Parents. Nelson decided to run after he attended a school board meeting and saw his districts seat unfilled, which was before Terakedis was appointed. 38 leara@billings.k12.mo.us Amanda Anglin JH/HS Special Ed. Our mission is to build a grassroots movement in order to transform public policy for that vision, where people serve each other in mutually beneficial ways.. This school district is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. Four of the south-central Montana citys eight candidates hail from a grassroots group called Make Masking Optional, which rallied against the August 2021 decision by Billings Public School Superintendent Greg Upham to mandate masks across the district. For too long, she said, she and others looked away and declined to get involved. You have a very difficult job. School Board Members Tanya Ludwig May 2023 District #1 tanya.ludwig@billingsschools.org Janna Hafer May 2023 District #2 janna.hafer@billingsschools.org Teresa Larsen May 2025 District #3 teresa.larsen@billingsschools.org Zack Terakedis May 2024 District #4 zachary.terakedis@billingsschools.org Scott McCulloch No shouting. Trustee Zack Terakedis, who was not up for election in his District 4 seat, said educators and board members are continuing to do hard work in Billings. Click here for a list of school board elections by state. I think were seeing more people feel comfortable to speak out because theyre not going to be judged or ostracized or even segregated as a result of that. Billings Elementary School District is a school district in Montana . Billings School Board Candidates Questions and Responses. For starters, its the first time in at least seven years that a board position has been contested. Shes quickly becoming a household name in Montana. In the other two races, Moms for Liberty-based candidates Andrea Nemitz and Brooke Wagner were both defeating their opponents, Roger Santala and Brandi Seibel. 1 of 35. I mean the pressures that are put on us from that and then all the externals that were caught in the crossfire of political issues is wearing us out and its frustrating," said Superintendent Greg Upham, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Thats a civics class, a social studies class or government class discussion. But one of the most life-changing events in our lifetime apparently supersedes that. Regardless of the pathway they choose, students are engaged in educational and extra-curricular opportunities that support their individual growth toward career, college, and citizenship readiness. In Billings, residents vote for the candidates in the district in which they live. Similar to a controversy now raging in Florida, where the Department of Education rejected dozens of proposed math textbooks this month, Nelson questions a curriculum he believes is inappropriately promoting equity by framing math questions with environmental, gender and racial themes. We have wonderful schools made up of outstanding staff, exceptional students, parents, and a community that values and supports a high quality education. What Decisions are Made by the School Board? In addition, several board races and bond measures were decided in other districts in Yellowstone County. The help technically comes from AFPs foundation rather than AFP. Aug 23, 2021 Updated Aug 24, 2021 BILLINGS - Leaders from Billings Clinic, SCL Health/St. School board trustees ensure the schools are in line with local, state, and federal laws and policies, while also ensuring policies and curriculum fall in line with community values. School District Maps Contact Department. Signs of support for the student are popping up all around Billings. I would work to establish gender neutral bathrooms, and strict procedures for consequences of bullying and work to have an LGBTQIA councilor available as much as possible. Join the 3,400+ MTFP members who believe in the power of independent news. ), encouraging members to lean into the culture war, according to an article published in Open Secrets, a non-profit group that tracks data on campaign finance and lobbying. He attended a class on door-knocking that trained the group in classic sales techniques, he said. Please subscribe to keep reading. Over the past year, school masking policies have served as an on-ramp for a parents rights movement to reshape public education in Montana. Numerous school board members across the country have also been targeted withwell-funded recall efforts. Trustees discussed potential adjustments to career and technical education at the high school level, and deliberated about extending the districts lease on a facility housing its early childhood intervention services. Jana Pennington doesnt know what the future will hold for her daughter and like many, is waiting to hear from the Billings School Board. About 40 students walked out of Skyview High School Friday in a show of support for gay rights and opposition torecent anti-gay legislation i. Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 2023 for the 200 largest school districts in the nation, as well as the additional school districts that overlapped with the 100 largest cities by population in the United States . In his order, Abbot cited the right to know enshrined in Montanas Constitution. This issue is personal for Hall as he has loved ones who have gone through special education. Situated next to the beautiful Yellowstone River and framed in by the Rimrock Bluffs, Billings, the largest city in Montana and a stones throw away from Yellowstone National Park, various mountain ranges, and ski towns, not only offers lots of adventure, but is a growing city with a small town feel. The system isnt designed for a school board to give over power. Click here for the updated results. Sign up for our free daily newsletter to get unbiased, independent Montana news sent directly to you. He wishes the situation would have been handled differently, such as the communication among the Penningtons, Upham and the board. Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013. Billings school board advances plan to extend education for all 19-year-olds TOM ACKERMAN Apr 5, 2022 0 1 of 4 Emily Pennington sits between her parents James Pennington and Jana Pennington. In a separate interview with the Gazette, Nelson said he was grateful, too, for the other newcomer candidates who have communicated and helped each other throughout the election process. But the Koch brothers have pushed forpublic funding of private and charter schools, Politico reported in 2017. The GOP contributions in particular put a finer political point on an election that, by definition, is nonpartisan. The last day of Abby Zwerner's contract was Monday, Newport News Public Schools said in a statement. Superintendent Greg Upham said that the process for re-visiting had been in the works for the past two years but that the citys elementary-aged student population hasnt grown at the same rate as its building growth during this time. He knows educators who live in his neighborhood, and several of them suggested he should apply, Terakedis said. The Monday meeting also marked the first with the boards newest trustee Dr. Roger Santala who was selected by the board to succeed Mike Leo last week. - Voters said 'no' to the Billings Public Schools $1.5 million mill levy. Billings Public Schools also works closely with community employers and area colleges to expand our Career Technical Education and Dual Credit opportunities. With an original goal to vote on new zones to implement in the 2023-24 school year, the board will now re-visit potential changes to be implemented in the 2024-25 school year with greater time and public input taken into consideration. If elected, what policies or programs, if any, would you put in place to support LGBTQ2S+ youth? Phone: 281-5039. Website (406) 281-5000 board.email@billingsschools.org. Employer est. Nelson also attended a course about the constitution, which he thought was phenomenal. The theory argues that racism over time has manifested itself in laws, and that the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow have kept Black people from achieving equality. I would love for Emily to do that and I hope were able to do that as a board, but I dont want to form a solid opinion until I have all the facts and data, said Hall. Incumbent Zach Terakedis leads challenger Chad Nelson 48 percent to 46 percent. Its scary. Billings Gazette. After obtaining his bachelor's degree in journalism and history, Sakariassen spent nearly 10 years covering environmental issues and state and federal politics for the alternative newsweekly Missoula Independent. In this file photo from 2020, Superintendent Greg Upham, right, addresses a standing . It continues a trend of extreme political polarization even in races that are supposed to be non-partisan. Nelson also spoke to a second issue arising from Mondays meeting, during which the board approved new math curriculum material. The Billings Public School board of trustees has voted to push back a decision on changing the districts school zones to next year. nordstromk@billingsschools.org 17 talking about this. AFP doesnt endorse candidates, Herbst emphasized. Johnson described the workshop she attended as encouraging community members to run for office and offering training on how to run a campaign. Board of Education Chris Bos, Board President, bosc@billings.k12.mo.us Gary Verch, Vice President, verchg@billings.k12.mo.us Randall Whitman, Treasurer, whitmanr@billings.k12.mo.us Lyndell Plowman, plowmanl@billings.k12.mo.us Jason Baker, bakerja@billings.k12.mo.us Ben Garbee, garbeebe@billings.k12.mo.us School officials, teachers and state education associations have repeatedly said that CRT is not taught in any Montana public schools, according to a Montana Free Press article published in early March. Were starting to see the Billings community wake up and say, We need change, Johnson said. The current trustee zone map and proposed trustee zone map are available at the links below: Current Trustee Zone Map The Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees voted Monday night to keep "Lawn Boy" and "Gender Queer: A Memoir" in circulation at the high school level, saying both books meet the libraries' selection criteria. Many factors contribute to a healthy atmosphere of trust and respect. In 2022, one candidate backed by a mask-optional grassroots group, John VonLangen, defeated an incumbent, Brian Yates. Salary. School board members are elected by you to make important decisions about what curriculum is taught in the classroom, the policies schools abide by, and the funding school programs receive. As a school district, we work to meet the needs of all students through a variety of . This years race on May 3 comes at a time when the countrys increasingly divisive cultural wars are being fought closer to home, particularly