 points a minute and a half into the fourth. Despite the sizeable lead, Rocky Mountain put together a 7-0 run that featured a three-point play from Rocky's Kloie Thatcher. Rocky Mountain brought the game back within just three points with two and a half minutes to go, but Montana Western was able to close the game out on top 64-55. Notables The Bulldogs found their way back into the Frontier Conference Tournament Championship game, their first time since the 2020-21 season. Montana Western outshot the Battlin' Bears 48.9 to 35.8 percent. UMW was also near perfect from the free throw line, hitting 11-12 of their attempts. Jordan Sweeney hit a career high 31 points in today's matchup. She also added six rebounds, two assists, and a steal. She was also a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. Shainy Mack followed up with 11 points, two rebounds, and a steal. Brynley Fitzgerald was a big help for UMW, adding eight boards and an impressive five steals. The Battlin' Bears were led by Kloie Thatcher who had 21 points, four assists and four steals. Up Next The Bulldogs advance to the Frontier Conference Tournament Championship tomorrow night with today's victory. They will take on the No. 1 seeded and No. 11 ranked Carroll College. The Bulldogs are currently 0-3 against the Saints this season. Game time is set for 5PM MST and the links for the matchup can be found below. Livestream: No. 2 Seed Montana Western vs No. 1 Seed Carroll College Live Stats: No. 2 Seed Montana Western vs No. 1 Seed Carroll College

March 01, 2023 7:00 P.M. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A. MINUTES 1. Approve February 01, 2023 Regular – Amended 2. Approve February 15, 2023 Regular B. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 1. Request from Don Hand to City Attorney 2. New Subcommittee Assignments C. MAYOR’S REPORT 1. Appoint Stephen Sievert to Board of Adjustments 2. Discuss/Approve Trails Coalition T.A. Grant Application 3. Approve Transportation Plan D. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND BOARDS OF THE CITY 1. Library Board – Diane Armstrong, Council Member; Lori Canady, Library Director 2. Attorney – Sky S. Jones 3. Planning Board- Don Hand, Dan Nye 4. Zoning Commission – Raymond Graham, Russ Schwandt 5. Director of Operations -- Todd Hazelbaker 6. Police Department – Police Chief Jeremy Alvarez 7. Fire Department -- Fire Chief, BJ Klose 8. City Court – Judge Virginia Cook 9. Treasurer – Karen Kipp a. Approve Cash Summary Report for December 2022 b. Approve Cash Bank Reconciliation Report for December 2022 c. Approve Stockman Bank Collateral Report d. Approve Banks of Commerce Collateral Report e. Approve Cash Summary Report for January 2023 f. Approve Cash Bank Reconciliation Report for January 2023 g. Approve Stockman Bank Collateral Report 10. Tree Board – Mary Jo O’Rourke E. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE CITY COUNCIL 1. Judiciary Committee – Dan Nye, Chair; Mary Jo O’Rourke, Raymond Graham a. Approve February 21, 2023 Meeting Minutes 2. Finance Committee – Don Hand, Chair; Russ Schwandt, Dan Nye a. Approve February 23, 2023 Committee Meeting Minutes i. Approve Line Item Budget Report ii. Approve Fund Summary for claims for February 2023 iii. Approve Claims by Vendor Report for February 2023 iv. Approve Budget vs Actual Report for February 2023 3. Fire and Order Committee – George Johnston, Chair; Russ Schwandt, Raymond Graham 4. Health and Welfare – Diane Armstrong, Chair; Mary Jo O’Rourke, Joe Brandon a. Approve February 23, 2023 Meeting Minutes 5. Cemetery Committee – Joe Brandon, Chair; George Johnston, Diane Armstrong 6. Parks Committee – Mary Jo O’Rourke, Chair; Joe Brandon, Raymond Graham 7. City Hall Committee – Raymond Graham, Chair; Diane Armstrong, Dan Nye a. Approve February 16, 2023 8. Street and Alley Committee –Dan Nye, Chair; Don Hand, Russ Schwandt a. Approve February 06, 2023 Meeting Minutes 9. Water and Sewer Committee –Don Hand, Chair; Russ Schwandt, George Johnston a. Approve February 14, 2023 Meeting Minutes F. PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INTEREST NOT ON THE AGENDA AND WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY G. ADJOURNMENT

