The Great Falls Public Schools board unanimously approved the five-year contract with the Montana Board of Education for the new public charter school, dubbed CORE School.

The recent legislation creating public charter schools requires the contract that outlines terms of operation and monitoring.

Jackie Mainwaring told the GFPS board that the contract includes deadlines for setting up their performance framework, such as Oct. 31 for assessment measures and educational goals and objectives.

GFPS hosting CORE School informational sessions in March

During their March 11 meeting, there were no board questions or public comments on the contract.

GFPS is hosting informational sessions on the new CORE School later this month.

Those sessions are set for noon and 5:30 p.m. on March 26 and 5:30 p.m. on March 27 at the district office, 1100 4th St. S.

Mainwaring said that they were closed to being fully staffed with three or four positions left to fill.

She said the district was conducting interviews this week and expected to be fully staffed soon.

GFPS updates school board on CORE School progress

Mainwaring said most of the CORE School employees came from within GFPS but some are coming from outside the district.

The Montana Board of Education approved the charter application for Great Falls Public Schools’ CORE School on Jan. 19.

State board approves GFPS charter school

Jennifer Martyn was named as the CORE School principal in December and Morningside Elementary School was selected as the location in November.

The district sent forms to current Morningside families and Mainwaring said most had indicated that they wanted to stay. She said a few haven’t answered so they’re finalizing those numbers to determine how many lottery spots they can open for students outside Morningside who want to attend the new CORE School.

The lottery opens at noon March 26 and families don’t have to attend the informational sessions to enter the lottery, which will close 5 p.m. April 25.

CORE School principal named

Mainwaring said the information on how to enter the lottery will be provided during the informational sessions and will also be available on the GFPS website.

CORE School will essentially be a learning laboratory and will be staffed by teachers with masters degrees who go through a separate selection process and will also be hired as adjunct staff for the University of Montana-Western’s education program.

The student teachers from university programs will be hired by the district as paraeducators or teacher aides, which have also been in short supply, while they’re completing their degree program in an immersive educational setting.

GFPS appoints members to CORE School advisory committee; presents to state education board

The CORE School will open in the fall of 2024 with the UM-Western students coming that spring, according to GFPS.

Mainwaring said GFPS officials were working with the college and were in the process of selecting the first cohort of student teachers.