001Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Great Falls Public Schools Board of Trustees meeting of October 27, 2025. And um it's so great to see all of you here this evening and we're looking forward to Character Strong. It's going to be a great meeting. Thank you so much each and every one of you for being here. I I remind you that this meeting is being recorded and will be uploaded onto our website at some point in the future. So with that being said, Mr. Decon, would you please administer the roll call? >> Yes. Gordon Johnson >> here. >> Kim Skornagowski >> here. >> Bill Bronson >> here. >> Craig Duff >> here. >> Marley Sunchild. >> Amy Thompson >> here. >> And Paige Terasi >> here. >> You have a full board with
002which to work tonight. >> Thank you, Mr. D. guns and uh Mr. Cubbage, would you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance to my flag of the United States of America to the stands and justice for all. >> Thank you, Mr. Cage. And thank you all. Before we uh adopt our agenda, it's come to my attention that there's several birthdays in the room, including mine, which was this past Saturday, but one that's quite significant and actually is acknowledging the glue that holds this whole organization together, and that's Sherry Clark. So, with that being said, here we go. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Sherry. Happy birthday to you and many more. >> Now, meanwhile, back at our meeting, let's tend to item four on our agenda. >> Mr. Chair
003>> trustee Scoragowski. >> I move we adopt the agenda as presented. Second >> been moved and seconded to adopt the My work. I used up all my diction on singing. Been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda. Um any commentary or questions from our trustees from our gallery here tonight? Hearing seeing none. I'll call for the question. And all those in favor of adopting the agenda, please signify by saying I. I. >> Oppose. Same sign. We have adopted our agenda. We're going to move on to Roman five, and that is approval of the consent agenda. Mr. Chairman, Trusty Bronson, I move that we approve the consent agenda as submitted with the exception of a minor spelling correction in item A, page 11, line 41 of the minutes. And that's that correction's been provided to staff.
004>> Second. been moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda with the one edict, one correction. Oh boy. >> Yeah, I'll get it passed now. >> Um, any questions or commentary from our board of trustees? >> Mr. Chair, >> I have a comment. Um, I just want to shout out Miss Berlay, the music teacher, who's getting a good Apple award. She is so incredibly deserving of it and our students are so lucky to have such a great music teacher. She's very good at making things age appropriate from kindergarten all the way up to sixth grade and keeps the kids engaged and active in class and she just does a great job. >> I love it. Thank you for sharing that. >> Any other commentary from our trustees? Any commentary from our gallery here with us
005this evening? Hearing and seeing none, I'll call for the question. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda, please signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Same sign. We have approved the consent agenda. Item six, communication a character strong, Giant Springs Elementary School. Mrs. Manewar, >> Mr. Chair and trustees be while Mrs. Maywiring is heading up to the lecture and I just want to draw everyone's attention to the beautiful character strong board behind you. So, this is an addition. We had some artwork that was removed. If if those of you who have visited us, there used to be a quilt that hung there as a piece of artwork that's been taken down and returned to East Middle School. So, a very special thanks to Mr. Cornick and Lynx Graphics at Paris Gibson Education Center
006for putting this together for us. And we get to kick off tonight with Giant Springs. So, Mrs. Mainly, >> good evening, Chairman Johnson, members of the board, Superintendent Hoyer, members of the community. It's nice to see a full house tonight. Uh we are excited to uh I'm excited to introduce Giant Springs Elementary and they're going to present their character strong. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All righty. To begin with, we are going to take our our circle that says Giant Springs, and Bennett Swinson is going to go ahead and hang that up under responsibility because we are focused on responsibility today. So, I have I'm Carla Miller, the principal at Giant Springs. This is my third year at Giant Springs. I started my career over 22 years ago here in uh Great Falls at
007West Elementary School. So, happy to be back. And let me introduce the rest of our sixth graders. We have Liam McCullum. Here's Liam. And then we have Nova M Nova Mickelson. Mickelson, sorry. And we have Piper Kurt and Bennett Swinson. Um, so a little bit about Giant Springs. We have 51 staff members at Giant Springs. We have 371 students. At one time we were as high as 430. And so we're down to 371. We opened up Giant Springs in 2018. So we are in our eighth year. It's a beautiful, wonderful building. One of the most recent construction or um facilities project was finishing fencing it in. So we're fully fenced in our uh playground, which is we truly appreciate. And we're going to go ahead and start this off. These four students, they're amazing. And
008in a little bit later, I'll explain why I selected them, but they're gonna do an amazing job, even though they're a little nervous. All right, >> ready? Okay, Piper. >> Uh, our three universals are respectful, responsible, and safe. And we follow these universals by cleaning up after ourselves, helping others, and not throwing things. Strong character tickets are tickets for kids any age of any grades for being respectful, responsible, and safe. And we when you get these tickets, we have an 100 chart. >> And when you fill up the hund chart, each student that has helped to fill up the 100 charts gets a prize like gummy bears or other sweet treats. Sometimes the students even win hat day or PJ day. Giant Springs has a team of sixth graders called the leadership team ran by
009Mrs. Walker, our counselor. Our leadership team is an amazing group in our school and helps kids all the times with things like problems, arguments, and even small things like decisions. They also help adults all the time, like helping Mrs. Walker with tasks around the school. The leadership team also helps around the school by decorating for events such as Red Ribbon Week, the food drive, candle light lunch, etc. You can get in by being a sixth grader, doing the universals, and writing an application. >> We have a student of the month assembly each month about being a good trait, like responsibility or creativity or even kindness. For each grade, there's a winner for being the month's trait. If you win, you get a giant spring sign to hang up on your porch, window, or yard to
010represent your school. Red Ribbon Week has events that occur throughout the week. Monday is pajama day. Tuesday is crazy hair/ hats. Wednesday is wacky Wednesday. Thursday is costume day. And Friday has no school because of Halloween. Red Week is a whole week committed to stopping drugs and making the people in our world a little bit better. And so I wanted to speak about these four students and why they stood out and why they represent responsibility because this month is focus our character trait is responsibility. So these four students there was one day where a lot had happened in the cafeteria and I asked these four to stay behind and help clean up some of it. And um after that day they came and asked if they could continue helping clean um the cafeteria after lunch.
