Flathead Beacon: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your relationship to the Columbia Falls public schools?
TJ Middlesworth: I grew up in the Flathead Valley and graduated from Bigfork High School in 2000. After high school I went on to play collegiate basketball at Linfield University in Oregon, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in economics. Since college I have earned two professional designations – Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). I currently own my own business, an independent financial advisory practice where I manage my clients’ investments and plan for their futures. I also maintain a leadership role for a community bank in eastern Washington, where I was Chief Investment Officer prior to moving back to Montana. I have been married to my college sweetheart, Aven, since 2005. We have two daughters in our junior high and one at Ruder Elementary.
FB: Why are you running for the school board?
TM: Over the past couple of years I have been fortunate to coach girls basketball in both our recreation league and our junior high program. Interacting with kids and parents in this way was fulfilling and inspiring. While I would not be able to continue coaching if elected, I believe that serving as trustee will offer similar fulfillment as the decisions we make will have a wide-ranging impact on our student population, our staff and our community.
FB: What will some of your main priorities or goals be if elected to the school board?
TM: While I don’t have a specific agenda, my priorities are our students, our teachers and our community. I support internship and advanced coursework opportunities for our students, and anything that promotes active, healthy habits. I think one of the biggest challenges we face as a district is the risk of losing or not being able to hire teachers and staff due to the enormous rise in the cost of living in the valley. I intend to use my background in finance and economics to help me get creative to find solutions to that problem, and any others that may arise during my tenure.
FB: What are some changes you’d like to see in the school district?
TM: From my observations, our district is full of teachers, staff and administration who really care about the well-being of our students and community. I think we need to trust these professionals to maintain expertise in creating and choosing curriculum, and to do their jobs caring for and educating our student body. No district is perfect, however. In this age of misinformation, I do think we can improve the way in which we disseminate important information and announcements so that they get consumed by a larger audience. If we can accomplish this, it may help to dispel some false assumptions that inevitably get made about our schools, teachers, and curriculum.
FB: How do you think the Columbia Falls School District should be addressing growth in Columbia Falls and in the Flathead Valley at large?
TM: Growth is inevitable, especially in a highly desirable area such as ours. We need to have long term plans to support space and funding, but the most pressing issue we currently face is helping staff secure housing at reasonable prices. A good start to help with this would be to partner with local developers and other organizations to earmark housing for district staff. We could also offer community incentives such as discounted services for people who rent ADUs to district staff. I believe we can find solutions, and I am committed to making this a priority as trustee.
FB: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
TM: I love the Flathead Valley, and Columbia Falls in particular. I pledge to keep the interests of our students, teachers/staff, and community at the forefront of the decision-making process. I believe that my background in finance and economics, my persistence in research, and my drive to find creative solutions to financial challenges will be an asset to our schools. To learn a little more about me, feel free to check out my website at www.tj4sd6.com. Thank you for your consideration.