#bozeman schools

[realestatebozeman]

The School Board unanimously approved on the $125 million plan to build a second high school, and make some major upgrades to Bozeman High. Now we wait for the voters' final decision in the May 2nd election.

[realestatebozeman]

Bozeman High School Earns Highest ACT Scores in State

For the second year in a row, Bozeman High School has the best ACT scores in the state. Current Bozeman seniors averaged a 22.8 composite score when they took the test last year as high school juniors.

Montana averaged a score of 20.4 and the US average sat at 21. In 2014, Bozeman averaged a total score of 22.5, so test scores continue to improve.

Bozeman High surpassed the averages of all other State AA school districts including Helena, (21.5), Missoula (21.2), Great Falls (20.5), Kalispell (20.3), Billings (20.2) and Butte (20.2).

In general, only students who expect to go to college would take the ACT test. However, after receiving a 6-year grant, Bozeman High has issued the test to all its students. This year, 47% of all Bozeman juniors hit ACT benchmarks. Considering Montana averaged 24% and the US averaged 28 percent, the record reflected well on the high school and its quality of education.

Below are the scores by subject:

English – 75% hit benchmarks, 57% average in Montana, 64% in US

Reading – 60% hit benchmarks, 44% average in Montana, 46% in US

Math – 59% hit benchmarks, 41% average in Montana, 38% in US

Science – 52% hit benchmarks, 36% in Montana, 38% in US

When Bozeman students continue to perform well, it will continue to attract new families to the Bozeman area who hope to offer their children the best education available.

Source: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/bozeman-high-students-ace-act-tests/article_0ae353e8-2705-5242-90bd-9c492567df11.html

[realestatebozeman]

Bozeman Named Top College Town in 2015

Bozeman’s reputation as one of the nation’s most livable towns continues to grow as the town was recently honored as the 4th best college town in the United States. Last year, Bozeman was honored as the 11th most livable town in the United States (regardless of age group).

The report, put together by Smart Asset, looked for the most charming and vibrant places to live for high school and college age students, looking at the areas that surround their potential schools of interest. The rankings are based on a city’s crime and unemployment rates, average incomes for its residents, housing costs and the availability of dining and entertainment.

Smart Asset pointed to several categories that put Bozeman above many other cities in the nation. Bozeman’s proximity to Yellowstone National Park not only provides a great, natural activity for the area, but also helps drive the local economy and provide jobs for many college age students. On a similar note, Bozeman’s low unemployment rate and its booming economy also provide great draws for non-locals to the area.

Of course, Bozeman’s outdoor activities remain far above the norm for a college town. Bozeman is close to premiere fly-fishing, skiing, backpacking, ice climbing and mountain biking. Last year, Bozeman was honored as a top 25 ski town in the entire world, not just the nation. The town itself is also riddled with walking trails and parks. At night, symphonies, concerts, theatre productions, bars and breweries provide a good night life for those looking for late-night entertainment.

Other cities that scored in the top ten included Princeton, New Jersey; Kearney, Nebraska; Boulder, Colorado and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Source: http://www.montana.edu/news/15849/bozeman-named-one-of-best-college-towns-for-2015

[realestatebozeman]

Bozeman Schools Break Enrollment Record for 2nd Straight Year

For the second year in a row, the Bozeman School District has grown to its largest size in its history. Last year, enrollment hit 6,294 people but this year, enrollment has grown by more than 200 students and has now reached more than 6,500 students. In spring, administrators had estimated a 170 student addition.

Now, a record 2,000 students will attend Bozeman High School. 1,470 middle schoolers are now between Chief Joseph and Sacajawea Middle School. And nearly 3,045 elementary students will be spread across Bozeman’s Elementary schools.

In light of the growing enrollment, Bozeman will ask voters to approve bonds to expand Sacajawea Middle School and expanding Hawthorne Elementary School. That vote will occur November 3rd, 2015.

The Bozeman School District has also started planning for a second high school in Bozeman. They want a new school in place within the next four to five years, when enrollment at Bozeman High, currently the best ranked public school in Montana, is expected to reach 2,400 students. The district is already in discussions with a few architecture firms to get the project rolling.

Bozeman has seen increases in population all across the board. Whether for travel, tourism, schools or overall population, its clear Bozeman continues to attract additional residents.

Source: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/bozeman-schools-break-enrollment-record-eye-high-school-no/article_959b4ddb-3d80-51b5-9f62-473f607a076c.html

[realestatebozeman]

Montana to Improve Internet Speeds in Schools

Thanks to a partnership by the state government and an internet based non-profit organization, Montana Schools can look forward to having much faster internet in future years.

Montana will partner with Education Super Highway to help get state schools federal assistance and upgrade their broadband infrastructure. Currently, as many as 160 K-12 schools across Montana lack fiber optic cables that are needed for high speed internet connections. Rural schools struggle in particular due to their isolation. Education Super Highway specializes in gaining federal grants to help schools lay fiber optic wires or fund broadband upgrades. However, schools still need to pay for 10% of their costs. Having the state government jump on board will help pay for those additional costs to schools in need.

Bozeman schools obviously have internet access. However the size of some schools, coupled with their network capabilities often leads them to having slower than ideal internet. By partnering with Education Super Highway, even well established schools like Bozeman High School will have the opportunity to improve their internet infrastructure. The Bozeman School District does a great job keeping up with technology--last year they purchased Chromebooks for use by students--and this new project will only improve technology access in Bozeman schools. The City of Bozeman has also worked hard to install fiber optic cables around town--something that will also benefit nearby schools who can connect into that infrastructure.

