School enrollment down again

Hungry Horse News

Enrollment numbers for School District 6 continue to tumble.

Preliminary numbers presented at the school board meeting Monday show the district with having 2,443 students. Projections for the year had the district at slightly more than 2,500 for the year.

"This is shocking to me, I thought we'd be up," said Superintendent Michael Nicosia of the decline.

While student populations peaked in the 1997-98 school year, the district has seen populations decrease over the last several years.

Board members continue to question the decline while seeing building in the community rising.

"It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense," said Nicosia. "Elsewhere in the valley (enrollment) is up."

Nicosia said he spoke with several districts, including Whitefish, Kalispell and Evergreen, where enrollment has increased.

The district actually has 62 fewer students than last year's enrollment.

Much of the district's budget is enrollment driven, however, so declinding enrollment could mean less money.

One of the biggest changes was in the kindergarten classes. This year's class has 168 students, down 25 from last year.

"This year's is the second smallest (class) in 25 years," said Nicosia.

The freshman class saw a decrease when moving from eighth grade into the high school.

Nicosia said the last time something like that has happened was 1987.

"Hopefully we're going to get some students between now and the October count," said Nicosia.

In other action, the board voted to approve several staff resignations and hiring recommendations in the district.

High school resignaitons were Martha Kiander, family and consumer sciences, and Paula Koch, Key Club advisor.

Other resignations were Steve Larson, hot lunch kitchen helper/inventory, Beth Steele, paraeducator/copy room, Sarah Kuntz, certified occupational therapy assistant at Glacier Gateway Elementary, Janet Reindl, Title I paraeducator at Canyon Elementary and bus drivers Steve Larson and Carol Duval.

High school hirings are Paul Snyder, study hall aide/weight room supervisor, Jessie Schaeffer, head wrestling coach, and spliting the job of freshman cheerleader sponser is Leslie DiMaio and Lisa DeWaters. Sharon Dunigan was also hired for the position of custodion to be split between the high school and Canyon Elementary.

Other hirings are Kristy Orem, reading intervention instructor, Lisa LaChance, certified occupational therapy assistant, Kim Potter, Title I paraeducator, Jeanette Morden, library paraeducator, and special education paraeducators Randy Leventhal, Carrie Fetters, Ken Milliard, Linda Polzin, Tami Turner and Rachel Schaeffer.