Classes start next week in many valley schools

 Several area school districts begin classes next week after the Labor Day holiday.

Here’s a district-by-district rundown on school information:

Bigfork

The first day of school in Bigfork School District is Sept. 2.

Regular class times are from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Kindergarten enrollment is projected at 82 students.

The district welcomes Alan Robbins as the new Bigfork High School principal and David Creamer as the new middle school and high school activities director.

Bigfork Elementary welcomes new staff members second-grade teacher Kelsey Schwenk and third-grade teacher Rebecca Hughes. New staffers at the middle school are math teacher Patrick Johnston and Spanish teacher Schuyler Baird.

Bigfork High School welcomes new English teacher Christi VanWyhe.

Skyberg Thoreson will be the new high school and middle school choir and band teacher.

The district also has two new special education teachers, Amanda Hiner and Susan Matovich.

The district has also undergone some leadership changes. Matt Jensen, former elementary and middle school principal, will serve as district superintendent.  

Brenda Clarke was promoted from elementary and middle school assistant principal to principal.

Former high school Principal Matt Porrovecchio now serves as assistant elementary and middle school principal and kindergarten- through 12th-grade special education director.

Lacey Porrovecchio is the new business manager. She moves up from her position as assistant business manager.

Online:

http://www.bigforkschools.org

Creston

The first day of school is Sept. 2 for Creston School.

Regular school days start at 8:30 a.m.

Creston welcomes new special education teacher Tyson Roe to the staff.

Online:

http://crestonschool.com

Fair-Mont-Egan

School starts Sept. 2 at Fair-Mont-Egan School.

The school has about 179 students registered with 21 in kindergarten.

Regular class times are from 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

The Bruin’s Den before- and after-school program starts as 7:15 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m.

New to the staff this year is fourth-grade teacher Elizabeth Fetterhoff. Tara Brown returns to a position as Title I teacher.

Some improvements have been made to the school. Restrooms have been remodeled with automatic fixtures, new floors and walls.

Online:

http://www.fmemontana.net.

Kalispell Montessori

Students’ first day of school is Sept. 2 at Kalispell Montessori Elementary and Middle School.

This is the first year the Montessori school has offered seventh and eighth grade. There are five students who will be continuing to the seventh grade.

Also new this year is staff member Jason Santa as an elementary I teacher.

Regular class times are from 8:30 a.m.  3:15 p.m.

Before- and after-school care is available to families.

Online:

www.kalispellmontessori.com

Kila

Kila students will start school Sept. 2.

Staff members joining Kila School include: paraeducator Tika Counts, custodian James Francis, eighth-grade teacher Kathryn Smith and music teacher Jenna Wold. Radovana Cooper will work in the Latch-Key Program.

Online:

www.kilaschool.com

Marion

Students’ first day of school at Marion School is Sept. 2.

 Early Bird is available from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. held in the modular building. Students will be supervised by a paraprofessional and may work on school work. At 7:50 a.m., playground supervision and breakfast begin.

Music teacher David Klassy will also serve as the school counselor.

Breakfast is $1.25 and lunch is $1.85.

Olney-Bissell

School begins Sept. 2 at Olney-Bissell School.

Regular class times are from 8:25 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. except for Wednesday. On Wednesday, students are dismissed at 2:30 p.m.

Kindergarten enrollment is about 12 students.

Breakfast is $1.25 and lunch is $2.25.

New staff members are second-grade teacher Jenny Baber and music teacher David Klassy.

Online:

www.olneybissellschool.com

Stillwater Christian School

The first day of school at Stillwater Christian School is Sept. 4.

Regular class times are from 8:05 a.m. to 3 p.m.

An estimated 25 students are enrolled in kindergarten. Lunch is $3.

Stillwater welcomes Janice Buist as the new director of development.

Students are reminded to bring in their summer reading.

Online:

www.stillwaterchristianschool.org

St. Matthew’s Catholic School

The first day of school at St. Matthew’s School is Sept. 2.

Preschool teacher Gretchen Knuffke joins the St. Matthew’s staff this year.

Regular class times are from 8:20 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Online:

www.stmattsaints.org

Swan River

School starts Sept. 2 at Swan River School.

Students can look forward to the ACES after-school program that will be held at the school every day.

Swan River School welcomes fourth-grade teacher Denise Douglas and Title I teacher Erin Rohde.

Kindergarten enrollment is projected at 16 students.

Regular class times are from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Breakfast is $1.10 and lunch costs $2.10.

Online:

www.swanriverschool.org

Trinity Lutheran School

An open house is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 2. Students will be able to visit their classrooms, bring in supplies and meet with teachers.

Students will start classes Sept. 3.

Over the summer, a fourth-grade classroom and science classroom were remodeled.

Students in some grade levels will be using a new math curriculum. This year kindergarten through second grades will use Singapore Math with plans to eventually expand the program through fifth grade in the coming years. Grades sixth through eighth will use Core Connections Math.

Jake Lustila joins Trinity Lutheran as the new middle school math teacher and fifth-grade homeroom teacher.

Parents who wish to drop off and pick up their children may use the new drive-through zone on California Street in front of the school. This area will also be the bus loading zone during school hours, so it will be designated a no-parking zone from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Parents may park in the lots on the east or south sides of the building.

Online:

trinityed.org/wordpress/?page_id=10

West Glacier

West Glacier School students start classes Sept. 4.

Second-grade reading and math teacher Jason Mills joins the West Glacier staff.

Online:

www.westglacierelementary.org

West Valley

School begins Sept. 2 at West Valley School.

