Contract for high-tech scoreboard being studied

A contract to install a high-tech video scoreboard at Legends Stadium still is in the works in Kalispell Public Schools.

Flathead alumnus Terry Pugh of Virtu Consulting has proposed putting in a 16- by 24-foot LED screen and scoreboard at Legends Stadium.

The scoreboard would offer scrolling advertisements that Pugh says would be a source of revenue for the district.

School officials had hoped to bring trustees a contract at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, but the district still is working on contract language with Pugh.

“What’s holding us up is the number of decision points,” Assistant Superintendent Dan Zorn said.

The district hopes the board will only have to approve two steps: the first allowing Pugh and Virtue Consulting to secure advertisers, the second allowing Pugh to purchase the equipment.

The scoreboard won’t cost the district anything; Pugh’s company would incur all costs and eventually the equipment would be deeded to the district.

In addition to bringing in advertising dollars, the district hopes to tie in existing high school media classes with the scoreboard.

Pugh approached the district about the board several weeks ago; he wanted to do something for his alma mater.

Pugh said he was a major financial contributor to Legends Stadium and paid for Little Guy football fields and expanded parking at Kidsports.

He hopes to set up a network of scoreboards at several of Montana’s high schools to broaden the advertising potential.

Superintendent Darlene Schottle said Pugh and the district agree about the concept of the scoreboard, but they want to make sure the contract is right before it goes before trustees.

“We want to make sure the contractual wording is right,” she said. “I believe we’ll get there.”

The board finance committee should see the contract next month, and Zorn said he hoped the contract would go before the board at its regular meeting in December.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

n Frank Miller was sworn in as a school board trustee. Miller, who retired in June from Bridge Academy after teaching in the district for 39 years, replaces Tiffany Lonnevick.

Lonnevick was elected to a three-year term in May, but when she moved out of the school district, she no longer was eligible to serve on the board. Miller will serve until the next regular school election in May 2011; at that time, he will be eligible to run for the remaining two years of the term.

n The board tabled a decision on paying dues to the Montana Quality Education Coalition.

According to trustee Mary Ruby, the coalition is looking to reinvent itself as a forum and advocate for children. It wants to lobby the state Legislature, she said.

The board agreed not to make a decision on joining the coalition this year until after trustees hear from Mark Lambrecht of Helena, the new executive director, about the coalition’s new direction.

n Zorn discussed improvements Kalispell ninth-graders have made in Algebra I.

A few years ago, the school board set a goal of seeing all freshman enrolled in Algebra I or a higher-level math class, Zorn said. While the district hasn’t yet met that goal, Kalispell has seen gains over the last couple of years.

This year, 84.2 percent of Kalispell’s freshmen are enrolled in Algebra I, geometry or Algebra II. That’s up from 75.6 percent last year and 69.1 percent in 2008-09.

“That’s a trend upward that we want to continue,” Zorn said.

Success rates have also improved, he said. “Success” is defined as earning a C- or better — the grade needed to move onto the next math level. Freshmen in geometry or Algebra II are automatic Algebra I successes, Zorn said.

Fifty-nine percent of freshmen were successful in 2008-09, according to Zorn’s data; 66.5 percent were successful last year. This year’s numbers won’t be available until the end of the school year.

The picture is different between the two high schools. At Glacier, 50.8 percent of freshmen were successful in Algebra I in 2008-09; 66.9 percent were successful in 2009-10. At Flathead, 65.9 percent of ninth-graders were successful in 2008-09; 66.2 percent were successful in 2009-10.

The difference at Glacier between the two years was “just a whole lot of focus,” Zorn said. The school added a math lab to help students with remedial needs and has focused that lab on intervention with Algebra I students, he said.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.