A group of parents from around the Helena Public Schools district have formed a nonprofit organization in light of statements made in early November 2023 by board and SMA Architecture and Design representatives at Hawthorne Elementary School that caused members to fear neighborhood schools may close.

Warhank said during a Jan. 9 board meeting that the representatives from SMA said the firm is not considering student outcome in terms of the master plan.

Members said they want to work with the board and the district to come up with solutions within the district even though some parents within the group believe transparency is lacking from the district.

The facilities master planning process was first referenced in 2022, according to district officials.

Officials said the plan has also been talked about in countless meetings since 2022 that were posted online with the agendas made public on the district's website.

King said they believe the district relying on levies and community voters to keep the district operational is not a sustainable option. They added that this comes back to the discussion of the school funding formula on the state level and believes it needs to be reworked to meet the needs of school districts in Montana.

Helena IR: Helena parent group aims to inform others on district projects