Opening day looms next week for many schools

 It’s time to hit the books again for a new school year. The following area schools start next week. Here is an update on back-to-school information in each district.

Cayuse Prairie

Cayuse Prairie School’s first day of school is Aug. 29.

Aug 29. through Aug. 31, only kindergarteners will attend from 8:20 to 11:30 a.m. Regular class times are 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Families are advised to check the school calendar for early release Wednesdays, which end at 1:20 p.m. Milk prices are $2 for 10 cartons or $4 for 20.

Projected kindergarten enrollment is 24 students.

Amy Piazzola is the new administrator at Cayuse Prairie. Piazzola has 19 years of experience. New teachers include Sierra Olszewski, kindergarten; Camille Larsen, sixth grade; Courtney Fisher, seventh grade; Kathy Manley-Coburn, special education; Andy Burrell, special education and Title 1 coordinator and Lee Ann Stultz, aide.

Columbia Falls

The first day of school at Columbia Falls School District is Aug. 30, which is also the first day hot meals will be served.

Families are reminded to be patient at pick-up and drop-off, watching for and obeying crossing guards for student safety.

Kindergarten enrollment is estimated at 150 students.

Ruder Elementary class times are 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Early release Wednesday ends at 2:25 p.m. Enrollment is estimated at 440 students. Glacier Gateway Elementary class times are 8:15 a.m. to 3:05 p.m., with early release Wednesdays at 2:05 p.m. Enrollment is projected at 450 students. Glacier Gateway’s new principal this year is Peter Loyda, who joins the district after eight years as Swan River School principal in Bigfork.

An orientation for Columbia Falls Junior High sixth graders is 6 p.m. Aug. 29. The seventh- and eighth-grade open house will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11. The first day of school is Aug 30. Hot meals will be served on that day.

Classes are from 8:21 a.m. to 3:21 p.m. with early release Wednesdays at 2:20 p.m. New teaching staff includes Rick Fanger, social studies, and Dave Ritter, art teacher.

Parents are reminded that fall sports begin after school starts. More information will be in the daily bulletin on the first day of school. Students must have physicals dated no earlier than June 2012.

Columbia Falls High School continues to implement technology upgrades throughout the school. LCD projectors and interactive whiteboard systems are available in every room. Improvements were made to the softball field, football field and weight room.

New course offerings include a strings class for students interested in playing violin, viola, cello, bass and fiddle. The course provides a fine arts credit. An Advanced Placement U.S. history course also has been added.

Zero period begins at 7:25 a.m. and first period  at 8:20 a.m. Dismissal is 3:15 p.m. During early release Wednesdays, zero period is 7:35 a.m.; first period, 8:20 a.m. with a 2:17 p.m. dismissal. Enrollment is projected at 700.

The high school has several new staff members. Landon Pierce will teach Advanced Placement calculus. His prior experience includes teaching math at Kenton Ridge High School in Springfield, Ohio. Choral director Jennifer Stephens has prior experience teaching elementary choir at Salem, Ore., in Korea. Jackson Schweikert will teach P.E. and serve as head football coach. His prior experience includes teaching P.E., weight training and coaching football in Idaho and Washington.

Freshmen student/parent orientation will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 28. Tenth- through 12th- graders new to the district are also invited to attend. Schedules will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for seniors on Friday, Aug. 24; juniors on Aug. 27, sophomores on Aug. 28 and freshmen at orientation. For more information visit www.cfsd6.k12.mt.us.

Creston

A meet-and-greet is planned at Creston School from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27. Students may bring in school supplies and meet the teachers.

The first day of school is Aug. 29. Starting time is 8:30 a.m. Dismissal for grades kindergarten through third is 3:15 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. for fourth through sixth grades. Estimated kindergarten enrollment is 17 students.

Hot lunch Fridays will continue this year. The first Friday pizza lunch will be Aug. 31. Cost is $1.25 per slice.

Bus routes will be the same as last year. New families should call the school for information at 755-2859. Families should enter the east parking lot from the north, drop off students at the entrance to the playground and exit through the south gate. Families are reminded to park only in designated parking areas.

There will be four new faces at Creston this year. Kindergarten teacher Ariann Hess joins the school from , where she taught two years of preschool. First-grade teacher Amy McAntee is starting her first year. Second-grade teacher Jill Dieser previously taught at Montana Academy for two years and Deb Christiansen, Title I and physical education teacher, joins the staff from Colorado.

Deer Park

Deer Park School begins school Aug. 29 with an early release at 2:30 p.m. Deer Park’s estimated kindergarten enrollment this year is 16 students. Regular class times are 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Early-release Wednesdays have a 2:30 p.m. dismissal.

The school welcomes new seventh- and eighth-grade teacher Jesse Westphal, who previously taught at Creston School and Stillwater Christian School. Steve Bless also joins the staff as the new librarian. Bless has 33 years of teaching experience, most recently in Arizona.

Evergreen

A “Student Experience Day” is planned for 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 28 for Evergreen Elementary and Evergreen Junior High students to tour their school, find classrooms and meet teachers. The first day of school is Aug. 29. Class times are 8:25 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. for kindergarten; 8:25 a.m. to 3 p.m. for first grade; 8:25 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. for second and third grades; 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. for fourth grade and 8:10 a.m. to 3:21 p.m. for fifth through eighth grades. Hot meals will be served on the first day of school. Breakfast is 95 cents and lunch is $1.60.

This year, Evergreen Junior High School welcomes new fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Doss.

For more information visit www.evergreensd50.com.

Helena Flats

Projected enrollment at Helena Flats School is 155 kindergarten through sixth-grade students and 55 seventh- and eighth-grade students. Gary Weitz is the new superintendent. Weitz brings with him 15 years of teaching and 12 years of administrative experience. New staff also includes Kali Idol, middle school math; KayLynn Hertlein, classroom aide and Roschelle Todd, lunchroom aide.

Hot lunch will be served on the first day of school Aug. 29.

Class begins at 8:30 for students. Dismissal is 3:10 p.m. for kindergarten through fourth grade and 3:25 p.m. for fifth through eighth grade.

The summer was a success as the school implemented its first summer school session. More than 50 students and six teachers participated under the direction of Sally Newberry. Summer students used new computer programs, as well as receiving direct instruction for a head start on the 2012-13 school year.

Kila

Fifteen kindergarteners are anticipated to start the school year at Kila School. The first day of school is Aug. 29.

Class begins at 8:30 a.m. for all students. Regular dismissal is 3 p.m. for grades kindergarten through third and 3:20 p.m. for fourth through eighth grades.

Jason Christy is the new principal of Kila School. Christy joins Kila from Cayuse Prairie School, where he taught seventh- and eighth-grade science, math and social studies. Kila also welcomes David Klassy as the new music teacher.

Hot meals will be served on the first day of school. Cost is $1.60 for breakfast or $2.90 for lunch.

Back-to-school information on other local schools will be presented in future editions of the Daily Inter Lake.