Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1337158
A three-member community-elected school board meets with Dawson once a month. "We are all thriy minded which allows us money to go on field trips and to buy computers," said Dawson. When Dawson finished college, she had at first substituted for the Great Falls Public Schools. e teacher who had been hired at the Benton Lake School went on maternity leave, so the school board called the substitute clerk for the Great Falls Public Schools and asked about a dependable and able substitute who might take over Benton Lake School. e clerk suggested Dawson. When Dawson drove out to the Benton Lake School for a job interview, she was geing discouraged when she couldn't find the school building . She told herself if the school didn't appear soon, she was going back to town and call the school board to say that she wasn't interested. To her delight, the school appeared over the next hill. Dawson was honored with the Montana Rural Teacher of the Year award in 2015. She has continued her education and has aained a master's degree and an endorsement in educational leadership. She tries to aend a conference for teachers every summer. Her favorite is the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference with sectionals appropriate for her school's seing. A teacherage is built into the school building, so Dawson lives on the premises, which is a benefit, especially in the winter. A few years ago, the school board built a garage for the teacher's vehicle and for storage. "at is so nice to have my car out of the weather," said Dawson. Frequent winter whiteouts shut the school off from its sweeping view. "I grew up outside of Belt, but I had never seen blizzards like the snowstorms that sweep across the prairie here. Now I know the stories told in the 'Lile House' series can be true." One day a few years ago, morning rain turned to ice. A blizzard next covered the ice. "e fathers came for the kids on a tractor and a John Hibl points out Montana on the national map. Six of the seven students, who are attending classes at the school this year, are getting ready to play tag ball during recess. SiG MT 37 SiG MT 47