When the 25 students file into the 103-year-old McCormick Schoolhouse on August 29, they will be greeted by Nikki Eide, a Troy native and first time teacher.

Eide, who spent the past 10 years living and attending school in Idaho, knows her first teaching gig in a one-room schoolhouse will have its challenges.

“It’s not just like teaching math to one grade level,” Eide said. “I have to have lesson plans for several classes and subjects ready to go.”

The century-old schoolhouse lies two miles up Old Highway 2 North, only three miles from the Idaho border and serves families from both states. Painted fire-engine red, the school has a partition to separate Eide’s class (kindergarteners through third grade) and that of the other teacher, Shelly Hoisington, who teaches the fourth through eighth grades.

“We’re all excited to have Nikki on board,” Hoisington said. “She’s super sweet, and interacts really well with the students.”

   Eide was a substitute several times last year at McCormick, and although Hoisington has slight concerns (as she would with any first-time teacher) that Eide may be too nice at first, the major challenges will come in the lesson plans.

   “Honestly, it’s not that different from teaching in a bigger school,” Hoisington said. “If you teach a third-grade class you have reading levels in the first grade and in the fifth grade. You have to tailor your lesson plan anyway.”

   But when the first day of school comes around, Hoisington, entering her 11th year at McCormick, and Eide will be working as a team to teach the group of kids. It still might take some time for Eide to get the early jitters out.

   “I was nervous waiting to hear if I had the job,” she said. “Now I’m nervous that I do have the job. But teaching is something I’ve wanted to do since high school.”

   The McCormick School is the only one in the McCormick School District, giving it autonomy from the Troy and Bonners Ferry districts, and providing the teachers an amazing amount of freedom to change lesson plans on the fly. As a public Montana school, the teachers teach an entirely Montana curriculum to the mixed students.

   Built during the early 20th century’s mining boom in Northwest Montana, the independent McCormick school has wildly fluctuating enrollment numbers.

   When Hoisington arrived in 2001, there were four students at McCormick. Her four school-age children instantly doubled enrollment. In 2011, there were 32 students. 

   Why the rise in enrollment?

   “With budget cuts in bigger schools, parents are realizing that this is a wonderful alternative to other public schools,” Hoisington said. 

   Eide, who will use the two-bedroom teacherage across the parking lot from the school for her family, hopes to be at the school long enough so her 1-year-old son will join her in school.

   “We’re excited to establish ourselves,” Eide said. “Hopefully, we’ll be here for a long time.”