PRIEST RIVER — The West Bonner County School Board has a packed agenda Wednesday, with plans to discuss the district’s long-delayed 2023 financial audit during both a workshop and a subsequent board meeting.

The workshop is scheduled for 5 p.m. today, Oct. 15, in the Priest River Lamanna High School cafeteria. The regular board meeting will follow at 6 p.m.

The audit, conducted by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, will be reviewed during the workshop and is listed as an action item for the board meeting immediately afterward.

West Bonner has faced ongoing issues with completing its annual audits on time. The 2023 audit is now 22 months overdue, and the 2024 audit is 10 months late.

As a result, the Idaho Department of Education has withheld $177,482 in funding from the district. Earlier this year, state officials warned WBCSD that additional funds could be withheld if the audits were not submitted in a timely manner.

Also scheduled to appear before the board is a discussion on a possible charter school at Priest Lake Elementary. The report is expected to include what is needed, the school's planned vision and community input on the proposal.

A survey is expected, and discussion is expected to touch on the purpose and outcome behind why the charter school is being proposed.

Reports from WBCSD Superintendent Kim Spacek, Business Manager Kendra Salesky, and the Facilities Committee are also scheduled, along with monthly updates from district principals.

Capital improvement updates include a heater unit replacement at Priest River Elementary, a valve replacement in the control system at Priest River Lamanna High School, progress on the high school asphalt project, and the latest on the district’s planned Career Technical Education building. The board will also hear updates on potential work needed at the Priest River Junior High School building, which is currently not in use.

Also scheduled are second readings of proposed policies on entrance placement and student-owned electronic devices, such as cellphones.

Signed in October 2024, the Phone-Free Learning Act encourages districts to adopt comprehensive policies restricting cellphone use. The executive order brought Idaho in line with 26 other states.

West Bonner is among the districts updating their policies as a result of the order. The policy bans students from using their phones on school grounds during school hours, with limited exceptions such as family emergencies.  

A possible new district logo is also on the agenda, with board action possible. The logo proposal stems from a desire to create a shared Spartan logo for middle and high school students, said Julie Behrens in materials presented to the board.

After sharing the images with others, many told her a new district logo was needed, which prompted a discussion with Spacek. Possible options were shared with district staff with 51 people voting.

The board is also slated to hear possible resolutions being presented at the upcoming Idaho School Board Association meeting, which include special education and federal funding, online school enrollment, opposition to increased private school voucher funding, career ladder information and more.

To review the agenda and board packet documents, visit tinyurl.com/5cynspxv.