Meeting focuses on future of Graduation Matters Missoula

Meeting focuses on future of Graduation Matters Missoula

The above link is to a Missoulian report on Graduation Matters and MCPS goals.

In the newspaper the title of the article is, "Meeting offers glimpse at goals."

The article states,

"Separated into small groups of three to four people, the groups rotated through four stations to learn more details about the two-year-old mission that has already reduced the dropout rate from 4.68 percent in 2009 to 2.58 percent – the lowest in all AA districts in Montana. And currently, MCPS is closing in on a 90 percent graduation rate."

msw attended a meeting in 2004 at which parents were separated into small groups to discuss where students would be bused following the school closures. Additionally, the district's Ad Hoc High School Futures Meetings used the small group concept. 

msw is not a fan of meetings at which the people are separated in small groups or at separate tables.  msw is in favor or meetings in which all people can hear what each person is saying.  Some say that dividing people into small groups is a "divide and conquer" strategy which weakens the power of the citizens in public meetings.

and -

"Although the new Health Science Academy at Big Sky High School and the International Baccalaureate program at Hellgate High School are the shining stars of Graduation Matters Missoula, the program agenda is much more, said Melanie Charlson,
president of the Missoula Education Association."

msw would like to know -  
 - how much are the two new programs costing Missoula taxpayers and what programs will need to be cut due to adding these two programs?

Other helpful information would be...

- what are the names of all the teachers at Hellgate High School and other schools that have received IB training, where did they receive their training, and how much did it cost, including all travel expenses?

- what is the payroll costs of the IB program so far?

-  how and why did Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, our neighbor to the west, kick IB out of their schools?

- what do MCPS officials think about the association of IB with UNESCO?