Levy will support a strong community and strong schools

It’s been an amazing two years since I took over as superintendent of Kalispell Public Schools. I came in to the position at a pivotal time, the first summer of the pandemic. As we navigated this unprecedented event together, I learned so much about our community and the school district.

I’ve met our students, staff and parents and understand their concerns and hopes for the district. The experience has only strengthened my commitment to them. They’re what make Kalispell Public Schools special.

Many of you probably know my background. I graduated from Polson High School where I met my wife, Nicole. We attended MSU for our undergraduate degrees and I later obtained a graduate degree from UM (which allows me to root for both the Cats and Griz). We raised our three children, Noah, Annie, and Simon, in Kalispell and have lived here since 1998. Kalispell Public Schools gave our kids the gift of wonderful and enriching school experiences full of opportunities to grow and succeed.

My previous roles within the district for the past 20 years have also provided many opportunities to grow and lead, giving me a broad understanding of our district. I am proud to say that I have been shaped by the values and vision within our district and community.

Hopefully, we’ve earned your trust during the past two years, and you’ve seen that we’re striving as a district to be fiscally responsible and transparent. At the same time, we’re also willing to have the tough conversations and consider everyone’s position.

On behalf of all the teachers, staff, and administrators in Kalispell Public Schools, I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your support of our students and district through the Covid-19 pandemic. We were able to successfully pivot our operations to partner with families and provide ongoing instructional opportunities for students in their homes. We were one of two AA districts in Montana to successfully navigate the pandemic without a mask mandate this year. We could not have done so without a community that believed in the power of teamwork for our schools.

The value of this community spirit and support for Kalispell schools cannot be overstated. The success of our school system depends on quality teachers, dedicated staff, engaged parents, and a community that prioritizes education.

I feel confident and excited about the future of our district. Over the last two years, I worked with the board of trustees to focus on key goals including developing a strategic plan to address the financial stability of our district, long-range facility planning, and continued improvement in student achievement. I remain committed to building on the legacy of educational excellence in our district.

One of the strategic goals we identified is developing a transformational learning vision for SD5 that will change how we do public education. We want to prepare students for careers through practical experiences, which benefits the student, community, and local economy, especially in tight labor markets. Our exploration of this goal included listening sessions with the community and we’re excited by the ideas and support you’ve provided. This initiative will be implemented over the next few years and students will benefit from expanded educational options and pathways.

In the past, our community has supported our elementary district levy request. Now, we are asking for that same level of dedication for our older learners in the high school district. Ballots have arrived in mailboxes and we’re asking voters to support a $1.5 million levy for Kalispell high schools. We have not passed a high school district levy since 2007.

The high school levy would increase taxes on a $300,000 tax-assessed home by $3.15 per month and a $400,000 home by $4.20 per month. By law, state ballots list the tax costs for $100,000 and $200,000 tax-assessed homes. Those figures, which must appear on the ballot, are $1.05 and $2.10, respectively.

You may not be aware that local mill levies are baked into the funding formula for public schools in Montana. The state dictates school district budgets, yet funds only 80% of what they say should be spent. This levy is the local contribution of the funding formula and will be earmarked for operational costs essential to supporting our learning environment.

I am very respectful of the difficulties families are facing with high gas prices and inflation right now. Before asking voters to approve a mill levy, we took steps to reduce our non-voted (permissive) levies for the district, making the ballot levy potentially tax neutral for many voters.

Kalispell Public Schools must continually grow and modernize to offer a high-quality education and show taxpayers the value of their investment in schools. With sustained community support, I am confident that Kalispell can lead Montana in academic achievement and set our students on a path to lifelong success, but I cannot do it without you.

Ballots are due back in the county election office by May 3. If you have questions about the mill levy, please reach out to me personally. Vote “Yes” on the mill levy — with your help, we will continue to have a strong community and strong schools.

Micah Hill is superintendent of Kalispell Public Schools.