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Montana Legislature enacts changes to state and local flows of public school funding
Montana Free Press Article 5/12/2-25 https://montanafreepress.org/2025/05/12/montana-legislature-enacts-changes-to-state-and-local-flows-of-public-school-funding/
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Dear GFEA/MFPE Members,
Looking for a flexible, fun way to stay engaged this summer, while earning some extra income? Opportunities, Inc. invites Great Falls educators to be part of Opportunities Adventure Camp—a weekly, drop-in style day camp for children ages 6–11, running June 9 through August 26, 2025 (closed June 19 & July 4). This is not a full-summer commitment! Campers come and go throughout the summer, and you can too—choose the weeks that work for your schedule. Why Join Us? • Work the weeks you want—one week or many! • Earn $20–$27/hour, based on experience. • Free camp enrollment for your child (ages 6–11) during the weeks you work. • No set curriculum, just a weekly theme and your creativity. • Supportive team and engaging environment. We’ll provide a theme and sample activities each week—you decide how to bring it to life! Whether you love STEM, storytelling, nature, or hands-on art, you’ll have the freedom to shape your week around your strengths and interests. Opportunities Adventure Camp 2025 – Weekly Overview Camp Dates: June 9 – August 26, 2025 Ages Served: Children ages 6–11 Closed: June 19 & July 4 Each week includes a mix of creative arts, STEM exploration, literacy, outdoor fun, and field trips or guest visitors. Sample Weekly Themes: • Summer Fun Sampler – Carnival games, balloon rockets • 🏕 Wilderness Explorers – Scavenger hunts, sun prints • Creek Critters – Bug hunts, pond science • Red, White & You! – Water play, parade day • STEM Stars – Volcanoes, inventions • Arts & Music – Clay, painting, chalk murals • Around the World – Flags, cultural crafts • Time Travelers – Fossils, DIY robots Superheroes – Comics, zip lines • Mini Builders – Towers, cardboard cities • Celebrate & Explore – Memory murals, awards day Interested or have questions? Contact Bev Matsko at [email protected] or 406-761-0310 the GFEA Executive Board interviewed the candidates for the three open School Board of Trustees positions this last week. The committee has chosen to endorse Gordon Johnson, Paige Turoski, and Craig Duff for the three open positions. We appreciate all of the candidates for their willingness to fill out questionnaires and meet for interviews with the GFEA Executive Board interview committee. The endorsements are based on past records (for incumbents) as well as questionnaire answers and responses to interview questions. The election will be a mail vote and ballots are scheduled to be in the mail starting April 21st with a deadline for all ballots on May 6th. Voters are encouraged to hand deliver completed ballots (or put them in the mail no later than May 1st if mailed) to ensure that the May 6th deadline is met. Ballots can be delivered to the Cascade County Elections office up until the day before elections, but can be dropped off at the Expo Park on May 6th.
Great Falls Public Schools Election InformationThe Board of Trustees for School District No. 1 & A, Cascade County, State of Montana, will hold the Annual Regular School Election on Tuesday, the 6th day of May 2025.
The election will be conducted by: Mail Ballot The purpose of the election is to elect three (3) trustees for a three-year term. Absentee ballots available and UOCAVA ballots mailed on: April 16, 2025. Ballots will be mailed on: April 21, 2025. Ballot Drop Box Times & Location: Beginning April 22 - May 5, Courthouse Annex lobby and Election Office at 325 2nd Avenue North, Great Falls. Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm. Election Day, May 6 Ballot Drop Box Times & Locations: 7am - 8pm, Courthouse Annex lobby at 325 2nd Avenue North and Exhibition Hall at Montana Expo Park, 400 3rd Street NW, Great Falls. If returning your ballot by USPS, be sure to stamp the envelope and mail by May 1st. Late Registration Ends: Monday, May 5 at noon at the Election office. Election Day Registration: Tuesday, May 6 at Exhibition Hall only. GFEA will be opening our negotiations with GFPS for our next contract soon and will be sending out a survey to all members. Please take some time to thing about what changes, modifications, and improvements to your working conditions you need and believe will make your teaching, your students learning, and the success of the educational process you believe we need in Great Falls. The survey will be confidential and no names or buildings/grades will be made public, but this is your opportunity to be heard and weigh in on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Remember wages and working conditions are negotiated on your behalf by your Union, we need to hear from you to ensure the next contract is the best contract for our members. Be on the look out in January for this important survey and fill it out and share your thoughts, desires, and wishes!
