Schools sell final bonds for buildings

The last of the financing for $50.7 million in school construction in Kalispell got the go-ahead Tuesday night from District 5 and Flathead High School District trustees.

On the Glacier High School bonds, the low bid for interest came in almost an entire percentage point lower than the expected 5 percent.

It means the school will spend considerably less than planned on interest over the 20-year life of the bonds.

The successful bidder was RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., known commonly as Dain Bosworth. The firm bid 4.06 percent interest for $9.9 million in bonds. That translates to $4.7 million in interest over 20 years.

On the elementary bonds, Dain also won with its 4.166 percent bid.

Interest on the elementary's $1 million in bonds will cost $482,000 over 20 years.

In March, the school district sold the initial $29.9 million in bonds for the high school and $9.9 million for the junior high project.

In other business Tuesday, the school board:

-Learned of changes in report cards this year in kindergarten, first and second grades.

Russell School Principal Darren Schlepp explained that teachers will evaluate on skills that align with the state-identified standards under No Child Left Behind.

Traditional grades and standards will be replaced with marks for advanced, proficient, nearing proficient and novice. In first-quarter parent conferences, teachers will explain the changes but will not issue a printed report. Those will follow in the remaining three quarters.

Report cards for older grades will be developed sequentially, with grades 6, 7 and 8 ready when the middle school opens in 2007.

-Approved the construction management contract with Swank Enterprises Inc. for work being done at Kalispell Junior High School.

-Heard that the Middle School Construction Committee identified several ways to save money to make up a potential budget deficit of $566,000.

Those include reconfiguring the bus loop and changing landscaping and interior finishes. A lower-than-expected bid on bond interest rates also will help cover some of the deficit.

-Got a report from Flathead High School Principal Callie Langohr that sophomores on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to keep the class together at Flathead High through graduation, instead of splitting the class to Glacier High when it opens in 2007. The school board will make the final decision.

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com