I see the school district doing lots of good work, he said. Whitefish Middle School $570,000. Although originally from Dallas, she was living in Las Vegas and was a dancer for Cirque du Soleil. Emily Morrow believes that children are one of the most important demographics and has been committed to serving kids in many ways throughout her life. Major emphasis at the elementary level focuses on strong reading, language and math skills. Search: There is no staff matching your search criteria Administration. Ballots for those registered as absentee should have already hit the mailboxes in Whitefish and are due back to the Whitefish School District Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Its why I am on the board of CRYJ, why I became a Girl Scout leader, and why I am giving my time and energy to work on a play about social issues in our community. Instrumental Music all students have the choice of instruments beginning with the 5th grade and may specialize with one or more instruments by the time they finish their high school career. During the pandemic, a group of average, common people on the school board unanimously took unprecedented action to usurp control from parents over their children's bodies. Mrs. Kristine Yorba Secretary Web Accessibility Complaint Form Web Accessibility Statement. Since then shes wanted to find a way she could leverage her skillset and contribute to the betterment of the community running for school board seemed like a great opportunity to do just that. Whitefish School District Having lived in different places, and living in Seattle, we were looking for a place where we could have more of a direct impact on the community he said. And my experience in after-school programming gives me insight into the daily challenges faced by our staff and teachers. Ms. Rachel Anderson . The queer community has become a targeted group recently and this should be addressed at the district level. Whitefish, MT 59937 Employment Opportunities. Currently Kearns is a stay at home parent to two daughters ages 2 and 5. Students have a wide selection of elective programs to include pottery, drawing and painting. Search for Public School Districts - District Detail for Whitefish Bay What really drew me here was the people that live here they have these wonderful qualities of really fierce independence and strength, coupled with a very strong sense of community, Kearns said. I will stand up for our children, parents and teachers by seeking to level the playing field for all. F: (406) 862-8664, 1143 E. 4th St. I applaud the boards decision to use COVID recovery funds for mental health resources, and there should be continued effort to look at factors impacting students and solutions at a systemic level. My goal is to reunite our district with the common goal of doing what is best for our children, which is ultimately what is best for society as a whole. Current trustees Ruth Harrison and Betsy Kohnstamm both decided not to run for reelection. Family: Married to Bill Paatalo; three kids and one due this week. I bring accountability, when I tell someone Im going to do something, I do it; it doesnt matter if it feels uncomfortable., copyright 2023 Drama students continue to excel at our states Thespian Festival as an example great individual and group achievements. But in addition to those interests, Lengacher has an even stronger passion to serve in the local community. I have served four months as a school trustee, mentored students by providing shadowing experiences in the veterinary field and volunteering annually for Expanding Your Horizons, a national STEM event to introduce girls to careers and role models in their communities. It reminded me of home people waved to me, they were friendly, they were genuine, she said. 406-862-3505. The overwhelming majority of our students are involved in clubs and sports our kids and our schools are thriving and I believe that is at least partially due to a dedicated school board. From his service in the military he has a vast amount of senior leadership experience, most notably in the U.S. Embassy in two different countries Thailand and Bolivia. I am not privy to the inside workings of the schools, and all my dealings with any staff have exceeded my expectations. Candidates listed in alphabetical order by last name: Occupation: Dentist (disabled due to a hand injury), stay-at-home mom. The School Board needs to engage with other community groups to find solutions for our housing issues. Through this work she developed a skill set that she believes would be beneficial to have on the Whitefish School Board. There is no staff matching your search criteria Administration. She acknowledges the challenges the pandemic caused in the educational setting, but also respects the decisions the district made by implementing the hybrid in person and online model. Morrow moved to Whitefish one year ago in search of a friendly place to settle down and potentially start a family. However, I dont claim my diverse perspective is what qualifies me alone for this position. As far as how the district handled COVID-19 and reopening schools, she supports the decisions made regarding the hybrid teaching model. She says she wants to make sure everyone living here and moving here is treated like an individual, not just a number. If you would like to email all of the school board trustees please send your email to. There are some changes that just inevitably bring challenges because that is how new leadership works, she expressed. Staff - Whitefish School District When I talk about moving here and being in the school district, I understand that those values exist here, and I want to guard those and keep those.. With COVID and the influx of new people in Whitefish, she sees that the community togetherness is starting to become divisive. Having lived in different places, and living in Seattle, we were looking for a place where we could have more of a direct impact on the community he said. Family: Husband Kyle is a Whitefish High School alum, daughter seventh grade at Whitefish Middle School, and son fourth grade at Muldown Elementary. The biggest challenge is to meet the needs and bring kids to a place thats up to speed with what we can give them as far as care and nurturing.. 