Temporary ice rink approved

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary School Board approved the temporary ice rink on the SLE fields for three years. Superintendent Chris Stout also provided several updates on the new school year.

The Board received no more comments on the proposed ice rink. Ice Rink Committee member Gary Swain had no new information about the ice rink to present to the board. He confirmed that all the group was asking for this year was a location that would require a little leveling, sand and temporary boards installed as forms for the rink.

Board Chair Todd Johnson said that the biggest concerns were that the rink needed to be located in a place that makes sense for the school and accommodates the multiple uses for the fields.

Stout proposed the front infield spot. It is already fairly level, the rink would not hurt the grass and they don’t have to worry about the sprinkler system.

Johnson was concerned that putting it on the west side of the field would promote people parking in the school’s parking lot. This was a concern voiced by the staff since parking is already limited. Since the rink won’t be lit, the use will be during the daylight hours.

Stout didn’t see that as an issue. He thinks it is a duplication of effort to plow the east side for parking. It would also allow them to start boxing in the rink since the fields will be used for the next month for football and soccer.

“Without being overtop of grass, without impacting the sprinkler system, without having to plow some spot, I feel like 99 percent of the people who would utilize it are already here during the school day. If three or four more people came to park, I don’t know that that is going to be a major issue,” said Stout.

Swain guesses most of the use will be during the weekends. While it will be open during the weekdays, he doesn’t anticipate more than a car or two based on the use he has seen at other outdoor community rinks.

Johnson brought up the concern about the closer it is to the school, the more the staff need to police the students.

Stout said that students don’t go in the field during the day unless they are using it for physical education. Johnson said that he wants to see the school help get the rink up and running but recommends that the committee continue to look for a different location for a permanent rink.

Board member Gary Wayne said he felt the letters the board received in opposition to the rink dealt more with a permanent structure. The concerns could be mitigated with a temporary structure.

Teacher Sharon Teague clarified that the staff isn’t necessarily opposed to the rink, they just want to make sure what SLE uses the fields for is preserved.

“We just need to make sure it all fits. I think it can and it sounds like it will,” said Teague.

Swain does not expect the rink to be operating until early December and will run through the middle of March. It is totally weather dependent.

The board unanimously voted to approve the temporary rink for three years on the condition that the ice rink committee works with the staff to find the best location to accommodate all the uses for the field.

Stout said the new speaker system is being installed so school-wide announcements can be heard by everyone, “probably louder and clearer than anyone would want.”

The Rave Panic System is also being utilized for teachers that want to install it on their personal cell phone. This is not required, but is an additional tool for teachers to help in the overall safety plan.

Stout said announcements are being posted on the Seeley Lake Elementary Facebook page and website two – three times per week. They are still working out some kinks with the calendar on the website.

In other business:

• Soccer starts with the week of Sept. 24. Stout is coaching.

• SLE is still looking for a music teacher. Stout thinks that the best chance is to collaborate with Seeley-Swan High School to fill the position. Depending how that search goes, he will start exploring other options next month if necessary.

• The board approved Stout’s appointment to the Missoula Area Education Cooperative.

• A play will be put on by sixth-eighth graders prior to winter break. Stout is exploring options for the younger grades.

The next meeting is Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the SLE technology lab.