Polumbus resigns from Whitefish School Board, district seeks replacement

The Whitefish School Board is working to fill a vacancy after Trustee Nick Polumbus recently announced his resignation.

Polumbus had served on the school board for eight and a half years and his current term was set to expire in May. In his letter of resignation, he expressed that his time as a trustee was enriching in numerous ways and he was glad to have been able to serve the community.

“I feel more connected to this community for my time spent on this board and I will look back on this time with pride for the service given and with thanks for what I have learned about public education and its role in a community, particularly of our size,” he wrote.

Polumbus told the Pilot last week that his resignation was directly related to his recent promotion to CEO of Whitefish Mountain Resort and the new demands that come with that position. He has been WMR’s Director of Marketing and Sales since 2007 when he and his family moved to Whitefish.

“My resignation is completely due to the demands on my time with my new position and the importance of taking advantage of the transition time afforded me here at the resort while Dan Graves completes this ski season as CEO,” Polumbus said.

Throughout his tenure on the school board, Polumbus was involved in several instrumental building projects and other vital school district decisions. The new Muldown Elementary School building, the Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship and an extensive remodel of Whitefish High School were all completed during the time Polumbus has served on the board. At a recent school board meeting, Board Chair Katie Clarke thanked Polumbus for his service, highlighting the fact that a lot has happened within the Whitefish School District over the past eight years.

“He offered so much, he contributed so much — stability, great leadership, was part of building committees and really built a lot of schools in the past 8.5 years, in a really productive way,” she said. “He will be missed.”

When Polumbus originally ran for school board in 2013, he told the Pilot that had an interest in education and he also wanted to be more involved in his own children’s learning — he has three boys attending Whitefish Schools. He also expressed his interest in curriculum development and its role in preparing students for the future.

At the time the district was concerned about a downturn in enrollment and a lack of jobs in Whitefish. Polumbus has now seen the full spectrum of that after helping the board navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and residential boom Whitefish has been experiencing over the past two years.

When Polumbus ran for his third term on the school board in 2019, he stated at the time that it was important to him to stay on and see the Muldown project through completion. Additionally the district was evaluating declining test scores. However, since then Whitefish Schools has implemented new testing software, and last year Whitefish High School was ranked No. 2 best high school in Montana by U.S. News partially based on state test scores and graduation rates.

“I am grateful to the community for electing me three times to serve on the school board,” he told the Pilot last week. “It’s rewarding and important work, and I was happy and proud to have been a part of it. I also think the district is in great hands with Dave Means and the administrative team that is assembled. Their work is very demanding, more than most people will ever know, and we are truly lucky to have the team we have in place.”

With Polumbus’ resignation, the district now needs to replace him and the search for a new trustee is well underway. The board jumped on the process quickly by posting the opening the week following receiving the resignation.

At the school board meeting on Jan. 11, trustees voted to accept the resignation and also approved the process of finding a replacement. On Monday a committee held a public meeting discussing questions and the top candidates, and was scheduled to interview three candidates and select the new trustee at a special meeting Tuesday night after press time.

Qualified candidates must reside within the district boundaries and be able to vote in the district. The three candidates listed in the agenda for the meeting were Ryder Delaloye, Leanette Kearns and Elizabeth Pitman.

Delaloye was Whitefish School’s curriculum director previously and is now hoping to use his knowledge of education to serve on the board according to his letter of interest. Kearns ran for the school board during the 2021 election, but was unsuccessful. She stated in a letter that she has a strong desire to be involved in the community and public education. Pitman stated in her letter that she is a lifelong Whitefish resident that received quality education here, giving her a strong belief in the local public school system.

The candidate selected will serve on the board until May when the position will open again for election.