312 E. Second Street Ive been in senior leadership positions quite often and understand the difficulties presented, he explained. (Enter less keywords for more results. Staff: Intramurals: 1: Student Store: 1: Whitefish Middle School Student Council: 1: Yearbook Club: 1: Web Accessibility Complaint Form Web . I probably wish they had gone back to school (in-person) earlier, but I dont fault them for being cautious, she said. I am running for reelection as there is a direct correlation between high student achievement outcomes and low board member turnover. Over the last year, Lengacher says he supports the decisions the board made regarding reopening schools during the pandemic. One of the really important things to me has been understanding how much relationships matter and how we treat each other matters, she said. She taught Education Through Music classes for teachers throughout the state. Job specializations: Administrative/Clerical. As much as anything, I want to leverage my experience with schools and with boards to build the best and highest functioning board we possibly can.. Mr. Josh Branstetter Principal Mr. Tyler Jones Assistant Principal Teachers. He added that other priorities for him as a trustee would include ensuring quality teaching materials and a supportive standardized curriculum for teachers, empowering kids to make their own decisions, supporting extracurricular programs and improving communication in parent-teacher relationships across the district. Bennetts expressed great respect for the current board members, administrators, district staff and everyone already involved in the district. I think were a growing economy in Whitefish; the challenge would be to serve every member of the community and know what their needs are because theyre coming from all different directions of the country, Morrow said. Type any part of the Job Title, Job Type, or Job Location to Search, Director of Student Services (Beginning 23/24), PowerSchool Group LLC and/or its affiliate(s). F: (406) 730-2176, 600 East 2nd St. Id bring a sense of leadership and sharing in ideas, Morrow said. From his service in the military he has a vast amount of senior leadership experience, most notably in the U.S. Embassy in two different countries Thailand and Bolivia. P: (406) 862-8688 As much as anything, I want to leverage my experience with schools and with boards to build the best and highest functioning board we possibly can.. Students also have the option of attending Flathead Valley Community College by taking classes of their choice in the Running Start program. Emails or letters received after that will be included in the following month's business meeting materials. The District is proud of our proactive and dedicated PTA that serves staff and student in numerous ways throughout the school year. Thats something she believes every child should have. Location: Whitefish School District Board Room 600 East Second Street Whitefish, MT 59937 I feel like the hybrid model was a balance of the needs of maintaining safety as well as recognizing in-person education is invaluable.. He also currently serves on the North Valley Food Bank and Whitefish Education Foundation boards, and is the executive director of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northwest Montana program. Staff. 5333 Highway 93 S, Whitefish, MT 59937 | Trulia My children will be attending school in the Whitefish district for the next 13 consecutive years. While most recently living in Seattle, his family was coming out to the Flathead Valley more often and developing a stronger desire to stay in Montana. I do not envy those decisions they had to make, she said. The use of multiple assessment tools has vastly improved curriculum offerings and the instructional methods used to reach students at all levels of learning. School board trustee candidates share perspectives | Whitefish Pilot After staying a week in Whitefish, Diehl says it just felt like home. Whitefish School District Support should materialize into meaningful accommodation. 56 were here. In the past year just seeing the way public discourse has evolved and how relationships in our communities have become so fractured, it made me rethink waiting (to get involved).. Yes, take me to my job application. Its time to bring back compassion, kindness and compromise to the table, fostering relationships along the way. Student publications include the high school newspaper, The Bulldog Breeze, the literary publication, Snow Ghosts, and the annual WHS year book. Background: Studied music at Cornish College of the Arts, political science at Oregon State University and various community colleges. Lengacher added that he believes all involved in the school district right now are doing wonderful things, but given the support for schools in Whitefish the door is wide open for even more improvements. In the past she worked for a nonprofit that partnered with schools to deliver extended programming this work helped her grow to recognize the struggles that teachers and students face daily. The Whitefish School District cultivates and supports a community, Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship. Five candidates are running for the Whitefish School Board. Whitefish School District and the surrounding community is bordered by the Rocky Mountains, Whitefish Lake and the Flathead Valley communities of Columbia Falls and Kalispell. Our students organize and participate in annual blood drives, food drives, and strongly support the American Cancer Society with the Relay for Life. She also works full time as a pediatric physical therapist at Montana Childrens in Kalispell. Her favorite part of serving the community in this volunteer role is getting to visit the schools and see learning in action. After staying a week in Whitefish, Diehl says it just felt like home. In spite of the pandemic, our high school is ranked number two in the state and our reading and math scores are on the upswing across every grade level in the district. Lengacher has long family ties to the valley as his inlaws have owned property on Flathead Lake for many years. District Calendar 22-23 rev_1-11-22.pdf (38 KB) I do not envy those decisions they had to make, she said. She just opened her own studio called Whitefish School of Ballet and serves as the artistic director. Any chance I get I love to spend time with children Children are always the center of my life, she said. Ray and Jerries family include 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren plus 24 exchange students who have all attended the Whitefish schools. Athletic/activities programs function as an integral part of the total curriculum by providing a variety of experiences in sportsmanship, teamwork, competition and by helping the individual students develop a healthy self concept. He also would like to have a positive influence by helping to elevate the board itself. Morrow moved to Whitefish one year ago in search of a friendly place to settle down and potentially start a family. As far as how the district handled COVID-19 and reopening schools, she supports the decisions made regarding the hybrid teaching model. The 2021 Whitefish School Board Trustee Candidates are Quincy Bennetts, David Diehl, Leanette Kearns, Todd Lengacher and Emily Morrow. You have an incomplete application for As far as how the school district handled the COVID-19 pandemic, Diehl said he supported the districts methodical approach to reopening schools. I have a lot of skills and different perspectives and talents to offer in my service so I just felt really strongly that I should jump into that Kearns said. She admitted that the board and administrators were in a tough situation and did the best they could at the time. - listing US Job Opportunities, Staffing Agencies, International / Overseas Employment.