HEALTH Strings Under the Big Sky - Explore Big Sky

Thank you to all of the sponsors of the
2012 Big Sky PBR
SEE Y’ALL AT THE SHOW
Outlaw Partners
Continental Construction
Yellowstone Club
Big Sky Resort
Big Sky Town Center
Fay Ranches
Haas Construction
STOA Management
Jack Daniels
Centre Sky Architects
Toyota of Bozeman
Lone View Ridge
Black Bull
Fay Ranches
Sotheby’s – Jeff Helms
Moonlight Basin
Lone Pine Builders
Big Sky CVB
Fulton Hertz Hoover Wealth Management Group
Bill Earl’s
Buck’s T-4
Olive B’s
Mountain Home Electric
Hammond Property Management
Big Sky Western Bank
Sotheby’s - Tim Cyr and Cathy Gorman
Blue Ribbon Builders
Big Sky Community Corporation
Nordic Hot Tub
Simkins Hallins
Christie’s Realty
Big Sky Council of the Arts
Sotheby’s – Ryan and Tallie
320 Guest Ranch
Geyser White Water
Big Sky Taxi
Natalie’s Estate Winery
Delaware North Company
Stone Legends
Broken Spoke
Choppers
Half Moon Saloon
Burger Bar
Ousel and Spur
Yellowstone Park Foundation
Jan and Jim Cummings
Sponsorship opportunities still available.
Call Kacey at 995-2055
14 June 29, 2012 explorebigsky.com
montana
HELENA – The Montana Office of
Public Instruction has been awarded
a three-year, $4 million grant to link
post-secondary data with Montana's
K-12 data system.
The idea is having education data easily
available to educators, parents and
communities will help improve student
learning, said Montana Superintendent
of Public Instruction Denise Juneau,
who has been working on this tack for
several years already.
Improving transparency and using data
to improve student achievement and
set policy priorities has been a focus at
OPI, Juneau said, adding that data allows
improved focus on accountability,
effectiveness and achievement.
Linking the K-12 education data with
data from the Montana University System
will allow high schools a greater
understanding of whether their gradu-
Big Sky Weekly
$4 million grant to connect K-12
and higher education data
BIG SKY – Drive Highway 191 through
Gallatin Canyon north of Big Sky, and
the number of political signs endorsing
Rep. Denny Rehberg for Montana’s U.S.
Senate seat is notable.
But when the Republican entered the
Montana Room at Buck’s T-4 for the June
16 debate against Democratic incumbent
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont, no one seemed
to notice. He shook a few hands and
climbed quietly onto the stage for what
would be the first official debate in the
race.
When Tester walked into the room, on
the other hand, a peal of cheers went up
from what seemed to be a cohesive group
of women’s rights supporters sitting in
the center of the crowd.
Independent challenger Libertarian Dan
Cox also took part in the debate, kicking
off what promises to be a heated race.
A panel of four Montana journalists addressed
the candidates, asking questions
relating major national issues to every
day people of Montana. The panelists
included Big Sky Weekly reporter Taylor
Anderson and Bozeman Daily Chronicle
managing editor Nick Ehli.
Among the main topics addressed were:
health care, the cost of college, the reach
of government, corporations as people,
Fannie May and Freddie Mac, small business,
closure of rural post offices, energy
policy and independence, and veterans.
Rehberg spoke quickly in defense of his
beliefs, while Tester had a more metered
pace, and Cox brought humor to the
ates are ready for college, Juneau said,
and help them analyze which coursework
led to successful transitions from
high school to higher education.
“Our continued partnership with
higher education is critical to meet the
needs of the 21st century workforce
and move our state forward," she said.
OPI has been working over the past 15
months to develop and roll out a new
public website and warehouse for education
data called "GEMS." This site,
gems.opi.mt.gov, allows education data
to be combined and searched in ways
that are currently labor intensive and
inaccessible to the public. The new system
will by fully complete by December
2012. Student achievement data
such as state and national test scores is
currently available to the public on the
GEMS website. OPI expects to have
K-12 and MUS data up by June 2015.
first official U.S. Senate
debate held in Big Sky
by emily stiFler
big Sky weekly managing editor
room, pointing out when the other two
danced around topics, answering indirectly,
and instead falling back on rhetoric.
Both Tester and Rehberg painted
themselves as having come from lowerclass
agricultural backgrounds. But their
similarities stopped there, and they
later jabbed each other about these backgrounds—Tester
at Rehberg's real estate
history, and Rehberg at Tester for voting
alongside President Obama. Even so, the
debate itself was remarkably civil.
Although the candidates requested no
applause or boos, members of the crowd
shouted occasional comments, questions
and even angry slurs.
Near the session’s end, the candidates
fielded questions submitted from the
audience. One was particularly indicative:
"What do you specifically propose to do
to get past gridlock, to reach across the
aisle, and—even if it is a dirty word—
compromise?"
Tester cited the importance of communicating
in an honest and straightforward
way, citing recently passed legislation as
an example.
Rehberg brought up small business and
said it’s necessary to remove the barriers—
taxes—to keep money in these people's
pockets.
The debate mediator asked the question
again, saying he didn't hear much from
either on the topic of compromise.
To watch a video of the candidates speaking
at the debate, visit explorebigsky.com.