School District 5 bonds appear to be winning
The Daily Inter Lake
With about half of the results counted, two School District 5 bond requests were ahead by fairly sizable margins.
By 1:30 a.m., with 13 of 26 precincts counted, the $39.8 million request for a new high school was ahead 6,789 to 5,368 votes.
The $10.9 million request to renovate Kalispell Junior High - with seven of 14 precincts counted - received 3,596 yes votes and 2,395 no votes.
The community's desire to include ninth-graders with their high school peers, combined with years of crowding at Flathead High, were two of the prime motivators for Tuesday's high school request.
"I think our community just told us that it's time to build," said District 5 Superintendent Darlene Schottle. "I'm pleased with the turnout, the reaction at the public meetings and I'm thrilled at the outcome of the bond.
"We're looking forward to working with our community to design a two high school program that will be beneficial for all students and our community."
The $39.8 million would build a 1,200-student school, with the infrastructure to expand to 1,400 students, on 60 acres of state land at the junction of Stillwater Road and West Reserve Drive.
The money includes $5 million for electrical, heating, air handling and structural upgrades at the existing Flathead High School.
Both schools would house ninth- through 12th-graders and offer comprehensive curriculum, sports and activities programs. Currently, Flathead High includes just sophomores, juniors and seniors.
"The possiblities for future generations of students is unlimited at this point," said Flathead High School principal Callie Langohr. "I think that it will be a good thing for the students and the community."
Opponents to the high school bond had argued that two separate schools would dilute curriculum quality and gut the strength of the activities and sports programs. They also argued that the school district couldn't expect to fund a second high school without deep program cuts.
The $10.9 million elementary district bond would have far-reaching results for elementary buildings as well as the junior high itself.
By adding a sixth-grade wing at the rear of the junior high, Kalispell's five elementary buildings would transfer enough students to forestall overcrowding that would have been imminent. The district would close Linderman School in order to include seventh-graders with the junior high.
It should bring on a more natural age grouping, and cut down on the number of school transitions students have to make during a socially vulnerable period in their lives. By smoothing out those changes, it should set up students for greater success in high school.
It also would set up the physical structure for a potential conversion to a middle school in the future.