The noon meeting this week will feature Susie McIntyre, Director of the Great Falls Public Library. The evening meeting will feature Trish Gardner, Health Officer at the City-County Health Department. Don't forget the evening meetings are on Tuesday now, not Thursday. Same place: Meadow Lark Country Club!
Last Week at Rotary
Our featured speaker last week was introduced by Tom Moore, who assumed the superintendency of Great Falls Public Schools last July. His business manager is Brian Patrick, who explained the school funding formula and the connection between the formula, our steadily increasing shortfall, and the levy request for the elementary that the school board authorized last week.
Much simplified, the state guarantees each Montana school 80% of a funding formula that is primarily based on student enrollment. The formula is purposely designed to allow local citizens to support their schools up to an additional 20%. Once a District reaches the 100% level, it is unable to ask for additional money. School districts may request the additional funding through a levy election held at the same time as the trustee election in May.
Over the past ten years, our local school district has passed only one mill levy, with the result that we have cut over 100 teaching positions and over $10 million over that time. While it is true that our enrollment has declined, it has declined less than 3%. We have cut our teaching staff by almost 12%. It's taken a toll.
Brian Patrick has a gift for making a complex subject both interesting and understandable. It's an important subject for us all.
Going the Extra Mile
Last week's meeting began with a special presentation. Joann Gogo presented Judge Bob Holter, Chair of the Rotary Foundation, with a check for $620.31, the percentage of her annual sales she has pledged to Rotary. (See related photo is preceding article.) It's an incredibly generous pledge, which will bring lots of new trees and other good things from the Rotary Foundation. Thank you, Joann!
Making a Difference
You may recall that Caitlin Walter made a pitch during the last school year for us to support the education mission her brother, a pastor, is engaged in in the Nakivale Refugee Camp in Uganda. Last year we sent 25 students to school. This year we are still supporting those students and have an additional 60 on our wait list.
At a recent meeting, Caitlin passed around this card from her brother, showing the students we are helping to educate. It's amazing to think that, for just $35 /year you can give a child the gift that lasts forever. February represents the start of a new school year. Let's get some of those kids off the wait list!
Milestones
Happy birthday today to fellow Rotarian and State Senator Tom Jacobson. Many happy returns!
This week marks the anniversary of several members' becoming Rotarians:
Gregg Holt - 41 years!
Mark Finnicum - 19 years
John Huber - 5 years
Thank you, all, for your dedication to service above self.
