Helena School Board Enters Closed Session Over Boulder Elementary Principal Contract

The Helena Public Schools board voted Tuesday night to reject the contract renewal of Boulder Elementary principal David Jamison, overruling a recommendation from Superintendent David Selvig and capping a tense evening that brought parents to the meeting after weeks of concerns circulating on social media.

The friction began building before the March 11 meeting, when Facebook comments about bullying and other issues at Boulder Elementary prompted parents to organize and attend in person. Parent Makila Bumgarner said the problems were not recent. "Issues have been going on since the beginning of the school year," she said. Bumgarner was direct about where she stood on Jamison's future at the school: "I just don't think it's in the best interest of the kids in this school that he has his contract renewed."

Another parent, Janai Turner, described the toll the situation had taken on her family. "My daughter doesn't even want to go to school; she is now doing school online," Turner said.

Because the agenda item was a personnel matter, the board called an executive session to discuss it privately. Parents were brought into the closed-door session one by one to share their concerns with trustees directly, though cameras were excluded from that portion of the meeting. After approximately 30 minutes, the executive session concluded and the board moved to a vote.

Selvig had recommended that the board renew Jamison's contract, but trustees voted against renewal. The board offered no public explanation for its decision, and the reasoning behind the vote remains unknown.

Attempts to obtain comment from the board following the vote were unsuccessful. Trustees and Jamison both declined interview requests. Selvig did not respond to multiple phone calls before the story was reported.

The district will post the Boulder Elementary principal position, and Jamison is eligible to reapply. No timeline for the job posting was provided, and it remains unclear whether Jamison will remain in the building through any remaining contract period.