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Dear Bozeman Public Schools Community,

Monday, April 22, 2024 was Earth Day and a very fitting time to address topics of environmental protection, climate change, and sustainability. We have been asked recently, what is the stance of the District on these important topics? This memo intends to highlight a variety of areas and topics where Bozeman Public Schools is directly and indirectly participating in and leading sustainability efforts. As stewards of both education and the environment, it is incumbent upon us to leave the world better than we found it. From the food on our plates to the buildings we inhabit, we are dedicated to fostering sustainable practices that not only benefit our immediate community, but also contribute to a healthier planet for generations to come.

We are a learning focused organization, and our mission is reflective of that focal point, “Bozeman Public Schools exists to ensure high level learning for all students.” That mission embodies continuous improvement across the organization, and while we aren’t where we want to be in all areas related to sustainability efforts, we have accomplished a great deal that is worth sharing with our community. Together, we can continue to build upon our achievements and inspire positive change within our community and beyond. Thank you for your unwavering support as we strive to leave a lasting legacy of sustainability for future generations.

Click HERE for full BSD7 Climate Change and Sustainability Memo 4.23.2024

Casey Bertram, Superintendent

Bozeman School District uses a Long Range Strategic Plan (LRSP) to guide and focus the District. The LRSP process was launched in the fall of 2007 to bring more rigor to the process of setting goals; to ensure the wants, preferences, and needs of the community are well understood; and to strategically focus District resources. In January and February the District used community surveys to collect feedback on the current Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of the District. A group of 38 community stakeholders (students, parents, certified/classified/professional staff, district and building admin, community partners, community members, and trustees) came together on February 22-23 to synthesize the community feedback and come to consensus on revisions to the LRSP. 

The draft revisions created by the LRSP consensus team are summarized HERE.

THIS survey tool is designed to collect feedback on the work of the LRSP consensus team, and will inform the final product recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval on April 8, 2024. Please note, the District has scheduled two in-person community forums for stakeholders to learn more about the process, engage with members of the LRSP consensus team, ask questions, and provide feedback. Details below:

Community Feedback Sessions:

March 21, 2024, 5:00-6:30 pm, BHS South Cafeteria

March 27, 2024, 5:00-6:30 pm, GHS Commons

November 29, 2023 - For Immediate Release

During their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 28, the Bozeman City Commission voted unanimously to appoint current BSD7 Trustee Douglas Fischer to the City Commission to fill a vacant position previously held by I-Ho Pomeroy. As a result, Trustee Fischer formally resigned from the Bozeman School Board via a letter to district officials and board leadership effective November 29, 2023.  

Bozeman Public Schools is incredibly grateful for Trustee Fischer’s years of dedicated service to the District. Fischer was in his third term on the Bozeman School Board, and shared the following comments in his resignation letter, “Serving on the board has been an extraordinary honor…I have learned many lessons during my time as a trustee that I hope to take with me to the City Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.” 

As Superintendent I will certainly miss Trustee Fischer’s commitment to the success of all students, his engagement and focused/thoughtful questions and feedback, as well as his amazing collection of bow ties. The City of Bozeman is fortunate to have such a high-caliber and caring individual serving in the role of Commissioner. 

BSD7’s Board Chair Greg Neil shared the following thoughts, “​​Trustee Fischer is a perennial community servant, and it was an honor to serve with him on the Bozeman School Board. He has been a champion of public education in Bozeman for many years and we wish him well as he steps into the Bozeman City Commission. We look forward to maintaining and enhancing our working relationship with the City of Bozeman and newly appointed Commissioner Fischer. Thank you Douglas, for all you did for Bozeman’s kids.” 

Board Vice Chair Tanya Reinhardt shared these thoughts, "Douglas has been an integral part of the Bozeman School Board for nearly a decade. While we will greatly miss him at the board table, we recognize the City Commission is gaining a great listener who is well-versed on finding solutions to challenging problems and building consensus around solutions. I am excited for the Bozeman City Commission. They are getting a great teammate in Douglas."

 By state law, the Bozeman School Board has 60 days to fill the Trustee vacancy. The District will be advertising the application process on their website and the anticipated timeline for filling the open position early next week. It is likely that the Board will take action on the appointment in January 2024.  

Best,

Casey Bertram, Superintendent

On January 9, 2023 the BSD7 Board of Trustees unanimously approved the superintendent recommendations to reduce the K-12 budget deficit in Bozeman Public Schools. Those final recommendations as well as a supporting presentation with important background information on the changing landscape for public education in Montana are below.

Click HERE for the Approved Elementary Recommendations

Click HERE for the Approved High School Recommendations

Click HERE for the Superintendent's Board Presentation

Thank you for your continued support of Bozeman Public Schools!

Casey Bertram, Superintendent

Senate Bill 99 dealing with human sexuality instruction in schools has received a great deal of attention in recent weeks as school districts, teachers, administrators, parents/guardians, school boards, community members, and attorneys make sense of noticing requirements and the expansive definition of human sexuality instruction in the legislation.

Bozeman Public Schools has put together Senate Bill 99 Guidance Documents to ensure transparency and provide guidance to staff. Please Note: The guidance included in the document is subject to change as legal counsel and/or the court system clarifies and provides updated guidance to Montana Public Schools regarding Senate Bill 99.