Election Results

Posted:  May 13, 2013

The election is over and let me be the first to thank everyone who voted and got involved with our local schools.  The split of the Operational Levies passing and the Building Reserve Levies failing is a poignant indicator that a higher level of community communication is imperative.  The lessons learned as we move forward will guide the District to communicate school needs and provide a clear vision for the District and community.

The success of the Operational Levies provides an additional $92,000 in the Elementary District and $233,000 in the High School.  These funds cover the day-to-day operations of the District, from staff wages and benefits to classroom supplies.  These additional funds will directly benefit all students as teachers strive daily to challenge each child. 

The Building Reserve Levies failed by 224 votes out of 12,976 votes cast in the Elementary and by 1,194 out of 15,590 votes cast in the High School.  Although disheartening, the District and community must move ahead as the maintenance of the District’s facilities still needs to be addressed. The District operates and maintains twenty schools and support facilities that provide educational services to over 8,000 students.  The school district infrastructure includes over 1,450,000 square feet of buildings and 175 acres of parking lots, sidewalks, green space, playgrounds and athletic complexes.  The average age of these facilities is 64 years with the newest being 36 and the oldest over 100 years old.   The challenge for the District is to educate and communicate the District’s facility needs, so when asking the community for financial resources, the District is confident the correct information is known by all. 

A special thank you must go to those candidates who volunteered to run for a Trustee position on the Helena School Board.  Libby Goldes, Libbi Lovshin, Betsy Baur, Lisa Wordal and Jon Rush all need our appreciation for stepping up to this formidable task.  In the end, only three could win and please join me in congratulating Libby Goldes, Libbi Lovshin and Betsy Baur as your new Trustees.  The next three years will be a challenge as the Board not only tackles the routine duties of operating this District, but also the tasks of Educational Planning and moving forward to raise the academic bar for all students. 

I encourage everyone to stay engaged as the District starts making facility and funding decisions.  Whether another Building Reserve Levy will be attempted or a bond later this fall, the District must strive to educate all as we keep the best interest of our students in mind.  The data has been collected, the need is evident, and now decisions must be made.   The Board of Trustees and Administration encourage the community to stay involved, provide input, and participate in the decisions that are upon us.   The next few months will be very busy and it is crucial for the community and District to work together to ensure a safe, progressive learning environment for our students and those for future generations.   

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