Levy to decide future of West Bonner schools

PRIEST RIVER — With a May 20 election less than a week away, voters in West Bonner County School District will decide the outcome of a proposed two-year, $2.35 millionper- year levy.

It includes line items for sports and extracurricular activities, school buses, music and arts programs, nurse and school psychologists, utilities at the closed junior high school, classroom supplies, learning materials, staff training, advanced placement, electives, teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, kitchen and facilities staff and more.

WBCSD superintendent Kim Spacek clarified that certified and classified staff raises are not included in the levy and should not be confused with Idaho’s decision to increase average K-12 teacher pay to nearly $63,000 this school year.

However, while Idaho salaries have increased over time, they still don’t compete with those in neighboring states, according to the FY25 Educator Pipeline Report from the Idaho State Board of Education. On a national scale, Idaho has historically had some of the lowest-paid teachers.

“That pay varies from district to district and is dependent on a lot of different factors,” Spacek said. “We have a higher need for staffing, especially for special education, than what the state currently allows.”

According to Spacek and WBCSD business manager Kendra Salesky, the district had 20 staff members quit in the last fiscal year. Those who quit were a combination of classified and certified staff.

The result of the levy will also determine whether one or more schools in the district close after this school year. While no official decision has been made, the schools most likely on the chopping block would be Priest Lake and Idaho Hill Elementary.

The district’s last levy’s failure in November 2024 marked the third time in two years residents had denied supplemental funding to the district, narrowly voting down a one-year, $1.13 million levy. The larger amount was chosen by school board trustees this time to better reflect a well-rounded, comprehensive school district, as opposed to operating on, “bare bones,” Salesky said.

“I personally wish levies weren’t as controversial as they are,” Salesky said. “The goal is to educate kids in our community and give them the same opportunities as every other kid throughout the state.”

Early voting can also be done at the Bonner County Administration Building at 1500 Highway 2 in Sandpoint.

West Bonner County School District polling places: Blue Lake Community Hall, Eastside Road, Priest River Priest River Event Center, Highway 2, Priest River Edgemere Grange Hall, Bandy Road, Priest River Laclede Community Hall, Moore Loop, Laclede Priest Lake Elementary School, Highway 57, Priest Lake Oldtown Rotary Park Visitor Center, Old Diamond Mill Road, Oldtown Coolin Civic Organization, Dickensheet Road, Coolin Blanchard Grange, Mason Road, Blanchard To find out how to register to vote, go to www.bonnercountyid. gov/departments/staff_directory/ Elections or call 208-255-3631.

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