011that's part of their recess because they go straight out to recess. So, these students have definitely stepped up as far as helping out with that responsibility. Also stepped up during lunchtime being great representatives, showing what it's like to be responsible and while we're eating lunch. All right. Ready, Piper? >> Yeah. Okay. What responsibility means to me? Doing the right thing even if no one's watching. Home responsible at home is uh uh feeding my dog. How responsible at school is listening to my teachers. >> What responsibility means to me is when you're told what you do what you're told to do and do daily tasks without reminders. One way I'm responsible inside my home is feeding my pets and cleaning the cat's litter box and my room. One way I could be responsible at school is
012cleaning messes I didn't make and turn in my work when it's due. What responsibility means to me? For responsibility, I believe it is doing the right thing even if you won't get a reward. I'm responsible at home by doing my chores and taking care of my hamster. I'm responsible at school by being respectful, responsible, and safe. Responsibility to me means taking action for what you do. So, an example of being responsible at home for me would be taking care of my cat and listening to family and attempting to remember what I have to do. Responsibility at school for me would be standing up for people and knowing when I'm wrong. And we start every single morning by singing our chant, the fur giant springs. And we're going to go ahead and sing that chant. They've
013done an awesome job. And so, come on up. And so every morning we sing this over announcements. Scoot up close to the microphone. Here we go. We are the people. So we tell them we are brave and we are respectfully persistent accepting. You always know when a bear is near. B E A R S. Go Bears. >> All right. >> Thank you so much for having us here and letting us come. >> Thank you. >> Come and present. They did a great job. And we'll give them another round of applause. Well, that was absolutely delightful to learn about what's happening at Giant Springs, and I want you to know how powerful your message is to us today. This whole room of people have heard what's important to you in terms of building character and you've
014inspired us to absorb those characters and we're going to exhibit those throughout the week and for as long as we can remember. So, thank you for sharing that message with us. And we'll move on now to communication B, the superintendent report. Well, thank you very much, um, Mr. Chair, members of the board, members of our community. I don't know how I'm going to follow that. >> Um, fantastic job, you guys. You made it look so easy. I've taken all these years to practice and polish. So, um, just just in case any of them need or their families need to get anywhere, I will not feel bad if you get up and sneak out. So, that's okay with me. Just letting you know that. All right. To kick off my presentation this evening, we are going
015to be celebrating some of our community members. Um, a big thank you to our staff and to our community. So, Torerson's did their annual pumpkin giveaway. So, if you ever want to see excited kids, take a look at the 642 pumpkins, the smiling faces, which I'm sure have been in turned into jaked faces with lots of teeth um when they did the pumpkin giveaway. And so, lots and lots of smiles. Big thank you to Torerson's for giving every child um I believe it was first grade, is that right? I see our executive directors, first grade that got those. Um, and the bus company I know we worked with in advance because if you have 642 pumpkins, you inevitably have 642 pumpkins rolling um down the bus aisles as they accidentally um lose track of where
016their pumpkin is. So, um there was that to kick off this uh holiday week of Halloween. And then at restart um the students did um haunted houses. So, they're gingerbread houses that they turn into haunted houses. I'm talking to Mr. Reeves over there at Restart. The number of students who never had an opportunity to build a regular gingerbread house, let alone a haunted house. So, they took some time um did some crafts, build their haunted houses, and they all had a lot of fun. Um it was really cool to see the engagement of the students. So, some questions have come forward about the impact of federal aid and or the impact of the federal uh shutdown and direct aid to the district. So, I worked with Mr. Boyd. Mr. Boyd, thank you wherever you're at
017back there um for giving us this information. So, direct aid to the district. Federal grants have been submitted. He read the tea leaves, so he likes to say or saw the writing on the wall and he got things done in advance and muddy requested. So, federal grants for Title One, Title 1D, Title 4, Mckin Vento, who we're going to hear from in just a little while. Um, Perkins and Special Education, that money is a pass through the state. Um, and that money is already in. We can access that money and those for this budgeted year, that money has been guaranteed at the state level. Indian education is a little different. It's the only grant where we receive money directly from the Department of Education. So there's no pass through the state um for this money.
