By Kirk Miller
Havre Public Schools are entering the new millennium by reviewing progress made thus far during the 1999-00 school year, and planning for the 2000-01 school year. Here is an update on current progress in our schools ...
Board Planning Meeting
The Board of Trustees met on Monday, January 24, in a planning session to review progress on several programs and projects currently underway in our schools. The District Educational Work Plan was a central topic of discussion by the Trustees as they looked individually at the mid-year growth made on each of the 14 district projects. The projects were then discussed at the Board Meeting on February 8 and the Mid-Year Report was approved. In addition, the Trustees reviewed the District Education Profile Report and the Rural Bus Route Report during the planning meeting and at the February 8 meeting. The District Education Profile is a report containing 11 Indicators of Quality that provide a comprehensive look at the Havre public education system. The District Educational Work Plan Mid-Year Report and the District Education Profile Report are available for the public to review in a variety of ways. A printed version of the reports can be requested by contacting my office (265-4356). You may also request a CD-ROM version of the reports that can be run on a PC computer. Finally, the reports are located on the Internet at the Havre Public Schools web site (www.havre.k12.mt.us). Clicking on the appropriate report button will give you access. Our goal is to make access to this information easy for all who are interested in reviewing the reports.
Enrollment Counts and Planning for 2000-01
Feb. 1 marks the date for the second and final enrollment count of the year. The October and February enrollment counts in our schools are averaged and then used to determine the funding for the ensuing school year, 2000-01 in this case. Our enrollment continues to decline, as does the enrollment in most schools across Montana. Reductions by grade grouping are: no change in grades K-6, -34 in grades 7-8, and -12 in grades 9-12. The total enrollment count shows a reduction of 46 ANB (a student count ratio) in grades K-12. The reduced enrollment will cause a reduction in funding for our district budgets.
Planning for the 2000-01 school year is underway. As the budget picture begins to clear, the school district will be working to meet the
challenges presented by reduced enrollment. The commitment to provide the very best opportunities for the children of our community is
stronger than ever. I am optimistic, as always, that by working
together we will develop the very best plan for the 2000-01 school
year. Your support is appreciated!
Thanks for reading!
