Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Darlene Schottle says the budget for the 2012-13 school year is solid.

A preliminary budget was presented to the board of trustees last week. With a balanced budget, the district plans to add staff support for the district’s growing enrollment.

Rather than hiring additional people, the district primarily will increase hours for current staff members. In some cases that means changing positions from part time to full time.

Kalispell Middle School will gain one full-time-equivalent position. The high school district will gain 3.4 full-time-equivalent positions.

Most of the hours will be increased for elementary staffers to alleviate overcrowding through the addition of two full-time-equivalent certified staffers, four full-time-equivalent paraprofessionals and a part-time math facilitator, all funded through a $211,500 special operational levy approved by voters in May.

The district is violating accreditation standards in the first and second grades, where enrollment is expected to continue growing.

Administrators estimate kindergarten through sixth-grade enrollment may increase by 123 students next year. Grades nine through 12 might increase by 50 students. Grades seven and eight, however, may decrease by 10 students.

Schottle said the school needs additional classrooms to meet accreditation standards.

That’s why the board is asking voters to approve $3.35 million in bonds to build eight elementary classrooms and a new central kitchen in a mail-ballot election that concludes Sept. 18.

There is some money available that the board may consider using to lower that bond request at the next school board meeting Aug. 15.  

The district has $264,178 — left over from various building projects — in a building cash fund account designated for the elementary school district.

Trustees also have the option of using $400,000 realized from year-end savings in energy costs, insurance costs and personnel changes.

While the general fund budget did not have any deficits from the past fiscal year, one cash account did.

Business Clerk Gwyn Andersen said the Student Activities cash fund has a $19,786 deficit and has been in the negative for the past five years. What exactly was purchased using the money was uncertain.

Andersen likened the deficit to overdrafting a checking account.

“We need to put some money in there to balance it and that will probably come from the general fund,” Andersen said.

A final budget will be presented at the Aug. 15 board meeting.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected]