Contract talks stall work on school calendar year

BY CALEB M. SOPTELEAN

Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork’s school calendar for next year is still unresolved due to a lack of a contract agreement between the teachers union and the district.

The Bigfork School District Board of Trustees last Wednesday considered adoption of a calendar but were told they had to hold off because of negotiations. Bigfork has been using a 176-day calendar for five years but the board would like to increase that to 180 days next year. A 180-day calendar would put the first day of school on Aug. 28 and the last day on June 6.

The 176-day calendar stems from construction done at Bigfork Elementary in 2008 that resulted in a slightly shorter school year. The 176-day calendar that has been in use allows for class periods that are two minutes longer, but elementary school principal Matt Jensen and high school principal Matt Porrovecchio said they support more 180 days because it means there will be more days with teachers and students.

Superintendent Cynthia Clary explained the number of student and teacher days are negotiated as part of the contract for teachers, administrators and classified staff.

The Bigfork Area Educators Association is negotiating with the school district’s three-person negotiations team that includes Maureen Averill, Dave Carlson and Paul Sandry.

The district is still short $7,169 in its lunch account. The deficit stems from two years ago, Clary said, and resulted from students and a small number of school employees not paying their lunch bill on time. The deficit was nearly $10,000 a few months ago, Clary said, noting that progress has been made.

The district recently implemented a pay online system for the first time.  The district now accepts payments at mealtimeclm.com.

Additionally, Clary said the district asked parents for their email addresses so they can be contacted about any shortfall. Clary said the district is looking into an alternative lunch for students and employees who have a negative balance in their accounts. Such a lunch could be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple and milk, for example. Clary said the district has been in contact with other districts to find out what they do in such circumstances.

The district food service program serves 234 students and eight employees, Clary said. The district’s food service director, Judy Kinyon, is retiring June 30. She will be replaced by Ginny Kirby, who has been employed in the district’s food service department, Clary said.