K-12 News

Disclaimer: This page includes all K-12 education news stories found by the MTSBA staff from a variety of daily and weekly newspapers throughout Montana and the nation when applicable. With regard to Montana news, if it touches on K-12 education and appears in a paper, our goal is to post it on this page for your information. We do not limit or screen news coverage. Rather, our goal is to provide something akin to an electronic news clipping service for our members so that you are aware of what is being discussed, good, bad and ugly, about K-12 public education throughout the state of Montana and elsewhere. If you are aware of a story that is not posted below, let us know and we will post it. The news articles posted on the MTSBA website do not necessarily reflect the policy, positions, opinions or views of the Board of Directors or staff at MTSBA.

Gazette opinion: Hard to predict Montana’s fiscal future in tough times (Billings Gazette, 9-7-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Gov. Brian Schweitzer is bullish on Montana. At a brief stop in Billings last week, the governor gave a glowing description of Montana’s economic prospects: The best wheat crop in a generation, high cattle prices, an uptick in oil development — all of which will put more money on Main Street, he said. And Schweitzer pointed to a healthy $327 million cash balance in the state’s checking account.
New Hall of Honor will celebrate Bozeman High alumni (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 9-7-10 - Coverage: Positive) Graduates of Bozeman High School have gone on to do some remarkable things, and for the first time they will be recognized in the school with a public display called the Hall of Honor.
Enrollment figures stay steady for area (Sidney Herald, 9-5-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Most area schools either maintained their numbers or enjoyed slight increases in enrollment this fall.
Hellgate High School students learning beginning Arabic (Missoulian, 9-6-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Inside the four walls papered over with signs about "el futuro" and "respeto" and "noticias," a Hellgate High School languages teacher is drilling his students in how to say hello and goodbye in a foreign tongue.
Monforton School opens new school year(Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 9-6-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Monforton School will begin Tuesday, Sept. 7, and vehicles attempting to enter Monforton School property from Huffine are advised to turn north onto Circle F Trail. Vehicles may still get to the school from Huffine by turning onto Monforton School Road, but parking is limited.
Chocolate Lab brings calming influence to Bozeman High(Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 9-6-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Gary Corneer wasn't so sure about adopting Gunny, but agreed to meet the then 3-year-old chocolate Lab. Gunny came to an animal shelter near Roundup from an abused home, and while Corneer had hesitations, the dog knew what he wanted.
Bozeman's teenage cyber bullies (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 9-5-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) During a presentation at Chief Joseph Middle School last year, Bozeman police detective Dana McNeil asked students if they'd ever received a predatory message on their cell phone. More than half of the students raised their hands, he said.
Montana's high drop-out rate defies efforts to keep kids in school (Great Falls Tribune, 9-5-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Jesse Cullinan never pictured himself as a high school dropout — a firefighter or a Marine, yes — but a dropout, no. After being sick and missing school for days at a time, Cullinan began to get behind during his junior year and never got caught up. Two months before school finished, he decided to call it quits and see if he could start over by earning his general educational development diploma.
Music festival helps raise money for two Paradise Valley schools (Livingston Enterprise, 9-2-10 – Coverage: Positive)
Music students at Pine Creek School, now restricted to blowing through recorders or plunking, shaking and pounding on assorted percussion instruments, will soon have greater opportunities to produce music together.
Whitefish holds back-to-school celebration (Daily Interlake, 9-3-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) With schools back in session, Whitefish is gearing up for its annual back-to-school celebration. Whitefish CARE’s annual Back to School Bash is from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Smith Soccer Field Complex in Whitefish. The event is free and intended for all students and families in the Whitefish School District.
No Child Left Behind: Middle, high schools fall short (Montana Standard, 9-3-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Butte's elementary and high school districts are among those in the state that failed to meet the improvement standards last year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Belgrade teachers ratify contract (Belgrade News, 9-3-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Belgrade teachers overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract Wednesday, ending nearly two years of often-contentious negotiation and tossing the ball into the court of the Belgrade School Board.
School sewage backup brings E. coli, mold (Belgrade News, 9-3-10 – Coverage: Neutral)
A power outage during the early morning hours last Friday took out the sewage ejector pump at Belgrade Intermediate School, backing up sewage in four basement rooms.
School choices upset parents in Indian Cliffs (Billings Gazette, 9-2-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Dave Blaschak is pretty open about his feelings regarding the school boundaries now defining his Indian Cliffs neighborhood west of Billings on Highway 3.
Gazette opinion: Only 5 days left to vote for school roofs, windows (Billings Gazette, 9-3-10 – Coverage: Neutral) There’s an election going on in Billings right now. Ballots were mailed last month asking voters to decide on issuing bonds for $12 million in repairs to local public schools.
Swan River School students return to the classroom (Bigfork Eagle, 9-1-2010 – Coverage: Neutral) Students are settling into their classrooms at Swan River School today after starting school Wednesday and may have already noticed several new additions this year. Expense is usually the challenge with seeking new technology at schools, but Swan River School found a way to complete some upgrades this summer, Principal Peter Loyda said.
Teachers, students reflect on restructuring (Glendive Ranger, 9-2-10 – Coverage: Neutral) It’s that time of year again. Hundreds of students are back in school.
Monforton School District seeking approval for $3.5 million bond (Bozeman Daily Chronicle. 9-2-10 – Coverage: Neutral) The Monforton School District Board of Trustees is asking voters to approve the sale of $3.5 million in bonds for improvements to its school building, portions of which date back more than a century.
Too much information? (Helena Independent Record, 9-2-2010 – Coverage: Neutral)