This past Monday, in a joint session of the Montana House and Senate, we heard from Montana’s congressional delegates when they all came to speak about their individual work in Congress and the work they’d like to see in the statehouse. Montana’s senior Senator, Jon Tester, the lone Democrat in the delegation, spoke first about the state’s $2.5 billion budget surplus. He urged legislators to use some of it to address Montana’s lack of affordable housing and child care. Republican Sen. Steve Daines in his speech called on we as state lawmakers to protect what he called Montana’s way of life, manage our forests, and pointed to his recent suspension from, Twitter as evidence that it’s at risk. Daines' account was suspended when he posted a hunting photo. My take away here was more of a National perspective, but agree we must protect our privacy, our constitutional rights, and do a better job of managing our forests and public lands. Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke is representing the state’s newly added western district. He said it’s important for Congress to balance the federal government’s budget and review what’s considered mandatory spending. Congressman Zinke said, “We’re going to go bankrupt, quickly, and there won’t be social security, there won’t be money for defense, there won’t be money for our parks and services. So it’s time to act." I agree. Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale, from Montana’s eastern U.S. House seat, spoke mostly about being among a handful of holdout votes, among hardline conservative representatives, contesting the election of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Congressman Rosedale, in his speech mentioned how the faction forced change in how Congress operates, and that it was only possible given the tight majority Republicans hold. Time will tell if his was a productive approach. All of the Federal delegates applauded the work of Montana’s Citizen Legislature, and asked that we work together to solve the state’s challenges. I also support that approach. Now a little bit about on what we are accomplishing leading up to our transmittal break. We worked several twelve or more hour days this past week, hearing literally hundreds of bills across all committees in the Senate, on a host of issues from water policy, land use, our housing crisis, and how to send some of the budget surplus back to the people in form of tax cuts and direct rebates. We also had some robust discussions in our Agriculture Committee on board appointments by the Governors office, that have yet to be confirmed by the full Senate. Lastly we continue to take action on setting the budget, and approving the spending of State Government. It seems like there are lots of opinions in best way to proceed, but I feel the best work gets done when all points are considered. There is an undertone that Democrats have teamed up with ultra conservative wing of the Republican caucus. This is causing concern with some moderate voices in both the House and Senate, as well as the Governor's Office. As someone that fits somewhere in the middle of my own caucus. I feel like i'm in a small group of free agents, that can help bring folks together, time will tell. I feel most Montanans would agree that budget negotiations should be about being inclusive, transparent, discussing other's ideas, and most importantly, sharing a vision for the end game with all stakeholders. That simply hasn't happened, and rather than pointing fingers, I'm asking all stakeholders to take a deep breath, there are plenty of good ideas to go around, if we all work together. In closing, i'd like to thank the Big Hole business community for hosting their annual skijoring event, Marni and I drove out on Sunday, and enjoyed an awesome Montana kind of day. Thanks for staying in touch on issues important to you.

During its meeting on Feb. 22, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a new regulation that prohibits snagging of paddlefish within the intake fish bypass channel on the Yellowstone River. The intake fish bypass channel is part of a Yellowstone River intake diversion dam project. The project’s objectives are to improve upstream and downstream fish passage for pallid sturgeon and other native species, including paddlefish, while maintaining water diversions into the lower Yellowstone project main canal. Snagging for paddlefish is very popular in the lower Yellowstone and can lead to high concentrations of anglers targeting paddlefish during spawning migrations. Since it is not yet fully understood how the fish bypass channel will influence fish movements and angler behavior, the department proposed closing the bypass channel to snagging to avoid any unintentional catch of migrating pallid sturgeon and other native species. Closing the bypass to snagging could also reduce potential conflicts between paddlefish anglers and FWP monitoring crews. The bypass channel will remain open for passage by boats and for angling by other methods.

