His interview will be held on Tuesday, March 7. Laura Myrah, the director of curriculum and instruction for the Whitefish Bay School District, has been appointed to serve as the interim superintendent of the school district. Both candidates are experienced and have students at the forefront of everything they do," Brumley said. She also has served as the Whitefish Education Association president for the past two years. It is a full-time position due to the large number of independent school districts in Flathead County (23). In 2021, there were 84 efforts to recall school boards, according toBallotpedia. DeVries is the director of Love Lives Here, an anti-discrimination group in the Flathead and part of the Montana Human Rights Network. Join to apply for the Substitute Custodian role at WHITEFISH SCHOOL DISTRICT #44. Under Montana law, a separate recall petition is required for each trustee. Trustee Boksich WHS Principal Drown His office also published a series of essays that cast doubt on the wide body of research that has shown the efficacy of Masking. Whitefish School District. Were just kind of trying to hold our ground that weve had since the beginning of time.. Prior to that, she served as an assistant principal in Tracy Unified School District since 2017. Currently, we are only able to do fingerprints by appointment only. There have been no deaths in the age group. She said Fletcher prompted people to start groups and show up to local school board meetings saying, just showing up puts the fear of God in them. Additionally, DeVries said Fletcher told people to have respect for school board members but also made it clear that this was a culture war, telling the crowd, No one has a constitutional right. Whitefish Public Schools mission focuses on cultivating and supporting a community . So far, Paatalo said she has collected at least around 250 signatures, and its an uphill battle to gather them in person despite the enthusiasm she has sensed on social media. Join or sign in to find your next job. It states, the public has the right to expect governmental agencies to afford such reasonable opportunity for citizen participation in the operation of the agencies prior to the final decision.. Whitefish School District [[upButtonMessage]] full time. While our success remains high, as I reflect on the past few years, I remain particularly proud of, how nimble and flexible we all have been. All materials can be accessed at www.whitefishschools.org on the WHS Expansion Needs link. Salary: $100,000 - $150,000 per year. The WEA survey saw similar results, with 65 percent of the votes favoring an optional or recommended approach and 35 percent for some requirement level. The Trustees of Whitefish School District No. I fulfill my leadership role and job duties daily with great pride, integrity, and a belief in all children.. Superintendents Welcome August 1, 2022 In my role as superintendent of Whitefish Schools, I continue to come to work every day excited about the opportunity to serve our students, families, and staff. And in a survey of 106 staff who are not part of the two unions, there were 64 votes for an optional policy. So, I guess, I look at this survey in a different way. A first-term board member, Lengacher has spent 20 years as an educator and served on multiple other boards throughout his career but has not seen so much contention around a single topic as he has with masks. Gifted and Talented. "Ms. Myrahs rich background in educational research and effective practice, her passion for students and learning, and her demonstrated leadership within our district will help the School District of Whitefish Bay move forward consistent with its areas of focus and state-wide initiatives, Woodard said. Before becoming an administrator, Webster taught for nine years. In that same month the COVID-19 pandemic made its way into Montana, forcing schools to close and transition into virtual learning, and Means new role became a lot more complicated. Nasello is currently principal of Hirsch Elementary in Tracy, California, a position shes held since 2019. Privacy Policy There is a strong commitment to growth for each student in the Whitefish School District and there is also a direct relationship to our success from the support of the Whitefish community and our parents. The Columbia Falls School District, meanwhile, will make masks optional for students as the new school year begins, Superintendent Dave Wick said in a recent letter to parents. Whitefish School District seeks a Principal to join one of the leading school districts in the state of Montana. Since the boards decision on Aug. 12, the Facebook group Take Back Whitefish has been promoting the recall, with Paatalo as one of the moderators, as has conservative news outlet theMontana Daily Gazette. Gavigan, who has served as superintendent for three years, said Whitefish Bay schools are in good hands with Myrah. Use of this site is subject to the Flathead Beacon's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. We Have Moved! "Please know that the district takes communication among and between students, staff and families very seriously and we are here to help respond to concerns you may have," Whitefish superintendent Dave Means wrote in the letter. Full Time position. Mr. Fisher further indicated that the Weed District would continue to provide weed education and perform survey work if grant funds are received. Jenny Paatalo, a Whitefish parent who filed the recall petitions told the Daily Montanan while she did not agree with the boards decision, she decided to launch the effort after becoming displeased with the boards conduct and the process that led to the mask mandate for K-6 graders. Lake whitefish, the primary Great Lakes species, was one of the highest quality food fishes ever discovered throughout the world. Superintendent of Schools The County Superintendent of Schools is elected for a four-year term and must hold a current Montana Teaching Certificate with a minimum of three years teaching experience. Supervisory responsibilities include areas of administration, legal issues, financial oversight, transportation, tuition, school district organization, classification, boundary adjustments, and centralized clerical and record keeping. She called the efforts a very strategic way to justify attacks on elected officials and muddle the issue.. But he said he does not believe the board did anything to warrant a recall. 2023 Flathead Beacon, All Rights Reserved. The Whitefish School District is moving forward with planning for a possible high school expansion in order to address the enrollment increases that are occurring now and are anticipated to. Many have been more than pleased with how Means filled his superintendent roles throughout the pandemic, and that was proven through several letters written to the school board. Viewers will be able to provide comments on the candidates responses. Whitefish School District No. Some school board members that spoke with the Daily Montanan said they have received offensive messages but nothing that has escalated to the point of violent threats. Privacy Policy A bit about us: We are a family company; we believe each project is an opportunity to unite the shared values of all, building it to create something significant. As Means prepares to settle in further to the superintendent role, he said he looks forward to seeing Whitefish Schools continue to progress in a positive direction. Many of those speaking in favor of a mask mandate asked the trustees to listen to medical experts, but Paatalo was among those who alleged the masks could be harmful. Members Present: Others present: Chairperson Clarke Superintendent Means . Members Present: Chairperson Pat Jarvi, Dave Fern, Brian McDowell, Eric Hosek, and Ruth Harrison. I think its almost just people asserting their natural positions in nature, she said. Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt, right, at a Whitefish School Board meeting. These changes are encouraging and wonderful, but create the necessity for this announcement, which I approach in a positive light., Davis Schmidt took over as superintendent in the 2015-2016 school year, replacing Kate Orozco, who had been at the helm of the district for four years. Terms of Use | 406-862-3505. Of the 84, only eight have made it to ballots. Join to apply for the Principal (Beginning 23/24) role at WHITEFISH SCHOOL DISTRICT #44Principal (Beginning 23/24) role at WHITEFISH SCHOOL DISTRICT #44 Myrah will temporarily fill the position on July 1. Dr. Heather Davis Schmidt has been the Superintendent of the Whitefish School District in Whitefish, Montana, since 2015. As a result, we deliver exceptional client experiences that require . County health will be verifying vaccine status for those who are seeking to avoid quarantine. In its own way, the resource rivaled the great forest of white pine or the buffaloes on the western plains. Her resignation press release noted that she continues to be humbled by the support of the Whitefish community, the quality of educators and the opportunity shes been given to serve.. The trustees unanimously voted to schedule an interview with Micah Hill, who is currently the superintendent of Kalispell Public Schools. Get directions to the Superintendent of Schools. For a board to conduct itself in this manner lacks the basic integrity required of a politician.. That, however, represents a big drop of 44% in the annual net loss of students to MPS. 406-293-4124. Purpose & Scope: Reports directly to the Technical Service Director and has primary responsibility for the direction of the workforce to achieve all safety, food safety, and quality goals as set forth by facility management. At the September 1 Moms for America meeting in Whitefish, speakers including Kimberly Fletcher, president of the group, reinforced the idea that anti-mask parents have the right to refuse to abide by mask mandates in schools. Mack started his career in education as a teacher with experience teaching second through eighth grade on San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in San Carlos, Arizona, and in the North Dakota towns of Stanley and Jamestown. Prior to that, Orozco was superintendent of Whitefish School District in Whitefish, Mont., from 2011 to 2015. Hill transitioned from principal of Glacier High School in Kalispell to . Im humbled, honored, and just thankful for this opportunity, Means said. State epidemiologists would later say the move by the governors officespread misinformation. "If face coverings are optional and the number of active COVID-19 cases in Flathead County increase to the point of threatening school closures, the Board of Trustees authorizes the superintendent to implement a requirement for face coverings to be worn in identified district buildings until such time as the Board of Trustees can adopt an applicable district requirement," Means said in his email. After the vote in Whitefish, a profile with an apparent stock photo for a profile picture that does not appear to exist anymore posted the addresses of all the school board members to the Whitefish United Facebook page. We will continue to strive to make decisions that are in the best interest of the health and safety of our district.". Fletcher has been quoted multiple times saying, we will not co-parent with the government, a phrase that appeared on many signs at a recent parental rights rally at the Montana State Capitol. She also has credentials in K-8 multiple subject teaching and K-12 administrative services. His approach was focused, calm, collaborative, and reassuring to all those around him, a letter of support written by a handful of district employees notes. Parental rights have become another tool to recruit community members to show up and protest mask mandates and other things, McAdam said. Phone: 208-664-8241 l Email: shon.hocker@cdaschools.org DR. MICHAEL NELSON Deputy Superintendent A graduate of Coeur d'Alene Public Schools, Dr. Mike Nelson works with district educators to administer current and relevant assessments and regularly reports progress toward district and state goals. She also has two years of experience as a dean of students and also held a Title I instruction specialist position. His responsibilities in that role included supervising the special education programs, overseeing section 504 plans for students with disabilities, supporting human resources, and working on homelessness and mental health services. School Board Chair Katie Clarke said the school district considered holding another national search for a superintendent like it did last spring before Means agreed to serve in the interim role, but decided the move wasnt necessary.