Education

Education

Excellent Public Education

America’s Promise Alliance, supported by Alma and Colin Powell, chose Whitefish as one of America’s Top 100 Communities for Youth, designating it as a wonderful place for youth to live and grow up in 2007 and 2008. That terrific environment can be found throughout the valley where 27 small and medium sized elementary and middle schools, 8 of which are private, serve the community. 2007 saw the completion of the county’s newest high school, Glacier High, with substantial renovations to Flathead High as well. The valley supports five public high schools, one private high school and three private academies.

Flathead County Superintendent of Schools

Flathead Valley Community College

Located in Kalispell, at the heart of the Flathead Valley, Flathead Valley Community College sits just to the north of the medical care complex. With a student-faculty ratio of 16:1 and nearly 50 full-time instructors FVCC provides excellent opportunities for all kinds of students and serves as a valuable resource to businesses in the area. The college is a vital part of the community supporting a variety of opportunities for education and professional development to residents of all ages.

Celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2008, Flathead Valley Community College continues to provide high-quality academic programs for students whether they transfer on to four-year colleges and universities throughout Montana and the nation or take advantage of the nearly 50 career and technical programs that prepare students to enter into today’s workforce. They also offer the Running Start program for eligible area high school students; online classes; classes taught through interactive television; select undergraduate and graduate degrees through their partnerships with various Montana colleges and universities; customized workforce training for area businesses; and fun, enriching and affordable non-credit classes for all ages.

In autumn, 2008 the college received $154,500 for student training from federal dollars in a block grant to the city of Kalispell. The college expects to train 60 students over two years on the set up and operation of CNC (computer numerical controlled) lathes and milling machines. Local businesses’ have expressed an increased demand for employees with CNC training and FVCC strives to respond to the business community’s needs.

U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder, American Community Survey, Selected Social Characteristics in the United States, 2000: Flathead County, Montana, and U.S. Data Profiles; http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en