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SWAN VALLEY – A five-year dream is finally a reality for Swan Valley School. While the finishing touches are still being completed, the new school portal is operational and ready to welcome parents and visitors to the school. Swan Valley School Board Chair John Mercer said five years ago the board and staff identified the need for a main entrance. Because of the school's configuration, when someone entered the building, the secretary could see who entered the building with a camera but there w...
SEELEY LAKE –Angela Johnson reaches in her cage and gently pulls out one of her baby green-cheeked conures. It sits in her hand while she pets its head and then it climbs up her shirt and snuggles into her neck, hoping to take a nap after snacking on oranges. "They just want attention and to love," said Johnson. "You can't find a really good friendly bird at a pet store. I knew I could provide that." Johnson has had her breeding pair of conures for a year. Within a month and a half they had t...
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Biathlon continued to grow this year drawing racers from across western Montana Feb. 1. Ninety-six racers took to the course putting their skiing ability and marksmanship to the test in the 21K, 9K and 3K races. The smiles on everyone's faces said it all as they hung out near the finish in the sunshine with temperatures in the upper 40s. Race Director Chris Lorentz was very pleased with how smooth the race went. Grooming was a challenge with warm weather p...
There is a lot riding on upcoming local elections with many opinions being shared on different sides of issues. However there is a lack of candidates. With nearly 30 positions up for election there is currently only eight candidates signed up. If there are not enough candidates most of these positions will be filled either through acclimation or the boards will have to try and find people to appoint to remaining vacancies. That is not a good thing as elections are critical in our system of government. Without elections, boards are often left to...
SEELEY LAKE - On Jan. 21 the Seeley Lake Elementary School Board voted 3 - 2 not to renew Superintendent Daniel Schrock’s contract. *See the Jan 30 edition of the Pathfinder for details* He is invited to re-apply. The hiring process has already begun and the school board is accepting applications. The hiring process is at minimum $8,000 and then another $4,000 is given to the selected applicant for moving expenses. This comes from your tax dollars. There is also the concern of starting over with new administration because it puts the kids in m...
We have a great school and staff at SLE. It makes me sad to see veteran teachers being smeared on social media and in the newspaper. I told myself I would take the high road, stay professional and not respond. But I can’t abide people who have no personal experience with me or my classroom saying hateful things about me and my fellow teachers. I’ve been a teacher for 30 years in three school districts under seven administrators. Never have I been accused of not doing my job or not being a team player. Quite the opposite actually. I love my job...
SEELEY LAKE - Members of SLE Board and To Whom It May Concern, As parents of a fourth grade student at Seeley Lake Elementary we would like to express our opposition on the motion to NOT renew Mr. Schrock’s contract. Understand that we have asked many questions and gathered as much info as possible including speaking with parents, teachers, students, Board members and Mr. Schrock. Since the presence of Mr. Schrock in our school system, we have seen a positive change in many of the children. Melissa substitutes on almost a weekly basis (for two...
SEELEY LAKE - A heartfelt Thank You to all who attended “A Western Burlesque Show.” Thank you for your support to the Seeley Lake Elementary Breakfast Program and Meals on Wheels for Seniors! I especially want to give my utmost gratitude to those who made it possible, including those who sponsored the event, created promotional material, decorated, donated desserts, helped setup, tear down and clean up. And most of all, thank you to all the actors and musicians who gave their time to practice their skits and made it possible for “The Show...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to Seeley Lake Elementary for an afternoon of winter fun Saturday, Feb. 8 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest includes open skating, games, snow sculptures, food and prizes. Everyone is invited to this free, family event. According to Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst, the idea for a winter event originated from SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock last October during the Trunk-or-Treat. He approached the...
In recent years, Marsha A. Goetting, Montana State University Extension Family Economics Specialist, has presented programs and provided individual appointments in Seeley Lake about the need for all Montanans to take action and plan their estates. If you haven't taken action because you have lingering questions, Dr. Goetting is providing a new opportunity for you to have those questions answered. Dr. Goetting will be presenting three, no cost financial and estate planning workshops on Monday, Ma...
SEELEY LAKE - At the next meeting of the Seeley Lake Community Council, the first agenda item will be a presentation by Missoula County Public Works staff: a discussion of updates to the permitting process, revised building codes and fee increases. Missoula County Public Works Director Shane Stack and Building Department Program Manager Nicole Whyte will be the speakers. Responding to a number of community members’ complaints about the permitting process (“too bureaucratic,” “you get chased from department to department,” “it adds unnecessari...
At Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC), a focus on member education and engagement is increasingly gaining momentum, by way of a recently developed Member Education Program. MEC's General Manager Mark Hayden tasked his Communications Department with creating a program to better educate their membership and further enhance and promote offerings that were already in place. "When our team began structuring the program, our goal was to use the abundance of resources already available at MEC. We...
SEELEY LAKE - Montana’s own Race to the Sky 35th anniversary sled dog race, will be held Feb 7-11. Local mushers include Jessie Royer in the 300-mile, Roy Etnire in the 100-mile and past-resident Cindy Gallae, now from Minnesota, in the 300-mile. Race to the Sky commemorates the Camp Rimini War Dog Reception and Training Center near Helena, Mont. for its efforts during World War II as a sled dog training facility. An Iditarod qualifier, the 300-mile Race to the Sky begins and finishes near Lincoln, Mont. The 100-mile starts in Lincoln and e...