A Los Angeles-based sex education expert and author told hundreds of Helena residents Wednesday that a proposed health-enhancement curriculum is neither comprehensive nor science-based and is dangerous to the youth in the community.
Community asked to get involved with challenging school budget (The Laurel Outlook, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Looking at predicted reductions in revenue for the 2011-12 school year, the Laurel School Board is reviving its Community Budget Committee to provide a broader community perspective on the budget.
Grossman addresses Helena sex-education proposal (KXLH, 9-1-2010 – Coverage: Neutral)
Families pitch in to improve Creston School (Daily Interlake, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Positive) When Creston School found itself needing more space, it turned to its families for help. They have responded in a big way, donating time, labor and supplies enough to build a new 400-square-foot classroom and remodel a supply closet into a learning center.
West Valley enrollment jumps 8.8 percent (Daily Interlake, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Todd Fiske long has maintained that if he could handpick new students at West Valley School, he could squeeze in a lot more kids.
Missoula school board likely will begin effort to fill Pickhardt's seat Sept. 14 (Missoulian, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Neutral) Nancy Pickhardt's resignation from the school board is official. The vacancy of the position, however, is not. Not, that is, until the Missoula County Public Schools board of trustees announces it publicly, which is likely to come at the Sept. 14 regular board meeting.
Poll: Teacher pay, quality are top public concerns with schools (Helena Independent Record, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Neutral) The quality of teachers, how they are paid and school funding are key issues facing public schools nationwide, according to a recent survey. The 42nd Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll released last week provides an annual report of the public’s attitude toward public schools. Much of the poll centered on performance pay for teachers versus a single salary schedule, which offers incremental yearly increases based on longevity and level of education.
Low bid on high school expansion $8.78M (Big Horn County News, 9-1-10, Coverage: Neutral) Bids for the remodel and expansion of Hardin High School ranged from a low of $8.78 million to $9.8 million. “We need to get it down to $8 million,” said District Superintendent of Schools Al Peterson.
School year welcomes new changes (Terry Tribune, 9-1-10 – Coverage: Neutral)
Dutton/Brady settles labor contract for 2% raise (Dutton Country Courier, 9-1-10 - Coverage: Neutral) The Dutton/Brady Education Association and the Dutton/Brady K-12 School Board agreed to a two-year contract that increases the base salary by 2 percent to $22,440, with appropriate increases that follow the salary schedule, and increases the employer contributions for health insurance premiums by $100 to $700 per month per full-time employee.