Swan River schools dip into reserves
The Swan River School Board adopted a budget amendment to use roughly $20,000 from their reserve funds for teaching equipment, repairs around the building and expenses that aren't already in their budget at their Feb. 7 meeting.
It's common practice for schools to dip into their reserves for unforeseen expenses. Swan River's reserve funds are currently about $60,000, the remaining reserve funds will be left to rest and rebuild for future needs.
“We found it proactive to do this and put out a wish list to teachers prefacing textbooks, smartboard, and things to help with instruction,” principal Peter Loyda said. “Not for extras or fluff, but things for their curriculum and teaching.”
The board approved four requests to “change lanes” in teaching salary for the 2012-13 school year from Kate Butts, Todd Emslie, Shanna Burchwell and Vickie Poston.
Educator's pay at Swan River Schools is determined by “lanes,” and is based on continuing teacher education and is offered each year. By attending workshops, conferences and classes, educators are able to learn new techniques and sharpen their teaching skills to provide more effective instruction.
In order to move up on the salary schedule, educators much earn 10 semester credits or 15 quarter credits and provide proof of course completion by Sept. 15.
“Our staff is very proactive in continuing their education, and it makes us the wonderful school that we are,” Loyda said. “I admire this passion for excellence, the reason being I worked for buildings in the past where it's hard to get some staff to continue their education, they thought they knew what they needed to know; my staff here, I've never had to prod them.”
The board also discussed Swan River School's involvement with the countywide Crossroads Program with Mark Embody, Crossroads director. The program services 18 school districts and 32 students in Flathead County who require more attention than the school can provide due to various disabilities.
Swan River currently has no students enrolled in the program, but has had two students enrolled in the past and continues payment to remain a part of the program should their services be needed.
The board also discussed replacing the kitchen's heat pump and compressor, which had broken down due to old age. Carson Brothers estimated the cost to be between $1,900 and $2,500.
Loyda noted the price range was to give room for unforeseeable costs along the way but anticipates the cost to remain on the lower end of the estimate.
The board also approved a suggestion from Tamus Gannon to set up a wifi password for the school's wireless internet to prevent unsolicited usage from outside the building. The password will also prevent students from browsing the internet and playing online games on their personal devices without staff approval.
In other Swan River School news, Brooke Hagler's name was missing from the previously published list of students on the honor roll in the Bigfork Eagle.
Hagler is an eighth grade student who earned her first 4.0 grade point average, which places her on the Principal's Award list.
“I want to congratulate her for her hard work and determination with academics,” Loyda said. “She's deeply involved with sports in the fall and spring, but puts academics first. She's setting the table for a wonderful high school career.”