School starts, enrollment appears to be steady

Columbia Falls School District 6 classes started last week, with initial enrollment at about 2,303 students.

Those numbers will be adjusted as the school district gets a few weeks further into the school year, as not every student who enrolled actually attends, while others show up at the start of the year that weren’t initially enrolled.

The numbers can vary widely as the school year goes on. For example, last year at the beginning of school, enrollment was about 2,310 students. By the end of the school year it was 2,233

Higher enrollment can be both good and bad news for a district. More students means more state funding, but it can also mean having to hire more teachers.

This year, the school district has 17 new teachers, many of which are replacing teachers that retired or resigned over the past year.

The school also has a new superintendent in Cory Dzwiogo (pronounced Jeffco), who was hired at the end of the school year to replace Dave Wick, who had more than 20 years with the district.

This is the first full school year for the new Glacier Gateway Elementary School and much of the landscaping is now complete. Students and staff moved into the school over winter break last school year.

Here’s a look at the preliminary figures at each school
. (This fall/June of 2023)

Ruder Elementary, 554/558

Glacier Gateway 486/489

Junior High 564/527

High School 699/659.

Columbia Falls High School is the largest class A school in the state, while Laurel is second with about 625 students and Whitefish is third with 577 according to the Montana High School Association’s 2022 figures.