Teachers Lead the Way as Polson School District Thrives with Discovery Education
Success Stories
Polson School District #23
Polson, Montana
Polson School District, a small rural district in Montana, has a big goal: to find high-quality digital tools that support teachers and engage students. Thanks to a strategic statewide partnership with Discovery Education, that vision is becoming a reality.
Grassroots Enthusiasm Sparks a Strong Start
When Betsy Wade stepped into her role as Polson’s new curriculum director, she saw immediate potential in Discovery Education Experience, a digital learning platform with high-quality content, tools, and instructional strategies for K-12 classrooms. She recalls,“It seemed like a no-brainer—it’s state sponsored, rich in resources, and is unlike other tools we’ve tried.”
Working with Discovery Education’s Montana team, Polson offered optional training to introduce Experience to educators. Teachers immediately embraced it, and their grassroots enthusiasm led to district-wide targeted professional development.
Building on that momentum, the district adopted DreamBox Math, a personalized math program for K-8 students, to reinforce math standards and help fill knowledge gaps. Discovery Education’s Montana team once again supported the rollout with targeted, effective professional learning for Polson teachers.
The collaboration among district leaders, teachers, and Discovery Education has paid off. Teachers feel supported and confident with both tools and regularly share strategies and favorite resources. Kristin Wilson, principal at Linderman Elementary, states, “I see teachers collaborating with one another, sharing what they find in Discovery Education and doing so in their PLC meetings.”
Students Explore, Engage, and Grow
It’s not just teachers who are excited; students are more engaged than ever.
Discovery Education Experience
Polson students are diving into topics complementing curriculum because Experience offers such a wide variety of high-quality, vetted content. Even special education students are “able to navigate independently very well and are engaged and focused on the learning,” observes Kristin. Stephanie St. Clair, a 3rd-grade teacher at Linderman Elementary adds, “I love Experience because students can explore their interests on their own within the platform and are really engaged with what they find. There’s always a lesson or an interactive activity to reinforce the content. Plus, it’s easy to use and easy to assign!”
DreamBox Math
DreamBox Math’s personalized learning model is helping students build essential math skills. Teachers use the program weekly to support math learning and prepare students for standardized assessments like MAST and STAR Math. Students show excitement when they get to work in DreamBox during class, too. “It’s a win if students are engaged and don’t see the activity as a chore,” Stephanie explains. “DreamBox Math helps all my kids show growth, no matter how much—it’s worth celebrating!”
Looking Ahead
All in all, educators across the district, especially in elementary schools, have embraced both Discovery Education Experience and DreamBox Math. Betsy hopes to expand their usage even more at the middle and high schools, especially in support of state test preparation. She believes the key to ongoing success depends on listening closely to educators. “When our teachers feel supported and see their students succeed, that’s how I know we’re on the right track.”