Plains Schools seeks $100,000 levy

Plains School is asking for a $100,000 levy this year in an effort to recruit and retain qualified teachers and staff and to help better fund classroom programs.

“Our levy is for learning,” said Dr. Kathleen Walsh, the school superintendent, who added that they’re going to educate the children regardless, but the levy will give the students better opportunities to be successful in the future. “The levy will allow the school community to expand and support family and community engagement while supporting expansion of academic programs,” said Walsh, who took over the superintendent position last July and has more than 30 years of experience in the education field.

The Plains School Board unanimously voted in favor of the levy, which will be a mail-in election May 7, said Lisa Wadsworth, the Superintendent of Schools in the county’s Clerk and Recorder office in Thompson Falls. She said it’s the only school presently looking for a levy this year. She said that Noxon will have a trustee election only. The levy would be an additional 10.027 mills in taxes for property owners within the Plains School District. Walsh said that the passage of the proposed levy would mean an annual increase of $13.54 on a $100,000 home. For a home with a market value of $300,000, it’ll be about $40.61, and it would be approximately $81.22 on a home valued at $600,000.

Walsh said the school budget has not grown in proportion to inflation and operational costs. “Our budget grew by only a few thousand dollars for next year, which is not enough to cover the costs of everything,” said Kelly Pfister, the school’s business manager. Plains asked for a $100,000 levy for proper maintenance and operations last year, but it failed. Pfister said that the last school levy to pass was a $30,000 technology levy in 2007 and the last general fund levy passed was $85,000 in 2003. Hot Springs School sought a $150,000 levy last year, but didn’t get it and thus faced program and teacher cuts.

“This is important to the school and community because it will provide students with multiple opportunities to actively strengthen academic programs, continue to build a strong skills base, as well as increase involvement in music and art,” said Walsh. “With the continued support of highly qualified teachers, our schools will continue to grow in excellence,” she added. The school presently has two teacher vacancies they’d like to fill. Walsh noted that Montana’s rural communities have experienced severe difficulties in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers. She added that according to Montana State University’s Center of Research on Rural Education, studies show that 660 out of 825 schools in Montana have been impacted by a critical shortage of quality teachers.

“As a parent and as times and needs change, we have to make sure we’re giving them that opportunity for the best education possible,” said Jesse Jermyn, who heads the maintenance staff at the school and who has two children at Plains.

“We’re not asking for anything absurd, we’re just asking for this to help their children,” said Walsh, who would like to expand the opportunity to acquire college credits. Including an accelerated program of college level courses. Walsh is looking to get AP courses for environmental science, calculus and art classes. The superintendent has scheduled a public forum for Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m. in the school library, where people can get information about the levy.