Schools will not know how much the internet upgrades might cost until they have been reviewed on an individual basis. Having improved internet across the state and specifically in Gallatin County schools will continue to attract young families to the area. Any parent wants to give their child the best education possible. Having access to a tool like the internet is a must have in this modern age—having its capabilities fully optimized can’t hurt either!

Source: http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Bozeman-schools-look-forward-to-improved-internet-access/35293234

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Broadband-group-to-test-school-Internet-speed-plan-upgrades/35303278

[realestatebozeman]

Bozeman School Board to Set Budget

Tonight, the Bozeman School Board will vote on whether to raise local property taxes to approve the $72 million in spending budgeted for this school year in Bozeman. Approving $72 million in spending would be up 3.4% from last year.

Enrollment for the Bozeman School District is expected to increase by 170 students, or 2.7 percent. The expected total will be 6,464 students—a new record for Bozeman school enrollment numbers. The new budget would add 10 new elementary teachers and 1 high school teacher to better address the growing student population. The school board will also increase their reserves to better tackle the proposed Sacajawea Middle School expansion and second High School. The district’s upgrade of Hawthorne Elementary, will use a TIF, and not raise taxes on those in the district.

In order to pay for the spending increases, 31 million will need to be raised from taxpayers. The process has been complicated because of the Department of Revenue’s property tax reappraisal. Property values only dropped by 3% from when the recession began in 2008—far better than the expected 11% drop that some predicted—but balancing the budget has been more difficult with shifting property values. If the budget is approved, each property owner in the Elementary district will see their taxes raise by 7.45 mills and those in the High School district will see their taxes raise by 3.79 mills.

A tax increase approved by voters as well as the Montana’s Legislature’s increased state spending on schools have also contributed to the budget. The total elementary budget would go up to $45.4 million and the high school budget would go up $26.8 million. The district has been awarded a plethora of awards in the last year, whether financial, academic, student based, or from an outside ranking system.

Source: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/bozeman-schools-to-get-more-kids-spend-and-tax-more/article_df15d371-0a10-5b46-b9a5-5e4dd0a97c28.html

[realestatebozeman]

Plans forming for Bozeman’s Second High School

By Fall of 2020, high school age students in Bozeman may not all be attending the same school for the first time in the town’s history. Starting this year, plans for a second high school will be taken on in earnest, and Bozeman School District officials hope to present a finalized plan to voters by November 2016.

In order to have a finalized plan by then, school officials will need to put plans in place that work with their budget and local Bozemanites’ hopes for the school. This school year will be focused on open dialogue and communication between the district and the public to put together a high school that will satisfy all parties.

The Bozeman School District plans on asking voters to approve a 60 to 80 million dollar project. The school has a soft deadline of 2020 to complete the school because that is when Bozeman High School’s enrollment is expected to eclipse 2,400 students. Bozeman’s overall enrollment has been increasing yearly and hit an all time new high in 2015. Once Bozeman High School reaches 2,400 students, school officials plan on splitting those students between 2 high schools, both with the capacity to hold up to 1,500 students.

Already topics of debate surrounding the highschool are forming. Will the new high school be very similar to the current one? Will it function just to increase space and carry the same curriculum as Bozeman High? Is there any interest in creating a new, more focused high school to offer students a chance to focus on a specific craft? Will the new high school include some form of cutting edge project, whether infrastructural or educational? All of these questions will need to be addressed in 2015. Any Bozeman resident who feels strongly on any topic should make a point to have their opinion known before year’s end. Already, ideas have been presented to the school to build a magnet high school of 400 to 500 students, while Bozeman High remained more traditional.

The two high schools will still need to decide logistical questions as well—like whether they will share a stadium moving forward, or whether one school might build an auditorium for both.

The school will hire a consultant to put together plans for a new high school rather than school officials based on the consultant’s expertise and ability to put all focus on this project.

It is very exciting to see plans for the new high school starting to develop. The High School’s recent growth really provides evidence for Bozeman’s continued growth. Bozeman School District schools have been some of the best in the state, if not the best, even with the recent growth.  Bozeman continues to be very attractive to young families as evidenced by the district’s enrollment increases.

Source: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/bozeman-gears-up-for-planning-high-school-no/article_d39a74b6-b333-567c-9f0b-ec92dd203f1c.html

[realestatebozeman]

New Bozeman School Address Learning Disablilities

A new school will be coming to the greater Bozeman area, hoping to fill a niche in Bozeman by teaching young children with learning disabilities. Cottonwood Day School, as it will be called when it opens in September 2015, will help young children address their issues with speech, dyslexia, dysgraphia (for writing) and dyscalculia (for math). The school will be open for children in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade.

The school will use multi-sensory education techniques to provide many different types of learning styles to its students. Ideally, it will provide avenues for visual learners, auditory learners and hands on learners to learn in they best way they know. Cottonwood Day School wants to be another option in the Bozeman education world, giving parents alternatives for their struggling student. The school hopes it can provide early intervention and give struggling students a leg up and a chance to get back into public school and be successful.

The school is located on Cottonwood Road, just south of Anderson School. Tuition will cost $9,200 a year.

Education opportunities and alternatives continue to be at extremely high quality in Bozeman, Montana. Enrollments have increased in public schools, while private schools have been expanding in size and increasing in number. Bozeman has become a center for high level public and private education in the state, perhaps why so many people continue to be attracted to and move to Bozeman.

Source: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/education/new-bozeman-private-school-to-focus-on-learning-disabilities/article_ffcd8ec2-ba9e-5ddb-b6b0-2d54f693d82b.html