Sept. opening planned by some schools
The Daily Inter Lake
A handful of local schools won’t start the new school year until September.
Deer Park and West Glacier students start classes this week. Students in the Bigfork, Fair-Mont-Egan and Swan River districts and at Stillwater Christian School won’t go back to school until after Labor Day.
Students who already have started classes will have the day off on Labor Day.
Following is information students and parents need to know before the school year begins.
Deer Park
Deer Park and West Glacier students go back to school Thursday.
The biggest change at Deer Park School is its new supervising teacher. Dan Block, who has been employed in the district since 1996, will fill that position. His duties will be split between supervising teacher and math teacher.
Enrollment information was not complete before press time, but school officials say the numbers have increased this year.
Other information, including class supply lists, is available on the school’s website, www.deerpark.k12.mt.us, or by calling 892-5388.
West Glacier
When they go back to class Thursday, West Glacier students will have just one day of school before the weekend; the district operates on a four-day week. The school day runs from 7:45 a.m. to 4:05 p.m., the same times as last year.
Bus routes are unchanged from last year.
The school expects 31 students this fall.
There is a new administrator at the helm; Cory Pierce has taken the position after working for two years as Bigfork Middle and Elementary School dean of students.
Additional information about the school, including supply lists, is available on the West Glacier website, www.westglacierelementary.org, or by calling 888-5312.
Bigfork
Students in the Bigfork, Fair-Mont-Egan and Swan River districts go back to school Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Bigfork students and parents can find information on the district’s new website, www.bigforkschools.org. They may be particularly interested in bus route information, which is available by clicking on “Departments” and then “Transportation.”
n The school day begins at 8 a.m. for students at Bigfork Elementary and Middle School. Students will be released at 3:15 p.m. most days; on early release days — including the first day — the school day ends at 1 p.m.
Breakfast and lunch will be available on the first day of school and buses will run as usual on the first day.
There have been some staff changes at the school over the summer. Matt Jensen, who was the high-school principal, will serve in that capacity at the elementary and middle school. The former elementary principal, Jackie Boshka, has taken over as curriculum director, a new position in the district.
Mark Hansen, a recent graduate from the University of Great Falls, is the new fifth-grade teacher. He also will coach girls basketball.
James Kelly and Amy Bessen will teach middle-school math. Bessen has a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in education from Lesley College.
Jim Epperly and Kurt Paulson will teach health enhancement and physical education. Epperly has worked for the high school since 2001. Paulson, who also will be the K-12 assistant activities director, has a bachelor’s degree from Carroll College and a master’s in education from the University of Montana.
Mary Sullivan, who taught at Bigfork High for 21 years, will teach middle-school English. Cynthia Wilondek, who taught at the high school for two years, will teach middle-school social studies this year.
Students will have an opportunity to meet their teachers before school starts. The school will host an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday.
For additional information, call the school at 837-7412.
n Bigfork High School is offering students a new option this year: an online high-school diploma through Bigfork Digital High School. School officials call the program an “excellent opportunity for home-school students to earn a high-school degree while not having to attend traditional classes/school.”
Those enrolled in traditional classes kick off the school year at 8 a.m. Sept. 6. The school day has been adjusted slightly this year; students now will be dismissed at 3:15 p.m. on regular days and at 1 p.m. on early release days.
There have been several staff changes at the school. Matt Porrovecchio, formerly the high-school librarian and activities director, has taken over as principal.
Jessica Johnson, who has taught math at the elementary and middle school since 2005, will teach the subject at the high-school level. James Kelly, a recent Carroll College graduate, also will teach math.
Jim Epperly and Kurt Paulson will teach health enhancement and physical education.
Scarlett Sherman, who formerly was the elementary and middle-school librarian, will take over library duties at the high school. Sam Tudor, who taught at Seeley-Swan for the last five years, is the school’s new English teacher.
School officials anticipate 260 students this fall.
Freshmen will have a chance to learn the ropes before the school year begins; the school is hosting freshman orientation at 6 p.m. Thursday in the gym. Ninth-graders will have a chance to meet the counselor and principal, get their schedules and familiarize themselves with the building.
For additional information, call the school at 837-7420.
Fair-Mont-Egan
There have been big changes at Fair-Mont-Egan School over the summer. Seventh- and eighth-graders have two new classrooms, with lockers in the new hallway. This is the first time the rural school has had lockers.
The lunchroom has been expanded with new-to-the-school cupboards, cabinets and counters. The gym has a new entry; there also is a redesigned entry for students and Bruin’s Den.
The school has a new reception area and remodeled administrative offices. There are two tutoring classrooms for special education and Title I.
Because of all the construction, the school year is starting later this year, and the school day length has changed. This year students will be in class from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are no buses or hot lunch available; students should remember that microwave times are limited to 1 minute.
Calendars will be sent home Sept. 6, the first day of school. The school is hosting a meet-the-parents coffee hour from 8 to 9 a.m. on the first day of school.
School staffers anticipate about 175 students at Fair-Mont-Egan this year.
For additional information, call the school at 755-7072.
Swan River
Learning will look a little different in certain subjects at Swan River School this year. The school has a new handwriting program from Zaner-Bloser, as well as a new program called SuccessMaker that is targeted at reinforcing reading and mathematics for students at all levels, helping strengthen their skills.
Over the course of the school year, Swan River also will promote a new anti-bullying program through Warrior Pride and Respect.
There are several new staff members at the school. Hope Stewart, who previously worked for the Bigfork School District, will work as a one-on-one special education aide. Sheri Modderman is the new special education teacher; she hails from Cheney, Wash.
Liz Richmond, who taught last year at Kalispell Middle School, will teach math to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students, sixth-grade social studies and some health. Terry McLeod, who has been a substitute teacher and volunteer at Swan River for several years, will be the school’s new part-time secretary.
Vickie Poston will have a new role this year: She is moving from teaching sixth grade to fourth grade.
The school still is working to fill a part-time counselor position.
School officials anticipate 145 students this fall. Classes begin at 8:15 a.m. Sept. 6; on the first day, students will be released at 1:45 p.m. Regular school days end at 3:10 p.m.
Hot lunch will be available on the first day of school. Prices have changed from last year: Breakfast costs $1, lunch is $2 and milk is 35 cents.
For additional information, call the school at 837-4528.
Stillwater Christian
Stillwater Christian School, always the last local school to resume classes in the fall, starts Thursday, Sept. 8. The school day begins at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Hot lunch will be available on the first day.
Keeley Lowney is the school’s new teacher. She will teach Spanish 1, 2, 3 and 4 and yearbook. Lowney graduated from the University of New Mexico with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Portuguese.
Stillwater Christian anticipates about 270 students this year. Families new to the school are invited to a luncheon at noon Tuesday, Sept. 6, followed by an open house from 1 to 3 p.m.
School supply lists and summer reading requirements are available on the new school website, stillwaterchristianschool.org. The new site will replace the old site and Edline; new access information will be available the first week of school.
For additional information, call the school at 752-4400.