Our View: Think of the students at Hays-Lodge Pole

If you are looking for inspiration this holiday season, look no further than the faculty, staff and especially the students in the Hays-Lodge Pole School District.

The district is one of the poorest in the state. Tucked away on the far corner of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, it is isolated, and it appears that it is often out of sight, out of mind to Helena. Students usually perform poorly on standardized tests. It has a high dropout rate. It has a hard time attracting teachers.

One would hope that given the students' tough circumstances, the district would be first to be in line for sp...