018Um it was encumbered for the start of the year and has already we've already received a cash payment on it. We are funded through November 1st. We can still submit cash requests but submit or submitts that normally or requests that normally would take I would say maybe five minutes if that's generous. Correct. Mr. void. He'd hit request by the time he walked to the other end of the building to put the little form on his um administrative assistance desk back there who helps run all the federal programs. The money would already be received on this side of the building electronically. It's not happening that quickly. Takes um in some cases much much longer for that turnaround. So, we can still submit it. It's just delayed. Um and we're we will see where we're at um
019after November 1. If not, this is a reason that we have reserves as we can go ahead then and continue to fund this program moving forward until that money comes back into our accounts again and offsets it. Another question um has come about with the lodge thefts that we've had. But before we talk about the lodge thefts, I wanted to show you these two pictures that Dugan sent to me. Um, and Dugan, as Dugan can only get very Dugan excited, um, this beautiful lodge, it's a double lodge that he had, and he had all of those students inside that lodge at the college to do some of his indigenous education lessons. So, you'll see two different groups. I believe these are fifth graders. Um, and it's this absolutely beautiful lodge. It was transferred to him.
020it was um given to him and he will continue to use it and then lend it to our department for our students um to continue their education for indigenous education. So he was very very excited and he's very very proud um to be that lodge keeper. As far as the thefts go, the police department um provided an update to me. They do have valid suspects thanks to our community tips and they're continuing to work on the case. Um, as with many cases, I think they're finding a few more layers than what they expected when they first started. So, they are working on it as we speak. This evening, we do have a couple of groups that we have come to ask um or we've asked have them come and update us. And one of them
021is Starbase, who I don't believe we've heard from before. Um, Starbase is this wonderful program that focuses on STEM education. And as we prepare for National STEM Day, which is November 8th, we thought it would be a great idea to have them come on up and share a little bit about their program um and what we do for all of our students at Starbase. Then we're going to hear from our McKini Dental Group. Thank you. >> Thank you. Before we move on, do any of our trustees have questions for our Starbase professionals? >> You almost made a clean getaway. >> Any questions? >> Uh, well, I guess a question and a comment. Um my question is um obviously how does cuts at the federal level impact your program and and for that matter they're shut
022down. I don't know. Okay. >> And another question. Yeah. >> Yeah. I I guess just to add a comment, anyone who's had a fifth grader knows the impact of this program and knows um you know how popular it is and how how much how excited kids get um to participate. So when you show these numbers of 90% and 32% that's no no surprise to us parents. Um and then the other thing I would just mention is that um you know when the school district had to make cuts in the past um you know one of the things that we cut was hands-on STEM education. And so we've really had to, you know, shift a lot of that burden to provide that hands-on experience to the Starbase program. Um, so it's really an important program for
023students in our community. So, thank you for all that you do. Um, we appreciate you. >> Any other comments? Yes, Thompson. Um, I just want to shout out to um you and all of your staff. My daughter's in between um graduating from college and going to the Peace Corps. So, she's substitute teaching and she got to spend an entire week with you a few weeks ago. And um she had gone through Starbase several years ago. Um and she said it was awesome to be able to go through it again at 22. So, thank you. Um it was really great to hear um her stories every day when she came home. >> Thank you. Any additional comments or questions? If not, thank you and thank your teachers. Thank you so much for what you do. >>
024Now you're free to go. uh my updates at the board meetings with data for the day. And I decided versus me talking about our homeless students, who better than to invites to our board meeting, but the professionals who work day in and day out with our students and their families. Um this is the same definition that I had up there from the last board meeting. Um but I know that Mrs. Booker um will go over this more in depth and Tony. So, I'm going to invite you guys up to share their data for the day as I wrap up my presentation. >> Welcome. [Laughter] Um, What kind of That's great. such important work. Thank you. Any questions? >> Yes. There's no way. Any [Laughter] other question? Yes, trustees. >> Uh, I guess just a a
025quick comment. Um, if you look at the national numbers for graduation rates for homeless students, it's it's closer to 50%. So to be anywhere in this range is amazing, like beyond amazing. Um, and truly 100% is higher than the average for our district. um you know so so truly truly amazing work and I think it's also important to point out that um kind of all these kids that you're describing they not not all of them fit into the definition of homeless that the rescue mission follows or that other federal agencies follow. So, you're providing resources that many other programs in our community can't. And when you're describing these students, I don't think there's anyone in this room that would suggest that they don't need the extra resources in order to become successful, stable adults. So,
026thank you so much for your work and what you do. And really there's no words that that we can can share or express to capture the impact of of what you do. So thank you. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Any other questions, commentary? Thank you so much for the good work that you do for all those that you serve. Thank you so much. SO much better from them than from me. So, thank you guys both. And with that, Mr. Chair, um I wrap up my report for this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I've received no requests to speak before this board of trustees this evening. So, that's going to have us move on to Roman 7 action items. Action item A 2627 budget development process. Mr. Decon. >> Thank you, Chairman Johnson, members of
027the board, and members of the audience. Uh, just to let you know, I'm here tonight to talk to you a little bit about our budget committee. Um, each year we put forth a plan of action. I want to first say thank you to P trustee Terraski as accepting that chair position of that committee as well as Bill Bronson and um Kim Scornoski being on that committee as well. We had a chance to meet last week to give the budget committee an update on where our enrollment is. There's nothing that's really changed with our enrollment. The trajectory that we've been on for several years is in that same path of steady decline across our district. So, we talked a little bit about um those pieces and what will end up happening um as we move forward.
