​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.
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     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!

   This week is American Education week November 13-17 2023 ( https://www.nea.org/resource-library/american-education-week-november-13-17-2023 ) and NEA has designated November 15th as Education Support Professionals Day and we would like to join the celebration!
GFEA members know just how important paraprofessionals, aids, food service, custodial, trades professionals, transportation, healthcare workers, and of course our clerical workers who we all know connect all of the parts of the educational teams to ensure schools run smoothly!
  Tonight at 8 pm EST  NEA President Becky Pringle will highlight the celebration of ESPs all over this nation!
Read more about the vital role ESPs play everyday:  ​​https://www.nea.org/about-nea/our-members/education-support-professionals
    Take a moment today and everyday to tell the ESPs you work with how much they are valued and how much we appreciate all they do for us and our schools!

      The GFEA Executive Board held interviews for 4 of the 5 candidates for GFPS Board of Trustees Tuesday April 11.   The GFEA endorsed candidates are incumbents; Bill Bronson, Kim Skornogoski, and Aime Thompson.   
        The election will be May 2nd with individuals who have requested receiving absentee ballots voting by mail (ballots are scheduled to be mailed out on April 17th), and those who have not requested an absentee ballot voting at the polls in person on May 2nd.  The inperson voting will take place at the Montana ExpoPark 400 3rd Street NW.   If you are unsure if you have registered for an absentee ballot you can check by going to https://www.voteinmt.org/check-your-status .   You may request an absentee ballot prior to the election, but remember it will take time to receive your ballot and also to ensure it is received by the elections office prior to the May 2nd deadline.
       Please make your voice heard and vote in the GFPS School Board of Trustees Election May 2nd, 2023.