Name: Paige Turoski

Age: 33

Occupation: behavioral support staff – Aware

Political/educational background: bachelor of science in mathematics, current GFPS trustee of three years

Q: Why are you running for school board?

A: I am running for reelection to the school board because I am a parent of two GFPS elementary students and I have enjoyed my first term on the board. I like being involved in the decision-making process for the district. As a parent, I think it is the most involved I can be in the district. I enjoy being able to represent the people of Great Falls, other parents, students, teachers, and staff, through my position on the board. I would like the opportunity to continue to do that.

Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities?

A: If elected, my top three priorities would be increasing student scores, increasing teachers’ salaries, and recruitment and retention of quality educators.

Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing GFPS for the next three years?

A: In the next three years I think the three biggest challenges facing the district are recruitment and retention, the budget, and parental involvement/accountability.

Q: What do you think are the three biggest strengths of the district?

A: The three biggest strengths of the district are fiscal responsibility, innovative strategies, and goal setting/working towards goals.

Q: In what ways do you plan to support and retain high-quality teachers in the district, and how would you address teacher shortages or high turnover rates?

A: The district is already addressing recruitment and retention in a few ways, and I support them, these include things like the high voltage weekend where the district allows education students to come to learn about GFPS and Great Falls as well as the CORE School at Morningside. I will continue to support these strategies as well as support raises for teachers to have more competitive salaries.

Q: What is your plan to raise test scores and student performance?

A: The district is already working on improving test scores through things like new curriculums and ensuring teachers are fully informed on how to teach the curriculum. I support these and will continue to advocate for proficiency-based scores and other innovative strategies brought forth by district staff.

Q: Graduation and dropout rates are always a concern, what ways would you propose to keep kids in school and engaged in learning?

A: One of the best ways to encourage students to remain in school and get their degree is to have a wide range of opportunities offered to the students. The district have many opportunities offered to students, many more than my high school ever offered, which I appreciate, especially as a parent. I would advocate for more parental involvement in students’ education. Many parents are very involved, but unfortunately many are not. Many of the students who drop out come from homes who do not put an emphasis on the importance of obtaining an education. Teachers and district staff can stress the importance of an education but unless it is backed up at home, the students will not value it for themselves.

Q: How do you think the district should address student mental health and wellbeing?

A: The district is already taking measures to address student health and wellbeing through universal mental health screenings of 6th graders and a peer mentor group at GFHS. Both are great ways to not only find students who are struggling with their mental health but to help break the stigma around mental health. I appreciate these approaches and will continue to support more efforts like these. Offering other counseling options and interventions to help students get the help they need.

Q: How would you approach making decisions about curriculum and instructional materials, and what factors would you take into consideration?

A: Public opinion is the biggest factor when it comes to picking a curriculum. Educated individuals at the district pick a few curriculums to choose from and take the opinions of teachers in the district into consideration, as well as the opinions of the public. The district is funded with public dollars and should always take public input into consideration.

Q: What is your understanding of the school funding formula in Montana, and if elected, would you advocate for changes to that formula?

A: I have spent the last three years on the budget committee, so I have become familiar with the funding formula. The base 80 percent of the budget comes from state funding and the rest comes from local input through levees. If reelected, I would advocate for changes to that formula, maybe something to help offset the increases in inflation or something to help us raise teacher salaries.

Q: How do you think the district can best position itself financially to deal with rising costs, potential changes to the federal funding structure and the community’s reluctance to support additional levies?

A: The district has already done a great job of this, they have been very fiscally responsible and conservative, especially with the ESSER dollars it received. The district did a great job of using those funds very efficiently to help offset other costs and ensure the district could continue running without additional levees. The district is doing a lot of good, when it comes to the student and offers a lot of opportunities. The district needs to show the public that the district is something worth investing in, especially for the sake of the students and their futures.

Q: What are your thoughts on how legislative actions impact GFPS funding and operations?

A: Legislative actions have a large impact on the funding and operations of the district. There are state laws that the district has to abide by and sometimes changes are easy to implement but sometimes they take coordination on the districts part. I have spent the last three years on the policy committee and have learned a great deal about how legislative actions impact GFPS, it has been interesting to see how those work together.

Q: How would you work to ensure that all students in the district receive an equitable education, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status?

A: Students in the district already receive an equitable education in the district. I will continue to support all the programs and opportunities offered to all students.

Q: How would you support students with disabilities and/or other individual learning needs throughout the district?

A: The district already has a large support structure in place for students with disabilities and does a lot to coordinate education around health issues or other disabilities. I will continue to support those existing structures and advocate for anyone who feels their student is not receiving the proper support.

Q: How would you address issues related to school safety, including bullying, violence, and substance abuse?

A: Once again, the district does a lot to address safety issues. They work closely with the city and county when it is a matter related to crime. Schools are very busy dealing with bullying, there are consequence structures in place to help prevent these things from happening on school grounds. Obviously, they still do but the district works hard to prevent it as much as possible. Unfortunately, this is another area that could use more support from parents. If there is no support at home, students will continue with these actions, regardless of what steps the district takes.

Q: What are your thoughts on addressing rising violence among young people in Great Falls, particularly at the middle and high school levels? 

A: This answer is the same as my last answer. There needs to be more accountability put on parents to parent and try to help steer their kids clear of violence as best they can. Like I said in my last answer, if it is not backed up at home then the district and city’s efforts will be for nothing. Increasing mental health services would also help in this area.

Q: How will you support the arts in schools, including music, theater and visual arts?

A: I already support them and will continue to do so. The arts are another opportunity offered to the students and just because it is not for everyone does not mean it is not important to plenty.

Q: How would you interact with staff to learn about GFPS operations, education regulations and stay informed about items you are being asked to vote on?

A: I ask questions anytime I have them about an action item. I make sure that I am well informed about any decision that comes before the board. I am very comfortable reaching out to district staff and asking whatever questions I have. I either email or call whomever it is that can best answer my questions. I have had a great opportunity to learn about education regulations through my time on the policy committee and the district does a great job of educating new trustees on district operations once elected to the board. It was informative and has helped me to be a better trustee.

Q: How would you communicate with the public to hear their concerns and keep them informed about GFPS operations?

A: I take phone calls, emails, and text messages from community members regarding a wide range of topics about the district. I love hearing from the public and would encourage them to reach out. If it is not something I can answer I make sure to either get the answers or get the individual in touch with someone who can better answer their questions.

Q: As a school board member, you are asked to represent the whole community, how do you represent those that are different, or that have different views than you do?

A: I am a big proponent of removing politics from education. I am able to look at the topic of educating the children of our community without taking personal views into consideration. Educating kids and keeping them safe while they are at school are the two biggest priorities and I am able to focus on those and put personal views and opinions aside.

Q: Anything I didn’t ask that’d you’d like to add.

A: I thoroughly enjoyed my term on the board. I would love the opportunity to represent the people of Great Falls again and would be honored to do so. If anyone has any questions they can reach out and ask.