HPS looking for community involvement in planning meetings

Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees members and administrators are looking to involve more members of the public in their upcoming strategic planning meetings, including one tonight, which will help define short- and long-term goals for HPS in the coming years.

HPS Superintendent Craig Mueller said he’s encouraged members of the board and his fellow administrators to try and bring an interested community member to tonight’s meeting so they can observe and potentially provide input for the group.

Strategic planning is a process that takes place at HPS every three to five years and involves laying out a desired vision for the schools with 10- to 15-year goals as well as shorter-term goals to act as a roadmap to achieve that vision.

Montana School Boards Association General Counsel Debra Silk, who’s been leading the meetings, said during a meeting last month that schools without these long-term strategic plans tend to progress and adapt more slowly, as they think about only the next three to five years, reacting to things that happen and not proactively building up the school.

Silk has suggested to the group that they try to get more community and parent involvement, Mueller said, hence his request to other members of the group.

He said anyone can come and listen and, while he’s not sure how many would want to provide input, he’s certainly not opposed to them doing so.

“I’m definitely open to hearing what ideas some of our community members have for the future of Havre Public Schools,” he said.

Mueller said the group isn’t engaging in these meetings with any particular agenda, that they are open discussions about where the school is heading, and where the group would like it to be.

He said discussion at the meetings isn’t just about HPS generally, but about issues going on at the building-level as well.

In the last cycle, he said, the group laid the groundwork for substantial improvements to Havre High School, including much-needed improvements to its science rooms that were recently completed, as well as promotion of a day care that school staff could make use of, so these meetings do have an effect on HPS.

However, Mueller said, potential attendees should know that discussions at these meetings will not be specific enough that they would reach the classroom-level, and certainly not specific enough to involve discussions of individual teachers or students.

Tonight’s meeting will be at 6 p.m. at Havre Middle School.

People who can’t attend in-person can use Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87457583537 .

Mueller said tonight’s meeting is unlikely to be the last of its kind, so there will be opportunities for parents and community members to listen and get involved later in the process as well.