028As my predecessor would always say, this is that really dark glass piece that you're looking through. It's not very clear for the full funding picture right now because it's just the first count. We need to wait till we get to February as well, but we also know historically what our counts look like in February and they do continue to usually go down for the most part, especially at the high school level. So, couple things that we did talk about at our particular meeting. We talked about that enrollment, but the other pieces that came up, we talked about the stars act as well, just to let you all know. Um, and the FTE process that we collect uh funding on now this last round of budget. We did have about an additional $4 million of budget
029that did come in, but that did have to be tied to salaries. So when you tie that money to salaries in one year, that money is already tied the next year. And with the inflationary increase that's coming for the 27 fiscal year 27, it's only 3%. Um, and we do have a 4% increase going to most of our groups. So that will be a concern that we'll have to address along the way. So with that, we did set um the stage for having a few extra meetings throughout the year this year compared to the last couple years as we no longer have the funds and so forth. Um so we're looking at our next upcoming meeting will be December 2nd. Um times to be announced still February 17th and then a community town hall meeting
030on March 5th. um followed by board budget committee meeting that makes a recommendation to the entire board of what we would want to do at that point in time. Of course, we do um should we need other meetings, we would be identifying them appropriately and letting you know along the way and making sure that they are posted. So with that, um if you have any questions or or sorry, I should make the recommendation first. Uh the district board is requested to adopt the 2627 budget development process as presented. >> Mr. Chair, >> Trusty Traski, >> I move that we adopt the 2026 2027 budget development process as presented. >> Second. >> Been moved and seconded to adopt the 2627 budget development process as presented. Any questions or commentary from a board of trustees? Any questions
031or commentary from our gallery hearing? Seeing none, I'll call for the question. All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Deacons. >> Thank you. >> We'll move on to Roman 8 other. Nothing was pulled from the consent agenda, which will have us move on to Roman nine, reports, discussion, and policies. A review of buildings and grounds 2025 summer projects. Mr. Deacons, >> Chairman Johnson, members of the board, and members of the community. We do have Mr. Brent Cutley, our facilities manager, our supervisor, and Jack Norris here tonight to present our summer projects and what's been going on out there. They've been extremely busy. just to give you a brief update. We've already completed nine of 22 walkthroughs this year with the
032buildings. Um they'll talk a lot about the things that they're working on. But obviously, one of the things that always comes up for us is the safety and the need for changes within the buildings. Those are being um discussed. So, as we speak, they can start planning for next year's uh plan to attack the the buildings in that summertime when nobody else is there. So with that, I'll turn it over to them and let them Welcome gentlemen. There's our Terrible. Wow. Are you ground. I'm exhausted just hearing about all of it. Incredible work. Any questions for these gentlemen? Trusty Traski. >> More of a couple comments. I just want to thank you guys. There's so much work that you guys do and I know that's just that's a very brief overview of how much work
033actually went into it and it keeps our schools running and it keeps our buildings functional for our kids to learn in and so thank you guys so much for what you do. Thank you for the work at Valley View. was there and there's a big old hole in the parking lot and a big hole outside the parking lot and it was so much work but we're so thankful for it and we didn't even have to have portaotties brought over which was a big stress off of everyone because that was that was kind of thrown around as a possibility and it was able to be avoided. So we just really thank you guys for all that you do. >> Anyone else? So, Trusty Bronson and I were at a naming ceremony for the library at Sunnyside
034this past week, and it's a beautiful project to begin with, but they're so proud of that dimmable lighting. They just love that. Yeah. And, you know, I think one of the proudest things um for me serving as a trustee for the school district is you go to any one of these 33 buildings that you're describing and they're so wellmaintained. And it's these buildings are so old to begin with and yet you walk in and everything's ship shaped and clean and it's all on you guys and your crew and thank you so much. Just can't even begin to express how much we appreciate what it is you do. So thank you. Roman 9B technology 2025 summer work report. Mr. Williams All right. 2025 summer technology department work report. Go ahead and flip it, Sherry. Each summer,
035the GFPS technology department divisions attend to critical repair, refresh, and maintenance duties throughout the district. Each division has specific areas of responsibility that combined are aimed at the successful opening of the schools and the return of staff to the school year. This work officially starts at the end of the previous school year, continuing all summer and into the start of the next school year itself. But to be honest, the planning and coordinating of all this work starts well before the end of school. Most of the technology department's efforts are behind the scenes, hidden from the district staff for the most part, but results of this work are undoubtedly felt districtwide. This year, I wanted to make sure every effort to I wanted to make every effort to reveal all the work that each division does
