T. Falls adds kindergarten class

Enrollment is up at Thompson Falls Elementary already this year, leading the school board to hire another kindergarten teacher at last Monday's meeting. Lacey Scharfe will join Angie Rackham as the second kindergarten teacher this year. Principal Len Dorscher told the school board Monday that they started with 19 kindergarten students but now have 26 and a total of 240 students in the elementary. The junior high has 66 students and the high school 184, which is down about 24 from three years ago, said high school principal Jodi Morgan.

Also Monday, Morgan said they are looking for community members to sign the national anthem at home events.

The number of students participating in volleyball has increased, with the school board approving Riley Wilson as a C team coach on Monday.

Superintendent Bud Scully told the school board that Montana was one of three states that did not get renewed for the Gear UP program. The state has been a part of the program, which provides grant funding to help encourage kids to continue their education after high school, since 2012. With the loss of the funding, parents are now responsible for the cost of dual enrollment classes with Flathead Valley Community College, Scully stated. "I'm asking you to continue funding that using other funds for one year until we can figure out how to continue," he asked the board. "We didn't expect to get as much money, but we didn't expect to get cut out. The whole point was to get kids to go to continuing education."

Scully estimated the cost at $80,000 for the year. The board unanimously approved funding the program. The Gear UP funding is on a seven-year grant cycle, Morgan said, so it is unlikely that the program would reconsider Montana next year.

The school board on Monday approved addition of a new bus stop at Sanders Loop west of Thompson Falls.

Scully also provided an update on the new multi-purpose building. "It's getting close," he said. There was an issue with some tile that was laid, and the bathrooms are getting completed this week. Morgan said the high school is hoping to have the homecoming dance in the new building later this week. Scully also stated that a new sidewalk will be installed from the back of the shop building to the art classroom and that a bus turnaround was put in at the back of the new building.

During public comment, parent Morgan Leaf expressed concerned about student readiness. Leaf stated that she subbed in a second-grade classroom and gave the students a sight words test. "Probably four out of 10 could read it," she said. "It was alarming. That's a concern if our second graders can't read."

Morgan, the high school principal, also explained a new recognition program to the board. The high school is recognizing different students each week and featuring them on the school's social media.