Busy Saturday of graduations ahead

The Daily Inter Lake

High school graduations will be the order of the weekend across the Flathead, starting today.

Kalispell's Laser School will graduate its seniors in a special program at 11 a.m. today in the alternative school's gym.

At 6:30 p.m. today, 23 Stillwater Christian School graduates will go through commencement exercises in the school gym.

Saturday's schedule starts in Columbia Falls, when 185 seniors are slated to graduate in an 11 a.m. ceremony in the school gym.

Whitefish will graduate 150 seniors in its high school gym at 1 p.m.

That's the same time the 73 Bigfork graduates will go through commencement in their own school gym.

Flathead High School finishes off the day's schedule at 3 p.m. with graduation exercises in the Majestic Valley Arena.

Bridge Academy's commencement program will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the WestCoast Outlaw Hotel in Kalispell.

Flathead High School administrators have a few pointers for those planning to attend Saturday afternoon's program at Majestic Valley on U.S. 93 north of Kalispell:

. Shuttle buses will run to and from the arena both before and after the ceremony. Park your vehicle in the school parking lot, then board the bus in front of the flagpole. The first bus leaves at 1:15 p.m., to arrive when doors open at the arena at 1:30 p.m.

Eight buses will run continuously until the start of the ceremony at 3 p.m. Return shuttle service will run continuously immediately after the ceremony. Drop-off and pick-up at the arena will be near the front door.

. Majestic Valley will hold a barbecue at the arena from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. There will be smoked pork, barbecued chicken, potato salad, baked beans, rolls and beverages. It costs $8 for adults and $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available at the school office.

Doors to the arena will open a half-hour earlier for those attending the barbecue, at 1 p.m.

. For those taking their own vehicles to the arena, school and law enforcement officials encourage these alternate routes:

Take Whitefish Stage Road north out of Kalispell and continue past West Reserve Drive, then turn west on Schrade Road to connect with U.S. 93 and take a short jog south to the arena.

Or take North Meridian Road out of Kalispell, turn west on Three Mile Drive over to Stillwater Road, and follow that north to Church Drive. From Church Drive, there is a secondary entry to Majestic Valley on the south side of the property.