Helena Public Schools offers rich learning opportunities filled with the promise of new ideas. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that a mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. The curriculum and learning activities focus on student assets, with an eye to stretching the mind of each and every student. This happens every day in the Helena Public Schools, in each one of our schools. We are dedicated to providing a high quality education, and one that demonstrates student achievement and success in dozens of different ways.

In recent years, a criterion-referenced test has been administered to students across Montana to determine the level of student proficiency in the areas of reading and math. The statewide assessment provides important information as Helena educators strive to gain a better understanding of individual student needs. Results from a variety of assessments help guide the refinement of the instruction provided to students at all levels. Each school is involved in a continuous improvement planning process that includes specific goals and strategies developed to foster student achievement and overall success in school. School based planning and governance is an integral part of the process designed to increase the effectiveness of all Helena schools.

The Helena Board of Trustees and employees are committed to ensuring the provision of excellent learning opportunities for all students. We are especially concerned about providing the youngest learners with a strong educational foundation, with early literacy at its base. The students’ reading ability impacts learning throughout life, so the Helena Public Schools prioritize early learning and strive to eliminate learning delays through effective early instruction.

The vision of the Helena School District is to prepare students for life. The requirements of the high school years help students transition into post-secondary education and the world of work. The final years of high school are as critical to moving into the adult world as the early years are in establishing a foundation. Students benefit from each year in school, developing their skills and understanding so they can succeed at the next level of learning. The goal of the Helena Public Schools is to stretch young minds with ideas and open young eyes to the innumerable doors education can open in their lives.

I appreciate the involvement of staff, parents, and the community in our efforts to provide a quality public education for all Helena students, and promise you that the young minds entrusted to us will never regain their original dimensions. Thank you for supporting your Helena Public Schools.


Bruce K. Messinger, Ph.D.
Superintendent