With three of the four major building projects from the $98M bond levy currently under way, it is important to ask, “How did we get here”? Have the projects produced good results? And has the process of the selection of design consultants been carried out honestly, transparently, and with accountability? I, of course have my opinion on the matter and after reading this expose you can form your own.
The story begins 2009 when then GFPS Superintendent Cheryl Crawley established what was first called the Facilities Long Range Task Force and for brevity what I will call the Facilities Task Force, FTF. After officially appointing a hand-picked group of local people without soliciting for anyone who was interested in serving on the committee, the new committee members were loaded on a big yellow school bus for a tour of all the schools in the District. Principals of two local architectural firms, (LPW, CTA) were chosen to serve on the FTF at the exclusion of other local architectural firms. One representative from the local engineering firm, (TDH) was also chosen to serve on FTF, at the exclusion of other local engineering firms.
After several meetings, the committee produced recommendations for improvements and repairs to the schools and recommended that Great Falls High School be dealt with individually since it needed more extensive work. And do you think a bigger budget and a bigger architectural fee may have been part of that recommendation?
“After several meetings, the committee produced recommendations for improvements and repairs to the schools and recommended that Great Falls High School be dealt with individually since it needed more extensive work. And do you think a bigger budget and a bigger architectural fee may have been part of that recommendation?”
The FTF Committee’s work also resulted in the District awarding an $8.3M Energy Savings (ESCO) contact for retrofitting all District schools with energy saving features, (non-competitively awarded), to the McKinstry Company, a company that one of the FTF members worked for. (Note: Three ESCO companies were invited to interview for the proposed contract. The other two firms did not have employees who were appointed to serve on the FTF.)
McKinstry, the firm awarded the ESCO contract, subcontracted much of the architectural and engineering work to local firms and guess who benefited from those subcontracts?
On February 22, 2010 Superintendent Crawley presented a Board Agenda Action Item to accept the FTF Committee’s recommendation to allocate $150,000 from the District Maintenance Deferred Schedule for a Great Falls High Master Planning project.
At this point, the District decided to advertise through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), but having no experience writing the advertisement; remember the District’s pronouncement that the District hadn’t built a new school, or solicited professional planning services in over 50 years, they hired the TFT member’s firm (TDH) to write it and paid them handsomely.
Editor’s Note: A Groundbreaking ceremony for construction for Great Falls High is scheduled for Monday, May 21 at 3:30 PM. Conveniently when most folks have to be at work. If you can be there I’m sure protestors are welcome!
Drawing inspiration from many commenters on E-City Beat concerning the Great Falls Public School District’s $98M bond and $1.4M levy request, over the next few days we will be presenting views about whether or not the Great Falls Public School District is performing its public service in an honest, accountable and transparent way.
In my view, if the District wants to have an honest dialog with the public a couple of prerequisites need to be completed. First, Mr. Jan Cahill, as the Chairman of the School Board, needs to provide an unequivocal and sincere apology to the citizens of Great Falls who voted NO on the recent operational levy for the condescending remarks made by Superintendent Tammy Lacey. In the absence of an apology from Superintendent Lacey, it is Mr. Cahill’s duty to do this as an elected Trustee.
A quote from Superintendent Tammy Lacy:
“Congratulations to Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula school districts for passing their operational levies! Sorry Great Falls…the gap just got wider. By the way, Billings and Butte, the other AA districts, didn’t run levies. That makes us the only losers.”
Secondly, Mr. Cahill must assure parents of children attending school in the District that retribution, no matter how subtle or indirect, against children whose parents hold and voice opinions other than those held by the Board and some District employees will NOT be tolerated. That needs to be heard loud and clear.
“…Mr. Cahill must assure parents of children attending school in the District that retribution, no matter how subtle or indirect, against children whose parents hold and voice opinions other than those held by the Board and some District employees will NOT be tolerated.”