Join MFPE President Amanda Curtis and your fellow members in Great Falls next Thursday, September 19th for a Fall Meeting!
GREAT FALLS FALL MEETING Thursday, September 19th from 5:30 - 6:30 PM Great Falls Hampton Inn REGISTER HERE Montana schools are in a challenging space right now -- budget deficits, troubles retaining staff and programs being cut.
“Our basic school funding formula is no longer adequate,” said Luke Muszkiewicz at an Office of Public Instruction meeting. Members of OPI’s working group, more than 170 Montanans, were assembled to assess what needs to change in the state’s education. “We’ve exhausted all of the revenue opportunities that are available,” said Mike Waterman, a member of the working group. Katharine Bloodgood oversaw the meetings and will send ideas formed in the past four months of the working group to state lawmakers. “None of the solutions are our solutions. They’re their solutions, and we’re passing everything as organized as possible,” said Bloodgood, the OPI legislative liaison. The suggestions will be used as a roadmap for the decennial study of school funding. Officials with OPI thought it was important to voice what the average Montanan wants to see from education in the state. “And I think that in itself will craft and give the Decennial Committee a lot more understanding,” said OPI Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. Solutions include cost-of-living increases, lessening reliance on levies and including special education programs in school funding. Another common complaint with the group was the lack of understanding in their own communities. “How we as a community can come together and how people in the community could better understand how education funding works,” Bloodgood said. “Where the money is coming from, their tax dollars, but how it’s being spent. A lot of people feel like there’s a disconnect there.” The Decennial Study of School Funding will take place in 2025. From NBC Montana by Bowen West Fri, August 2nd 2024 at 5:00 PM Updated Fri, August 2nd 2024 at 6:12 PM https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/montana-opi-working-group-prepares-to-send-education-roadmap-to-legislators Primary election ballots are due no later than June 4th. However, if you are mailing your ballot, it is recommended the ballot is in the mail at least 4 days prior. MFPE has endorsed candidates for both statewide and local legislative races. Those endorsements are available at the following website: https://www.mfpe.org/endorsed/ OR click the button below.  The Executive Board Committee of the GFEA chose to endorse current GFPS School Board of Trustees member, Marlee Sunchild, for the single seat on the board. Sunchild is a former GFPS teacher and member of GFEA. She has been and is a supporter of education. She speaks with experience as a former educator, and understand the importance of qualified, well trained, and supported teachers to ensure all students receive the best education possible here in Great Falls The election is slated for Tuesday, May 7th, with ballots being sent out to voters around April 17th.
GFEA has been chosen to receive a 40K grant to help Early Career Educators in the process of becoming the best teachers they can be as well as get the help and resources they need to be successful. The first year of the grant is designed to form relationships with ECEs (Early Career Educators in their first 5 years of teaching) and to assess their needs to not only stay in their chosen career, but survive and thrive in their schools. The program includes funding to survey the new teachers in Great Falls Public Schools about how their teaching is going and what additional supports GFEA and its membership can provide in conjunction with GFPS to ensure that they have the skills, support, and resources they need to be successful. Thank you Morning Light Coffee for Helping us host or first S.T.A.R. (Supporting Teachers (through) Advancement and Retention) Initiative GFEA ECE Event February 22nd. The 21 participants had a great time and appreciate your great space for this event!    |
