If the Applied Technology and Learning Center (ATLC) bond passes on Tuesday, students of FHS may find their school life changed.
The $8 million complex is planned to give high school and college students a chance to learn more about a career that interests them. Areas the center will focus on include construction, business, medical, child care, art and media classes, and many more career paths.
"The students should know how to use the latest high-tech tools, so they'll have a head start in the world of business," said former board member Mike Dailey.
If the plan passes, there will be two shifts of students daily that will go back and forth from FHS and the Tech Center.
Bigfork and Whitefish high schools and some students from FVCC, will be transported daily to the ATLC, to equal about 400 students daily.
A separate issue on the ballots is a $3 million addition to FHS to allow 630 freshmen to attend. (see sidebar) "It would create more opportunities for students wanting to get into vocational trades," said drafting teacher Dennis Latimer. "The advanced drafting classes at the tech center will be great, but I don't want to lose my Intro to Drafting classes here at the high school."
With college students attending, there won't be as many discipline problems caused by lack of motivation from high schoolers.
"I've seen college kids saying 'Be quiet, I'm paying for this!' to the noisy high schoolers" who aren't personally funding their education, Dailey said.
If the bond passes, the ATLC should open its doors by fall of '98.
Said Dailey: "I want high schoolers to graduate with a knowledge of what they want to do. I've seen too many people whose first job determines what their career will be in the future."