To quote from an anonymous mom whose letter appeared here yesterday, “A Mom’s Letter”:
“Because of the viciousness of this vote, I ask that I remain anonymous, not for myself, but because I fear that my ideals will be used against my child, who is a student in the Great Falls Public School District.”
In my opinion, if these two issues are not addressed soon, the District will have a hard row to hoe for every appeal to increase funding in the future.
Let me echo the sentiments of many of those who have expressed their opinions in comments on this blog and elsewhere: It’s time for the District to provide full honesty and transparency and to be accountable to the citizens of Great Falls.
Editor’s note: Since last Wednesday we have received several letters and other communications from local citizens expressing their disappointment over GFPS Superintendent Tammy Lacey’s comments after the voters voted against the districts requested $1.35M operational levy.
We’re publishing this letter because we feel it is well written and accurately represents the majority of comments, letters and other communications we have received. We are respecting the writers request for anonymity, not something we have made or will make a habit of, because the reasoning is sound and justified in this case, which we have verified.
I have a response to Tammy Lacey’s response to the vote, but wish to remain anonymous due to the heated environment that this vote has created. If you feel that you could use a viewpoint response to E-City Beat. Please let me know, and I would be happy to send it to you.
Thank you.
Superintendent Tammy Lacey, Great Falls Public School Board, Teachers, Administrators and Citizens of Great Falls:
I was astounded by the comments that Superintendent Tammy Lacey made regarding the recent tax levy. I am a property owner in Great Falls, and I have no qualms about saying that I voted ‘no’ on the recent school levy. Yes, I have a child going to school within the district, in the past I had voted ‘yes’ to the previous school levies.
I think that Tammy Lacey fails to really see what is going on in the personal lives and financial means of the bulk of citizens within the district. Every day we must make choices that affect our bank accounts. We have bills to pay and there have been recent property tax increases that were also affected by the increase in property values; in addition to the rise in costs for utilities and basic necessities. Add all this up to the fact that many of us are working good, full time jobs, but ones in which there have been no pay increases.
Right now, I feel blessed to have a good job that is full time, even if I am paying for the bulk of the benefits that are available. Yes, getting people to vote to tax themselves is hard especially when those people do not see raises, cost of living increases, and who must pay the brunt of any increase to their health insurance plans from their own pockets. I feel for the elderly in our community who also must choose between basic needs in order to live their lives such as groceries and medication or to fund the gap in the district’s finances.
I also want to point out that my vote would not have changed had I used a mail-in ballot, walked myself to the voting booth, or had to stand up and express my vote in public. You try to shame us regarding our vote, but it is our vote and our civic and democratic right. Please do not think that we take this lightly.
You should be ashamed of yourself as a voice for our teachers who instruct our children to think critically and for themselves that you would lump all ‘no’ voters into a category of those who “confused…their dislike of government” as a reason for voting against another school levy. Tammy Lacey, you do not know me nor my family, you do not know our struggles, and it is clear that you do not understand the struggles of the community that you plead for funds from.
“You should be ashamed of yourself as a voice for our teachers who instruct our children to think critically and for themselves that you would lump all ‘no’ voters into a category of those who “confused…their dislike of government” as a reason for voting against another school levy. Tammy Lacey, you do not know me nor my family, you do not know our struggles, and it is clear that you do not understand the struggles of the community that you plead for funds from.”
Not only do I work full time, I also go to school full time. I want to one day be able to look at my family’s finances and feel confident that voting yes and raising my property tax will not negatively affect our other needs and obligations as well as our want to support local businesses and charities. Maybe, instead of looking at the failed levy as an “us” against “them” scenario, you should look at it as many in the community also do: we are having to tighten our belts as individuals and as a community we are asking the school and other institutions to do the same thing.
I want to point out that many of the communities that recently saw the successful passing of levies also have seen the benefits of a surge in business and increased populations. While Great Falls has been stagnant in terms of population growth and have seen several business close or will be closing very soon, leading to some in our community to look for employment elsewhere and/or “cut the fat” from their expenses. You may say, but if we have vibrant schools and successful administrators it will encourage this type of growth. We were promised this with past levies and bonds, and yet have seen more businesses closing and dormant economic growth.
