Our future depends on a well-educated workforce
Glacier High School senior Sam Engellant shares about an engineering internship during a press conference on a high school general fund levy request at Flathead High School Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Seated left to right is Morrison-Maierle Mechanical Engineer Sam Kulin, Flathead High School student Madison Nickel, Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Matt Jensen, Schellinger Construction Vice President Kyle Schellinger, Schellinger Construction employee Dennis Hunter and Kalispell Middle School family, consumer science teachers Beth Schule and Jennifer Baker. (Hilary Matheson/Daily Inter L…
I am passionately optimistic about Kalispell’s future. Yes, we face significant challenges — but what gives me hope is the unwavering dedication of the people who step up every day to do hard things for our community.
Over the past three months, I’ve had the honor of working with the One Brave Pack stakeholder group — a powerful coalition of students, parents, teachers, trustees, and business leaders — all volunteering their time, energy and voices to support the Kalispell School District 5 high school levy.
Our mission has been clear: Correct the myths, share the facts, and highlight the incredible work our schools do every day — all while making a very complicated school funding system easier to understand.
Here’s the bottom line: If the levy doesn’t pass, programs will be cut or scaled back. The state only funds what it deems “essential education” — reading, writing and math. Everything else — career and technical education, music, art, advanced placement classes, special education, extracurriculars — depends on local levies. For years, our school board has responsibly stretched reserves and temporary federal funds (like ESSER dollars) to bridge the gap. But that well is dry.
As a parent with no children currently in the K–12 system, I still believe deeply in voting yes for our schools.
Why? Strong schools mean stronger property values, safer neighborhoods and a more vibrant, thriving community. Because my future — including the health of programs like Social Security — depends on a well-educated, capable workforce. And because I know that every dollar invested in education saves us exponentially more in future costs like social services, public health and corrections.
I was fortunate, as were my grown children, to receive an education rich in opportunities — it shaped my ability to lead, collaborate, and contribute. Supporting this levy is my way of paying that forward, just as others did for me.
Let’s continue the tradition of shared civic responsibility. Let’s invest in our students, our future workforce, and the community we all call home.
Vote yes on the Kalispell School District 5 high school levy on May 6.
Lorraine Clarno is president of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.