People wanting to serve as a school board trustee have until Feb. 9 to file paperwork to appear on the ballot for May 5. 

It is also the last day a candidate may withdraw from the election by sending a statement to the clerk of the school district they intended to represent. 

Prospective trustee candidates must submit a declaration of intent and oath of candidacy form with the clerk in the school district they wish to represent. The form may be obtained from a school district clerk or online through the Flathead County Election Department at flatheadcounty.gov. 

March 2 is the deadline for write-in candidates to file a declaration of intent and oath of candidacy. Votes only count for write-in candidates who file a declaration of intent.  

If the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of openings on a school board by April 3, districts may cancel trustee elections and qualified candidates will be seated by acclamation.  

Being a trustee is a volunteer position. Trustees are responsible for making decisions that affect how schools operate as representatives of their constituents. Some duties include adopting the annual budget, collective bargaining agreements and curriculum; setting policies; hiring and evaluating superintendents; hiring/firing personnel under an administrator’s recommendation; setting district goals and priorities; serving on committees; visiting schools and overseeing facility concerns; among other responsibilities that support and hold school districts accountable.  

Trustees may not be employed by the school district they represent, with the exception of refereeing events sanctioned by the Montana High School Association. 

Following is a list of openings in each school district. 

Bigfork has five openings. Two of the open positions have three-year terms and one has a two-year term. The remaining term is for three years and represents Salmon Prairie and Swan River on high school issues. File paperwork at the district office located 600 Commerce St., Bigfork. For more information call 837-7400 or email [email protected]. 

Cayuse Prairie has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the district clerk’s office, 897 Lake Blaine Road. For more information call 756-4560 or email [email protected].  

Columbia Falls has three openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at 501 Sixth Ave. W., Columbia Falls. For more information call 892-6554 or email [email protected]. 

Creston has one opening for a two-year term. Paperwork may be filed at the school office, 4495 Montana 35. For more information, call 755-2859 or email [email protected].  

Deer Park has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the school located at 2105 Middle Road. For more information call 892-5388 or email [email protected].  

Evergreen has three openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the district office, 18 W. Evergreen Drive. For more information call 751-1111 or email [email protected]. 

Fair-Mont-Egan has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the school located at 797 Fairmont Road. For more information call )755-7072 or email [email protected].  

Helena Flats has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the district office, 1000 Helena Flats Road. For more information call 257-2301 or email [email protected].  

Kalispell has three openings representing the elementary district. Two are for three-year terms, and the remaining opening is for a one-year term. In the high school district, there are three openings. One position represents Somers-Lakeside and Kila and is for a two-year term. The second position represents Evergreen and Helena Flats. The third position represents Marion, Olney-Bissell, Pleasant Valley, Smith Valley and West Valley. Both are for three-year terms. File paperwork at 233 First Ave. E. For more information call 751-3400 or email [email protected]. 

Kila has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at 395 Kila Road. For more information, call 257-2428 or email [email protected]. 

Marion has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the school, 205 Gopher Lane. For more information call 854-2333 or email [email protected].  

Olney-Bissell has one opening for a three-year term. File paperwork at the school, 5955 Farm to Market Road. For more information, call 862-2828 or email [email protected].  

Pleasant Valley has one opening for a three-year term. File paperwork at the school, 7975 Pleasant Valley Road. For more information, call 858-2343 or email [email protected]. 

Smith Valley has one opening for a three-year term. File paperwork at the office located at 2901 U.S. 2 West. For more information call 756-4535 or email [email protected].  

Somers-Lakeside has two openings for three-year terms. File paperwork with the district clerk at 315 School Addition Road in Somers. For more information, call 857-3301 or email [email protected].  

Swan River has two openings with three-year terms. File paperwork at the school, 1205 Swan Highway. For more information, call 837-4528 or email [email protected].  

West Glacier has one opening for a three-year term. File paperwork at 160 Old River Bridge Road. For more information call 888-5312 or email [email protected].  

West Valley has two openings. One of the positions is for a one-year term and the second is for a three-year term. File paperwork at the school at 2290 Farm to Market Road. For more information call 755-7239 or email [email protected]. 

Whitefish has three openings for three-year terms. File paperwork at the district office, 600 E. Second St., Whitefish. For more information, call 862-8643 or email or email [email protected]. 

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