Great Falls Public Schools
Encyclopedia
The Great Falls Public Schools (also known as School District #1) is a public school district
which covers the city limits of Great Falls, Montana
, in the United States
. As of March 2010, it was the second-largest school district in the state of Montana, and the third-largest employer in the city of Great Falls.
, the city's first high school, was founded in the fall of 1890 by the city of Great Falls after four teenage girls (newly arrived in the city) asked to receive a high school public education. Its second high school, Charles M. Russell High School
, was built in 1964 and opened in the fall of 1965.
The school district weathered a deeply divisive 15-day teachers' strike
in 1975 in which class size and pay were the primary issues. A 29-day strike occurred in 1989. In the 1990s, the school system began devolving responsibility for school policy and operations to the local schools, and struggled with finding the right balance between centralization and decentralization.
In 1992, the school system was involved in an open records
lawsuit that went all the way to the Montana Supreme Court
. On September 10, 1990, the GFPS board of trustees met privately to discuss a report regarding collective bargaining negotiations with the Great Falls Education Association. The board rejected the report without discussion at its public session, at which time the local newspaper, the Great Falls Tribune
, sued—arguing the private meeting was a violation of the Article II, Section 9, of the Montana Constitution
(a particularly strongly worded provision that gives citizens the right to observe deliberations and examine documents at public meetings). GFPS attorneys argued that state law provided an exception in the case of collective bargaining negotiations. A state district court ruled in favor of the school district, but a state appellate court overturned that ruling and held the state law's collective bargaining exception to be unconstitutional. In 1992 in Great Falls Tribune Co. v. Great Falls Public Schools, the Montana Supreme Court upheld the appellate court, concluding, "The collective bargaining strategy exception is an impermissible attempt by the Legislature to extend the grounds upon which a meeting may be closed."
The Great Falls Public Schools spent $5,998 per pupil in the 2010-2011 school year, substantially less that the statewide average of $6,356 per pupil.
Elementary schools
Middle schools
High schools
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
which covers the city limits of Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of March 2010, it was the second-largest school district in the state of Montana, and the third-largest employer in the city of Great Falls.
History
The city's public school system was established in 1886. That year, the city opened the Whittier Building (later known as Whittier Elementary School) and began holding ungraded educational instruction for all students there. Great Falls High SchoolGreat Falls High School
Great Falls High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Great Falls, Montana. Established in 1890, it was the city's first high school. The school's original building, constructed in 1896, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. GFHS began construction on its...
, the city's first high school, was founded in the fall of 1890 by the city of Great Falls after four teenage girls (newly arrived in the city) asked to receive a high school public education. Its second high school, Charles M. Russell High School
Charles M. Russell High School
Charles M. Russell High School is a public high school in Great Falls, Montana. It is part of the Great Falls Public Schools system. It is one of two high schools in the city, the other being Great Falls High School. The doors to the new school were officially opened for students on September 7,...
, was built in 1964 and opened in the fall of 1965.
The school district weathered a deeply divisive 15-day teachers' strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1975 in which class size and pay were the primary issues. A 29-day strike occurred in 1989. In the 1990s, the school system began devolving responsibility for school policy and operations to the local schools, and struggled with finding the right balance between centralization and decentralization.
In 1992, the school system was involved in an open records
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
lawsuit that went all the way to the Montana Supreme Court
Montana Supreme Court
The Montana Supreme Court is the highest court of the Montana state court system in the U.S. state of Montana. It is established and its powers defined by Article VII of the 1972 Montana Constitution...
. On September 10, 1990, the GFPS board of trustees met privately to discuss a report regarding collective bargaining negotiations with the Great Falls Education Association. The board rejected the report without discussion at its public session, at which time the local newspaper, the Great Falls Tribune
Great Falls Tribune
The Great Falls Tribune is a daily morning newspaper printed in Great Falls, Montana. Its Sunday circulation is 36,763, with 33,434 on weekdays...
, sued—arguing the private meeting was a violation of the Article II, Section 9, of the Montana Constitution
Montana Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Montana is the primary legal document providing for the self-governance of the U.S. State of Montana. It establishes and defines the powers of the three branches of the government of Montana, and the rights of its citizens...
(a particularly strongly worded provision that gives citizens the right to observe deliberations and examine documents at public meetings). GFPS attorneys argued that state law provided an exception in the case of collective bargaining negotiations. A state district court ruled in favor of the school district, but a state appellate court overturned that ruling and held the state law's collective bargaining exception to be unconstitutional. In 1992 in Great Falls Tribune Co. v. Great Falls Public Schools, the Montana Supreme Court upheld the appellate court, concluding, "The collective bargaining strategy exception is an impermissible attempt by the Legislature to extend the grounds upon which a meeting may be closed."
About the district
The Great Falls Public Schools is led by a seven-member board of trustees, which from among their members a chair and vice-chair. The Board has formed a number of committees—some of which include Board members and many of which do not—which provide advice and expertise to the Board concerning school district operations. These include committees on: Budget, school year calendar, communication, curriculum, employee wellness, English as a second language instruction, curriculum implementation, insurance, labor-management relations, leadership team, staff development (PIR), staff development assessment (Professional Learning Community Time, or PLCT), safety, student wellness, superintendent's cabinet (an administrative leadership team), and technology. A superintendent (chief administrative and executive officer) is hired by the board and oversees daily operation of the school system and the implementation and assessment of board policies and decisions.The Great Falls Public Schools spent $5,998 per pupil in the 2010-2011 school year, substantially less that the statewide average of $6,356 per pupil.
Current schools
As of the 2011-2012 school year, the district operated the following public schools:Elementary schools
- Chief Joseph Elementary School
- Lewis and Clark Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Loy Elementary School
- Meadow Lark Elementary School
- Morningside Elementary School
- Mountain View Elementary School
- Riverview Elementary School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- Sacajawea Elementary School
- Sunnyside Elementary School
- Valley View Elementary School
- West Elementary School
- Whittier Elementary School
Middle schools
- East Middle School
- North Middle School
High schools
- C.M. Russell High School
- Great Falls High School
- Paris Gibson Alternative High School