Page 16 - Flathead Beacon // 5.25.16

NEWS
CITY BEAT
KALISPELL
School District to O er High School Tour
School leaders are inviting the com- munity and surrounding districts to an informational meeting on June 1 at Flat- head High School.
Mark Flatau, superintendent of Kalispell Public Schools, said the event will explain the year-long planning e orts for elementary and high school needs throughout town. School planners and administrators say the elementary district is in desperate need of new facil- ities to address a swelling student pop- ulation that hit a record 3,018 kids this fall. Kalispell Middle School, with nearly 1,100 students, is the lone middle school in town and the largest in Montana. The high school district also has deferred maintanence needs, according to school o cials.
The June 1 informational meeting will start at 6 p.m. and feature food and an open question-and-answer session.
KALISPELL
Flathead High Teacher Wins Teacher
of the Year Award for History
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History named Sean O’Don- nell, a history/civics teacher at Flathead High School, the 2016 Montana History Teacher of the Year.
This prestigious award honors out- standing classroom work. Teachers were selected for exemplary “use of primary documents in the classroom, the level of inspiration provided to your students, and career achievements in education.” A panel of teachers, administrators, and scholars from Montana made the nal selections.
Known for never using textbooks, O’Donnell favors eld trips and partici- patory learning scenarios over rote mem- orization. A team of teachers at Flathead High School, worked together to plan and coordinate history lessons, “I couldn’t have done it without this department. It was more than just me,” O’Donnell said.
For O’Donnell, receiving the award was a team e ort—sta and students. It is also a nod to family—his mother was a special education teacher, his wife is an English teacher and his grandfather was headmaster/principal for Creston
FLATHEAD COUNTY
Health Department Encourages ‘Early Bird’ Immunization
The Flathead City-County Health Department is giving away prizes to encourage children to get their immuni- zations early.
All children who attend public and private schools in Montana are required to have speci c, age-dependent
Schools. O’Donnell acknowledges that so many teach without awards or hoopla because they love teaching.
“There are a lot of teachers who do great things and don’t get recognition,” he explained, adding that his incredible students were part of this award. “This award reminds you why you do what you do. It is an honor.”
As a 2016 Montana History Teacher of the Year, O’Donnell will also receive $1,000. The FHS Library will receive an archive of books and historical resources presented in his name.
WHITEFISH
City Reopens East First Street to
One-Way Tra c
On May 25, work will be done to reopen East First Street between Central Ave- nue and Baker Avenue to one-way, west- bound tra c to help alleviate congestion during the busy summer season and to implement the original plan for the street during construction of the City Hall and Parking Structure project.
To accommodate the need for space for the construction of the City Hall and Parking Structure project, the south half of the parking lot at the northwest corner of East First Street and Central Avenue will be closed and used for storage of con- struction materials and the construction trailer. The contractor will occupy this portion of the parking lot beginning May 23 and be there until they can move onto
the City Hall/Parking Structure site, city o cials said.
The north half of the parking lot south of Craggy Range Bar and Grill will be striped to accommodate better parking. The city will also add temporary diago- nal parking on the south side of East First Street between Central Avenue and the City Hall/Parking Structure construc- tion site.
KALISPELL
Council to Study City Airport, South
Kalispell Plan
The city council will discuss an urban renewal plan for the south end of Kalis- pell, including the fate of the city airport, at an upcoming meeting in City Hall.
The council will host a work session June 2 at 7 p.m. The next regular meet- ing will be June 6.
CTA Architects Engineers, the rm hired by the city to develop an urban renewal plan, has formed a preliminary list of improvement options that could reshape and revitalize the area, includ- ing added green space, updated roads and business amenities. But the central topic at the heart of the matter looms large with little consensus over what should be done with the airport. CTA developed ve alternative strategies for the airport — keep it as is using city funding; close the airport; request FAA funding for the airport in its current alignment; incor- porate an airport authority that oversees
the site; and privatize the airport.
WHITEFISH
Watercraft Inspection Station Added
to City Beach
The White sh Lake Institute and proj- ect partners are constructing an addi- tion at City Beach to house a watercraft inspection station in the ght against aquatic invasive species.
Montana wildlife o cials are remind- ing private and commercial boaters that state law requires all motorists hauling watercraft — from trailers with motor- boats or in atable rafts to canoes and kayaks perched atop cars and pick-up trucks — to stop at inspection stations. Most inspections take fewer than ve minutes but failure to stop could lead to a $135 ne.
Ten years after the construction of the original Rescue Hovercraft Garage at City Beach, the construction of a small addition will o er sta protection against the elements and house all items related to the boat inspection process.
Maria Butts, parks, recreation and community services director for the City of White sh, said boaters will have to detour slightly at City Beach during exca- vation and foundation work, but the boat ramp will not be closed at any point during the construction process. The watercraft inspection station will be in operation Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Mike Koopal, executive director of the White sh Lake Institute, said that this e ort wouldn’t have gone forward without the generosity of the Joe & Cindy Gregory Family.
“Joe is adamant that we keep aquatic invasive species out of White sh Lake. He has seen their devastating e ect in Tennessee and wants to do everything in his power to protect our beautiful lake and our local economy,” Koopal said.
Koopal also credited key project play- ers Chris Hyatt, Andrew Bearinowski of Malmquist Construction, Chad Phil- lips of Phillips Architecture, and Nick Sramek, who will volunteer time to com- plete his Boy Scouts of America Citizen- ship in the Community Merit Badge with this project. Once completed, Koopal said the building will be dedicated to the City
of White sh. news@ atheadbeacon.com o ce in Kalispell on Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On the second Tues- day of every month, the clinic moves to the Columbia Falls Ambulance Building from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the White sh Com- munity Center from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit www. at- headhealth.org.
news@ atheadbeacon.com
The Kalispell City Airport. BEACON FILE PHOTO
immunizations. Students traditionally need to get their immunizations before August. However, for students who get them in June and July at the health department, they’ll be able to enter into a drawing for a variety of prizes, includ- ing iPods, bikes, backpacks, school sup- plies and passes to the Alpine Slide at Big Mountain at Glacier National Park.
Children starting kindergarten in the Fall 2016 through the age of 18 years are
eligible for the drawings. A child can only place their name in once for the drawings. There will be a total of seven drawings, with two drawings in June and one draw- ing occurring every Friday in July.
Children can receive their immuniza- tions at the Health Department during the walk-in clinic hours. No child will be denied vaccine due to inability to pay. Walk-in hours and locations include the Flathead City-County Health Department
NEWS
COUNTY BEAT
16
MAY 25, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM