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Bigfork trustees approve 2025–26 budgets, pay increases for substitutes and Life Skills paraprofessionals, and food-price updates
Summary
At its Aug. 20 meeting, the Bigfork School District Board of Trustees approved the 2025–26 elementary and high school budgets and the apportionment of ending cash balances, a $3/hour pay increase for Life Skills paraprofessionals under an MOU with the classified union, a 10% substitute pay raise, and higher food-service prices. All motions passed by unanimous vote.
The Bigfork School District Board of Trustees approved the district's 2025–26 elementary and high school budgets and several personnel and service-cost changes during a regular meeting Aug. 20 in the high school library. All motions recorded at the meeting passed by unanimous vote of trustees present.
Business Manager Lacey Porrovecchio presented the 2025–26 budget proposals and described year-to-year changes; trustees approved the elementary and high school budgets after separate motions and seconding votes. Porrovecchio also explained that year-end cash in budgeted funds will be apportioned to fund reserves or to support the adopted 2025–26 budgets, and trustees approved the recommended apportionments.
Superintendent Tom Stack described staffing challenges in the district's Life Skills classroom and recommended increasing pay for Life Skills paraprofessionals by $3.00 per hour. Porrovecchio said the Bigfork Unified Classified Union supports the change. Trustees approved a memorandum of understanding implementing the increase.
Stack and Porrovecchio told the board that food and staffing costs have risen, prompting recommended increases to milk, breakfast and lunch prices, including adult meals; trustees approved the pricing update. Porrovecchio recommended a 10% increase in substitute pay; trustees approved that change as well.
The meeting began with approval of the agenda (including an addendum) and a unanimous consent agenda that included the July 8 board meeting minutes; all-bill approval lists; student activity reports for June and July 2025; a records-destruction document; donations from the Bigfork Rotary Foundation, Inc. of $2,075 each for cross country, wrestling and swim; approval of certain out-of-district students; and several personnel items (a recommended hire for a route driver, multiple extracurricular volunteer recommendations, and a paraprofessional resignation).
Superintendent Stack presented a first reading of 15 policy updates and new policies required after the recent legislative session; no final action on those policies was recorded at this meeting. Principals Brenda Clarke, Mark Hansen and Charlie Appleby gave start-of-year reports on staffing, orientation and athletics. Special Education/Activities Director Matt Porrovecchio reported on fall athletic participation and noted a recent ruling that affects educating qualified students through age 22. Student Council Representative Nic Gustavson provided a brief student-activity update.
The board set its future regular meeting dates and adjourned at 5:49 p.m.
