Monday's the big day for many local schools
Many schools around the Flathead Valley launch a new school year on Monday:
Bigfork
• Students start school Aug. 31. Enrollment projections are 420 students in the elementary, 140 in middle school and 300 in high school.
• The school day has changed for high school students. Students start school at 8:05 a.m. and are dismissed at 3:10 p.m. There are no changes for elementary and middle-school students who attend from 8 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
• Hot meals will be served on the first day. Breakfast for grades kindergarten through sixth cost $1.25 and $1.50 for grades 7-12. Lunch is $2.25 for grades kindergarten through six and $2.75 for grades 7-12. Free and reduced forms will be sent home the first day of school.
• Bigfork School District welcomes new staff members Mary Guffin, kindergarten- and first-grade teacher; Katrina McCann, fifth-grade teacher; Richard Murdock, custodian; Clifton Palmer, psychologist; Brianne Rembe, second-grade teacher; Tyson Roe, high school counselor; and Rob Tracy, transportation director.
• Students should be registered at the Bigfork School Administration Office between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays. Immunization records are required at time of registration. Parents are asked to check their child’s backpack for information sent home by teachers.
• For more information or to pay for meals, visit www.bigforkschools.org.
Cayuse Prairie
• The first day of school is Aug. 31 and enrollment is projected at 250 students. Two water bottle refill stations have been installed in the gym lobby and middle school wing.
• School starts at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 3:25 p.m.
• Hot lunch will be available on the first day of school. Lunch costs $2.75 for students. Parents or guardians may pay for lunches online.
• This year, the school has contracted with Harlow’s Bus Services to transport students. New drivers include Joni Beauregard on Route 1, Pam Wilson on Route 2 and Bill Corpron on Route 3.
• Cayuse Prairie welcomes new teachers Catherine Bauer, fifth grade, and Corey Grutsch, seventh grade. New paraprofessionals are Krisha Dull, Bethany Dupea, Debbie Keller and Joan Pettee.
• Dates to remember: Middle-school physicals are 8:30 a.m. Sept. 2 and volleyball practice begins after school Sept. 3 followed by a 5 p.m. parent meeting.
• To register, students can visit the school between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday or call 756-4560.
For more information, visit cayuseprairie.com.
Creston
• The first day of school is Aug. 31. Enrollment is projected at 82 students who can look forward to facility updates including new exterior siding, windows and a canopy at the north entrance.
• The school day will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. for grades kindergarten through third and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. for grades 4-6.
• The first “pizza Friday” is Sept. 4. Cost is $1.50 a slice.
• A few staffing changes have been made at Creston School. Tami Ward, a familiar face as a teacher, will be principal. Herb Brown will drive buses. The new fifth- and sixth-grade teacher is Jackie Robbins. Connie Bartlett will work in Creston’s special education program.
• A back-to-school night is planned at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27. A free taco dinner will be served sponsored by the Tiger Pride Boosters. Parents and students may meet teachers from 6 to 7 p.m. Students are asked to bring their school supplies.
For more information, visit creston.k12.mt.us.
Deer Park
• School starts Aug. 31 for an estimated 120 students. Over the summer, the blacktop has been refinished on school grounds.
• Daily class times are from 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. except early-out Wednesdays when school is dismissed at 2:35 p.m.
• Hot lunch service is tentatively planned to start Sept. 8. Grab-and-go lunches are available for $3.
• Deer Park welcomes new teachers Rachael Brander, music, choir, and band; Rob Hall, third grade; and Cortney Kingston, fifth-grade language arts and fourth- and sixth-grade math.
• A new fifth- through eighth-grade volleyball team has been created for girls.
• Students may hit the Crash Zone before- and after-school program from 7 to 8 a.m. and after school until 6 p.m.
For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/a/deerparkedu.org/panthers.
Evergreen
• The first day of school for first through eighth grade is Aug. 31. Early kindergarten and kindergarten start Sept. 3. Preschool starts Sept. 10. Enrollment is projected at 770 students.
• Daily class times are as follows: early kindergarten and kindergarten 8:25 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.; first grade 8:25 a.m. to 3 p.m.; second and third grade 8:25 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.; fourth grade 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.; fifth through eighth grade 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and Crossroads School, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Breakfast and lunch will be served on the first day of school and all students eat for free under the federal Community Eligibility Provision.
• A new drama class has been added to the roster of courses at the junior high.
• Several new staff members join Evergreen School District this year. East Evergreen Elementary welcomes Trista Arentz, second-grade teacher; Amy Besaw, paraprofessional and Moriah Michaels, preschool teacher.
New staff at Evergreen Junior High School includes Brandan Barnett, fifth-grade teacher; Shaun Forrest, assistant principal; Abby Murray, special education teacher and Cynthia Thorsen, librarian. Sara Hammel will serve as a district speech language pathologist and Jenny Jarvis joins the teaching staff at Crossroads School.
• New students may be registered at the district administration office, 18 West Evergreen Drive, between 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. daily. Parents need to present a utility bill or rental agreement to prove residency in addition to names and phone numbers of emergency contacts. Kindergarten student registration also requires immunization records and a birth certificate.
• Parents and guardians can monitor their child’s attendance and grades at https://mtstate.epm.infinitecampus.org/mtstate/portal/evergreen.jsp. Cellphone apps are also available for parents to download and access their child’s assignments by class and date and review attendance and grades.
• A student experience day is planned from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 28.
Open houses are planned in September. East Evergreen Elementary will host an open house Sept. 22. Crossroads School will host an open house Sept. 23. A junior high open house will be Sept. 24. All events will begin at 6:30 p.m.
For more information visit www.evergreensd50.com.
Kalispell
Montessori
• School begins Aug. 31 with an expected enrollment of 51 students.
• Staff members include administrator Renee Boisseau; elementary II teachers David Cummings and Heather Wyrick; and elementary I teachers Angela Hong and Jason Santa.
• School is from 8:15 a.m. to 3:13 p.m.
For more information visit www.kalispellmontessori.com.
Somers-Lakeside
• School starts Aug. 31 for approximately 200 students. People are advised to drop off and pick up students in the lower parking lot only.
• Hot meals will be served on the first day of school. Breakfast is $1.75. Reduced priced breakfasts are 30 cents for eligible students. Lunch is $2.50 and a reduced price of 40 cents for eligible students.
• Lakeside Elementary welcomes new teachers Stephanie Burns, first grade; Kate Fasbender, fourth grade; and Cindi Siler, special education. Rose McIntyre joins Somers Middle School staff as the new principal.
• Lakeside Elementary will host a meet-and-greet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at the school. Students and parents are invited to meet the teachers, see classrooms, drop off supplies and buy lunch tickets.
• Parents/guardians may register new students between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. the week of Aug. 24.
For more information, check out the district’s new website at www.somersdist29.org.
— compiled by Inter Lake reporter Hilary Matheson