Job shadowing topic of meeting
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POLSON — At the Polson School Board’s June 8 meeting, Landon Godfrey and Shelley Quinn, who are employed at Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center, joined Tammy Kelly and Polson High School Principal Rex Weltz in a discussion about the hospital’s partnership with the high school to provide job shadowing.
Students interested in the internship program at Providence St. Joseph would need to apply, provide references and meet a GPA requirement.
With a 270-hour requirement for the program, students who are selected will cycle through hospital departments, spending approximately two weeks in each area. Quinn will be documenting student hours as they rotate. When they’re not shadowing medical personnel, students will be taking first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and blood borne pathogen classes and learning about HIPAA regulations.
“This doesn’t happen unless we have an organization that’s willing to take kids in — take them in and then infuse them into the system,” Weltz said. “It’s a great opportunity for our kids.”
The group noted that students don’t always realize there are jobs available in health care that don’t take a four-year degree.
Trustee Tim McGinnis had questions about stringent privacy policies for hospitals. McGinnis wanted the district’s attorney to look at the project.
“There are inherent risks. They are only dangerous if you don’t mitigate them,” Weltz said, explaining that St. Mary’s, Idaho, had issues with the regulations.
Godfrey said Providence St. Joseph and PHS would work out an agreement. Weltz agreed, adding that this program will learn from other’s mistakes.
Polson trustees set forth goals to graduate students who are career and college ready, according to Chair Caroline McDonald.
“This is one of those outside-of-the-box kinds of projects that does exactly that,” McDonald said.
On another topic, McDonald reminded parents and staff that the trustees’ job is to develop policies and goals for the school district, not oversee the day-to-day efforts of staff. If issues arise, parents need to meet with staff to discuss issues, such as teacher’s assignment or their child’s placement.
“The best solutions are usually reached when they are made together,” McDonald said.
During the meeting Superintendent Linda Reksten presented an award to Larry Smith, the coach who founded and is perpetuating the Polson girls softball dynasty.
The board wanted to recognize the softball group and all the years of service they’ve put into establishing, maintaining and improving the softball fields, according to Reksten.
“I’ll accept on behalf of all those young ladies who gave up their time to build a program — them and their families and the volunteers — what I call the softball family,” Smith said.
In other business, trustees voted to purchase concussion insurance, which would amount to $190 for the PHS student body.
Montana is trying to be proactive about concussions, and the Montana High School Association has recommended the insurance, according to Scott Wilson, athletic director. The insurance would help pay major medical bills for a student who gets concussed at a sporting event, practice or camp.
The next meeting will
be held July 13 at the district conference room at 5:30 p.m.
