A fresh start for the new school year

August is an exciting time where we soak up the best days of summer and begin to shift our focus to the beginning of the new school year on Aug. 31. Each year, the start of school is rejuvenating as we settle into a new rhythm. The cyclical nature of the school year provides students, families and teachers with a fresh start— opportunities to build new relationships and the chance to meet new people as we provide the foundation for developing responsible citizens.

Many of our families have had the opportunity to travel outside of Whitefish, but it is always refreshing to return to this great community that offers so many opportunities for personal growth—both in our natural environment and with the people who make our community so strong.

Over the past year, after listening to the community about their needs, we have been exploring options for new bus routes. As an example of our focus to provide the skills to be successful beyond the classroom, we asked our students to study bus routes using GIS analysis of neighborhoods in order to make recommendations for the new routes.

I am pleased to announce that the Whitefish School District will add new stops in town for students who live near Colorado Avenue, Woodland Place, Aspen Grove, Dakota, Waverly, Woodland, JP Road, Vista Drive, Karrow, West Fourth and Centennial Drive. (You can view these new routes at www.whitefishschools.org where you can also fill out a ridership form.) The new in-town stops are a great way for our Whitefish students to safely, conveniently and consistently get to school each day.

It may seem obvious, but consistent attendance is one of the key elements to a good education. Missing more than 10 percent of time at school can create significant learning gaps for students, especially when added up over several years. Creating these new in-town bus stops eliminates transportation barriers, especially for our youngest learners.

There are also added benefits on a larger scale. Less traffic congestion at our schools will provide safer conditions for our students as they arrive and leave each day. Idling vehicles contribute to air pollution and emit air toxins that can cause serious health effects. Limiting a vehicle’s idling time can dramatically reduce these pollutants and our children’s exposure to them. This also benefits our global environment, contributing to cleaner air with fewer cars on the road.

As we move into the school year, I’ll be sharing stories with you about our continued efforts to make the Whitefish School District one of the finest systems to help students succeed in continuous learning, career, and citizenship.

I am particularly excited about the work and research we are doing on the future of Muldown Elementary, as we undergo a comprehensive facilities planning process with the Muldown Project Task Force — a group that includes teachers, parents, community members, support staff, administrators and trustees.

The dream of the Center for Applied Sustainability is now becoming a reality as we move closer to the construction phase of this new building that will allow the collaborative time and opportunity for deeper learning in the Whitefish Schools starting in 2017.

This year we will also launch a new computer science curriculum in kindergarten through eighth grades. Students will have hands-on experiences that will build upon one another from grade level to grade level, enhancing computational thinking skills. Math and science concepts will be applied to other disciplines liking coding, robotics, engineering and design.

While we continue to strengthen learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), we’ve also doubled our advanced placement offerings for juniors and seniors, creating more opportunities as they look beyond high school. The Writing Coaches of Whitefish program will expand and continue to support both technical and non-technical writing and editing skills. Effective communication, including writing, is critical to career and college readiness.

Every step we take this coming year will contribute to creating personalized learning experiences for students, to allow them to apply what they learn in the classroom to the world beyond school. I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new students and families as we all work together.

Heather Davis Schmidt is Superintendent of Whitefish Schools.