HPS requesting public input on how to spend COVID-19 relief funds

Havre Public School Superintendent Craig Mueller said the school system is working on its Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund plans and are looking for public input on how the money in the fund should be spent.

The fund contains around $7 million in COVID-19 relief, and Mueller said the school system needs to submit a plan to the Montana Office of Public Instruction for how they plan to use these funds over the next few years.

He said members of the community can take a survey online which will ask about various issues facing the school right now and how important they feel each of these issues is to address through COVID-19 relief funds.

The survey can found at HPS’ website at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScN8TIWNscfuuyVq5K1mihzK8Nsn2x6NWKsnTH3I1bhzWwnFw/viewform .

He said data obtained from this survey will be vital in creating a prioritization list for how money will be spent.

“Please, please take the survey,” he said.

He also specifically encouraged students to take the survey and make their voices heard, as they are the most directly affected by many of the issues and their observations are very valuable.

Mueller said the survey will hopefully answer any questions people have about the fund as well.

He said the survey will be open for around two weeks, but there will be an opportunity for further public comment even after the survey is closed.