You chastise us like children Mrs. Lacey, but you fail to understand that we are adults that must make financial decisions based on income and expenses. We do not take joy in having to vote ‘no’, so now I will chastise you in failing to understand and empathize with the citizens of the district that you serve. A drop in the bucket for some may be a down pour for others.
This vote has made monsters out of all of us, including myself; I am disappointed that so many cannot see both sides of the coin and respectfully agree to disagree. I am also disappointed because I know there are ways to decrease budgets that do not affect our students or place in jeopardy the jobs of our teachers. The School District’s ‘Plan B’ feels more like a ‘we’ll show you all what happens when you don’t side with us’ scenario.
Because of the viciousness of this vote, I ask that I remain anonymous, not for myself, but because I fear that my ideals will be used against my child, who is a student in the Great Falls Public School District.
In the aftermath of the recent school district levy failure, Superintendent Tammy Lacey took to the airwaves and newsprint to give the voters of Great Falls a good rap on the knuckles.
Lacey’s condescending explanation of why the levy failed was way off-base and laid the blame on everything except for hers and the district’s arrogance to think that even after the recent passage of a $98M bond levy there was still some spare change in the local taxpayer’s pockets, that administrator’s salaries weren’t too high and that a number of other mistakes would be forgotten. She was wrong, but now she says the kids will pay the price for lack of funds.
These are her excuses:
1.) “Getting people to vote to tax themselves more is always a hard sell”.
2.) “Having to use a mail-in ballot where it only takes a couple of minutes and a few cents to say NO”.
3.) “And having an opposition group that has their local school district and local educational opportunities “confused” with their dislike of government doesn’t help”.
Superintendent Lacey’s first point is obvious and her second point makes no sense at all. It takes the same amount of time to vote yes as it does to vote no.
And her third point. What opposition group? It looks to us as though the huge no vote was a grassroots movement comprised of individuals who saw through the tired mantra, “It’s for the Kids”. So, is Superintendent Lacey calling an imaginary “opposition group”, a Basket of Confusables? If so, that would be right out of Hillary’s playbook of excuses.
The big question is; did Superintendent Lacey and the school district learn anything from this experience, or will their blinders simply not allow them to see the forest for the trees?
To add insult to injury, Lacey’s congratulatory Tweet to the other AA districts whose levies were passed was a throw-it-in-your-face backhanded insult to the citizens of Great Falls for whom she works. Please spare us your condescension.
“Congratulations to Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula school districts for passing their operational levies! Sorry Great Falls…the gap just got wider. By the way, Billings and Butte, the other AA districts, didn’t run levies. That makes us the only losers.”
“To add insult to injury, Lacey’s congratulatory letter to the other AA districts whose levies were passed was a throw-it-in-your-face backhanded insult to the citizens of Great Falls for whom she works. Please spare us your condescension.”
Here is our basket of some recommendations to bring some resolution to the school district’s misadventure.
Cut all administrative salaries by 20%.
Discontinue the District’s 1% annual annuity contribution to administrators.
Eliminate four of the eight high school associate principals.
Cease purchases of residential properties around Great Falls High for expensive parking lots.
Involve citizens to explore consolidation of elementary schools.
Competitively bid general construction contracts for all district projects.
Implement an annual “Conflict of Interest” form for all district employees.
Eliminate secret professional selection processes.
According to USA Today, February 26, 2018, the cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 is $233,610. You can see the breakdown in the header image for this article.
What does that have to do with the Great Falls School District’s operational levy that will be decided next week? Well, it means that when you take money from families raising children, they have less to spend on the costs of raising their children. Seventeen years equals 204 months, which equates to $1,145 per month to raise a child. Every dollar counts.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON FAMILIES?
