Schools to have full-time outreach post
HILARY MATHESON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years, 1 month AGO
EDUCATION REPORTER Hilary Matheson covers education for the Daily Inter Lake. Her reporting focuses on schools, students, and the policies that shape public education across Northwest Montana. Matheson regularly reports on school boards, district decisions and issues affecting teachers and families. Her work examines how funding, enrollment and state policy influence local school systems. She helps readers understand how education decisions affect students and communities throughout the region. IMPACT: Hilary’s work provides transparency and insight into the schools that serve thousands of local families. | June 21, 2014 9:00 PM
Kalispell Public Schools will have a full-time outreach coordinator position next year following a June 10 school board decision.
Mike Kofford, who has held the job since December 2011, previously worked part time for the district and part time as the director of Kalispell Education Foundation.
His salary will remain unchanged at approximately $45,000 including benefits.
Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Darlene Schottle stressed the importance of the outreach coordinator continuing to provide support to the foundation.
Kofford’s duties are yet to be determined pending revision of the job description and meetings with Mark Flatau, incoming school superintendent.
“I’m seeing a continued overlap in the job,” Kofford said. “I think a lot of that role won’t change, from my understanding.”
Kofford has served a public relations role by communicating information from the district and foundation to staff, parents, community and media. Additionally, Kofford has conducted surveys, organized community meetings and maintained social media.
Schottle said Kofford has secured more than $30,000 through sponsorships, grants and donations that have benefited students and educational programming in the district.
Kofford has organized Graduation Matters Kalispell events, trained teachers in grant writing, arranged a mentor program in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club, planned “coffee chats” between the superintendent and community and organized informational meetings on levy requests.
As foundation director, he has spearheaded An Evening of Fine Arts fundraiser highlighting student artists and performers, awarded Great Opportunities Classroom grants and fulfilled other day-to-day administrative duties.
Previously, the outreach coordinator and foundation director position had been funded by money from both the school district and the foundation.
The foundation’s portion of the salary originated from interest on an account held by the district. This account does not contain money directly provided by taxpayers, but has $750,000 generated from book sales and teacher training seminars from a former program called Project CRISS. The money was set aside in hopes to support future innovative projects or endeavors.
Project CRISS (Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies) was an innovative program created by teachers through a federal grant. Around 2001, Project CRISS separated from the district and become a private business.
Since interest has dried up on the account, trustees will need to decide whether to use the principal or look for money elsewhere to pay for the position.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].
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