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School board approves multiple facilities fees, new turf and appointment; public raises AI and athletics concerns
Summary
At its Feb. 24 meeting the school board unanimously approved architectural fees for several building projects, a roofing GMP, contracts for new turf at Bozeman Stadium, and the appointment of Tem Fontaine to the Citizens Oversight Committee. Public commenters urged action on AI controls for Chromebooks and additional athletics funding.
The school board met Feb. 24, 2026, and approved a bundle of facilities and staffing actions while hearing public comment on technology and athletics funding. All recorded motions passed by the four members present; one member was absent.
Board action took several forms. The board approved architectural fees for Fine Arts Building refresh projects at Arnold High, Rutherford High and Mosley High, and separately approved the architectural fee for the new Margaret K. Lewis Building project. It also approved a guaranteed maximum price for the Nelson Building roofing project and authorized contracts for new turf at Bozeman Stadium. In personnel business the board approved advertising a new and revised job description for a Parent & Family Engagement Technician. The board also approved the appointment of Tem Fontaine to serve on the Citizens Oversight Committee. Each motion passed with the four members present—Winston Chester, Ann Leonard, Christopher Moore and Jerry Register—voting yes.
Why it matters: The approvals move several capital and operational items from planning to implementation, committing district funds and contract authority for construction and athletics facilities. The appointment to the Citizens Oversight Committee fills a vacancy on a body that oversees the district’s use of certain funds.
Public comment at the meeting focused on two issues. Michelle Brown, representing Moms for Liberty, urged the board to act on a proclamation related to artificial intelligence and said she was concerned about a “go around” option that could affect safety and security settings on student Chromebooks. Josh Scroggs urged the district to increase funding for athletics needs, citing a requested storage room to reduce the financial burden on parents.
Board members also used the meeting to report on school events and student achievements. Jerry Register noted he attended the inaugural girls flag football game at Tommy Oliver and described the event as "a great way for students to participate." Winston Chester and Mark McQueen highlighted district participation in regional meetings and competitions, including MathCounts Surfside advancing to state and recognitions from Gulf Coast Electric Co-Op, while Ann Leonard described STEAM night, leadership day activities, and an example of a student reengaging with CTE programming.
Procedural notes: The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. and adjourned at 4:16 p.m. All formal motions recorded in the minutes carried with unanimous yes votes from the four members in attendance; Steve Moss was listed as not present. No formal votes failed or were tabled during the session.
The board did not set future dates or deadlines for the approved projects within the meeting minutes; implementation steps — contract execution and construction timelines — were not specified in the record of this meeting.
