Bigfork schools finalize budgets

After months of work and some tough decisions, schools in the Bigfork area have finalized their 2010-11 budgets.

BIGFORK SCHOOLS

The Bigfork School District board of trustees approved a $5.3 million general fund budget to operate from for the 2010-11 year.

Though district-wide the difference between this year and last year's budget is a decrease of $40,000, due to additional required expenses, the district was looking at a $297,000 shortfall in its general operating budget.

To balance the budget, a number of personnel and program cuts were made for this school year in meetings this spring.

The brunt of those included cutting two certified teachers and leaving another teaching position unfilled. Five classified staff positions, both full and part time, were also eliminated.

A number of other positions, certified and classified including tenured staff, also experienced reduced assignments or were reassigned. In addition, two sports programs, golf and cross country, are no longer funded out of the district's budget.

The high school was hit the hardest. The high school budget at $2.3 million is roughly an $89,000 decrease from the prior year's budget. The elementary school's budget, on the other hand, increased by nearly $49,000 to close to $3 million.

SWAN RIVER SCHOOL

The Swan River School board adopted a budget of nearly $886,000 to operate from for the 2010-11 school year.

Initially the budget would have been a decrease of about $19,500 from last year, but a bump from starting all-day kindergarten brought the school an additional nearly $33,900, said district clerk Dee Johnson.

With extra expenses and that decrease in funds, the school was facing approximately a $50,000 shortfall in its budget.

Part of that shortfall came from a significant hike in insurance premiums. As a result, the Northwest Montana Educational Service Agency, a co-op of rural schools that SRS is a part of, decided to switch insurance companies from the Montana Unified School Trust to the Montana Schools Health and Welfare Plan, which is underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana.

That helped with costs, with increases not nearly as dramatic, Johnson said. But in order to switch, the school will have to pay approximately $9,000 to buyout of its current insurance.

Also to help make up that difference, the school made a few staff cuts — a one-on-one special education aide and a half-time librarian position.

Two teachers retired, second-grade teacher Susan Gibson and third-grade teacher Kathy Greytak, which also helped the budget. Greytak decided late to leave the school, which came as a surprise to staff.

Some internal duty shifting also aided in getting the school back in the black.

The school is hiring for a part-time band/music teacher as well as for its second-grade teaching position.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Students in Bigfork Schools will be heading back to the classroom Sept. 7. School starts for Swan River students Wednesday, Sept. 1. Students and parents at SRS will get a chance to meet with their teachers and the school's staff at a back-to-school barbecue Aug. 27. The barbecue will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the school.