with school boards. None of the incumbents have received funds for campaigning, according to public records, while newcomer candidates show a range of about $1,500 to $4,000 in total money received. Each of the candidates in the four . OPI maintains the pilot program will be unaffected by an unrelated review of the states Medicaid rolls, which resulted in more than 15,000 people losing coverage in April. A train trestle over the Yellowstone River collapsed early Saturday morning sending a train carrying tanker cars the river. Since Santala was appointed to serve out Leos term in elementary school district #6, he will have to run for re-election in May to retain his seat along with elementary school districts one, two and six and High School District B. BILLINGS The Billings School Board has been in the spotlight more in the last year than maybe in the last decade combined. Jun 20, 2023. AFP Montana chapter Director David Herbst, however, said the nature of such events is to build and mobilize coalitions of community activists on issues central to the organizations mission, including school choice. Billings Public Schools houses nearly 16,800 students with 22 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 3 high schools and a vocational school. Billings school board moves to extend education for all 19-year-olds TOM ACKERMAN Apr 6, 2022 0 1 of 4 Emily Pennington sits between her parents James Pennington and Jana Pennington during a School District 2 board meeting at Lincoln Center in Billings on Tuesday. Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees, alongside Superintendent Upham, works diligently to oversee all business regarding Billings Public Schools. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, a $1.5 million levy that would fund an expansion and modernization of the career technical education space at Billings Senior High School. 2023 Montana's independent nonprofit news source. Two more recent additions to the list of election-defining issues landed this week. Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees, alongside Superintendent Upham, works diligently to oversee all business regarding Billings Public . The first count was 63 percent against and 36 percent for. We encourage our students to participate in their communities, providing a well-rounded educational experience. A proposed map for Billings elementary schools designed by Cropper GIS Consulting to be implemented in the 2023-24 schoolyear. Work to bring indigenous language courses to the schools and offer educational material about the tribes current hardships. The pandemic changed all that. I am not in favor of that. Im a good school board candidate because I do the work. Billings School District 2 Trustees - p. 10 *Montana Legislature Races with Republican Primaries - p.13 Find the Montana Family Foundation Legislative Scorecard 2021 Legislative Session Here*(These are primary races - the General election will be addressed later) Details and Principles: Providing quality education to all children and youth in this community is imperative. Billings Public Schools offers diverse educational opportunities, in cooperation with many community partners, with a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as well as the Arts, Sports and Health and Wellness. That episode is one of a growing number that have come to define the school board election in Billings this spring. For the last maybe eight years, Im thinking, between six and eight years, we have not had an election where it was a contested race.. He added that trustees should be focusing on continued growth of career technical education instead of the ghost of Critical Race Theory. Use our School Locator tool to determine school placement. and last updated 5:27 AM, May 04, 2022 Update 9:35 p.m. Tuesday Three candidates backed by the Billings teachers' union maintained their lead in the trustee race after the final Election Day. Another incumbent who was also endorsed by the union, Brian Yates, trailed by around 20 votes to John VonLangen. What wont be included on the spring ballot is a vote to approve either an elementary school or high school levy. I am a newcomer to the SD2 Board. "The policies the government enacted with an eye towards safety were seen by many people as an attack on freedom.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Previous elections have been pretty quiet, McCulloch said. Similar to Missoulas busy school board election cycle, the dynamics in Billings trace back to the intense division over school masking policies last summer and fall. Regardless of the outcome of the Billings school board election May 3, the politicization that both sparked and defined such a busy cycle has already had lasting effects. Trustee Russ Hall told Q2 News that hell be among the board members advocating for Emily Pennington during a Thursday special board meeting. But there are things that this community just doesnt understand about our public school system, he said. Use the navigation at the top of the page for more resources like Parents, Students, and Staff. May 2025 No Montana school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope held school board elections in 2022. In district five, incumbent Scott McCulloch is running against Kristen Gilfeather, as well as Kayla Ladson. Students are welcome to speak in front of the board during public comment! 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