SLE to Make Up Week in the Spring

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board of Trustees discussed how to make up the four days of school missed due to the Rice Ridge Fire, teacher bonuses and enrollment at their Sept. 19 meeting.

Superintendent Chris Stout said that most of the people he talked to felt it would be easier to tack the four days on the end of the year rather than trying to make up days throughout the year or adding time to each day.

If days were added throughout the year it would most likely cut into teacher training days and/or spring break. Adding 10 minutes to each day would also make up the time but would require changing all the daily schedules including but not limited to bus route times, sports practice and other after school activities.

The board voted to add the four days on the end of the year making the last day of school June 7.

The total amount of money SLE will receive from renting the school and services provided to the Rice Ridge Fire is still not known. The school did spend some of that money by giving $500 bonuses to its teachers.

Board of Trustees Chair Todd Johnson explained that the bonuses were a goodwill gesture for the teachers being willing to take basically no increase in wages this year to help balance the budget. The money will come fully out of the money received from the fire.

SLE’s current enrolment is 171 students but the school is expecting five additional students before their official count in October. Stout is hoping for one more student to bring the number up to 177 because it is their three year average and it would preserve their budget.

The next board meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at SLE.