Summer 2022




MTSBA School Board Leadership Training - June 10, 2022

By Shawn Bubb, MSGIA Director of Insurance Services

This is the summer for our school leaders to recharge and gather together in Helena on June 10 at the MTSBA school board leadership training.   Live in-person training will be delivered in the MTSBA training center in the Great Northern area of Helena.  (For those unable to participate in person, virtual training options are available.)  This training provides the best-in-class procedures for board chairs and vice chairs to assist them in their roles with effective management of local school board meetings.  There is no cost for this training opportunity.  

Click here to register!

Summer Student Hiring

By Annette Satterly, Risk Management Associate

Every district is having difficulty filling every position that is needed. While necessity may be the mother of invention, there are still things that need to be remembered when hiring students.

When considering this option, please consider the following questions:

  • Have you read or referred to the child labor laws and Fair Labor Standards Act?
  • How old is the student in question?
  • What exactly would the job entail?
  • Who will be supervising this individual?
  • Have you contacted your legal staff?

Read more

Bus Driver Training Courses - Perfect for Summer

By Shawn Bubb, Director of Insurance Services

MSGIA property and liability pool members have a very valuable asset they want to protect – their buses and the treasures that ride within them.  Our pool members have access to some of the best training materials available for your current bus drivers and drivers studying for the CDL exam.  All courses can be easily accessed on the MSGIA’s online platform through Safe Schools by just selecting your school district name on the following link from the MSGIA website and entering your login credentials. Read more

Summer Custodial and Maintenance Training

By Annette Satterly, Risk Management Associate and Harry Cheff, Risk Management Associate

Due to the COVID lockdown, MSGIA was unable to hold the Regional Custodial/Maintenance in-person trainings for the past couple of years. That is about to change! In the summer of 2022, Annette Satterly and Harry Cheff will be traveling the state conducting regional safety training for various employee groups, including custodians, maintenance staff, engineers, tradespersons, and groundskeepers. Covering the requirements set forth by the Montana Safety Culture Act and the Montana Safety Act, this training will focus in particular on program trends and focus areas identified by the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) Safety Bureau. Read more

Weight Room Safety and Open Gym

By Matt Komac, MSGIA Assistant Director for Property & Liability Pool Operations

How many times when you’ve encountered students and community members in a school building after hours or on the weekend have you wondered, “How did they get in here?” and “Who’s making sure they’re being safe?" Of course, the first question is often impossible to answer; but, unfortunately, the second one is not, which is to say that in many – if not most – of these instances, nobody is taking steps to ensure safety. This pattern is a predictable and preventable problem and is particularly dangerous when it comes to those situations when people are in the weight room or gym unsupervised.  These areas require trained adult supervision, especially when students are present.  Accordingly, if community members are using these areas, staff should be instructed to ask if they have permission and if they have worked through proper channels to obtain access to the building. Read more