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District talks bond ranges for high school

by CHRIS PETERSON
Editor | May 14, 2025 7:55 AM

While a budget for the project has yet to be set, School District 6 officials gave the public some numbers to consider for a remodel of the Columbia Falls High School during a meeting last week.

A $25 million bond at about 4% over 30 years would have a tax impact of about $199 a year on a house assessed for $600,000. A $45 million bond at the same rate and terms amounts to about $365 a year.

Having said that, the actual tax impact would be less, as voters had already approved a $2.75 million bond measure in 2024 for the high school roof. That bond, which was only for two years, amounted to about $166 for a $600,000 assessed home. The idea is to dovetail the new bond, if it passes muster, into the tax rolls when the roof bond comes off the tax rolls in 2026.

So in essence, the $25 million bond would cost an additional $33 a year on the above-mentioned home. A $45 million bond would be about a $199 increase.

School Superintendent Cory Dzwiogo stressed the school board has yet to settle on a bond amount or a final plan, and most of the meeting was spent talking about the school’s needs and some wish lists as well.

Some issues have risen to the top, such as school security, sprinkler systems, new “curtain walls” in the classroom wing, new heating and ventilation, new walls in the gym and a new gym floor, (which is down to the nails) as just a few examples.

The district leaders also want to bring the art annex into the main building, so all classes are under one roof. (Currently students have to walk to a separate building to go to art).

But the school doesn’t appear to need any great expansion. Enrollment has been flat the past 10 years and enrollment at the lower grade levels has actually gone down. 

The kindergarten class in fall 2024, for example, was down 90 students.

This year the school will graduate about 150 students.

But other wants also were discussed. The football field should be a combination football soccer stadium some suggested, with a new track. It should also be reoriented north and south. The gym could also be expanded, to seat more people. It needs to hold about 3,500 people to be eligible to host divisional basketball tournaments, for example.

But some members of the audience urged the school to consider the basics and academics and perhaps rely on outside entities for fields and stadiums.

The school building isn’t in awful shape. The classroom wing has a new roof and other amenities after a default remodel when the school flooded last spring during a rainstorm with the roof open for replacement.

Insurance paid for most of that.

But the “curtain walls” which are the windowed walls on the wing, should be replaced noted engineers and designers with Jackola Engineering and Architecture. Shane Jackola said the school has been well kept since it was finished in 1959.

“It’s been very well maintained,” he said. “It’s just old.”

Replacing the gym walls would also enhance energy efficiency.

Some have suggested just building a new school, but they’ve been running in the $140 million range as of late in Montana and the district is capped out at about $76 million for a  school bond.

The district will have one more meeting on May 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the school to discuss 21st Century learning on how that could dovetail into the remodel.

Then in the weeks thereafter the board will hone its vision and come up with a final budget and bond request with the hopes for a levy election this fall.

The school has set up a website with more information at https://sites.google.com/cfmtschools.net/cfhs-facility-enhancement/