UMW Sports Press Release: The Frontier Conference has announced the schedule and details surrounding the upcoming Frontier Conference Basketball Championships. The Frontier Conference Championships are being held at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls, Mont. Sunday, February 26 through Tuesday, February 28. This year's tournaments mark the first time since the 2007-2008 season that the event will be held as a single-site format. General Tournament Information Tickets: Tickets for the Frontier Conference Basketball Championships can be purchased at the gate at the Four Seasons Arena. Ticket Prices are $15 per day, and cover the cost of all games each day. Student Tickets will be $8 with a valid student ID from any of the participating schools. Watch: All games will be streamed here. , as well as broadcast live by SWX channels in Montana. Live Stats: Feb. 26 Men's Game: No. 6 Seed Montana Western vs. No. 3 Seed Montana State-Northern Feb. 27 Women's Game: TBA vs. No. 2 Seed Montana Western Social Media: Follow @UMWBulldogs on Twitter for live updates and time changes during tournament. Men's Basketball Preview The Bulldog Men's Basketball team enters the weekend following a home loss to Rocky Mountain College on Feb. 18. They finished up the regular season with an overall record of 11-17 and 6-9 in their conference slate. Despite the six-game slide in the middle of their conference slate, the Bulldogs won the last three out of four games of conference play. Montana Western is led in scoring by Jamal Stephenson (14.2 ppg) and Ky Kouba (11.3 ppg). With their sixth-place finish, the Bulldogs drew the No. 3 seeded MSU-Northern Lights as their quarterfinal matchup. Montana Western is 2-1 over the Lights this season, with their last win coming out of a four-point battle at home. The Lights enter the game following a heartbreaking one-point loss at home to the No. 10 ranked Montana Tech Orediggers on Feb. 18. They enter the postseason with an overall 18-10 record and a conference record of 7-8. Game Times Quarterfinals - Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 No. 5 Rocky Mountain College vs No. 4 Carroll College, 5 p.m. No. 6 Montana Western vs No. 3 MSU-Northern, 7 p.m. Semifinals - Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 Lowest remaining seed vs No. 1 Montana Tech, 5 p.m.* Highest remaining seed vs No. 2 University of Providence, 7 p.m.* *The starting times for the Monday semi-final round could change due to possible high school challenge games. Championship - Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 Lowest remaining seed vs highest remaining seed 7:30 p.m. Women's Basketball Preview The No. 15 ranked Montana Western Women's Basketball team enters the conference tournament on a three-game win streak that featured a win over previously No. 22 ranked Rocky Mountain College. The Bulldogs finished up the regular season with a 24-4 record and a conference record of 12-3. Montana Western is currently led in scoring by senior standout Brynley Fitzgerald who leads the Frontier Conference averaging 18.6 points per game. Jordan Sweeney (11.9 ppg) and Mesa King (65.0 FG pct, 3rd in NAIA) follow just behind. With their second-place finish, the Bulldogs received a first-round bye and will be taking on the highest remaining seed following Sunday's games. Game Times Quarterfinals - Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 No. 5 Montana Tech vs No. 4 University of Providence, 1 p.m. No. 6 MSU-Northern vs No. 3 Rocky Mountain College, 3 p.m. Semifinals - Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 Lowest remaining seed vs No. 1 Carroll College, 1 p.m.* Highest remaining seed vs No. 2 Montana Western, 3 p.m.* *The starting times for the Monday semi-final round could change due to possible high school challenge games. Championship Games – Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 Women's Championship, Lowest remaining seed vs highest remaining seed 5 p.m.

First responders were called out Friday, February 24th to a single vehicle accident on I-15 northbound around mile marker 53. A Kia Sorento was heading northbound before the canyon and hit a patch of ice, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle ended up rolling and coming to a rest in the passing lane. There were no major injuries reported.