If you combine the increase in property tax resulting from the 2016 $98M school bond levy and the currently proposed $1.348M school operational levy for each $300K property, residential or commercial, in the Great Falls School District, it results in an annual increase of approximately $235.62, or about $20 per month. $20 per month invested monthly at about 3.5% would yield close to $4,000 over 17 years, or enough to pay tuition for one semester at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Combined with all the previous levy taxes that go on forever, it could mean that parents may not be able to send a child to summer camp, music camp, history field trips, and enjoy other educational opportunities with their children.
Every year, almost without exception, the Great Falls Public School District comes up short to the tune of about $1.5, give or take.
WHY?
Well, this year it’s for a shortfall in the operating budget, thus it’s an Operational Levy. This levy is needed to pay for increased health insurance premiums, and raises for District employees, and is not directly “for the kids”.
It is worth noting that besides 807 teachers, the District employs 50 administrators. Of that number of administrators, 1 earns more than $150,000, 10 earn more than $100,000, and 20 earn more than $90,000.
“It is worth noting that besides 807 teachers, the District employs 50 administrators. Of that number of administrators, 1 earns more than $150,000, 10 earn more than $100,000, and 20 earn more than $90,000.”
Do we really need that number of administrators and do they need to be paid those salaries?
According to CNSNews.com – “The ranks of non-teachers – such as administrators, counselors, teacher aides and cafeteria workers – has swelled 130 percent since 1970 and they now make up 50 percent of all public school employees according to a new study, The Hidden Half: School Employees Who Don’t Teach.”
Looking at data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found that the growth of non-teaching staff has greatly outpaced student growth over the past four decades.
From 1970 to 2010, the number of students grew by 8.6 percent, while the number of non-teaching personnel increased by 130 percent. Non-teachers now consume over a quarter of all education expenditures, the study found.
In addition, America now spends a greater percentage of its education funding on non-teachers than any other country in the world besides Denmark. A previous study from the Friedman Foundation, The School Staffing Surge, found that “states could have saved more than $24 billion annually if they had increased/decreased the employment of administrators and other non-teaching staff at the same rate as students between 1992 and 2009.”
Finally, it is very important to exercise your right to vote on May 8th, as it is in all elections!
Do you think the Great Falls Public Schools District is bloated? Do you think there are too many highly paid administrators? If you answered yes to these two questions you are probably asking why, how did we get there, and why are they always crying that they need more money?
“Since World War II, inflation adjusted spending per student in American public schools has increased by 663 percent. Where did all of that money go? One place it went was to hire more personnel. During that time, public schools increased their staff by 386 percent-four times the increase in students. ‘The numbers of administrators and other staff increased by over seven times the increase in students.’
“This staffing surge still exists today. From 1992 to 2014…..American public schools saw a 19 percent increase in their student population and a staffing increase of 36 percent.”
It seems that GFPS is keeping up with the National trend.
Things to know before you vote on the GFPS levy:
>>>GF High and CMR High have 4 associate principals each, all making close to $90,000, in addition to two principals making $113,000 and $105,000?
>>>Superintendent Tammy Lacey’s salary is $150K before benefits, which is more than the Governor of Montana, about $35K per year more.
>>>11 administrators have salaries in excess of $100K before benefits.
>>>Without a vote by the taxpayers, the school district recently added $649,441 to our taxes.
>>>The GFPS school district currently is reportedly sitting on $15.4M in reserve funds.
>>>We are already paying for the school district’s $98M bond levy we approved just 7 months ago, 1/3 of which hasn’t shown up on your tax bill yet.
>>>The school district currently owns residential rental property.
>>>The school district has awarded multi-million dollar construction contracts without competitive bidding.
>>>The school district’s $1.348M operational levy is exclusively for contractual obligations, district employee healthcare insurance premium increases and employee raises.
Tax on top of tax? We haven’t been hit with the full intensity of the property taxes incurred with the nearly $100,000.000 school bond passed in 2016 (that’s dollars in millions). Has anything been said as to how many extra millions more in interest we have to pay on that tenth of billion dollar bond?
