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Kalispell Welcomes First New Elementary School in Three Decades

Rankin holds public celebration Aug. 28, hosts first students the next day; Chamber of Commerce accepting registrations for Aug. 21 event at school, which showcases cutting-edge design and modern learning concepts

By Myers Reece
First-grade teacher Tonya Nickerson organizes books and materials in her classroom at the new Jeannette Rankin Elementary School in Kalispell on Aug. 16. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Two of Kalispell’s elementary schools, Hedges and Russell, are on the National Register of Historic Places, opening in 1929 and 1939, respectively. Elrod’s current facility was finished in 1951, built after the original 1901 school burned down in a fire, while Peterson came onboard in 1955.

Then the city didn’t get a new elementary for over 30 years, until the completion of Edgerton in 1987, followed by another three-decade wait before breaking ground on its sixth and most recent: Rankin Elementary School on Airport Road.

Considering the valley’s growth, it likely won’t be three more decades before Kalispell gets a seventh, but the historic significance of Rankin opening its doors to 391 students on Aug. 29, the first day of school, isn’t lost on Principal Merisa Murray.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Murray said. “It really is.”

In recent weeks, teachers and administrators have been busy readying the school, joined by furniture movers, interior designers, construction crews and others playing a role in the enormous task of transforming an empty 58,000-square-foot building into a welcoming learning environment where children will spend large portions of their young lives. Murray has been working 12-hour days extending through weekends.

First-grade teacher Tonya Nickerson was decorating her classroom on Aug. 16 in anticipation of the upcoming rush of students, guided by a design philosophy of “a whole lot of Seuss.” She said the thrill of opening a new facility permeates the entire school culture, from administrators and teachers to children and families.

“The kids will be so excited,” Nickerson said. “I can’t wait to have them come in here and start creating a community.”

“We’re very, very lucky to have this opportunity,” she added. “It’s a beautiful space.”

The school is indeed striking, incorporating modern design concepts intended to create an optimal “21st century” learning atmosphere, punctuated by diverse and adaptable spaces to accommodate different student needs and educational approaches, similar to Glacier High School but tailored to younger kids.

Morrison Maierle and LPW Architecture headed up design and planning, while the construction manager and general contractor was Langlas & Associates.

There are glass-encased “maker” labs with green screens for hands-on science and technology experimentation, movable walls between classes providing options for collaborative instruction, and large windows throughout letting in ample natural light. A corner conference room with all-glass walls offers mountain views, while vibrant colors adorn walls and floors on each story.

The new Jeannette Rankin Elementary School in Kalispell on Aug. 16. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

The two-level school is divided into three main wings: kindergarten and first grade, second and third grade, and fourth and fifth grade. There’s also an airy commons area flanked by a top-of-the-line kitchen and music room, as well as rooms for special purposes such as mental health and speech therapy, labs, offices, a teachers’ lounge, a library and more.

Tom Heinecke with Morrison Maierle said the high-ceilinged commons area, to be used for dining and as a communal gathering space, is distinctive.

“It really feels to me like the heart of the school,” he said.

Each wing has open, un-walled shared spaces to be used for cooperative projects, reading groups and more. The kindergarten and first-grade wing, painted orange, white and aqua blue, has bathrooms either in the classroom or directly outside.

Classrooms have specially designed tables with shapes that allow them to either be separated or grouped together in a number of different arrangements. For the younger kids who can’t as easily sit still, there are also small rocking chairs, as well as wobbly stools on which they can wiggle while seated.

The outdoor playground is expansive, with a quarter-mile walking path circling its perimeter. But Murray notes that kids will have to stay off certain parts at the beginning while the grass grows.

On Aug. 28, a day before the first day of class, the elementary school is holding a “Rankin Raptor Reveal” gathering at 5 p.m. in the gym. Families and community members are invited to tour the school and celebrate its opening.

Meanwhile, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce is holding a luncheon at the school on Aug. 21 between 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Murray, Superintendent of Schools Mark Flatau and others will provide presentations, followed by a tour of the facility.

The chamber is accepting registrations for the event, which costs $20 per person with lunch included, until 5 p.m. on Monday.

Joe Unterreiner, president and CEO of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, said Rankin has ripple effects across the economy and community, stimulating residential growth in its vicinity, contributing to a vibrant infrastructure sector and encouraging a strong workforce. He noted that the facility represents the “cutting edge of elementary school design.”

“We’re excited to see the opening of Rankin Elementary School and to see the school district keeping pace with the population growth we’re experiencing,” Unterreiner said. “And we’re glad to see the taxpayers willing to support a top-quality educational facility in the community and invest in education and the workforce.”