STREET & ALLEY COMMITTEE Tuesday February 28th, 2023 at 6:45 P.M. City Council Chambers Tully Springs Public Hearing Variance Requests before the Zoning Commission; Planning Board; and Street and Alley Committee Notice is Hereby Given That Five or More City Council Members May Attend This Public Hearing No City of Dillon Business Will Be Conducted during the Public Hearing and the Public is Welcome to Attend and/or Observe Committee Members: Dan Nye, Chair; Don Hand; Russ Schwandt

Tuesday February 28th, 2023 at 6:45 P.M. City Council Chambers Tully Springs Public Hearing Variance Requests before the Zoning Commission; Planning Board; and Street and Alley Committee Notice is Hereby Given That Five or More City Council Members May Attend This Public Hearing No City of Dillon Business Will Be Conducted during the Public Hearing and the Public is Welcome to Attend and/or Observe Thursday March 2nd, 2023 at 7:00 P.M. City Council Chambers Planning Board Meeting AGENDA A. Call Meeting to Order B. Review and Approval of Minutes from the January 12th, 2023 Meeting C. Discussion/Recommendation of Tully Springs Variance Request D. Discussion/Recommendation of Tully Springs Subdivision Project E. Discuss Updating Growth Policy – Growth Policy Resource Book F. Public Comment on items of significant public interest not on the agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Planning Board. G. Adjournment Zoom link is available. Join the meeting with Zoom ID: 770-316-6528, allowing permission for mic and camera (if using a computer go to https://zoom.us/j/7703166528 ) and use Passcode 4245 . Planning Board Members: Don Hand, Bill Shafer, Larry Volkening, Dan Nye

The University of Montana Western’s Education Department and Alumni Office, in partnership with Stockman Bank, present the Tenth Annual Night of Stars, to be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 on the Montana Western campus. The schedule of events includes the Education Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. in the Beier Auditorium, followed by drinks and hors d’ourves at 8:00 p.m. in the Lewis and Clark room, located in Mathews Hall. This year’s Night of Stars will induct five Montana Western alumni into the Education Hall of Fame in recognition of their phenomenal dedication to education and will honor twelve current education students as Outstanding Teacher Candidates. The inductees are: Jerry Delaney, Lacie Puyear, Jim Gilboy, Jolene Isakson Allen, and Wayne Loeffler. The Outstanding Teacher Candidates are: Kortni Guardipee, Mesa King, Brynley Fitzgerald, Shelby Austin, Tona Iwen, Cassidy Hartsoch, Ella Smith, Logan Thompson, Sarah Detlaff, Noah Danielson, LaDawn Plainfeather, and Taylor Jones. For additional information or to purchase tickets to the Night of Stars, please contact the University of Montana Western Alumni Office at 406-683-7306 . Education Hall of Fame Inductees Jerry Delaney Jerry Delaney grew up in St. Ignatius, Montana and attended Western Montana College (now the University of Montana Western) from 1961-1965 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education followed by a Master’s in Education in 1972. Delaney’s teaching career started at Parkview Junior High in Dillon, Montana where he taught math, science, and physical education and was a guidance counselor. He also served as a coach and referee. One of the many highlights of Delaney’s teaching career was being chosen to present at the National Middle School Convention. He presented four times at conventions in Indianapolis, Orlando, New Orleans, and Cincinnati. To him, being chosen to present was an honor and a great educational learning experience. He would eventually retire from Parkview Middle School after 40 years of teaching and mentoring the youth of Dillon. Delaney served on the committee for the new Dillon Elementary School building and on the Beaverhead County foster care board for many years. He was also a volunteer member of the Dillon Fire Department for 20 years, a Dillon Jaycee for 14 years, and is a life member of the Dillon Elks Club. “Through volunteering I learned that service was a good way to get to know all about the community. The friends I made through these organizations became lifelong,” said Delaney. Delaney made many great memories while at Western Montana College but would like to acknowledge Professor Dan Block and Coach Bill Straugh for their influences on his future professional career in education. Lacie Puyear Lacie Puyear is from Dillon, Montana and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Montana Western in 2001. She went on to receive a Master’s in Education: Reading and Literacy from Walden University. Puyear student taught first grade at Memorial Elementary School in McMinnville, Oregon and stayed there afterwards to teach library as a long-term substitute. The following year, she moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado where she taught kindergarten at Rock Ridge Elementary. In 2007, she moved back to Montana and started teaching fifth grade at Corvallis Middle School. Four years later, Puyear and her husband Shane moved back to Dillon to raise their family. Puyear started teaching in Dillon at the middle school working as a Title teacher. Having a true passion for working with young learners, she started teaching kindergarten at Parkview Elementary. She taught kindergarten for five years until she moved to the fifth grade where she has been teaching ever since. Her colleagues would be the first to tell you that she is a valuable member of the Parkview Elementary team. She has served on the leadership team as the Vice President of the