The Great Falls Public Schools board approved a new policy during their Sept. 9 meeting regarding the use of therapy animals in schools. There was no public comment during the meeting. The school board heard the proposed policy on first reading during their Aug. 19 meeting. School officials said there have been some instances over the years where teachers and
Read moreI don’t know about you, but I can’t read fast enough to keep up with the information coming at me through email, social feeds, friends and more. But, I like to read, particularly about local government, downtown revitalization, placemaking, parking and transportation, economic development and whatever else happens to capture my attention. In an effort to help myself read more
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Six western authors and filmmakers are gathering in Great Falls later this month for a two-day seminar on the art of writing about the American frontier. The 2019 James Ersfeld Symposium is presented by Western Writers of America and is part of the organization efforts to encourage writing, particularly in the Western genre, according to Chriss Enss, WWA’s vice president.
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Two authors will be discussing their new books over the next few weeks at Cassiopeia Books, 721 Central Ave. in downtown Great Falls. On Sept. 5 at 6 p.m., historian and author Ken Robison will be discussing his book, Montanans in the Great War. The event is free and open to the public. On Oct 4 at 7 p.m., historian
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The Great Falls Public Schools board of trustees voted 6-0 during their special meeting on Aug. 22 to approve the $92.4 million budget for the current fiscal year. Since school districts levy taxes to hit a certain dollar level, when the value of mills increases, the district typically has to levy fewer mills, according to Brian Patrick, GFPS director of
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The Great Falls Public Schools board of trustees will meet for a special meeting Aug. 22 to consider the 2019-2020 budget. During the Aug. 19 school board meeting, GFPS staff reviewed the proposed budget. Brian Patrick, GPFS director of operations, said a number of factors impacted this year’s budget including legislative changes, the Calumet tax protest, no levy request, inflation
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City Commissioners got an update on plans for the Children’s Museum of Montana during their Aug. 6 work session. The museum’s director Sherrie Neff told commissioners about their current design team and effort to involve Montana industries in building exhibits. Morony Park could be option for Children’s Museum in preliminary discussions They’re planning to include a Parkour course with options for adults and
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The University of Providence has entered into a new partnership with the McLaughlin Research Institute. Under the terms of the agreement, MRI will provide teaching lab space for new UP health education programs and foster collaborations between faculty from both institutions to develop new grants and initiatives for research and STEM education, according to a UP release. It will also
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During the school year that just wrapped up, the school resource officers investigated 660 complaints in Great Falls Public Schools. That uptick is due in large part to a zero tolerance on the increased usage of vaping among students, according to Capt. Jeff Newton of the Great Falls Police Department. Newton presented the SRO report during Monday’s school board meeting.
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The Children’s Museum of Montana is still on the hunt for a new location. The museum is currently in a city owned building behind the Civic Center, a building the city intends to take over when the current five-year lease expires in 2023. In June, the museum asked the city to consider the possibility of using parkland for the new
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