On February 1, 2010, Denise Juneau offered her support for a Billings elementary school that now offers free breakfast to all students. Children who eat a good breakfast are more ready to learn.

“My grandmother was a school cook for 28 years,” Juneau said.  “She understood that serving nutritious choices at school breakfast provides the brainpower students need for academic success while teaching them an important lifelong skill — learning to eat healthy.” Read more in the Billings Gazette.

 

A new report by the Education Trust is further evidence that Montana is making strides in narrowing gaps in achievement on standardized tests while increasing the progress of individual student groups.

Superintendent of Public instruction Denise Juneau says the new report looks at reading and math test scores for fourth and eighth graders under the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) — the only standardized test that allows for direct comparison across states. Montana was recognized for increasing student achievement in reading and math for both American Indian and White students over the past six years. Montana was also one of six states recognized for achieving significant progress for low–income students. The state can point to gaps between low–income students and higher–income students that are among the smallest in the nation.

"The Education Trust's latest report confirms that Montana students are making gains in reading and math," says Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau. "This analysis shows that Montana is making progress in closing the achievement gap among students, but our job is not done until all children are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to compete in the 21st century." 

On January 26, 2010 the work of Superintendent Denise Juneau was featured in the New York Times: 

Today, about one-third of Montana schools have adopted "recess before lunch," and state officials say more schools are being encouraged. "The pilot projects that are going on have been demonstrating that students are wasting less food, they have a more relaxed eating environment and improved behavior because they’re not rushing to get outside," said Denise Juneau, superintendent of the Office of Public Instruction. "It’s something our office will promote to schools across the state as a best practice. Read more in the New York Times.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau was in Missoula Monday January 19 to deliver the annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration address to a packed house at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

 


"People around the world, the country, and our state fundamentally share many of the same values: we all love our family and friends, we want to be safe--we want to be educated--and we want to be healthy," said Juneau.  
 


Prior to the address, the First Baptist Church, home of the Poverello Center, hosted a "Day of Service" where Montanans participated in service projects to help the homeless population.
 


"We must continue to be inspired by Dr. King," said Juneau. "We have come a long way but we still have many miles to go."

More Montana parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to prepare their children for success with reading thanks to a new partnership between the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the Hopa Mountain Foundation.  Juneau's office recently announced the purchase of 5,400 high quality books for Montana children ages 0–5 living in families with limited access to early learning resources.

Juneau says she hopes the partnership will give parents and caregivers tools and information to help them prepare their children to become successful readers and learners. Hopa Mountain, a Montana–based non–profit that heads up a statewide literacy initiative, will match the purchase in the spring of 2010. Read more here or here.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau visited schools throughout the Mining City on Tuesday, December 14th.

During her visit to Butte, Juneau visited Margaret Leary Elementary, East Middle School, Butte High School and ended her day at Hillcrest Elementary.

She was in Butte because students at local schools are excelling and Juneau wanted to see the programs and innovations happening in Butte public school classrooms. 

"Montana's public school classrooms have demonstrated exceptional expertise, dynamism and creativity in motivating students to learn," said Juneau. "I look forward to learning more about the successes these schools are having so that we may share what's working here with other schools across the nation." Read more and watch a video at Montana's News Station.

It was reported by The Prairie Star, Montana's Ag Newspaper that Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau awarded nearly $119,000 in grants to advance agriculture education. Seventy-nine Montana schools will receive grants to help prepare students for successful careers in agriculture—a $2.8 billion industry in Montana.

"These grants are an investment in the young people who will shape the future of Montana agriculture," said Juneau. "Advancements in agriculture education will fuel the state’s economy and serve its residents for many years to come.” Read more.

It was reported by Montana's News Station that Denise Juneau visited Missoula High School students recently to talk about life after high school and how to handle different kinds of people.

"You must have the courage to seek truth, speak truth, and stand up to the underdog, stand up against intolerance," explains State Superintendent of Public Instructions, Denise Juneau. More