District hears Coding for Kids presentation and previews two‑year MOU

The Stevensville School Board heard a presentation from Coding for Kids and was asked to consider a two‑year memorandum of understanding to formalize district sponsorship.

Lolly, director of Coding for Kids, told the board the program is running 38 classes this year with 152 registrants and has expanded programming beyond Stevensville through partnerships with the University of Montana and the YMCA. She said the organization is offering its first AI class this year — taught by a cybersecurity expert and funded by a Cyber Montana grant that covers instructor costs, scholarships and about $5,000 of equipment.

Carter Cole, a longtime participant who now assists and teaches in the program, described how hands‑on classes (robotics, digital art, film and game design) helped him develop practical skills and later enabled him to teach a Lego stop‑motion class that filled within weeks.

The board was shown promotional materials and a draft MOU. Superintendent (speaker 4) and the board indicated the MOU would be on the agenda for formal consideration; a motion to accept the MOU language was made and carried. No financial obligation from the district beyond standard facility use and program oversight was described in detail during the presentation.

Board members and the Coding for Kids director discussed program staffing and governance: Coding for Kids will provide instructors and equipment for its classes; the district will provide facilities and typical oversight. The director said the Cyber Montana grant covered scholarships and equipment for the AI course but did not provide a district cost breakdown beyond that statement.

The board did not vote on any additional budget commitments at this meeting. The next procedural step is formal consideration and a vote on the MOU as an action item; the board signaled support to move the item forward for approval in the packet already provided to trustees.