And GFPS wants us to absorb yet another tax on the $1.3 million levy, and levies never end, plus another interest rate along with it?
Interest rates fluctuate- the stronger the economy- the higher the interest rate.
“Great Falls Public School bemoans lack of funds, yet I find it astonishing there are 31 positions in their district that make over $90,000 yearly; 11 of those earn over $100,000 and Superintendent Lacey earning $150,000.”
Our school teachers need help from time to time to compensate them for the hard work they bring to the table. But I think that their highly paid administrative staff can and should find another way to help compensate the very backbone of their school district.
We have another 20 years of unforeseen events that could increase our taxes again, again and again.
Many Great Falls property owners received their ballots today for the upcoming City Park District and the Great Falls Public School District levies. Following right behind Federal Tax Day and a little more than a month away from Montana Property Tax Day, it seems like every level of government wants more of our money.
Sometimes we get to vote, and sometimes we don’t. You might ask, how does that work? In the case of the school district, the Board of Trustees without a vote of the taxpayers has already decided to levy an additional $649,441 (bet you didn’t know that), and wants another $1,348,000 to pay for operational cost increases. That means we’re all paying for increases in health insurance premiums for district employees including administrators and negotiated raises. But, of course the narrative from the school district is always the same, “it’s for the kids”.
“In the case of the school district, the Board of Trustees without a vote of the taxpayers has already decided to levy an additional $649,441 (bet you didn’t know that), and wants another $1,348,000 to pay for operational cost increases.”
The City wants $12,600,000 for the creation of a citywide Park District to cover deferred maintenance costs of park properties and additional personnel. Keep in mind that a lot of the property owners whose property lies within the existing boulevard district already are assessed added taxes, so they get a double whammy. That should make you feel special. To make the increase in taxes more palatable, the City promises not to levy more than $1.5M per year for the next three years. After that it would only take an affirmative vote by the city commission to increase the annual amount until the whole $12.6 is on the tax rolls.
In addition to the two levy requests, two seats are open on the GFPS Board of Trustees.
As Editor of E-City Beat, I have decided to endorse Barbara Going and Judy Tankinkfor the school board and here’s why:
“As Editor of E-City Beat, I have decided to endorse Barbara Going and Judy Tankink for the school board and here’s why:”
Both Barbara and Judy believe in Term limits for school board trustees. Some existing trustees have served well over 10 years and it’s time for a change. Barbara and Judy are not afraid to speak up and defend traditional values.
I believe both Barbara and Judy are in favor of common sense over Common Core. I also believe that Barbara and Judy are fiscal conservatives and will be good stewards of taxpayer money. Barbara and Judy have an inclusive mindset and will allow varying opinions about the operation of the school district to be heard.
In a phone conversation I had with Brian Patrick, director of financial operations for Great Falls Public Schools, on Wednesday, April 18, he confirmed that we have not yet seen the full impact to our taxes from the 100-million-dollar bond that was recently passed.
“…we have not yet seen the full impact to our taxes from the 100-million-dollar bond that was recently passed.”
Since only two-thirds of the bonds had been sold by the time tax statements went out, we were only assessed that percentage of taxes. We still have another 33% (of the total bond) increase coming on this November’s tax bill as the remainder of the bonds were recently sold.
Thousands of individual homeowners and business people alike were stunned at the level of increase to their property taxes when bills arrived last November.
You ain’t seen nothing yet. There is more pain coming. Another good reason to vote against the school levy on May 8.
Cyndi Baker
We are being asked to approve yet another school levy. I am a business owner. Anyone who knows what hurts businesses the most knows it is taxes. Anyone who owns a business knows this. A business can find investors when they can show there would be a return, making that investment a wise choice. When we are taxed, we are all forced to invest in whatever the requesting party asks, whether or not there is a return.
How can a levy that will pay for raises and health insurance be good for the kids? In business there is a saying called buyer beware. This applies in this case. Will the school pay for our health insurance when we can’t afford it because we were sweet talked into paying someone else’s? I don’t think so.
