Supports Deer Park bond

As a concerned member of the Deer Park School community, I urge all eligible voters to pay close attention to the upcoming May 6th ballot and to give strong consideration in voting YES on the Deer Park School Bond. Recent discussions, including a vital community meeting organized by dedicated parents, have illuminated the critical need for this investment and corrected damaging misconceptions about our school.

 While the $4 million bond request may initially seem burdensome, a closer look reveals a strategic and phased approach to address urgent needs. This isn’t about extravagant expansion; it’s about providing the basic necessities for our existing students and dedicated staff. The Quonset hut, originally donated from a farmer’s field in 1967, is showing its age. The front offices, originally the home for the teacher when Deer Park was a one-room schoolhouse, require an expensive repair and maintenance budget. Currently, teachers are using windowless classrooms and closets as offices. 

The administration operates in a space so small that it can barely accommodate five adults, lacks proper ventilation for hot weather with windows that do not open, and has a single bathroom that doubles as file storage and a makeshift nurse’s station. Imagine students trying to focus with noise traveling easily between classrooms, or others passing through classrooms to access a restroom. Envision a sick child being treated in a bathroom/file storage area! Even more challenging, some teachers are forced to operate without a dedicated classroom, transforming into nomads who cart their entire teaching lives from room to room.  These conditions are far from ideal, and it’s a testament to our dedicated teachers and staff that they work so hard to provide a quality education despite these challenges. We must address these issues to provide the environment our educators and students truly deserve.

 Let’s be clear on a few crucial points: This bond is not about increasing capacity or creating a modern, technically advanced building; it’s about creating proper, functional classrooms and administrative spaces for the students and staff we already have. 

We need to provide adequate space for special education services, create accessible facilities for all students, and ensure the safety of our staff and children. 

Furthermore, Deer Park School does not spend funding to hire extra teachers to accommodate an influx of out-of-district students. In fact, the limited number of out-of-district students actually supports the funding for teachers, ensuring adequate staffing for all our children. Deer Park School still maintains one teacher per grade in the elementary levels. In-district students always have priority, but the limited admittance of out-of-district students helps lower the cost for in-district taxpayers.

Deer Park School is committed to working collaboratively with the community to find the best solutions to these challenges. They have carefully vetted various options, and this bond represents the most responsible and cost-effective path forward. Forced adjustments, such as closing the 7-8 junior high program and sending those students to another district, would disrupt our students’ education and potentially cost our taxpayers even more through increased support for other district levies.

Operating on a remarkably lean budget, Deer Park School consistently receives less taxpayer levy funding than just about any other district in Flathead County, as clearly outlined in the most recent Flathead Superintendent Report. Our dedicated teachers and administrators frequently volunteer their time to secure grants just to bridge funding gaps. While the tireless fundraising efforts of Deer Park parents are commendable, they cannot shoulder this burden alone.

The reality is stark: a previous bond request failed, and now, the costs of these essential repairs and upgrades have tragically doubled. We are facing critical issues such as electrical wiring that needs repair, water pipes that are corroding, and structural concerns that compromise the safety of the building. Delaying this investment further is not fiscally responsible; it’s a “pay me now, or pay me significantly more later” scenario, potentially even jeopardizing the very existence of our cherished, historical school through forced consolidation and inevitably higher taxes anyway if forced into another district. The long-term costs of inaction will far outweigh the investment we make today.

The exceptional quality of education at Deer Park School is undeniable, evidenced by the prestigious National Blue Ribbon award. Our students consistently outperform the Montana State average in every academic area. They deserve learning environments that reflect this excellence.

The estimated maximum property tax increase per $100,000 of a home’s market value is a mere $81.12 annually. To put this into perspective, even when comparing homes on opposite sides of Trap Road, with one inside our district and one outside, the in-district homeowner would still pay less if this bond passes. This isn’t just a feasible investment; it’s a strategic one that safeguards the value of our community and delivers invaluable returns for our children. By voting YES, we ensure Deer Park School continues to be a source of pride and a cornerstone of our community for generations to come.

I implore all Deer Park School voters to attend the next Community Meeting on Thursday, April 24th, to hear the facts firsthand and ask your questions. Let’s move beyond misconceptions and make an informed decision on May 6th. Don’t let this opportunity slip away. The future of Deer Park School, and the future of our community, depends on your YES vote.

Jen Motes

Columbia Falls