Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

48 Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org Preparing Students to Navigate Their Future - 2023 Photo provided by Great Falls Public Schools "We successfully educate students to navigate their futures", that is the mission of Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS). GFPS is the 2nd largest school district in Montana. All 10,000 plus students are prepared through comprehensive PK-12 programming and extensive extra- and co-curricular offerings. Malmstrom Air Force Base E D U C AT I O N is located within school District boundaries and over 1,100 military associated students attend our schools in grades TK- 12. GFPS works closely with military students and families as they transition to and from Malmstrom to ensure the student's academic needs, extra- curricular interests and social/ emotional wellbeing are being attended to by District staff. The Indigenous Peoples Program focuses on Indian Education for All students and teachers. In addition, the District provides support and cultural development for the Indigenous students, staff and families that we serve. The District's vision is that all students are engaged in learning opportunities and experiences daily that are transformational for each person. Students take advantage of courses and experiences in Career and Technical Education, Military (ROTC) and early College preparation. Most importantly, the District emphasis is on the development of responsible citizens. Many eligible young children in our community attend a unique program at the District's Early Learning Family Center. Elementary students in grades K-6 attend one of fifteen neighborhood elementary schools. There are two middle schools on opposite sides of the district for students in grades seven and eight. The District has two traditional high schools, which offer comprehensive programs for students in grades 9-12. In addition, Paris Gibson Education center offers students from across the community an alternative path to a high school diploma. The District also provides life-long, adult learning opportunities through its award-winning College and Career Readiness programs at the Great Falls College-MSU. Students in our schools are served by approximately 750 highly trained and qualified educators, many of whom have received state and national recognition. Over 70% of GFPS teachers have a master's degree or higher. The School District supports stellar fine arts programs as exemplified by the GFPS Music Department being selected as one of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation's 2021 "Best Communities for Music Education." The department is a 12-time winner of this prestigious award. The District is also proud of its competitive AA athletic programs and Career and Technical Education Student Organizations (CTSOs). Many of our staff and students partner with the Chamber of Commerce and its members through the Chamber's Business Networking Groups, student presentations at Chamber Board Meetings, GFPS Culinary Arts students preparing and serving food at Chamber events, and the deployment of collaborative business competitions for our business students/entrepreneurs. High School students from across the community participate in the Leadership High School program in their junior year, which the Chamber of Commerce sponsors. Chamber members and leaders are often guest speakers at school events to include the business and industry perspective. This year, the District is a key partner with the Chamber's new Central Montana Works! initiative and the Worlds of Work event. These activities are designed to address the workforce development and educational needs of our region and the state. GFPS appreciates the many Great Falls businesses and Chamber members who support job shadows and internships as students explore their futures and career pathways. The District's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs rely on the expertise of many local businesses and organizations to enhance traditional educational programming. Hands- on experiences in construction, manufacturing, health care, finance, agriculture, and computers/technology are essential and made possible by the collaborative efforts of local businesses. One of the goals of the 2023 Workforce Development initiative is to increase the number of businesses offering student internships and teacher externships to enhance and increase the workforce pipeline in the Central Montana region. Great Falls Public Schools believes that providing high quality educational opportunities to our community's children can only be accomplished via partnerships with students, staff, family, business and industry. It is an investment today for the future of our community. Tom Moore, Superintendent, Great Falls Public Schools

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