School officials try to devise solutions to overcrowding

Kalispell school trustees wrestling with overcrowded elementary schools are considering both short-term and long-range solutions.

Trustees on Tuesday discussed a tentative four-phase long-range plan, with the first phase being simply to get through another school year with a short-term solution.

 Beyond that, other proposed phases include adding three classrooms to Peterson or Edgerton schools for the 2014 or 2015 school years, purchasing property for a new elementary school and then building a new school.

Earlier this school year, four paraprofessionals and a full-time elementary librarian were hired to deal with overcrowding.

“We’re still overcrowded and we’re still in this situation,” Superintendent Darlene Schottle said.

Four short-term options were discussed. Two — switching to half-day kindergarten or adding classrooms at another district building — would directly affect class sizes next year.

Two other options — moving to a four-day school week or shortening the length of the school day — would alleviate overcrowding in other ways.

The epicenter of the overcrowding problem is in kindergarten through second grade.

To meet state accreditation there should be no more than 20 students per class at this level.

Current Kalispell kindergarten enrollment is at 359 (30 more students than last year) with class sizes averaging 24 students.

First grade enrollment is at 337 (29 more than last year) with classes averaging 22 students. In second grade, enrollment is 300 (14 more than last year) with an average of 22 students per class.

An enrollment projection by Assistant Superintendent Dan Zorn predicted that in 10 years, there would be an additional 430 students in kindergarten through second grade in Kalispell.

Short-term options to deal with overcrowding dominated the board’s discussion on Tuesday.

Half-day kindergarten would open up five to nine additional kindergarten through second-grade classrooms. Returning to half-day kindergarten would mean that students would not be counted as full-time and the district’s enrollment-based state funding could drop by roughly $450,000 for the 2014 school year.

“Half-day could meet accreditation” this year, Zorn said. “The following year is a whole new problem.” 

Hedges School Principal Casey Bertram said half-day kindergarten would not benefit student achievement.

“I’m pretty passionate about full-day kindergarten and I think that with the common core coming at us next year, that’s a raising of standards across the board,” Bertram said. “Going back to half-day kindergarten, reducing the number of instructional minutes in half, while at the same time you raise the standards for everybody is a recipe for disaster.”

Another option would be to modify the Kalispell Auxiliary Services Building (formerly Laser School) at 514 E. Washington St. by adding three kindergarten- through second-grade classrooms. This would not affect class sizes dramatically — a few students per class — but would allow continuation of full-day kindergarten. This plan would require hiring three additional teachers along with remodeling the building and would cost $200,000 to $250,000.

Other options — changing to a four-day school week or having an earlier release — would help relieve the situation but not put a dent in class size.

Changing to a four-day schedule would mean a full class would attend school three days a week together. On the fourth day only half of a full class would attend school together. On the two days half classes attend, there would opportunities for remediation and enrichment activities. Students still would be classified as full-time and funding would be maintained.

Early kindergarten release at 1:30 p.m. also was suggested. Currently, kindergartners attend school from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If this occurred, certified teachers would be available to support first- and second-grade teachers. Full funding also would be maintained.

The 1:30 p.m. release, however, would be a “logistical transportation nightmare,” Zorn said.

Peterson School kindergarten teacher Kristi Sanders said a survey of kindergarten teachers showed top preference for either the four-day or early release options.

“The current version of kindergarten is way too many students in way too long of a day,” Sanders said. “We feel it’s unacceptable to continue to serve our children in a full-day setting with 25 students. We also agree that doing nothing would send a message to the public that this situation is acceptable, which it’s not.

“It should not be about what parents want or do not want, it should not be about space or lack of space, it should not be about half-day versus full-day, it should be about what’s best for the child.”

Trustees were impacted by the statements. Three of them said they came into the meeting in favor of going back to half-day kindergarten but by the end of the discussion spoke in favor of an early release.

Trustees also talked about organizing a town-hall forum to get community input.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.