GALLATIN GATEWAY — Earlier this month, voters in Gallatin Gateway and Bozeman passed levies in the school elections, while similar levies in other Gallatin County Communities, including Belgrade, failed.
In Bozeman, voters regularly support the school district at the polls; in Gateway, it had been a while. That's why the passing of the levy left some parents and staff feeling grateful.
“It’s a really, really positive thing that it got passed,” said Emilee Parsch.
WATCH: What the passing of the Gallatin Gateway School levy means to parents, teachers
Parsch has lived in Belgrade since 2021 and has two kids at Gallatin Gateway School.
“I love the school… " It’s totally worth the hour round-trip drive,” said Parsch.
As Parsch explains, she decided to enroll her kids in Gallatin Gateway School because she has family nearby and wanted her kids to have smaller class sizes.
“I know they’re not getting overlooked; I know that they’re going to get what they need here,” said Parsch. “Where in Belgrade, I knew that they had multiple kindergarten classes, you know, 25 to 30 kids each class, and to me, that was kind of scary for my kids.”
Since she lives in Belgrade, Parsch could not vote for the Gateway school levy. But, because of her involvement with the school as a cheer coach, substitute teacher, and vice president of the Booster Club, she knew it was important.
“If the mill levy didn’t get passed, some of the amazing teachers that we have here might have gone elsewhere or gotten laid off,” said Parsch.
“My biggest concern was that extra support staff,” she also said. “It’s a huge deal, like, I would have had to look elsewhere because I know my kids need that extra help.”
The mill levy, a property tax approved by voters to fund school operations that state and federal funding does not cover, will provide about $47,975 to Gallatin Gateway School each year.
Teachers Mike Coon and Ashley Davis shared Parsch's sentiment regarding the levy’s impact.
“We were really excited that the levy passed,” said Coon. “It’s going to help us because we’re going to be able to retain staff that we thought we were going to have to eliminate.”
“This was just one more way the community at large supports us, so that was just really great,” said Davis.
In addition to helping fund school operations like heating and retaining their counseling position, Coon and Davis say the work done by parents to inform the community of the school's needs inspired an anonymous community member to donate $20,000 to fund free and reduced student lunches for the summer months, provided by a local restaurant.
“We’re just very grateful to the community that they’re supporting our Gateway School kids and the community at large,” said Coon.
“Thank you to everyone who voted yes for the levy; I appreciate it, and I’m sure other parents do too,” said Parsch.
