School bells ring for many next week
Following is a roundup of local schools that begin classes next week:
Lakeside-Somers
The first day of school is Aug. 29 for Lakeside Elementary and Somers Middle School students.
Class begins at 8:25 a.m. Dismissal is 3:15 p.m. at Lakeside and 3:25 p.m. at Somers. New Superintendent Paul Jenkins joins the district from a previous superintendent position in Charlo School District.
Hot meals will be served on the first day of school. Breakfast is $1.75 and lunch costs $2.25. There is one change to bus route No. 8 — no pickup or drop-off at the USDA building on Lower Valley Road. All other routes remain the same as last year.
Approximately 63 kindergarteners are enrolled at Lakeside Elementary.
There are three new teachers at Lakeside: Kimberly Rogers, P.E., and first-grade teachers Amanda Lunde and Kate Wilson.
Somers Middle School also welcomes three new staff members: Holiday Madich, sixth grade; Kristina Peterson, special education and Cary Richardson, 21st Century director.
Over the summer, the middle school had a partial roof replacement using Quality Schools money from the Montana Department of Commerce.
For more information, visit www.somersdist29.org.
Smith Valley
There is a new After School Care program from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays at Smith Valley School. Over the summer, the school underwent several facility upgrades including a new lunchroom.
New faculty includes Elise Klohe, middle school math and science and Heidi Holmquist, kindergarten through eighth grade music
About 22 kindergarten students are projected to enroll. The first day of school is Aug. 29. Class starts at 8:30 a.m. Dismissals are 3:05 p.m. for kindergarten through third grade and 3:15 p.m. for fourth through eighth grade. Families are reminded that drop-off and pick-up is in the upper parking lot off Batavia Lane.
Hot meals are served on the first day and lunch prices are not yet confirmed.
An open house is scheduled for Sept. 25.
Whitefish
Whitefish School District students start school Aug. 29.
Hot meals will be served on the first day of school. Breakfast costs $1.35. The lunch price is $2.50 for elementary students or $2.75 at Whitefish High School. Bus route information is available by calling Rocky Mountain Transportation at 863-1200.
The school district has also undergone several leadership changes. Linda Whitwright is principal of Muldown Elementary. She previously served as assistant principal under Jill Rocksund, who took a position as district curriculum director. At Whitefish Middle School, Josh Branstetter also transitions from his position as assistant principal to principal.
John Coyne joins the district as assistant principal of both the elementary and middle school. Coyne has ten years of experience teaching humanities classes in Vancouver, Wash., and 21 years in the elementary and middle school levels in Hamilton.
New Whitefish High School Principal Kerry Drown moved from his previous position as middle school principal.
Muldown Elementary kindergarteners will have an orientation day Aug. 29. Students may visit between 8:35 a.m. and 3:10 p.m.
The following two days will be a transition for kindergarten students to a full day. Students will be split in half with one group attending on Aug. 30 and the other half Aug. 31. Families will receive letters for grouping information. Kindergarteners will have their first full day Sept. 4.
First-graders will also have an orientation day and may visit between 9 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 29. Their first full day will be Aug. 30.
Daily class times are: 8:35 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., kindergarten; 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., first and second grade; 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., third grade and 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., fourth grade. Muldown’s anticipated kindergarten- through fourth-grade enrollment is 590.
Families are reminded that there is no parking on the drive-through, drop-off loop, designated handicap or “bus only” parking zones.
The school welcomes new staffers including: third-grade teacher Kayla Ryan, who recently graduated from Montana State University-Billings; fourth-grade teacher Jessica Mintz, who transferred from sixth grade at the middle school; fourth-grade teacher Shawn Lenzner, who graduated from the University of Montana-Missoula, and special education teacher Brianna Schuttler, who previously taught in Somers Lakeside School District for four years.
Open houses are scheduled for Sept. 18 and 20.
For more information visit mul.wsd44.org.
Whitefish Middle School class times are 8:28 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Projected enrollment is 495 students.
There will three new staff members. Fifth-grade teacher Keith Meehan has five years’ experience teaching fifth grade at Cayuse Prairie and one year teaching sixth grade at Evergreen. Fifth-grade teacher Nancy Nicholson has one year of experience teaching third grade at Muldown Elementary. Rita Wolfe will join the middle school as a part-time librarian and has been at with the district for 18 years.
The middle school playground and library have new picnic tables thanks to fundraising efforts by students.
School supply lists and other details are available at wms.wsd44.org.
A fifth-grade open house is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 27 in the auditorium/performing arts center. A sixth-grade open house is set for Sept. 6. Seventh- and eighth-graders will have an open house Sept. 13.
Whitefish High School freshmen will start the first day of school at 8:30 a.m. Hot lunch will be served. Sophomores through seniors start at 12:30 p.m. and should eat lunch prior to school. Dismissal is 3:30 p.m. Students will receive their schedules on the first day. Buses will run at the regular schedule with additional bus service for sophomores through seniors. Call Rocky Mountain Transportation at 863-1200 for times.
New staff includes Tim Bonds, pottery; Chad Ross, biology; Dustin Herbert, business education; and Tricia Palin, family and consumer science. Students have a new course offering this year — Principles of Bio Medical Science.
West Valley
West Valley School starts Aug. 30. Students should pack lunches for the first four days of school. The first day hot meals will be served Sept. 5. Breakfast is $1.25 and lunch is $2.25. Bus routes remain the same as last year.
Kindergarten enrollment is projected at 65 students. West Valley is under the new leadership of Superintendent Cal Ketchum. Ketchum joins the district from a principal position at Kellogg Middle School in Idaho. The school also adds new teachers: Kelly Hampton, fourth grade; Kenneth Besaw, fifth grade; Claudia Anderson, sixth grade; and Carrie Burnham, counselor and dean of students.
Class starts at 8:25 with a 3:20 p.m. dismissal for kindergarten through third grade. Dismissal for fourth through eighth grade is 3:25 p.m.
Students’ names should be written on their outerwear and lunch boxes. Families need to read and complete all paperwork sent home with students the first week of school.
West Glacier
West Glacier Elementary will start school Aug. 30. This year, the school will offer music and art classes after school.
Daily class times are 7:45 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. West Glacier projects a kindergarten enrollment of eight to 10 students.
New staff includes Melissa Kempke, full-time paraeducator; Tracy Gabriel, part-time paraeducator, and Heidi Holmquist, part-time music teacher.