036for us. Some of it which may not have been always noted. So, here we go. Next slide. The field technicians. The field technicians are responsible for the more visible technology in schools. staff laptops, student Chromebooks, classroom Prometheian interactive screens, projectors, and wireless access points throughout the district. Installation of door and camera security systems, and the network closets in the schools all fall into the responsibilities of field techs. Basically, if the technology technology is in the schools, it plugs in or turns on, they own it. Over the next over the past summer rather, these 11 individuals completely removed and replaced the network closets MDFs and seven schools. This work took the entire month of June starting right after school or staff left the summer. To complete all the MDFs, they split up into teams and took
037on multiple schools each week. On one week, they finished three of these installations at the same time. The photos following give a better understanding of what they accomplished and what than I can explain here. This work comp completed a multi-year project to update all the schools network closets in the district. There are some slides here. This will be Louiswis and Clark before and after. Chief Joseph again before and after Lincoln Elementary with Lincoln. We actually had to work with Brent's guys because that area where this is at is where the new fire alarm system went. Riverview Elementary, Sack Jia, West Elementary. If you take a close look, you'll see somebody got photobombed. >> Thanks, Lane. Here's Whittier. Now, I want you to take a quick look at this. Whittier was a little bit special. With
038Whittier, the existing MDF closet was on a wall inside of one of the rooms with a sink underneath it. they had to remove it from there, move it around to the back, and then put the other uh closet in. So, that took a lot more work. That's basically what it looks like when you tear one of these things apart. Uh yeah, it can cause you nightmares if you lose track of which wire is which. And there's what you're after it's done. All right. During the month of July and part of August, the field techs were dedicated to the cleaning and repair of the Chromebooks throughout the district. The district at the beginning of 2425 school year had in inventory 11,470 Chromebooks. Doing the math, each of the texts would have to need to cycle through
039nearly a thousand Chromebooks each to accomplish this. All middle and high school Chromebooks were cleaned by hand and evaluated for damage. All elementary Chromebooks were located and repairs made per staff request. Added to the physical work in the district on the district Chromebooks, the texts were also assisted to the data center in initiating the device manager program in Power School that will eventually track all technology in a district. The system was used to hand out the Chromebooks at the high schools and middle schools in September and will be used when these Chromebooks are turned back in at the end of the year. As August began, the Chromebook duties continued as well as preparing classrooms of each school for the returning staff. All 23 schools were visited by the teams where they were verified that the
040technology in every classroom was ready for the teachers to come back to work. I won't even try to give the number of classrooms in the district. Okay. But it is safe to say the texts were moving fast and low to get them all visited as well as complete the elementary Chromebooks by the end of August. The data center There we go. The technology department. The data center is probably the one whose members are not as readily known by many in the district. They don't go out to the schools much, if at all. And the staff interact with the data center either by phone or by email the majority of the time. So, their names are known rather well, but not their faces. Known or unknown, the data center staff summer was full swing from well
041into the spring as projects were being set up, planned, and timelines set for the completion all summer long. Next slide. Such projects as time clock plus implementation and move the district from the previous paper time cards we all love so well. the installation of the new firewall to upgrade to district cyber security capabilities. The shift to a single sign on SSO application, Clever, that now houses a majority of the applications staff and students use on a daily basis, allowing them to be used without continually signing in for each application. the installation of a new messaging application, Parent Square, that provides all critical notifications to staff, students, and parents in the district, as well as providing daily communications between staff and parents and also the previously mentioned device manager application. All were products of the data
042center over the summer months. Next slide, Sherry. All these be more than enough to keep us busy, but we were not satisfied with just these projects. Nope. We also had to do the normal stuff that prepares the district for the new school year like several server upgrades, high visions and power school upgrades, new staff and student accounts, ordering technology supplies for the schools and keeping them up, keeping up with the requests the district office would have of us. And believe me, there were a lot of them all over procedures and processes that go on each summer to enable the district to function. All of these were accomplished by nine extremely talented individuals who continue to move mountains nearly every week, especially this month as they keep calling it count day, but I'm going to start
043calling it certification month >> because that's exactly what it has been, 30 days of getting certifications done. The technology coaches, Charlene Evans and Amanda Cahoot are probably the most recognized of the technology department. These two ladies are not only responsible for maintaining the agreements with the 200 odd web applications that provide the teaching staff and students with educational resources, but they also are tasked with providing one-on-one ondemand technology training to the district staff. Even with these two coaches to 945 staff ratios, both Charlene and Amanda make a significant impact. I will be honest that trying to keep up with them is something I don't even want to try to do. and missing a meeting with them on set up on their schedule is tanalo to a stern gaze and a firm scolding. I'm being serious.
