The welding program for Flathead and Glacier high schools is looking for a new home.

Because the current space at the Flathead Valley Community College Occupational Trades Building won’t be available next school year, Kalispell Public Schools officials are looking at options that may mean moving the welding program to a new location.

“Their [the college] program is growing,” Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau said. “In a nutshell they need that space and they can no longer offer that space to us for the four hours we need. We offer two periods back-to-back. They’re feeling the pinch but certainly want to continue a partnership with us.”

Currently the high school welding program is taught by a teacher hired by the district. Kalispell Public Schools pays the college $12,000 a year to use FVCC facilities and equipment. This year, there are a total of 40 Glacier and Flathead high school students enrolled in welding.

Enrollment in the college’s occupational trades programs has “grown tremendously” over the past four or five years, according to Brad Eldredge, college vice president of Instruction and Student Services.

“We have several programs — welding and fabrication — that have really been growing. Other areas have taken off like industrial machining,” Eldredge pointed out, to meet the demand of growing industries in the valley. “We’re outgrowing our space — which is a good thing.”

Flatau presented Kalispell Public Schools trustees with three options that have been discussed with the community college. Those options could include renovations and expansion.

“At some point in time — probably by January — we need to make a determination as to the direction we’re going,” Flatau said.

The first option involves the college converting a maintenance space into a shop for about $250,000. The bulk of the cost, $150,000, would be for purchasing new equipment. The school district’s annual user fee would increase to an estimated $40,000.

“Currently $12,000 is being paid by vocational federal dollars,” Flatau said. “We feel it would be a difficult challenge to come up with that $40,000.”

As an alternative, the school district could purchase the equipment for a one-time $150,000 cost and the college would pay for renovation costs.

“With that plan we could negotiate, hopefully, a similar fee,” Flatau said.

Kalispell Public Schools clerk Gwyn Anderson said it is possible that the district could draw money from high school building reserve, interlocal or retention funds to purchase welding equipment.

Trustees seemed to take interest in a third option of letting the college take over instruction by adding welding to the Running Start program until the school district comes up with a long-term plan. Running Start involves no cost to the district.

“In the bigger scheme, we have talked about [that] even if we, say, went with option one, there’s no guarantee how long that option is going to remain viable,” Flatau said. “We’re growing. They’re growing. There’s a part of me that says we should take control of our own destiny and ensure we have long-term facilities for our kids.”  

Running Start is a program offered by the college to high school juniors and seniors to take classes while earning college credit. Flatau said this option allows the same number of students to take welding as are currently enrolled.

Trustee Mary Ruby was concerned about scheduling if this option was selected.

“Trying to get whatever Running Start course into a student’s schedule may preclude them from something they really want to do at their high school to do that program,” Ruby said.

Another concern was that the school district would no longer have oversight on curriculum and instruction.

School officials are considering eventually setting up a welding shop in either the wood and auto shop building behind Flathead High School or the H.E. Robinson Agricultural Education Center.

At one time, the district had its own welding shop.

“The folks at the vo-ag would love to expand programs in veterinary science and to have a state-of-the-art welding facility out there. We have some welding equipment out there, but not enough space,” Flatau said.

“Even if we went with option three, from my standpoint, we need to work diligently to provide a long-term program for those students. Personally I think there’s lots of merit in consideration of expansion at the vo-ag center.”

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.