BCSD faces potential teacher layoffs, set to sell old office building

The Boundary County School District is selling its old district office building to the highest bidder. 

District officials announced on Nov. 21 that sealed bids for the sale of the 10,225 square-foot building at 7188 Oak St., along with its 0.8-acre lot, will be opened at 2 p.m. on Dec. 11, with the property being sold “as is.” The minimum offer must be at least $550,000, paid in cash or check. The winner is expected to be announced at the Dec. 16 school board meeting. 

“The school board plans to use 100 percent of those funds to rebuild Valley View,” said BCSD Superintendent Jan Bayer. 

Though the money earned from the sale will alleviate some financial pressure for a facilities upgrade, district officials are also struggling to keep day-to-day operations intact. 

At the last school board meeting on Nov. 19, district officials discussed the urgent need for a maintenance and operations levy in the May election, to finance extracurricular and cocurricular school activities, curricular materials, field trips and more.  

Should the M&O levy fail, the school board will likely have to lay off teachers to keep schools operational. Salary and benefits make up 77 percent of the district’s capital expenditures, according to the Nov. 19 audit report. 

Widespread teacher layoffs have been affecting school districts across the country since federal COVID-19 pandemic funding to schools ran dry. Regionally, employee cutbacks have been a common response to failed levies. When a recent St. Maries Joint School District levy failed, Kellogg acquired some of their teaches. Similarly, BCSD has wound up with many top teachers from Priest River over the last two years after a West Bonner School District levy failed. Local officials fear that the price of a failed levy this May will be the loss of valued staff members. 

In the closed-door meeting held at Valley View last week, local contractors and district officials discussed the various financial strangleholds facing the district. They agreed that the goal of selling the old district office is to raise money for a new elementary school. 

In September, Vogel Appraisal inspected the old district office building and estimated a fair market value by comparing the property to 12 similar properties in Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint. The appraisal shows the inside and outside of the building are in average condition. Appointments to tour the property can be scheduled by calling 208-267-3146 extension 5.  

The BCSD board has the right to accept or reject any bid. All bids are final unless the award is delayed by more than 30 days.