Beaverhead Education Association and on the PAX classroom management team and school safety team. Puyear also volunteers her time for many school functions and spends countless hours in her classroom outside of the regular workday perfecting her craft, preparing lessons, and researching ways to make the day better for her students and providing what they need to be successful. Students in Mrs. Puyear’s classroom are challenged, engaged, and loved. Jim Gilboy James (Jim) Gilboy is from Butte, Montana and received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1991 from Western Montana College. “I enjoyed my time as a work-study student in the Early Education Resource Center. It was there that I was reassured a career working with younger children would be a favorable journey to embark upon,” said Gilboy. Gilboy went on to continue his education at Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he earned a Master’s in Education in 2000. In 2018, he earned his Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University. Gilboy began his teaching career at Grass Valley Elementary School in Winnemucca, Nevada where he taught for 28 years. He taught first, second and third grade, served as Dean of Students, was a Literacy Specialist, Instructional Coach, and lead facilitator of Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports. Within the Humboldt County School District, he served on the district’s first technology committee, developed and provided train-the-trainer technology professional development courses, and worked with the Northeastern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program to design and implement a district-wide professional development program focusing on highly effective mathematical teaching methods. Gilboy was chosen as the Grass Valley Elementary School Teacher of the Year in 1997, received the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 1998, and was Who’s Who among America’s Teachers in 2004, 2005, and 2006. In 2007, 2009, and 2010, he was awarded the Humboldt County School District Senior Choice Award along with the Grass Valley Elementary School Innovative Teacher Award. Gilboy retired in 2022 after receiving the Grass Valley Elementary School Teacher of the Year award. “Western was a wonderful institution to attend because of the small class sizes. I felt my instructors took personal interest and time to get to know me as an individual and I got to know many people around campus,” he said. Jolene Isakson Allen A Choteau, Montana native, Jolene Isakson Allen transferred to Western Montana College from Flathead Valley Community College in 1977. In 1979, she graduated from WMC with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Allen’s first teaching job was at South View, a rural school near Vida, Montana that was in operation from 1918 to 2001. Allen is described by her colleagues as a born teacher and also as one of the kindest, most positive, and encouraging people you could ever hope to meet. While her teaching career in public schools was short, her dedication to teaching, and more importantly to children, never wavered. “I have used my education from Western throughout my entire adult life. I’ve been a classroom teacher in both public and private schools. My granddaughter describes my life best: ‘Grandma, you aren’t a normal grandma, you always have lots of other kids in your life besides your own. You taught, ran a daycare, you tutor, you even tutor me. When you work with me, you aren’t my grandma, you are my teacher, trying to get me to do my best. You do that with all your students.’ I may not be a normal grandma, but I’m a passionate educator!” said Allen. Allen describes Montana Western as a college where she felt heard and accepted. She feels honored to have taken classes taught by outstanding educators, and feels her confidence and self-esteem soared through the relationships she made with fellow students, staff, and faculty. Wayne Loeffler Wayne Loeffler is from Conrad, Montana and attended Western from 1971-1975 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. In 1989 Leoffler went on to receive a Master’s of Education. While at WMC, he was a four-year football letter winner, a member of the M Club, a Who’s Who recipient, business manager for the central board, and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi. Leoffler moved to Big Fork, Montana where he taught high school biology, advanced biology, and health enhancement for over 34 years. For 16 years, he served as a middle school principal, district activities director for 18 years, assistant boys and girls track coach for 20 years, head boys track coach for 20 years, and head football coach for five years. He also served in various volunteer positions in the community of Big Fork, including volunteering at the state high school track meet and as a member of the Big Fork Volunteer Fire Department for 37 years, seven of those years serving as Chief of the department. He was also a board member for the Big Fork Chamber of Commerce for four years and was a Masonic Lodge member. Leoffler was the Montana Coaches Association Boys Track Coach of the Year in 1985, was awarded the MHSA Service Citation in recognition of his significant contribution to the MHSA in 1999, and received the Class A Conference Service Award in 2005. “I was very fortunate to meet many people during my time at Western through sports and campus organizations. After graduation, I still had the opportunity to see my college friends on a regular basis through coaching and being involved with other schools around the state where many fellow alumni taught,” he said.