The 2009 Legislative Session

With final preparations underway, MREA reminds educators and education advocates in  all of our member school communities to sign up for our state-wide Online Briefings , Legislative Updates and Status Reports which will be transmitted via e-mail throughout the upcoming legislative session

While MREA continues to publish The Update, our state-wide newsletter, distributed to our membership on a regular basis, Trustees, administrators and other district personnel from MREA schools are invited and strongly encouraged to also subscribe to our e-mail services which are used as our primary means of communication during the 2009 legislative session. To submit the names and e-mail addresses of new personnel, simply click on “contact us” at the top of this page and then on the link to e-mail the Helena office

MREA Announces a New Approach to

Superintendent/Administrator Recruitment

MREA believes that the recruitment and hiring at the district level district level  of the superintendent and other administrative positions are two of the most important roles of the local Board of Trustees.  We believe that many local Boards can and should be conducting their own recruitment and searches and that they can be highly effective in doing so without the high fees being paid to outside groups, agencies and individuals.

MREA with the assistance of Dr. Rich Shaffer and Montana State University have developed a series of documents and a menu of options to help schools across Montana with this process.

Local School Boards are encouraged to contact MREA’s Helena office for free consultation,  a complete explanation of the program and an outline of the various services available.

Free Guide Walks the Board Through the Process:
MREA and Dr. Shaffer of MSU have developed a free  “how-to” guide which clearly explains the various aspects of an effective recruitment and search process.

Limited Search Management and Facilitation Available (at a fraction of what others charge!):
A variety of management and facilitation services are available to assist Montana Schools.  In some cases it may be difficult for the local schools to manage the paperwork and communications or to conduct the necessary  background checks on their own.  MREA can assist with these responsibilities for a fee that is a fraction of what other groups, agencies and individuals are currently charging for this assistance.

On-Site Facilitator/Expert Assistance:
Although MREA believes that local Boards are in the best position to completely conduct their OWN searches, there may be some circumstances where on-site assistance and facilitation is needed.  MREA has agreements with a number of highly experienced educators and consultants to help districts requesting this assistance.

All of the above services are available to Montana Schools on a “sliding scale basis” based on the size of the district and the services requested. …ALL at a fraction of what other groups, agencies and individuals are currently charging!   Please contact our Helena office for more details,  free consultation and initial assistance with your employment recruitment and search needs.

Please contact the MREA Helena Office for Additional Information.