Friday Update from Superintendent Weltz | January 10, 2025
In today’s newsletter:
- District legislative priorities
- CHS welding students forge hope
- Tax credits: A zero-cost opportunity to make a big difference!
- 10 educators achieve National Board Certification
- Kindergarten registration now open
- Sound & Vision: A music and video production class
Dear Helena Public Schools Families,I hope your 2025 got off to a good start as you settled back into your school routines this week.
As the 2025 legislative session begins, I want to share our priorities as we carefully track, support or oppose a trove of education-related bills with the potential to affect our district and your student or students’ education.
Our Legislative Priorities
We’re working closely with education partners across Montana to advocate for:
- School Funding: We’re supporting updates to Montana’s school funding formula this session to ensure stable, adequate resources for our classrooms for the 2025-26 school year.
- Recruitment and Retention of Staff: We’re backing initiatives to attract and keep excellent educators in Montana through “grow-your-own” programs, teacher residency opportunities, and establishing flexible pathways to teaching that also maintain high professional standards.
- Protecting Public Education: We’re committed to preserving funding for our public schools, where every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive. We will oppose any initiative that seeks to redirect money from public schools to private programs through an education voucher or education savings account. We also oppose initiatives that seek to redirect public funds toward private school programs.
- Enhancing Special Education: We’re advocating for full funding of special education services and maintaining the flexibility to meet each student’s unique needs. This includes seeking full funding for the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and increasing the state’s contribution.
I’m particularly excited about the proposed STARS Act (Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success), which was developed over the past year by the Montana School Boards Association (MTSBA) in partnership with lawmakers, educators, school administrators and public education advocacy organizations. This legislation would:
- Provide additional funding based on districts’ number of certified staff numbers, or “Qualified Staff.”
- Reward districts for career and technical education achievements.
- Support students earning college credits while in high school.
While Governor Gianforte has included STARS funding in his proposed biennial budget, we’ll need continued community support as this bill moves through the legislature. Watch for weekly updates on key legislation affecting our schools throughout the session.
Whether you’re a parent, a grandparent, an employer, or simply a community member who cares about our public schools, I encourage you stay informed and get involved in issues that matter to you.
Here are a few quick links to help:
Legislative Session Tools including bill lookup, meetings calendar, legislator contact information and more: https://www.legmt.gov/
Bill Tracker to tag and follow specific bills: https://www.billtracker.com/MTPublic
Looking Ahead
The 2025 legislative session is just the beginning. Following this session, Montana will conduct its legally required, once-in-a-decade review of school funding. This study presents a crucial opportunity to strengthen our public education system for the next generation of students.
Together, we can ensure Helena’s schools continue providing the excellent education our students deserve.
Respectfully,
Rex M. Weltz, Superintendent Helena Public Schools
Student & Educator Recognitions
Celebrating excellence in education
10 Helena Public Schools educators recently achieved National Board Certification. Our district continues to have one of Montana’s highest numbers of National Board Certified teachers, at 59. Please join us in congratulating these educators for their commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in the classroom!
Jean Placko
CR Anderson Middle School
Hermes Lynn
Four Georgians Elementary
Jody Branting
Helena Middle School
Andrew Roberts
Jefferson Elementary
Kellen Alger
Emily Lynn
Andrew Sund
Jim Darcy Elementary
Kaci Matthies
Jennifer Schaefer
Holly Westerberg
Capital High welders forge hope through service
Student welders at Capital High School are turning metal into hope. Mr. Jim Weber’s welding and machining students have crafted stunning metalworks for the Big Hearts Under the Big Sky Banquet on January 18. Each piece auctioned helps provide free outdoor adventures for people who have provided extraordinary services to our country and for children facing life-threatening illnesses.
These young craftspeople raised an impressive $10,200 last year and aim to make an even bigger impact in 2025!
Thank you to our generous Helena community for donating materials to support these meaningful student projects. Learn more about the auction: bigheartsmt.org/2025-big-hearts-benefit-auction
Below are just some of the projects to be auctioned.
