Bengal Happenings

Bell Schedules

Year-at-a-Glance

Assembly Schedule - Tuesday, May 19

Attendance - hhsattendance@helenaschools.org; (406) 324-2211

Main Office - (406) 324-2200

Website - hhs.helenaschools.org

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I continue to be impressed and inspired by the incredible people who educate and support students in our building every day. While teachers are often the primary catalysts in helping develop our future doctors, lawyers, politicians, construction workers, electricians, artists, musicians, and so much more, it truly takes everyone in our building to make that happen. From our paraprofessionals and secretaries to our counselors and student services coordinator, and from our custodial staff and SRO to our coaches and substitutes, we are fortunate to have such an outstanding community working together each day.

While it is easy to see the test scores (our students made tremendous gains this year!), the creative projects, and the final assessments, the work that happens late at night, on weekends, and throughout the summer often goes unnoticed. Educators play an integral role in building a strong community, and I would argue that Helena High has the very best people doing that work.

Thank you to the parents who have sent encouraging emails, brought food and gifts, and taken the time to stop by and say thank you this week. Your support and kindness are appreciated more than you know.

Thank you to our amazing Bengal staff for everything you do. Our students and community are incredibly fortunate to have you.

Thank you to those that were able to make it to the Community Update meeting on Thursday night. While the whole process has been exciting, we are to the point where things are really starting to feel real! As we creep closer to the end of the school year, construction on the new building is almost upon us as well. Starting June 10, you will likely start to see the construction fencing go up, machines start to make their way on campus, and work starting on the excavation process.

In our hallways, renderings of the new building and select areas of the building are available for students to look at. The building layout is also available - if you are in the building, you are encouraged to also stop by and take a look. Let us know what questions you have on how teachers, the architects, and students have worked together to develop the building we will move into in two short years.

The question of parking is a hot topic as we work through construction. While there will still be limited spots available for students on the campus, the majority of students will be asked to park in an expanded parking area just east of our practice field. While the city is currently working through the approval process still on this anticipated parking location, we are hopeful we will be able to make it work, limiting the need for students to park in the neighborhoods around the school. Once everything is finalized, we will share more complete information.

Finally, a big day to mark on your calendars - June 16, 5:30 p.m. The official ground breaking for the new building will take place at that time and we would love to have our Bengal Community present to take part in this amazing day. Following the ground breaking, there will be a small reception to celebrate this great milestone in the project. More info will be shared soon on this as well.

This coming Wednesday, May 13, the SMA architecture team will be set up outside the Counseling Center during lunch to gain further input on the internal feel of the building. Posters and opportunities to provide input will be available to see if we are hitting the mark to create a welcoming environment in the building or which direction we need to go in to help make that happen.

Great things are happening - it is an exciting time to be a Bengal!

The next Booster Club Meeting will be Tuesday, May 12 in the HHS Library. The meeting will start at 6:00 p.m.

As we make the final push in the school year, a few reminders:

• Semester tests will take place Friday, June 5, Monday, June 8 and Tuesday, June 9. If you are going to miss one of those dates, you need to connect with your child's Assistant Principal to gain approval and establish a plan to take the missed test(s).
• Library books need to be turned in by Friday, May 29. If students have overdue books, this is a good time to start looking for those and get them turned in. Any books still missing after that date will become a fine on the student's account.
• Textbooks and any other materials that have been checked out to a student for the school year will start to be requested by teachers soon. This is always a good time to clean out the backpack, start bringing things home from the school locker, and to do a deep clean of the bedroom if needed to find all of those materials. Anything not turned in will become a fine on the student's account.

If you have any questions about end of year needs and processes, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Our Freshmen students will be doing their Spring MAP testing this week in their World Cultures and Earth Science classes. Please help remind students to bring their Chromebooks and chargers every day next week so they can take these tests.

We are incredibly thankful to the students who ran in our Student Council elections for the 2026-2027 School Year. We look forward to the leadership and growth of student involvement in the building.

Student Body President - Tyson Schulte

Student Body Vice President - Eli Jacobsen

Social Media Representative - Adeline Olson

Secretary - Charlotte Schulte

Treasurer - Trinity Love

ATTENTION SENIORS: Check out the Graduation page for more information on the big day! https://hhs.helenaschools.org/about/helena-high-school-graduation/.

HHS Parade of Graduates

What is this?

Your opportunity to return to your previous elementary school and HMS to celebrate your graduation with former teachers and to inspire younger students to be a graduate.

Attire?

You will wear your cap and gown for this event. Please make sure you have this on when you get on the bus.

How will you get there?

Transportation will be provided to and from each school. Load the bus at Bryant by 9:00. Students will sign-in so that attendance can be taken.

