HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The only incumbent in the race for two Trustee seats on the Havre School Board, Garrit Ophus says he would be honored to continue serving on the board.
As a Director of Information Systems at Northern Montana Health Care and a parent of three children, two of which are enrolled in the District, Ophus says he is able to hear understand multiple perspectives and believes it is vital to keep students engaged.
“We need to continue looking at and implementing new ideas. Some of which could be alternative learning options, added technology in the classroom, or more dual credits to help costs and time at the college level. Discussions with the staff students and community about prior years and reviewing those to see what was successful or not, to help with continued success for the years to come.”
Ophus says the door remains open to moving to a four-day school week or a different alternative schedule in future years, but there are some outstanding concerns that need to be addressed.
“How do we look at supplying meals for our kids on Fridays that need them? I know there were some discussions about the bargaining, having those conversations. That’s where I think COVID has kind of driven this ‘let’s make it work attitude, we can do that.’ I think that using this year to kind of continue those discussions and hash out things that may be lingering or a concern for some of those areas, seeing what options are available, if any, to look at a flexible schedule. Whatever that may look like, I don’t know. If it’s a four-day, a part-time Friday, a shorter day on Friday, maybe something like that.”
Election day is Tuesday, May 3rd.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters in the days to come for more on this election.