044I personally know someone who has had that receiving end of those a couple times this summer. As usual, Charlene and Amanda spearheaded the professional development training for the new and current staff. They also created training for parent square that was distributed and given to all the district staff. The fact that both Charlene and Amanda are on teaching contracts, giving them time off during the summer months, makes the effort and work they provide all the more amazing in such a short time span. While the data set implements and the field texts installed, the coaches who pro it's the coaches who provide the district with the skills to use all this technology. As I write this, I'm trying to think the best example I can of how all these people come together. The best I can come
045up with is car racing. The field techs are the pick crew. The data center are the mechanics that set up the car. The coaches are the crew chiefs. The staff, they're the drivers. Accumulation of all these various skills, roles, and effort is a winning race for the district. Okay, this is going to get personal. My role, you ask? Officially, I guess I would be the team manager of the racing team. I oversee the work, assist with the planning. I provide the late night meals when staff stay late and push through a deadline. send all district-wide notifications as everyone here has saw and heard so many different times and generally try to stay out of the way especially of the coaches. All in all, the most important role I have is to make sure these people
046are recognized for the instrumental work they do every day as well as the yearly report on summer months. This concludes my report. Next slide. Oh, he already hit the last little bit. There we go. >> There we go. Very good. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Any questions for Mr. Williams? I did not recognize Chairman Johnson, Superintendent Hoyer, and the community. I do apologize. >> No worries. Any questions? Remarkable what you guys do. Thank you so much. >> Those guys do a lot. >> Great team, great leadership. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you all. >> All right. Roman nine item C first reading of links graphics KUD's Jackie Mainwearing. >> Hello again, Chairman Johnson, members of the board, Superintendent Hoyer. I get the honor of uh introducing Becky Frisbee to do a first read on
047a couple different KUDs that we are ready to adopt. Good evening, Chairman Johnson, Superintendent Hoyer, Trustees, community. What's left? >> By the time I get up, there's never anybody here. >> Don't take it personally. >> Today, I want to talk to you about Lynx graphics. We've already talked a little bit about them. That's their work behind you. It's a really small part of our district, but they kind of belong to two areas. They're under industrial tech, but they're also under business. So, those two areas had to finish their KUDs last year before I was ready to sit down with the links graphics department. That'd be Vince and talk about what he wanted in updating his KODS. The KODs are posted on our website. If you go to the curriculum page, they're there for for people
048to look at. They just update the technology. They bring it in line to the other two groups and mostly realign to the changes that happen little by little every year in a program with something that's technology based. Um they're there for people to look at and my recommendation is to check them out and I'll be back for a vote in two weeks. Okay, any questions hearing? None. Thank you very much for your report. >> I won't go very far. >> Okay. Okay. Reports, discussion, and policies. Item at D, first reading of family and consumer science resources. Mrs. Maidw wearing, come on up and make the Okay, come on. Thank you >> again. Becky Frisbee to talk about family consumer science. >> Hello again. >> So in the spring we finished the family and consumer science
049KDs and next step is always they write their implementation guide. they're going to they updated um all of their assessments and then the next step is to bring their books into alignment. So maybe they never had a book, maybe um the book is outdated, out of print. So they have chosen a few titles to bring into um their classrooms. The first one is Apparel, Fashion, Design, and Construction by Shaw Little and Samuels. The next one is the culinary professional by Drazz and Ki. The third is housing and interior design by Lewis and Smith. And the last is guide to good food by large and events. These books will support them in the classroom. Provide um anything from um everyday instruction to instruction as needed as they're working through the one that they're most excited about.
050It was funny. I love seeing teachers get excited about new materials. It was a toss-up between the culinary professional, which will be used in those higher level um catering courses, and the guide to good food. The book they currently have has the food pyramid in it, and that's a few iterations of good eating back. So, they were really excited about those two. Um these will be split between all three high schools with a classroom set at Griffith's High and CMR amounting to 30 books and the classroom set at um Paris being 10. Those books are going to be paid for between um the curriculum budget and the state VOED and general budget that belongs to the executive directors. The totals for those are on your page. um it coming to $36,983.14 to provide all four
051of those textbooks in the classrooms. You've seen I've come to you many times. This is a bargain. Um I'm usually bringing you much bigger numbers. Um so it's um it's something that is an easy step that we can do at this point to bring continue to bring our CTE back up to date. Those books are available in my office to be viewed by community and um teachers. They all actually because this is such a small group, every single teacher in FCS was part of the committee that helped choose them. So, usually when I'm saying, "Hey, for those of you that weren't on the committee, come look at the books that your committee chose." They all work together and this is what they um have chosen. So, they've looked at them, but they're open for other
052teachers to look at community. All of you are welcome down to my office to look through those books and then we'll come back in two weeks and we'll vote on those. >> So, you'll be coming back for ratification uh for purchase. >> Yes. >> These books next meeting or Okay. Thank you very much. Any questions for Mrs. Frisbee? >> No. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Have a good evening. Thank you. And you as well. Reports, discussion, and policies. E. First reading and revised policies 2150 20 34 2450 2600 5124. Mrs. Hoyer. >> Thank you, Chairman Johnson, members of the board and members of our community. You have in front of you five policies that reflect language changes as recommended by the school boards association as well as the policy committee and a very
