- Tuesday, May 20, is voting day, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Boundary County School District is requesting a renewal of their $2.4 million supplemental operations and maintenance levy.
- If it fails, 25 jobs will be lost.
- Doors and gates of school district facilities will close at 4:30 Monday – Thursday and be closed for the weekends.
- If the State of Idaho fully funded special education and transportation, there would be no need for a levy.
- There is public access to all financials. Call the district office at (208) 267-3146.
- This is not a new tax.
- Idaho is the lowest funded state for education.
- Of the $2 million required to fund special education, the state pays $312,000 for 220 students.
- The price in 2015 was $282 and has been going down every year, with this year being $96 per $100,000 and a further decrease to $69 with HB292.
- The circuit breaker is not going away.
- Homeschool students and families utilize Boundary County School District facilities, classes and extra-curriculars.
- Facilities may be available to rent if levy fails.
- The state mandates high school literacy class but does not fund it.
What does the Levy Cover?
Safety, Security and Maintenance
- Routine Maintenance
- Fencing
- Cameras
- Secure Entryways
Extra/Co-Curricular
- All middle and high school activities and travel
Field Trips
- All field trips K-12
Curricular Materials
- New adoptions – Science is next content area
- Teacher Consumables
Technology
- Schoology
- Classwize
- Network Updates, Classlink
- Chromebooks
New Bus
Leadership Premiums
Maintain Administration
- Athletic Directors
- Special Education Director
Maintain Certificated Personnel
- Life Skills Teacher
- Two CTE (Career and Technical Education) Teachers
- Three Humanities Teachers
- Social Studies Teacher
- Two PE (Physical Education) Teachers
Maintain Classified personnel
- Three Custodians
- Two Administrative Assistants
- Three Paraprofessionals
School Budgets
- Additional Curricular Materials
- Field Trip Fees
- Consumables
- Athletic, CTE, Humanities, Special Education, and PE Supplies and Equipment
Use of Buildings
Bonners Ferry High School:
- BF Ballers
- Badger Youth Football
- Badger Youth Cheerleading
- Boundary County Little League Softball
- Boundary County Little League Baseball
- Bonners Ferry Wrestling Club
- Community Orchestra
- Distinguished Young Women
- Civil Air Patrol
- Idaho Fish and Game Hunter Safety
- Bonners Ferry Dancers
- Bonners Ferry Family and Youth Volleyball
- Boundary County Adult League Volleyball
- Planning and Zoning Meetings – when needed
- County Commissioner Meetings – when needed
- Dram Club
- Inspire Girls Basketball
- Limitless Church
- Mountain View Mennonite Youth Camp
- NIVBC (North Idaho Volleyball Club
- Panhandle Republican Women
- Sandpoint Piano
- Super Awesome Disc Golf
- The Dance Studio
- The Learning Center
All Extra/Co-Curricular Activities
- Football
- Soccer
- Cross County
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Track
- Baseball
- Softball
- Golf
- Cheerleading
- Robotics
- Band Performances
- Choir Performances
- Drama Performances
- Class Advisors – Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshman
- National Honor Society
- Student Council
- FFA (Future Farmers of America)
- High School Annual
Boundary County Middle School
- 4-H Friday Friends
- Drivers Education
- Community Orchestra
- Robotics Club
- Pickleball
- AAU Inspire Basketball
- Covenant Bible Church Holiday Event
- Special Olympics Torch Run
- NIVBC (North Idaho Volleyball Club)
- Woodland Mennonite Youth Group
- Apex Fitness/Ballet Recital/Cafeteria/Locker Rooms
- Trunk or Treat
- Red Cross Emergency Center
- Republicans Groups
All Extra/Co-Curricular Activities
- Football
- Cross County
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Track
- Cheerleading
- Robotics
- Student Council
- Middel School Annual
Mount Hall Elementary
- Boundary County Homeschool Group – Wednesday Evenings
- Geyman/Cossalman Group – Friday Evenings
- BF Ballers – Tuesday Evenings
- Inspire Basketball Team – Monday Evenings
- Tech Prep – Thursday Evenings
- Trow Creek Water Association – Occasional Sunday Evenings
- Mission Creek Water Association – Occasional Use
- Hall Mountain Fire Department – Thursday Evenings
Naples Elementary
- South Boundary Fire Station – Naples Community Craft Fair
- South Boundary Fire Station – Firefighter training exercises
- Zumba classes
- Various churches and sports teams – activities and team dinners
- Primary “park” for local families and individuals. Our gates are open every day for community use.
Valley View Elementary
- Battle of the Books
- Girl Scouts
- Boy Scouts
- Head Start
- Kindergarten Readiness
- Parks and Rec Volleyball
- Parks and Rec Basketball
- Mountain Springs Youth Group Volleyball
- Special Olympics
- Indoor Soccer
- AAU Basketball
- Inspire Basketball
- Mennonite Youth Group Volleyball
- Tennis Club
- Extra practice space (BFHS Basketball, Volleyball, Cheer, Softball)
9B.News reached out to the community of Priest River to gain information about how a failed levy affects real people. Here are some facts from the eyes of local West Boundary County School District:
- Sports were cancelled but with generous donors 150K was raised for one year, but that didn’t cover travel expenses, so athletes had to be privately transported.
- Forensic Audit was conducted that cost the tax-payers $50,000.
- Athletes/Families pay $100 per sport.
- Next year sports and extra-curriculars will be cancelled if it fails.
- Admission to games increased by almost double.
- The middle school was closed except for gym and fields.
- Middle School students are bussed to the high school for classes.
- There is bullying between HS and MS, un-necessarily.
- If it fails this go around, Idaho Hill and Priest Lake Elementary will close down.
- Bus routes were cut.
- 18 teachers were lost.
- It cost $82,000 for water only per year to maintain facilities.
- 40 jobs will be lost if it fails again.
- If Priest Lake Elementary closes, students will be bussed 90 minutes each way.
- 200 students were pulled from the district.
This could happen in Boundary County and affect many areas of everyday life. Be informed. Vote May 20th.