HILARY MATHESON

Skill show: Whitefish Independent students display their hospitality know-how during annual fundraising dinner

The Park Avenue Jazz Club was swinging at Whitefish Independent High School.

Bigfork team gears for Global Finals

DESTINATION IMAGINATION

After a six-year hiatus, Destination Imagination is back by demand in Bigfork Middle School.

Kalispell schools election: Three board seats up for election in Kalispell

There are three candidates competing for two openings on the Kalispell Public Schools elementary school district, and an incumbent trustee faces a challenge in the only contested race for a high school district seat.

Ballots out by Monday for school tax requests

Approximately 30,000 ballots will be mailed by Monday asking voters in Kalispell and surrounding school districts to approve 10-year technology tax levies of $600,000 annually for the Kalispell Public Schools elementary district and $600,000 a year for the high school district.

One-man operation

Filmmaker gaining expertise in all aspects of craft

 It took years and multiple attempts at different careers before Dusty Jones found his place behind the camera lens.

HEART Locker offers teen necessities

Help for homeless kids

In one year, Ronda Stevens, the Kalispell Public Schools and Evergreen School District Homeless Education liaison, has filled a void to empower and support students who are homeless or in need.

'There is hope; we need the whole community'

A majority of homeless teens face seemingly insurmountable obstacles and there is hope to help them, but it takes the support of an entire community, according to Tumbleweed Executive Director Sheri Boelter.

Teachers sound off in Whitefish survey

Whitefish teachers have a new three-year contract, but that doesn’t mean they’re all satisfied with the way schools are operating.

Students probe landscape for scientific study

Flathead High School International Baccalaureate students studying biology, environmental systems and societies and physics recently collaborated to design labs that explored issues around the Flathead Valley.

Tech-levy tax impacts revised

The proposed technology tax levies for Kalispell Public Schools will have a slightly smaller impact on taxpayers than previously indicated.

Students pitch in for oral history project

'‘From the ground up’

About 15 Linderman Education Center students have documented one Kalispell woman’s life in agriculture through audio, photography and written narratives.

Whitefish teachers get new contract

Whitefish school trustees on Friday approved a three-year contract with teachers that includes a 1.5 percent increase on the base salary for the current school year.

$1.2 million technology requests to face voters

Schools mail out ballots April 21

Kalispell Public Schools will ask voters next month to approve 10-year technology tax levies of $600,000 a year for the elementary district and $600,000 annually for the high school district.

Students embark on practice run for new testing

Montana students have put down their No. 2 pencils for keyboards to take the new Smarter Balanced test.

Superintendent lauds community support for schools

Darlene Schottle touted new programs and increasing student enrollment and graduation rates in Kalispell schools at a Kalispell Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday.

C. Falls brothers win honors for ambitious science project

One Norick brother can be tough competition at a science fair, but pair the two together and they are a force to be reckoned with.

West Valley has strong showing at state science fair

Flathead Valley students achieved an impressive number of awards in the Montana State Science Fair March 17-18 in Missoula.

Two speech coaches win state laurels

Two top speech coaches reached significant milestones last weekend.

School job gets $1 million boost

Whitefish High School to have state-of-the-art facility upgrade

Twelve anonymous donors have committed $1 million to provide Whitefish High School students with state-of-the-art performance and technology facilities at the reconstructed school.

Smallest schools have best graduation rates

Eighth-graders in the Flathead Valley recently signed pledges to graduate from high school as part of Graduation Matters Kalispell. The question is, will schools be able to retain these young students four years from now?

Learn your vegetables

 Lakeside Elementary fourth-graders are enrolled in Veggie U, a hands-on experience learning where food originates.

Coach debate unfolds before board

The chairs were filled at Tuesday’s Kalispell school board meeting for one agenda item in particular — the acceptance of the resignation of Flathead High School head football coach Russell McCarvel after seven seasons.

He-Man readers get Kindle boost

PAGE PARTNERS

There is power in reading and strength in numbers. Flathead High School’s He-Man Book Club has both.

Doctor gives riveting speech

Life lessons from Ben Carson

Before Dr. Ben Carson began to speak in Kalispell on Thursday, he got a standing ovation from 1,300 people.

