by John Dowd
School is back in session across the Bitterroot Valley, with districts beginning the 2026-27 school year with new programs, facility projects and goals ranging from academic improvement to career readiness.
Superintendents across the valley said they are encouraged by the start of the year while continuing to work through changes in their districts.
Hamilton Public Schools
Hamilton Public Schools began the school year Aug. 19, and Superintendent Dave Thennis said he is encouraged by the district’s start.
For Thennis, who is in his second year leading the district, the first year was largely a transition period as he became familiar with the district and the community and staff got to know him. This year, the district is focusing on strategic planning and examining options for academic improvement, Thennis said.
“I feel like we have a really good relationship between the teachers and students and our community,” he said. Thennis added that the district has a talented staff and offers students a variety of opportunities, including 36 dual-credit options for high school students. “They can earn a lot of credits transitioning into college,” he said.
The district also created a School-Community Relations Team this year, bringing together school board members, teachers and administrators. Thennis said the goal is to strengthen relationships throughout the district and community. “It’s important to us; we want to be a critical part of our community,” he said.
The district is also focusing on career readiness, including opportunities available through Hamilton’s Bitterroot Polytech charter program.
Students in the program can work toward a commercial driver’s license and a certified nursing assistant credential through Bitterroot Health. The program also added a pre-carpentry apprenticeship program last year.
Thennis said the district is working to narrow its priorities and focus on how it can better pursue them. “I feel good about the work our teachers and administration are doing,” he said.
Corvallis Public Schools
Corvallis Public Schools began classes Sept. 8, and Superintendent Pete Joseph said district enrollment is at an all-time high. The district is also moving forward with several facility improvements.
Corvallis is using an inter-cap loan through the state of Montana to replace aging boilers at the high school and primary school. Joseph said the program provides schools with access to funding that can be difficult to obtain elsewhere. Security upgrades are also planned.
Another major project is the development of a new gym space for the district’s RISE charter school.
Joseph said the additional space has been needed for years. Corvallis has traditionally had to schedule classes, practices and activities around its existing gym space, along with a much smaller facility built in the early 1900s. “That needed to happen for a couple decades,” Joseph said.
The main structure of the new gym was built over the summer, but the project is not yet complete. The district plans to use the space for charter school and physical education classes this year, although additional work is needed before it can be fully utilized.
The building needs additional improvements, including a fire suppression system, bathroom finishes and security upgrades, before it can accommodate larger groups and events.
The district has completed the bidding process and selected contractors. Final pricing, public comment and school board approval are the next steps.
Joseph also highlighted the district’s Pathway Learning Academy, which uses project-based learning and is now available to students throughout the district from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Corvallis also operates a distance learning academy and is in its third year with its charter school program. “I’m really encouraged to see how hard our staff is working to implement these changes for our community and our kids,” Joseph said.
Darby Public Schools
Darby School District Superintendent Tony Biesiot described the beginning of the school year as positive, saying the small district continues to provide what he called “world-class opportunities” for its students.
Darby Public Schools.
The district has expanded its dual-enrollment offerings this year with two new courses: Human Biology and Introduction to Aviation.
Seventeen students are enrolled in 48 dual-enrollment courses, while 11 students are participating in health occupations courses offered through Bitterroot Health.
Darby is also continuing work on its literacy program through a four-year Montana Literacy Grant. The district is in the second year of the grant, which is being used to expand reading programs across the district, particularly in the early grades.
The district has purchased new equipment, provided professional development for staff and expanded after-school opportunities.
Darby also offers swimming lessons through the Bitterroot Aquatic Center for students from transitional kindergarten through third grade.
Looking ahead, the district is proposing a $7.8 million facilities bond in the November election. The proposed bond would fund facility improvements, including work on HVAC systems, electrical systems and fire alarms.
Darby is also cooperating with Victor Schools for football this season. “It’s been a great experience having their kids as part of the Darby Football Team,” Biesiot said.
Biesiot is in his fifth year with the Darby district. He said the community and school are supported by hard-working students and dedicated employees. “You can’t have a community without a school and you can’t have a school without a community,” he said.
Stevensville Public Schools
Stevensville Public Schools began classes Aug. 24, with Superintendent Jon Konen highlighting a new charter school program as one of the district’s major developments.
The Stevensville Health Science Academy is being developed in partnership with Bitterroot Health and the University of Montana system, including Bitterroot College, to provide students with health science opportunities and dual-credit courses. Konen said the program has received positive feedback from families and students.
The academy has also received medical equipment donations that will be used for student instruction, including a full ambulance donated from Kalispell and a hospital bed donated by St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula. The district is looking into acquiring programmable mannequins for additional training.
The district also hired several new staff members, including employees connected to the new charter program.
At the same time, Stevensville is dealing with budget pressures after a school levy failed last year. The district lost several elementary teachers after enrollment in the elementary grades declined by 55 students. However, overall district enrollment is up by about 75 students this year, Konen said.
The district is also working on a set of school improvement goals developed by the school board and a districtwide improvement team made up of teachers and staff.
One focus is aligning the district’s curriculum with state guidelines and creating better vertical alignment from kindergarten through 12th grade so students have a more consistent progression through the system.
Stevensville is also planning to ask voters to approve a technology levy in the November election. The district will seek $300,000, down from the $500,000 levy proposed last year. “The need is still there,” Konen said. This year’s proposal will focus on security and safety upgrades as well as infrastructure.
For Konen and others with the district, “We’re just excited about being back and being with kids,” he said.
Florence-Carlton Public Schools
Florence-Carlton Public Schools began classes Aug. 24 and is continuing with the four-day school week it introduced last year.
courtesy Darby Public Schools.
Superintendent Todd Fiske said the transition initially brought some resistance from local families, but the district has received positive feedback after completing its first year with the schedule. Fiske said the district added about 35 minutes to each school day to meet the required instructional hours. “It’s a big change,” Fiske said, adding that a district needs to give a significant change time to work rather than “ping-pong back and forth.”
One concern about the four-day schedule was whether students would become too tired after longer school days. Fiske said that has not been an issue the district has observed.
The district also added a mid-afternoon snack period for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The district provides healthy snacks intended to help students maintain their energy during the afternoon, including during extracurricular courses and activities.
Fiske also highlighted a new playground completed last fall. The project was organized and funded through the parent organization and cost more than $100,000, according to Fiske. “It’s the Taj Mahal of play spaces,” he said. The playground gives kindergarten through fifth-grade students a new area for outdoor play, Fiske said.
The district has also begun the year with an increase in enrollment.
The school community is continuing to work through the emotional impact of a child’s death during last year’s homecoming parade. Fiske said the anniversary and this year’s homecoming period have been difficult for staff and parents. “My team is working hard to work through the emotions,” Fiske said.
Despite that challenge, Fiske said the district has started the school year with strong morale and a continued focus on providing a positive learning environment. “We met the year with a strong start,” he said.
Fiske described the spirit of the district as “Falcon strong” and said he is proud of the work being done by staff to educate local students.
Victor Public Schools
Victor Public Schools enters the new school year with new leadership. David Jamison is serving as the district’s new superintendent and high school principal. The district superintendent did not respond to requests for comment for this story, so additional information about the district’s enrollment, programs and priorities was not available.
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