By Sarah Gianelli EBS Associate Editor
BIG SKY – At its Oct. 24 meeting, the Big Sky School District board selected Margo Magnant to fill a vacancy on the school board left by Kim Gunderson, who moved out of the district. Magnant was chosen over Big Sky Fire Department Chief William Farhat, who also submitted a letter of interest for the seat, and was not present at the meeting.
Magnant thanked Superintendent Dustin Shipman for his recommendation and addressed the board. “As a product of Bozeman public schools and the daughter of a special education teacher, education has been very important in my life,” Magnant said. “I see the school system as an enormous part of this community’s growth and I would be honored to serve.”
Magnant, who is the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce membership director, attended Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and is currently pursuing a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Montana.
“While I am not a parent, I do represent an important segment of our community—a young taxpayer working hard to build a life in this place that I love,” she said.
Magnant founded the Big Sky Young Professionals group to bring together young, like-minded individuals with the goals of building community and fostering personal and professional growth.
“From this background, I hope to provide a fresh perspective on the school board,” Magnant said. “It is an exciting time at the district with a comprehensive strategic plan, and excellent staff and administration in place. The appointment as trustee is a true honor which I will not take lightly.”
Magnant is filling an interim position, and will run in the regular May elections should she wish to remain on the board.
In other school district news, Secondary School Principal Alex Ide reported that the district is number one in the state for ACT test results.
Shipman also announced that the suspended bus route, which serviced the canyon from the Cinnamon Lodge area to Karst, and the Ramshorn neighborhood, would be reinstated beginning Nov. 1.
“Like we said, we’d give you the bus back as soon as we found a driver,” said board chair Loren Bough.
The next meeting of the Big Sky School District school board will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 29, in the Ophir School conference room.
