The outgoing owner’s representative for Columbia Falls School District suggested to the board last week that the district might want to consider spending another $1 million on the Ruder Elementary renovation and remodel.

The school’s heating and cooling system recently failed and the temperature inside the building was in the upper 50s until repairmen could get it to work.

Some classrooms also had water on the floors as a result of the remodel, which apparently caused the building to leak. It has since been fixed.

Voters last year approved a $37 million bond to remodel Ruder, build a new Glacier Gateway Elementary, put new ball fields in between Ruder and the junior high and build a new, secure entrance to the junior high.

But so far it’s only borrowed $32 million, so it does have some reserve funds if need be.

The fields are in and the grass is growing and the walls and roof are up on a new wing of Ruder.

But the old part of Ruder could use more work, suggested Dow Powell, the owner’s representative for the district.

Powell has resigned due to family reasons and will be leaving in November.

“You may want to put another $1 million into Ruder,” he suggested to the board.

The board took no action, but it did hire a replacement for Powell — Jobsite Inc. — is now the new owner’s representative.

Powell made a little more than $9,200 a month. Jobsite is still negotiating its contract with the district.

— Hungry Horse News

Reopening planned for Libby schools

Libby Middle High School is set to reopen for in-person learning on Oct. 26 after a weeklong remote learning stint. The city’s elementary school remains scheduled to reopen classrooms on Oct. 28.

Superintendent Ron Goodman closed both schools last week after health department officials confirmed new coronavirus cases within the district. Contact tracing showed that the virus was spreading between school staff at the elementary school on Oct. 13, which led to its closure the following day.

As of Oct. 16, no middle high school staff members had tested positive for the virus but health officials confirmed that an unspecified number of students at both schools had contracted the virus.

Goodman said he intended to make an all-call to Libby parents on Oct. 22 to inform them of the district’s plans. The call would also explain new procedures the school district will undertake to mitigate spread of the virus. A committee composed of school staff, health officials and teachers was scheduled to meet the same day to discuss the reopening plans, according to Goodman.

While he did not foresee any immediate obstacles to reopening schools, Goodman said that the district’s in-person learning plans could change in an instant.

“All we know, we are one phone call away from not [reopening],” he said.

—The Western News

Whitefish City Hall reopens to public

Whitefish City Hall reopened to the public on Thursday, Oct. 22 with limited in-person services.

The city, however, is limiting City Hall visits to less than 15 minutes and is still encouraging people to use their remote services and payment services. The city asks that if an individual requires a meeting with city staff that may last 15 minutes or longer, to call ahead to schedule a remote meeting.

The city says the time limit is the result of the Flathead City-County Health Departments recommendation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and that “residents should limit their number of close, non-household contacts to no more than six persons per week, as well as limiting the duration of close, non-household contacts to less than fifteen minutes whenever possible.”

City Hall previously closed its doors to the public after staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

Currently, City Hall is operating with limited staff in the office while other staff members work remotely, according to City Manager Dana Smith, to further slow the spread of COVID-19.

— Whitefish Pilot

Polson teen claims national literacy award

For a second consecutive year a Polson High School student has earned national recognition for academic achievement through a literacy program the school district employed several years ago.

Sophomore Colter Wilson learned last month that he’s among 15 students across the country — and one of only three in the western states — to receive a 2020 National 180 Student Award. The awards are presented by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a Boston-based publisher of textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and nonfiction.

Colter is one of nine students honored for achievement in the publisher’s READ 180 program for children at risk of falling behind their peers in reading proficiency. He participated in READ 180 for three years beginning in the seventh grade. Patricia Luetzen, who teaches freshman and sophomore English at the high school, nominated Colter for the award.

Luetzen described the READ 180 program as a bridging tool for reading and writing that uses a rotation of 20-minute sessions to help keep kids engaged.

“You have a bunch of stations,” Luetzen said. “It’s like you’re in the gym, working on your arms, and when the coach blows a whistle, you move to the next station. Some kids like certain stations more than others.

“They do drills on the computer. They choose the content: history, sports, military and so on. The program drills them in a way a teacher can’t.”

Colter’s award includes $500. As his nominator, Leutzen also will receive a small classroom library.

Last year Polson High School students Caleb Pierre and Porscha Dunkerson earned the same award.

—Lake County Leader