There is a seven-minute change in regular class times from last year. Regular class times are 8:13 a.m. to 3:27 p.m. for kindergarten through third grade and 8:13 a.m. to 3:32 p.m. for grades four through eight.

Construction has started on a 35,000-square-foot school addition that is expected to be completed by August 2015.

Carrie Burnham has been reassigned as principal of West Valley School and John Chisholm as dean of students. The school welcomes P.E. teachers Janie Tikka and Clay Keller and special education teacher Bryn Nessland to the staff.

Staff will go through Google Docs training Thursday. Training continues on Lucy Calkins writing materials for kindergarten through fifth grade with plans to add middle school training this year. Response to intervention training also continues as intervention classes have been added to the schedule to aid struggling students.

Online:

www.westvalleyschool.com

Whitefish Christian Academy

A back-to-school night is planned Thursday. New families are asked to arrive at 6:30 p.m. and returning families at 7 p.m.

To register, visit www.whitefishacademy.org and submit an initial application. Applications are accepted year round, however, to be enrolled by the first day of school, students entering kindergarten through eighth should apply by Monday. Students entering pre-kindergarten should apply by Thursday.

School starts Sept. 2 at Whitefish Christian Academy.

Students can look forward to growth as the school adds two new modular buildings containing four classrooms in October. Other facility upgrades include new carpet in the hallways and a newly furnished kindergarten classroom.

There were  26 students enrolled as of July 29. The school has added a second kindergarten classroom.

New staff members include Alexandra Schaefer, pre-kindergarten teacher and Rebecca Chertudi, middle school history, Bible and Latin teacher. Katrina Restivo returns to Whitefish Christian Academy as the middle school science teacher and Heidi Freeman changes positions from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten teacher.

First- through eighth-graders now start at 8:15 a.m. and are dismissed at 3:15 p.m. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students attend school from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Online:

www.whitefishacademy.org

Whitefish schools

The first day of school is Sept. 2 in the Whitefish School District.

 Muldown Elementary kindergarten- and first-graders will follow a special schedule at the start of the school year.

An orientation day for kindergarteners is from 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Sept. 2. Kindergarteners then will be split into two groups with one group attending school Sept. 3 and the other group attending Sept. 4. All kindergarteners will attend school Sept. 5.

First-graders can stop by the school for orientation from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 2. The first full day of school is Sept. 3.

Regular school times are as follows: kindergarten, 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.; first and second grade, 8:35 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.; third grade, 8:35 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.; and fourth grade, 8:35 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

New staff members include special education teacher Barbara Castleman and School Resource Officer Tim Schuch.

Lunch is $2.50.

Parking is prohibited in the drive-through/drop-off loop and bus-only parking zone.

Open houses are scheduled Sept. 23 and Sept. 25.

 Whitefish Middle School has planned a fifth-grade orientation and open house from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Visitors should meet at the Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

Before school starts on Sept. 2, fifth- and sixth-graders will gather on the playground. Teachers will then guide the students into the building. Seventh- and eighth-graders should gather outside on the east side of the school along Kalispell Avenue where their first-period classes will be posted. Students should go directly to their first class after the entry bell where they will receive their schedules and locker assignments.

Regular class times are from 8:35 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.

Breakfast is $1.35 and lunch is $2.50. Money can be placed in student accounts at http://wms.wsd44.org.

The middle school welcomes new staff members Kevin Allen-Schmid, seventh- and eighth-grade choir; Shanel Latta, fifth- through eighth-grade speech pathologist; and Beth Hansen, fifth- through eighth-grade Title I Reading.

Spanish Club, Mine Craft Club and Running Club continue to be offered to students.

The student store returns this year and will be open for business before and after school. Students will be able to purchase fun items and basic school supplies.

Students will be able to sit and relax at new tables in the library courtyard and playground thanks to the  Whitefish Middle School Student Council, which raised money for a matching grant (Youth In Philanthropy/Whitefish Community Foundation) to purchase them.

There are new playground supplies. Fresh paint has also been applied to game areas on the playground.

Families are asked to park first before dropping off students. Students should not be dropped off in the middle of the road or intersection.

Crossing guards are stationed at First Street and Spokane; Second Street and Kalispell and First Street and Kalispell.

A sixth-grade open house is planned from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 11. Seventh- and eighth-graders will have an open house from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 18. Visitors to either open house should meet in the Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

“The Whitefish Middle School is looking forward to another great year full of academics and relationship building. We are excited to see everyone,” Principal Josh Branstetter said.

 Whitefish High School students can look forward to several exciting changes this school year — primarily a new building.

Due to construction, the temporary main entrance to the high school is on the south side of the new building.

There is a separate entrance to the gym for events on the south side of the building. Look for signs and banners to find these locations.

Important information and updates will be posted online at www.wsd44.org.

A map displaying traffic routes, parking and building access is available online. Carpooling, walking or riding a bike to school is highly encouraged due to limited parking.

Students start a new hybrid block schedule this year that includes standard and longer class periods. Students also have new opportunities in Graphic Information Systems and multimedia production course work.

New staff members include Christian Bitterauf, special education teacher; Damian Estrada, math and science teacher; and Kevin Allen-Schmid, choir teacher.

Regular class times are from 8:40 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $3.

 Whitefish Independent High School will operate at its new location in the southwest corner of the new Whitefish High School building. The independent high school will have its own entrance and parking lot.

Students wishing to enroll need to talk to a high school counselor about the application process.

Online:

www.wsd44.org