053special thank you to that policy committee that is led uh by Ally and she keeps us all organized and moving forward on that. Um I will go over the changes that you will see. We'll start with 2150. This amends MCA 20-7-1310 per the legislative change. You'll notice on page 37 of your um booklets, lines 12 and 13, it changes it from one hour of youth suicide um that we have to do it every 3 years versus every 5 years. Um more reflection of legislative changes uh lines 15 through 18. And we'll get specific data on this, by the way, of our suicide awareness, our screening from Andrea Savage when we do the healthy, safe, and secure schools work session um coming up here shortly. The next one that I want to review with you is
0542334. This reflects once again um new legislative um laws that were passed last session. You'll notice that we struck lines 7 through 11 and we replaced them with the wording from MTSBA in lines 13 through 18. And this deals with release time for religious instruction. 2450 is once again um instruction related. It is recognition of Native American cultural heritage. It is lines 18 through 19 are the important ones. This is updated language per law. An excellent example of this is the work that Dugan is doing right now working on indigenous languages with the black feet little shell and chippree and you'll hear more of that when Dugan gives his annual report as well. But this brings this policy into alignment with the new law policy 2600 once again instruction related um work experience and internship
055program. This is from Senator Ed Buty's um legislative work that he did. It is updated language per that work and it meets the needs of child in congregate care as well as education settings. We already do this via transformational learning. So these opportunities have always been available to our students in Great Falls. This just memorializes it and captures the intent of that law within all of that. And that is on page 43 lines 1 through 27. Policy 5124 is a personnel policy. Once again, updated language. I believe this is from Melissa Nicola Cauus' work that she did in the legislative session. Um, you'll see on page 46, lines 7 and 8 as well as 12 through 14. um to speak to when retired teachers can come back and be employed substitutes um as well as
056licensed teachers who are temporarily or covering for licensed teachers who are temporarily absent or employed as a mentor as a newly hired teacher. So, it provides more flexibility. Um specifically for our small districts, I can see them using it, but we may be using that as well as needed. And with that, that is your first reading. I will be back in two weeks with um to request that you approve these and I'm open for any questions now and moving forward into those two um into that twoe period. Thank you. >> Any questions for Superintendent Hoyer regarding these policies for us this evening. Okay, we'll see them again next week. And thanks to uh my colleagues on the policy committee for your hard work and getting these organized and ready for our uh perusal this evening.
057That leads us to Roman nine F discussion committees reports and comments. And we'll um open forum this. So, who's going to vol volunteer to go first? There she is. Paige Troski. >> Uh, just a couple of quick things. Um, I got to go on the fourth grade field trip to the college for the Indian education um field trip for the fourth graders. It was so fun. Uh, they loved I think it was a it was labeled as a triple lodge, so it might have been too, but I it was very cool to stand inside. It was huge and just standing at one and looking all the way across. Um >> I don't think there was one moment that the kids were not fully engaged in whatever activity it was, whether it was um horse racing
058with pool noodle horses or this the they were tossing a ball to knock down sticks and they were racing each other in teams. They were um doing Dugan's big blowup archery thing. It was they were fully engaged the full day and they had a blast and every kid had so much fun even though it was cold and windy. They had they had such a good time and it was awesome for me to get to see as well. And then uh just on behalf of all teachers and school staff, we're so happy that there's no school on Halloween or the day after. >> So the the candy hangovers can be over the weekend and maybe maybe they'll be a little more refreshed on Monday, but that's all. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you, Trusty Thompson. >> Well,
059first off, I want to say Superintendent Hoyer, you know, I'm a fan of data of the day, but this one might have topped them all. Um, I felt like um Kim kind of said it all, which was good because I was going to cry if I had to talk. um but that it is absolutely incredible and thank you for bringing that to life because it's such an important part of what our school district does for um our entire community. Um and then I also just wanted to um fill everyone in on how we're going with our new superintendent evaluation process. Um uh Chairman Johnson and I met last week with Superintendent Hoyer to go over um her goals in her self assessment which she had done um previously. And I'm happy to um share with
060you all that she's um you know very much um right in progress and right in line with where where she should be. Um, and you might recall that, you know, that this is a new um new way that we're going to to do um the superintendent evaluation um really to help align um her goals with the um three-year um strategic um plan that the school district has. And um so far so good. Uh we are going to make a slight adjustment um the um superintendent Hoyer will do a post self assessment um in J early January before we all um will get in there to put in our own assessments. Um and I think that'll be a a really nice um way for her to be able to um sh start the year with a
061self assessment and then end with her progress that she'd made. So, um, yeah, I guess that's that's pretty much all I have. >> That's very good. Thank you, Mr. Jeff. >> So, I just wanted to give a shout out to the presentations tonight. They were all amazing. >> Personally, I know Starbase the highlight of fifth grade. I know last year with the there was a funding lapse and it was a Friday night decision if they were going to have Starbase Monday and there were a lot of really worried fifth graders. they were actually going to miss a learning experience and I can't think of another time that my son's been afraid he was going to miss a learning experience that says a lot about it and the McKenna Vento I had the pleasure of meeting
062with some Peris Gibson students and they were showing me around and giving me a brief and we talked about them and they had some personal experiences to relate and they had nothing but glowing reviews for that program and specifically the representative there at campus um and building and grounds I continue to be blown away not just the quantity of work that they produce the quality. As you said, everything always looks amazing. Every time I go to a school or a field or athletic event, everything looks amazing. I don't know how they do it. >> And also to the district staff, thanks for keeping us apprised of developments with the ongoing government shutdown and potential funding lapses and everything that comes with that. I appreciate you keeping us advised. >> Yep. Thank you very much. >>