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary School first grade teacher Rachel Bemis won Republic Services and KPAX-TV One Class at a Time Grant last week. She was awarded $250 which she will use to purchase art supplies including watercolors, chalk, oil pastels and clay for her classroom. Bemis is in the process of obtaining her master's degree through the Creative Pulse Master of Arts in Integrated Arts and Education from the University of Montana-Missoula. "I was inspired last year as a new teacher...
Dear Seeley-Swan families, We are just getting started with the second semester. We took some time last week to praise the great work students are doing at the school during our second quarter assembly. We were able to recognize students for their hard work, attendance, behavior and kindness with the Principal's Award. Second quarter Principal Award recipients were Coby Gonzalez, Leah Mason, Chase Haines and Jace Layman. We also recognized the staff member of the quarter Gerri Dellwo. She...
Let Us Join Together to Discuss Divisive and Demeaning Speech We address this letter to all people of faith and of good will in our State of Montana. We are at a crucial time in our nation’s history, as well as that of our state, where racial, political and religious divisions have regrettably deepened. People on all sides have spent so much time fanning the flames of division that the higher callings of our religious traditions have been neglected. While we cannot speak for everyone from the various contexts of our siblings in faith, we a...
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;…” (2 Timothy 3:10-17). For proper biblical understanding, supportive scriptural context is often required. Consider this: “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:1-[9]-21). By expressing faith in Jesus, we act upon faith to manifest faith; we obey all of God commands; we believe everything revealed by God. With fait...
SEELEY LAKE - Charles "Chuck" Edwin Lewis, age 85, died Tuesday, Jan. 28 in St. George, Utah. He was born March 25, 1934 in Stevensville, Mont. to Edwin Edmund and Rosie Louisa Ann Brechbill Lewis. On Sept. 25, 1954 he married Bonnie Deloris Berry in Bellflower, Calif. They had four children and were later divorced. On June 23, 1978 he married Laila Hjordis Madsen in Missoula, Mont. She preceded him in death on Aug. 6, 2012. Chuck grew up in Stevensville. He served in the US Navy during the...
SEELEY LAKE - Commander Donald died peacefully on Jan. 17, 2020 at the Living Centre in Stevensville, Mont. He was 88. Don was born on Oct. 30, 1931 in Mandan, N.D. to Ludmilla Loran and Jerome Schaff. He spent his early years there and then moved to Miles City where he attended high school and Jr. College. He transferred to the University of Montana where he received a degree in Mathematics in 1953. After graduation he entered Officers Candidate School and was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy...
Beginning March 1, hunters and anglers can expect a few changes this year when they buy their 2020 licenses. The most visible change Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks customers will see is a change to license paper. Starting this year, both licenses and carcass tags will be printed on normal-sized paper so that license buyers will be able to print them at home. For years, FWP licenses and tags have been produced on weather-resistant paper. However, this is not only expensive, but requires printing technology so outdated that it’s almost i...
SEELEY LAKE – Out of more than 20 entries, Susanna Andersen's photo of the bridge on Boy Scout Road was selected for the cover of the 2020-2021 Seeley Lake Lions Club Phone Directory. It was chosen because it was immediately recognizable as an iconic part of the Seeley Lake area. Andersen lives in Seeley Lake. She remembers crossing the bridge as a small child when going to the campground. Her dad would always stop and point out the beaver lodge. Once Andersen had her own children, they would c...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley Elementary Warhawks closed out their season second in the Blackfoot Valley League with their only losses of the season from Helmville. Head Coach Chris Auchenbach is proud of his players and all the team has accomplished, including the little things like achieving a new skill and their first basket in a game. This year the Swan Valley Warhawks had 20 players, third through eighth grade. Auchenbach and Assistant Coach Katie Gleason's goals for the season: learn the b...
SEELEY LAKE – It was open season on cats for the Lady Blackhawks as they decimated the Clark Fork Mountain Cats Jan. 31 and the St. Regis Tigers Feb. 1. The Boys lost a tight game with Clark Fork and then fell to St. Regis. The Lady Blackhawks were on fire on the home court as they took on 13C's number two ranked Mountain Cats shooting to a 14-4 lead in the first quarter and finishing them off 56-22. The Ladies had 27 steals in the game including six from Sariah Maughan. Aspen Conley led the L...
Mobile Unit in Seeley Lake, Feb. 6 SEELEY LAKE – The Mobile Unit offering free and confidential ultrasounds and pregnancy testing will be in the Lazy Pine Mall parking lot Feb. 6 from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. They also offer STD/STI testing. Some tests may carry a low lab fee. Sparrow’s Vine and Care Net of Missoula sponsor the Mobile Unit. Call Sparrow’s Vine, 677-1900, or Care Net, 549-0406, to make an appointment. Walk-ins welcome as time allows. Community Organizing for the Common Good, Feb. 8 SEELEY LAKE - Join the Seeley Lake Community Foun...
The Montana Water Rights Protection Act was recently introduced to the U.S. Senate as an “amendment” and “fix” to the flawed 2015 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Water Compact. Senator Dr. Al Olszewski of Kalispell, who is running for Montana State Governor, will not quit fighting for everyone’s rights. Senator Dr. Al understands. He is courageously offering a new solution. The solution to forego any sort of “fix” and to immediately create a Montana water rights defense fund. State sovereignty is clearly under siege. Citizens across...