When is this happening?

Wednesday, May 27th at 8:40 AM

• Students will be excused at 8:40 to grab their caps/gowns. From there, Mr. Kessler will lead all grads on a loop at Bryant. Load your assigned bus at Bryant, and head to HMS or MT City.
• Students will board the bus at Bryant with their caps and gowns by 9 AM.
• The first destination is HMS. Following that stop, students will then go to their elementary school.
• Students who attended Montana City Schools will go directly there.
• Students will return to Helena High School after the Parade of Graduates is over to continue on with their school day.
• Attendance will be taken on the bus. Students are required to sign-in.

School Destinations:

MT City

Bryant

Smith

Jefferson

Warren

Central

Scholarship Spotlight:

The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Chapter of Oro Fino is offering the Dorothy Oliveira Education Scholarship of $2,000 to four deserving students in the 4-county area of Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, Jefferson, and Meagher Counties who want to become educators and plan to attend a branch of the Montana University system. Deadline: Postmarked by June 1st. Applications available in the counseling office.

Summer School – Counselors are actively working to communicate summer school recommendations via email to parents/guardians of students who failed a 1st semester class. Please be on the lookout for these emails, as they will include all necessary information regarding registration and course requirements.

Summer school will run from June 15 – July 16. All courses will be offered online through Edgenuity; however, students will be required to attend in-person meetings twice per week.

Current Sophomores: Helena High will administer the PSAT exam in October 2026 (date TBD). Sophomores may register starting May 18th to take this optional exam during the fall of their Junior Year.

Taking the PSAT can provide students with opportunities to qualify for prestigious scholarships and national recognition programs, including the National Merit Scholarship Program, National Hispanic Recognition Program, National Scholarship Program, and Telluride Seminar Scholarships. Additional information about these programs can be found through the College Board PSAT Scholarship Information.

PSAT registration and payment will open May 18th and close Friday, June 5th. The cost of the exam is $18. If the fee presents a financial hardship, students are encouraged to connect with their school counselor. Registration and payment can be completed through Helena Schools RevTrak beginning May 18th.

Tickets are now on sale for the Senior All Night Party.

5/9 - TR vs Great Falls High 10:30 a.m.; SB vs Glacier/Flathead 12:00/2:00 p.m.

5/12 - SB vs Big Sky 5:00/3:00 p.m.; TN vs CHS (Barney & CHS) 4:00 p.m.

5/13 - JV TN vs CHS (Barney & CHS) 4:00 p.m.

5/14 - SB @ Butte; TR vs CHS 3:30 p.m.

5/15 - TN vs Butte/Big Sky (Lockey, Barney, CHS) 10:00 a.m.

5/16 - SB @ Capital 2:00/12:00 p.m.

5/18 - Band Concert (HMS) 7:00 p.m.

5/19 - Choir Concert (HMS) 7:00 p.m.

5/21-23 - SB Play-ins TBD

5/21-22 - TN Divisionals @ Helena

5/22 - TR Divisional @ Helena

Yearly Updated Document

May 2026

11 - AP Testing Continues

19 – Spring Pep Assembly

25 – No School, Memorial Day

27 - Grad Walk

June 2026

6 – Graduation – 8 a.m.

5, 8-9 – Semester Tests

10 – Records Day

One of the most exciting weeks of the year is upon us! The awesome Helena tradition of hosting the Vigilante Parade on the first Friday in May continues on May 1 this year at High Noon. It is great to see the continued excitement in our students to build their floats, march in the band, lead the parade on horseback, or the countless other ways they are able to get involved. We look forward to what they put together this year!

As a reminder with the parade, students who are on a float need to be at their float sites on April 30. Teachers will be out checking float sites and students must be present when the checks are happening. School is still in session on Thursday as well for those who are not on a float.

Student Council is sponsoring a Vigilante Parade themed Spirit Week next week as well. We look forward to another week of great student participation with this event!

• Monday: Bengal Gear (crosstown competition to see which school has the most spirit!)
• Tuesday: Country vs Country Club
• Wednesday: Decades Day
• Thursday: Western Wear

As we move into the first full week of May, that also brings us to the AP testing weeks. The first two weeks of May can be stressful and rewarding for students, and their teachers, as they get the chance to show off the knowledge and skills learned in those classes this school year. Students have been alerted to when these tests are happening, and the location at HHS where they will need to report. If your child is going to be absent for test day, they need to connect with Mrs. Staldine immediately to see if we can get them in on a make-up day. Good luck to all those taking a test, you are going to do great!

