‘Outdated learning environments’: Helena district asks voters for $238M for aging schools
August 12, 2025
‘Outdated learning environments’: Helena district asks voters for $238M for aging schools By Sonny Tapia Editor’s Note: This story is the first in a three-part series regarding the upcoming school bond election on Sept. 9, with ballots set to be mailed Aug. 22. The Helena Public Schools board of trustees unanimously voted in June to present
Read MoreLetter to the editor: Vote yes on the school bond
August 12, 2025
Letter to the editor: Vote yes on the school bond My name is Jackson, and I am going into the eighth grade at Helena Middle School this year. Next year I will be going to Helena High School, and that is an interesting thought. After hearing about the fact that students of Helena High must
Read MorePass the Helena school bonds and leave a legacy to be proud of | Opinion
August 12, 2025
Pass the Helena school bonds and leave a legacy to be proud of | Opinion MONTANA ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANSJAY REARDON, MOFFIE FUNK and AL EKBLAD We represent the Montana chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a coalition of retired educators, construction workers, state and federal government workers, and community leaders. We exist to
Read More‘Vote yes!’: Over 100 supporters rally for upcoming Helena Public Schools bonds
August 5, 2025
‘Vote yes!’: Over 100 supporters rally for upcoming Helena Public Schools bonds Bearing signs and chanting, “The time is now,” over 100 people urged the public to vote in favor of a Helena Public Schools bond in a Monday street rally. “Vote yes!” attendees shouted on cue. Kids with campaign stickers across their chests held
Read MoreStop patching. Start building. It’s time to get real about Helena’s schools
August 5, 2025
Helena’s public schools are falling apart. While other AA school districts in Montana — Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell — have stepped up and built modern schools, Helena is still relying on buildings that are literally crumbling. Helena High was built in 1955. Capital High in 1965. Kessler Elementary? 1936. On average, schools in the Helena School
Read MoreLetter to the editor: Learning spaces that match our kids’ potential
August 5, 2025
As a former principal of Jim Darcy School and a parent myself, I know how much it matters where our kids go to school. They deserve learning spaces that match their potential — safe, bright, and built for the future. That’s what we got when voters passed the 2017 bond that gave us new buildings
Read MoreLetter to the editor: Supporting our schools and students is a longterm investment
August 5, 2025
Our community is coming to understand the critical state of Kessler School, Helena High and Capital High. Many know that at nearly 100 years old, Kessler has deteriorating infrastructure, cramped hallways, tiny classrooms and accessibility and safety concerns. Helena High’s situation is even worse: a mostly wood building with a 1950s infrastructure. Cosmetic improvements over
Read MoreLetter to the editor: Act now to keep our children safe
August 5, 2025
Do we need to wait until disaster strikes before we act? Our schools were built in a very different time. Today the children have safe school drills. We cannot keep our children safe in some of the schools. For example, there is no way to monitor all the entrances at Helena High School. My husband
Read MoreSchool bond supporters rally outside Helena High School
August 4, 2025
HELENA — It’s just over a month until Helena voters will decide whether they’re willing to support raising their property taxes to fund major improvement to three local schools. On Monday morning, about 100 people gathered outside Helena High School, as Yes! for Helena Schools – the committee backing two proposed bond measures – held
Read MoreLetter to the editor: Appalling conditions at Helena High
August 4, 2025
I was a university supervisor for student teachers in the Chicago area for 10 years. Some of the schools I visited were in underserved neighborhoods. The appalling conditions I witnessed on a tour of Helena High recently are far worse than any I have seen at any of those underserved Chicago schools. The foundation is
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