“Will the school pay for our health insurance when we can’t afford it because we were sweet talked into paying someone else’s? I don’t think so.”
Since this levy goes to property owners, renters beware. Do not think that just because you rent you are immune from this tax. Who do you pay rent to? The property owner, that’s who, so we are all affected. Teachers should be teachers, not tax collectors. Remember the spider and the fly story or the frog in lukewarm water? We are the fly and the frog.
Editor’s Note: As part of our 2018 Election Year coverage we are here presenting more in our candidate profiles series. So far four of the six candidates running for the Great Falls Public Schools Board of Trustees have responded to our request for profiles. They are, in alphabetical order, Barbara Going, Kim Skornogoski, Judy Tankink and Laura Wight. We will publish the other responses as they are submitted.
Barbara Going
Barbara Going
I am Barbara Going, a senior citizen, who desires to serve as a Trustee on the GFPS Board.
I am running for the school board at this time because I believe that it is important for people with traditional values to be willing to speak up, new thoughts and different voices.
Term limits for any decision making body of elected officers is important to help the community’s views be heard. Since there are no incumbents in this election new voices will be added to the board so this is an important election.
My experience includes a double major in Elementary Education and Speech Pathology having used both degrees in several states. For the past seven years I have volunteered to assist in the “reading intervention” class at East Middle School. I am qualified, have a analytical mind, am a good listener and am not afraid to speak.
My husband and I are retired small business owners. We raised four children who graduated from Great Falls High, grandparents of five. I have attended school board meetings, was selected for a citizens district budget committee, have attended community budget meetings and many community meetings on the past bond issues. My experience with groups has been at a national and state level with our business and the women’s group through our church. For the past seven years, I have served on our Neighborhood Council and as a Hospice volunteer.
Would I be the best candidate? I would try to represent the values of the middle class citizens in our city, the concerns of the students, teachers and parents. God asks for our availability, He provides the ability. I would appreciate your support. There will be new voices on the board. It may be the right time to be heard.
Kim Skornogoski
Kim Skornogoski
As the mom of a Sunnyside kindergartner, I am in our schools every day. As a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer, I mentor students in our schools every week. Through my daily job at United Way of Cascade County, I work with school employees to advance critical Graduation Matters goals that touch students at every age.
I’m a fifth-generation Montanan, who has lived in Great Falls for 20 years. My 14 years as a Great Falls Tribune reporter taught me to ask questions and to listen – two skills that have served me well in my initial months on the school board.
For example, when it was time to consider a school levy, I listened to concerns about school spending and asked questions. I reached out to the Office of Public Instruction’s data office to get per student spending numbers for every school in the state.
I learned that Great Falls not only spends less than all other AA schools, but we are in the bottom 10 percent of all schools when we look at our total budget compared to the number of students we serve. Great Falls spends about $2,000 less per student than the state average and as much as $4,130 less than other AA schools.
Yet our kids must compete against those other Montana students for jobs and scholarships. And I hear often from local business owners who are frustrated trying to find quality employees. The answer is to invest smartly in education. Our schools have terrific technical programs and allow students to graduate with specialized diplomas that reflect the skills and knowledge they developed in welding, construction and other trades.
I applied for an open seat on the school board, and I’m running to retain that seat because I want our community to be a better place. I want to see Great Falls grow and move forward. When we invest in education, we are building a better workforce, we are arming future business leaders with the skills they need to succeed.
Most importantly, my involvement for the last six years with the Graduation Matters initiative has given me the opportunity to listen to students who have barriers in their lives that are hard to imagine. I hope to advocate not just for my daughter but for every student.
Judy Tankink
Judy Tankink
I was born and raised in Great Falls and attended GFPS. In 2013, I retired from an engineering firm as a secretary. For approximately 17 years, I worked as a secretary for Great Falls Public Schools in several departments: Accounts Payable, Title 1 Reading Center, Mountain View Elementary, Data Processing, and Human Resources receiving numerous promotions and “Good Apple” awards during my tenure at GFPS. This background has enabled me to be aware of what we can do to continue to provide a great learning experience for our children while being fiscally responsible to the taxpayers.
