Elementary school tours scheduled for later this month

Tours of Ruder and Glacier Gateway Elementary Schools are on tap later this month as the district looks to possibly expanding or renovating its schools in Columbia Falls.

The district recently contracted with LPW Architecture and Engineering to examine the district’s school needs in the future. The district currently has three elementary schools — Canyon, Ruder and Glacier Gateway.

Gateway is the oldest and encompasses what was formerly the district’s high school and then, the junior high school.

Canyon Elementary has not been used for classrooms in several years, as the district saw declining enrollment.

Now, elementary enrollment is up and Gateway and Ruder are increasingly cramped for space.

The school has created a long-range planning committee to look at the future needs of the schools. It will begin meeting in earnest in September.

The Glacier Gateway “meet and greet” is 4:30 to 6 p.m. Aug. 29. The Ruder meet and greet is the same day from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The school is still looking for people interested in being involved on the committee, superintendent Steve Bradshaw said recently.

To join, contact call Marie Birky at the District Office, 892-6550, Ext. 1422, and leave your name, address, phone number and email address.

The committee is expected to finish its work this winter and then present a recommendation to the board.