To find a solution that both meets the long-term needs of the school and enjoys broad support in the community, the District is implementing a deliberate and lengthy process to ensure extensive community participation.  This process was designed to improve upon the District’s two previous efforts to pass bonds for the high school.

Step #1: Research & Input (Completed)

Before initiating design work, the District’s consultant, Steeplechase, collected and reviewed a substantial amount of historical community input from “Speak Up Whitefish” and other sources.  The team also conducted 300+ interviews with community leaders, faculty, parents and students to gather a broad understanding of the community’s perspective on a potential project.  

Step #2: Concept Design (Completed)

With funding from a Planning Grant from the Montana Quality Schools Program, the District hired an education design consultant to work with the Whitefish High School Futures Committee, a new group of approximately 30 community members, faculty and students, to develop a series of alternative conceptual plans for the campus.   

Step #3: Community Response (Completed)

The alternative plans created by the Futures Committee were offered to the community through a variety of venues and means of communication to gather community feedback and determine which alternative or combination of alternatives, would likely be supported by the community.   

Step #4: Design Refinement (Completed)

Using all the input collected from the community, the design consultant will refine the designs into one plan that will be used to support fund raising efforts.

Step #5: Alternative Fund Raising (Ongoing)

The District is currently in the process of soliciting alternative sources of funding including grants and private donations in an effort to identify all other sources of funds before asking the voters for their support.  To-date, the District has secured commitments for $4.5M.

Step #6: Potential Bond Election (March 2012)

The plan will be submitted to the community for a bond election to fund the balance required to complete the proposed project.