GFPS needs diversity of thought. I bring a unique background and set of experiences which will result in a diversity of thought that GFPS School Board is currently lacking. As a fiscal conservative, I will work with the board to make the best decisions for our children and for the community. I will fulfill that responsibility with fidelity. A trustee’s greatest concern must be the educational welfare and safety of the students attending GFPS.
School Board Term Limits: I believe there should be term limits for school board members.
Live-Stream and Archive School Board Meetings: Not everyone can attend a school board meeting, but that doesn’t mean that that people aren’t interested or concerned about what’s going on at GFPS. It’s time that GFPS provided this opportunity for working parents and taxpayers.
School Bond/School Levy:The result is more taxes! Taxpayers approved almost $99 Million Bond in 2016. According to GFPS, “The increase in taxes for the entire $98,858,785 proposed bond levy on a $100,000 “market valued” home is estimated at approximately $68.74/year or $5.73/month for 20 years.”
The language on the ballot for the current levy request states, “Passage of this levy will increase your taxes on a home of $100,000 by approximately $13.28.” It’s important to remember that levies never expire. They will always be on your taxes.
I believe in Zero-based budgeting. Zero-base budgeting (ZBB) is a budgeting process that asks departments to build a budget from the ground up, starting from zero. It is a decision-making process based on imagining yourself back at the point before particular decisions were made, and free to make those decisions with the knowledge that you now have. School Board members are not elected to be rubber stampers for the administration!
Common Core Testing: The Common Core State Standards have led to an increased emphasis on standardized test performance while de-emphasizing good teaching. Parents should be notified that they have the right to opt their children out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing that reflects the Common Core standards. Furthermore, parents should not be bullied or demonized if they make that choice for their children.
Laura Wight
Laura Wight
Thank you to E-City Beat for your interest in and coverage of the School Board Trustee elections in Great Falls. I am running for School Board Trustee to have the opportunity to use my professional expertise and personal experience to represent the ‘public good’ and the multiple constituent groups in our community through service to public education. I do not approach the School Board Trustee candidacy with a set individual agenda.
I am the best candidate for the three-year seat for several reasons. I am a Montana native and lifetime public educator. I have taught for 17 years at the college level in various capacities. I currently work as the Director of Library Services at Great Falls College MSU and also teach the Introduction to Education course (preparing future teachers) as an adjunct faculty member. I am knowledgeable in Federal education policy, Montana state curriculum standards and local GFPS District policy. Throughout my career, I have nurtured a lifetime passion for public education. The purpose of public education is to provide universal access to free education. Public education should ‘level the playing field’ and guarantee equal opportunities for all children. It should prepare our future citizens academically for college or to enter the workforce. Through public education we are preparing children to be economically self-sufficient critical thinkers and to participate effectively as citizens in a democratic society.
I also feel I am the best candidate because I am a parent and community advocate. I am a product of public education and have four children in public elementary, middle and high schools in Great Falls. Over the years, I have gained a wealth of experience talking and collaborating with teachers, advocating for my children in the schools and working to bring awareness to the community on the benefits of public education. My husband and I are proud to call Great Falls home and are active advocates for the city on multiple fronts. I have also served as a parent officer on the Lincoln Elementary PTA for the last four years.
Lastly, I feel I am the best candidate because I believe the role of the local school board is to provide leadership in working with the community to craft a shared mission and vision for its schools that reflects the whole community. The school board has a responsibility to keep a finger on the pulse of education needs in the community as it evolves. This is done through consistent communication, active listening, participation in activities and events and maintaining a mutual respect with students, families, employees and all members of the community. Good public education is a collaborative between teachers, parents, administrators and taxpayers. GFPS District facilities, resources and employees are public assets and the Board must be a responsible steward of public resources. School Board members should be visible and involved in community events, attend school activities and functions and advocate for the public schools.