063Shout out to Stephanie. She's still here. Oh, there she is. For the great wrap up of the truck raffle on Friday night. You always do such a great job and and speak to that massive crowd and such a calm, no nerves way. So, great job with that. And just to add on to what um Lee and what we were talking about with Mckin Vento, um I implore everybody to check with your school food banks Thanksgiving time. that population is going to hit hard. And I know Longfellow from personal experiences east, they do a lot of Thanksgiving baskets, a lot of things. They need a lot of things. Check with the schools. It's as simple as butter, um, a bag of potatoes, whatever. But it's going to be tough for that population come November. So, really,
064really be in contact, communicate, and we need to work together for that that population. Thanks for that message. And then there were two. >> Yes. Um so obviously um Bill Gordon and I had the opportunity to go to um the MEL training in Helena. Um, at the training, Brian Patrick was recognized as the business director of the year. Um, and obviously without a doubt, you know, no one could be um, you know, a better better fit for that honor. Um, you know, we all know what he's brought to this district. So, it was wonderful just to see him um celebrated um, postretirement. Um, another big takeaway that I had from that training um was really just looking at the pressure on education and the need for speed um to evolve um you know really from
065start to finish um how we educate children, how we test you know how we're being effective um all of those things that there's just it's when you think about um making change, the bigger the the system, and we're talking about a national system. Um you know, the bigger the system, the harder it is to to swing that ship in a different direction. So, um I'm hopeful, um that our leadership at OPI and at the state level see that need um you know, but also that our our legislature sees that need as well. Um and our community sees that need as well. and um gives us both the flexibility and the funding needed to make those kinds of changes. Um yeah, I'm very concerned about the impact of um the federal government shutdown on our military
066families and as well as on um the civilian employees um on base. Uh I know SNAP benefits are nearing an end. Uh I'm concerned about the impact on Head Start which is a huge impact on our our community and you know when we see these programs um that presented today you know we we know that our community and our state rely on on these federal programs. Um so uh let's let's hope that our representatives here hear that message as well and um work together to to get things going again. Thank you, Mr. Bratson. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And to uh spin off of what Trustee Scornoski uh just said regarding MEL, I do think it was an excellent conference this year. Uh and I certainly implore all my colleagues, if you don't have uh
067or if you have the opportunity to attend one in the future, they are excellent. It's like drinking out of a fire hose for a few days, but uh the information that we're provided as trustees is incredibly worthwhile. Uh as a side note to that, uh most of you were probably aware that the day before the actual start of the conference, there was a presentation by a number of select guests to the interim funding commission, Superintendent Hoyer was asked by the school administrators of Montana to be one of the presenters. Those of us that observe, we're happy to say she did a stellar job, uh, as did her counterpart from Geraldine. And I think it does make a difference to the members of that commission when they hear from the actual folks on the ground doing
068work. And I know that the commission very much appreciated the comments of both you and the superintendent from Geraldine. So, thank you for doing that. Uh, second, those of you who are on the MTSBA list serve have probably seen or you will see an email from our executive director, Mr. Melton, asking you to carefully consider the proposal coming forward for participation in this new health insurance trust. Uh, all I would ask you at this point is please be patient. There's a lot more work that has to be done in a number of the districts to evaluate the appropriateness of this proposal. Our insurance committee met last week to hear an oral presentation from the individuals associated with the trust. Safe to say Mr. Cubbage was there. There were a lot of very good questions from
069all of our constituent groups. We have yet to see I think the details in writing but regardless we will be meeting again at the end of November. I believe November 20th is the meeting date. That will be the time that the committee will have an opportunity to really digest the written proposal in more detail and then come forward with a recommendation. So again, I applaud Mr. Melton for reminding everybody that it's on the horizon, but we have a lot of work to do as a district to evaluate whether in that proposal was appropriate for our employees. So stay tuned. And then finally, on a cherry note to echo what uh the chairman said earlier, we did have the opportunity last week to uh go over to Sunnyside School and see the new work that was
070done over there. Thanks to the Cameron family and also to the Gray Foundation for supporting that endeavor. They insisted that our former member and chair, Mr. Jeff Gray, be recognized for his support of education through the years. So, we were there to uh note the accolades given Mr. Gray for that. Again, please go take a look at it. It's nice to see that you can take an old facility, you can do a tremendous improvement in it and is so much brighter and lighter in there than it used to be. So, uh it is possible, I guess, to put lipstick once in a while. But no, I uh I I applaud everybody who is involved in that endeavor. And you can really see it in the faces and the enthusiasm of the young children over there.
071They just really like being in that space now, every single one of them. So, >> Thank you. And uh I too would like to express my appreciation for the reports, Mr. Williams. Thank you. And for the buildings and grounds people and uh and all those that uh shared the good news with us this evening. And um I want to thank the Great Falls Public Schools for supporting our attendance at Amsel. It's very deeply appreciated. is very worthwhile and uh I'll draw your attention to the upcoming events. I'll see my fellow trustees on Wednesday, right, for a work session on school safety. And finally, I'd like to thank uh Mrs. Clark for spending your birthday with us. Yeah. This evening. And with that, I would entertain a motion to adjourn. We are adjourned. Thank you ladies
072and gentlemen.