Greetings Community,
The Board of Trustees met on Monday, January 23, at Lakeside Elementary. Trustees Sean
Banks, Kim Eisenlohr, Carrie Eklund, Scott Simonson, and Jesica Swanson were in attendance.
Meredith Coopman was excused. We appreciated the group of parents and staff that also
attended the meeting. It is always an encouragement to see community engagement.
Superintendent Price reported on generous donations given to the district as part of the
“Innovative Educational Program Tax Credit” available to Montana taxpayers. We’d like to
express our gratitude as trustees to Sliter’s Lumber, Roger Sullivan, and the anonymous donor
who gave to the district. If you get the opportunity, please thank them for supporting our
students.
Principals McIntyre and Broyles were away at a principal’s conference, and we expect it will be
a valuable time for their professional development. Their written reports highlighted the busy
month they have had. Thank you, parents, for showing up for your children at LES
parent/teacher conferences. SMS teachers were busy brushing up on their “Run Lock Fight”
training. We appreciate the collaboration with the sheriff’s department and our SRO, Officer
Sullivan. These are essential parts of ensuring students are safe in our schools.
SMS students participate in winter trips to Blacktail Mountain in January and February. Girl’s
Basketball is in full swing, and 8th graders are beginning the transition to high school by
registering for classes and having a tour of Flathead High School in February!
The PR committee met in January and will continue to work on refining the surveys to parents
and staff as we prioritize the needs of the district. We appreciate the valuable feedback we
receive from these surveys and hope to have them out to you this spring. We continue to work
towards better communication with the community and more intentional recognition of our
valuable staff. We don’t say it nearly enough; we appreciate all of you!
PTA reported on their fall grant winners: Ms. Evans (Counselor), Mrs. Shaffer, and the Kinder
and Third Grade teams. PTA noted that the first day of Missoula Children’s Theater would be on
Tuesday, February 21, as there is no school on Monday of that week. If you aren’t already
participating, PTA is a wonderful organization that serves our school in many ways; consider
getting involved!
Meeting business included the acknowledgment of two staff departures: SMS Custodian,
Richard, and Assistant Cook, Amanda. We wish them well. With school enrollment counts
finalized, we acknowledged that 44 students in our district are attending schools in Bigfork and
Swan River. While we cannot know the “why” of these students choosing other districts, this
number has been consistent throughout the last several years. As a district, we remain
committed to making District 29 the best school for the students we serve.