Bigfork School Board tables sports and activities cooperative agreement

Bigfork Public Schools Board of Trustees tabled a decision on their cooperative sports and activities agreement with Swan River School after a decision by the Swan River board to limit the time their teachers can be outside of the classroom to coach high school sports.  

“To me it’s always been collegial, a lot of their kids are coming from that school to this school. It might have more history to it, but to me, they’re fine with our staff missing time to coach their kids, but they don’t want their staff missing time from school to coach our kids, and it seems a little bit hypocritical to me,” Bigfork Schools Superintendent Tom Stack said at the meeting.  

Swan River School did not respond to email questions about their decision by press time.  

Bigfork Schools Transportation Director Danny Walker requested the purchase of a new diesel bus to service route 13, which was approved by the board for up to $168,000. Walker also proposed selling the school’s 2007 15-passenger van, valued around $10,000, to replace with a 15-passenger minibus.  

“I only let that [van] operate in the fall or springtime with only specific drivers. I don’t let it run in the wintertime, I don’t think it’s as safe as the minibuses,” Walker said.  

The board approved the purchase of a minibus up to $45,000 with the sale of the van.  

The board also approved changes to the middle school handbook, namely in the bullying policy. Middle school principal Charlie Appleby noted that the current policy lacks some of the content other schools have, such as a definition of bullying and specific disciplinary actions taken for specific student behaviors, which will be added.  

High school principal Mark Hansen proposed a freshman orientation day before the start of regular classes, which the board approved. A proposal to provide an honors diploma for high school students achieving 25 credits including four English, four science and four math was passed on first reading. The change will apply to next year’s sophomore class and incoming students moving forward. Updates to list the graduation requirement in both the handbook and school policies as 23 credits also passed first reading.