Cayuse Prairie School will ask voters to approve a $300,000 general fund levy in May to help hire staff, retain positions, fund salary increases and maintain current student programs. 

With levy funding, the school plans to hire two teachers, a special education aide, a janitorial position focused on maintenance to tackle deferred projects, and a business assistant position to help with payroll and ordering.  

“We’re in this weird spot where we’re not quite a small school and we’re not large, but we’re growing,” school board chair Tyler Hash said. 

He added that the school of about 323 K-8 students will hire the additional teachers whether the levy passes, as some grade levels are nearing state class size accreditation limits, prompting the school to plan for two classrooms per grade next year. 

The levy would also cover salary increases, including a 4% cost of living adjustment for certified staff, a $1 an hour raise for classified staff and raise the compensation rate for substitutes from $13.50 to $15 an hour, in addition to minor increases to activity and coaching stipends. With the passage of a general fund levy, the school would eliminate technology and sports participation fees that families are charged with. 

For homeowners, passage of the levy would increase annual property taxes by $62.56 on a home valued at $300,000 and $181.10 on a $600,000 home. 

If the measure fails, it will likely lead to cutting a classroom aide and the horticulture director position, essentially ending a program, which includes an operating greenhouse built through grant funding and donations from community members and businesses and opened in 2014. 

“If we didn’t run a levy at all, we risk a budget deficit and programs will likely be cut like our horticulture program, which is a major part of our school, but it’s not mandated by the state. Anything we’re not legally mandated would become hard to keep funding,” Hash said.   

The district looked at the impact of different levy amounts up to $450,000, the maximum the school could request. Hash said the $300,000 ask is a compromise between school district needs and community input.  

VOTERS WILL also elect two candidates to serve three-year terms on the school board. Candidates are Hash, Samantha Healy and Brian Hogue.  

Ballots will be mailed April 17 and are due back to Cayuse Prairie School or the Flathead County Election Department by 8 p.m. May 5. 

People who want more information are invited to attend informational meetings about the levy scheduled for 6 p.m. March 11, noon April 9 and at 5:30 p.m. April 17. The meetings will be held at the school located at 897 Lake Blaine Road in Kalispell.      

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