Panel prefers Glacier High

How does Glacier High School sound as a name for Kalispell's new school?

A committee of 10 parents, students and staff thinks it's great. The group forwards its recommendation to the District 5 Board of Trustees on Tuesday night.

The committee has been meeting for the past month or so, considering more than 400 suggestions from people interested in helping name the new high school.

Even though many were duplications, the response indicated the community's avid interest in the project.

The committee sifted through all suggestions, measuring them against predetermined criteria: frequency of the recommendation, whether it was a community-oriented name but not so specific as to be exclusive to just one small area, its uniqueness, and whether people will recognize it distinctly as a Kalispell school.

The committee preference for Glacier High was unanimous.

Superintendent Darlene Schottle, who headed up the committee, will bring the recommendation before the board.

The next step will be for trustees to decide on a mascot and school colors. Those should come in the next few months.

The school board meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Kalispell Junior High library.

Other agenda items:

. Consider a draft policy for determining attendance boundaries for the new high school and Flathead High.

. Elect trustees Brad Walterskirchen, Eve Dixon, Keith Regier and Tony Dawson "by acclamation." No other candidates filed papers to run for their openings in the May 3 school election.

. Ratify Architects Northwest's contract to carry out the Kalispell Junior High expansion and renovation into a middle school.

. Approve the investment plan for recently issued construction bonds for the high school and middle school projects.

. Adopt new curriculum materials for grades 7-12 health enhancement.

. Change next year's school calendar to correctly reflect the district music festival date as April 21.

. Consider the district's continued membership in the Northwest Montana Education Cooperative.

. Discuss the work of an educational consultant who will begin reviewing the district's vocational curriculum, in preparation for changes with the new high school and middle school.

. Consider a new procedure for selecting and transferring school administrators.