HHS/PAL New Building Community Update

As we move into the construction document phase and prep for construction to start happening on our site, we will hold another Community Update with AE&SMA and Dick Anderson Construction on Thursday, May 7. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. in the HHS Gymnasium. We are very excited with how our building has come together and look forward to discussing the next steps with the community. This is open to everyone in the community, invite your friends, co-workers, and anyone else you can think of!

As we continue to work on the interior design aspect of the building, SMA will be in our building on May 13 at lunch with images and questions for students to engage with, allowing us to gain their viewpoint on the feel of the building inside.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop by.

Great Things Happening at HHS

We continue to have many of our students, and staff, achieving awards as the year continues. We are fortunate to have an amazing teaching and counseling staff who help students qualify for these recognitions. We are also thankful to our families for pushing their children to work hard and achieve the goals they have set for themselves. A few updates:

Congratulations to our MUS Scholarship Recipients:

MUS Honor Scholarship - 4 year tuition waiver

• Nadja Bolotsky
• Garrett Hinderman
• Kate Lee
• Jack McNeil
• Reyna Potts
• Carson Reese
• Sylvie Woodmansey

STEM/Healthcare Scholarship

• Samuel Amsbaugh
• Wren Clum
• Jakob Criswell
• Garrett Hinderman
• Cooper Judd
• Adan Kreisberg
• Serianna Kron
• Connor Lamping
• Jack McNeil
• Trey Peterson
• Reyna Potts
• Teagan Reed
• Reddek Richardson
• Sylvie Woodmansey

Gates Scholar

Congratulations to Michael Leyva for becoming a Gates Scholar. This is a national award bestowed upon a select number of students each year, granting them full tuition waivers at the college of their choice.

NSHSS Claes Nobel Educator of the Year Finalist

Congratulations to Erin Cleveland who was informed that she has been named one of the 10 finalists for this National Award. Teachers who are considered for this award are nominated by their students as someone who has made a significant difference in their live. Thank you, Erin, for all you do to help students succeed.

Students of the Month

Congratulations to our Students of the Month! These individuals work hard to exemplify our Bengal Expectations - Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Involved and Be a Graduate! Thank you for helping make our school a great place to learn!

Senior - Freya Elias

Junior - Ashlynn Garrison

Sophomore - Oliver Schultz

Freshmen - Nalyssa Jerome

Go Bengals!

3rd Quarter Honor Roll

Congratulations to our Bengals who earned a spot on the 3rd Quarter Honor Roll! Keep up the great work!

3rd Quarter Honor Roll List

Counseling Corner

AP Testing begins May 4th! All tests will take place on campus at HHS. Please watch for an email a week prior to a scheduled exam for details on room location. If you have any questions regarding registration, payment, or testing schedule, please contact Helena High’s AP Coordinator: Ellaina Staldine- estaldine@helenaschools.org

ATTENTION SENIORS: Check out the Graduation page for more information on the big day! https://hhs.helenaschools.org/about/helena-high-school-graduation/.

Senior Scholarship Survey postcards went out on Monday. For a student’s scholarship recognition to be listed in the graduation program, these postcards must be returned to the counseling office by May 4th.

Juniors: As ACT scores begin to be released, remember they are just one snapshot of academic readiness—not the sole factor in college admission or future success. Colleges use a holistic review, considering GPA, course rigor, activities, essays, and recommendations alongside test scores.

A score reflects performance on a single day and does not define a student’s ability or potential. Ultimately, ACT results are just one part of a much larger story.

If a retake of the ACT exam is of interest, please know that registration and payment take place at ACT.org. The nearest testing center locations are in Great Falls and Bozeman for the upcoming exam dates:

• Jun 13, 2026
• Sep 19, 2026
• Dec 12, 2026

Scholarship Spotlight:

Treacy Foundation Scholarship

Deadline Date: 04-29-2026

Apply Now!

Mike Bullock Memorial Scholarship- DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Deadline Date: 04-30-2026

Mike Bullock was a Helena teacher whose philosophy was to help others. This scholarship is given annually in his memory to a student who has faced significant life challenges and has persevered.

Apply Now!

Jessie Bayha Scholarship- MSU Bozeman

Deadline Date: 05-01-2026 by 3pm

Pick up application in the counseling office

Required Qualifications:

• Pursuing a degree from Montana State University (Bozeman)
• Helena High School graduate
• Top half of the graduating class in scholastic standing. Character, personality, and financial need should also be considered

Recipient selected by Helena High School

Award Value & Renewable Information:

This is a 4-year scholarship at $3,500 per year. The recipient’s award will be renewed for an additional three (3) years (for a total of 4 years) if the recipient continues to be enrolled at MSU and is making satisfactory progress toward their degree.