Schools study land purchase for new school

Kalispell school officials have selected a 25-acre property at the south end of town along Airport Road as a future site for elementary school construction.

Local biology students to extract plant DNA

Freshman biology students will lay bare the secrets of Glacier High School’s native plant gardens — down to the DNA.

Schools to seek voter OK for technology levy

Voters in Kalispell school districts will be asked to approve a technology tax levy in a May mail-out ballot election.

Plans shaping up for West Valley School

 CTA Architects and Engineers provided a glimpse of what the new West Valley School will look like after a $6.8 million construction project.

Hollywood veteran directs Salvation Army benefit

Honor students visit China

Flathead High School

Twelve Flathead High School National Honor Society students last month took a journey across the ocean to visit China.

Traveling teacher: Seeing the world enriches Columbia Falls educator

Seeing the world enriches C. Falls educator

Alyson Dorr of Columbia Falls has broadened her horizons through travel.

Local Montessori aiming to go higher

Program ready to expand to eighth grade

This fall, Kalispell Montessori may be the only school in the state to offer a Montessori education through eighth grade.

One of top three advances to state

Flathead County Spelling Bee

Traditionally the top three spellers at the Flathead County Spelling Bee advance to state.

princess ball

Dylynne Cosand, 6, of Bigfork , left, and Ella Griffith, 7, of Lakeside try on gowns at the second annual Princess Ball dress sale Feb. 14 in the Kalispell Center Mall. (Hilary Matheson photo)

Swinging to inaugural Salvation Army gala

When people think of The Salvation Army, the first thing that may come to mind is ringing bells and red kettles at Christmas, or thrift stores, yet, the church offers so much more. 

Constitutional crew wins state again

WE THE PEOPLE

Glacier High School’s Advanced Placement government students have shown once again they are well-informed Americans.

Kalispell teachers get new three-year contract

Kalispell Public Schools teachers have a new, three-year contract that includes a 2.35 percent increase on the base salary for the 2014-15 school year.

Glacier recognizes arts accomplishments

FINE ARTS ACADEMY

The importance of creativity — whether on the stage, at a canvas, looking through a microscope or starting up a business — is not lost on Glacier High School educators.

Tour touts benefits of longer class times

Whitefish High School students can not only look forward to a new building in the 2014-15 school year but also the possibility of longer class periods.

Local schools put a new focus on science, technology, engineering and math

Kalispell Public Schools continues to up the ante in its science, math, engineering and technology curriculum, aiming to meet a growing demand for qualified workers.

Glacier, Flathead go 1-2 in AA speech

This wasn’t a time for words and speeches, but cheering.

Columbia Falls bids for ninth straight title

Class A, B speech preview

The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team is aiming to nail its ninth consecutive Class A state championship at the state tournament today and Saturday in Hamilton.

Kalispell speech teams among top three in state

Speeches, arguments and counter-arguments will take center stage this weekend when Glacier and Flathead high schools compete in the 2014 State AA Speech and Debate Tournament in Kalispell.

Deal near for new school leader

By the end of the week, Kalispell may have a new school superintendent.

School finalist gets rave reviews

Colleagues, school board members and even the mayor of Cle Elum, Wash., describe Kalispell Public Schools superintendent finalist Mark Flatau as a man of integrity who leads by example and empowers others to excel.

Kalispell teen wins state rodeo pageant

After four days of competition in Great Falls, Talli Carmalt of Kalispell was crowned 2014 Miss Teen Rodeo Montana.

Special Olympics funding reinstated

Making it to the finish line at next month’s Special Olympics Montana State Winter Games was almost out of reach for Kalispell Middle School students.

Whitefish teens establish chess club

Fifteen-year-old Simon McGlenn makes the first move to the center of the chessboard with a white pawn.

Columbia Falls narrows superintendent candidate list

The Columbia Falls School District is closer to finding a new superintendent.

Board picks Washington superintendent

Mark Flatau was a clear choice for Kalispell Public Schools superintendent Tuesday night after two days of interviews and public comment.