ST. IGNATIUS, Mont. — St. Ignatius Schools in the Mission Valley has undergone significant improvements in recent years, fueled by community donors, volunteers and a voter-approved bond that launched many renovations and facility upgrades.
Donors alone have contributed more than $100,000 toward school improvements. One of those contributors is Stephanie Morton, a local business owner and former student who funded a new mural showcasing "Bulldog Pride."
"This felt really awesome," Morton said.
"It was just a really small way to give back and say thank you," Morton said.
The mural is one of many volunteer upgrades made across the district. Middle school teachers Caitlin Shelman and Christy Krantz helped spearhead another effort — a new middle school playground — after seeing a need for a better outdoor space for students.
"The vision from the beginning was to create more space for our students," Shelman said.
While grant funding got the playground project started, local businesses stepped in to complete it.
"It was amazing to watch it come together because sometimes you see good ideas like this and they seem so far-fetched," Krantz said.
Larger improvements came after voters approved a $5.7 million bond in 2019 — on the third attempt. St. Ignatius Schools Superintendent Jason Sargent said getting the bond passed was no small feat for a small community.
"It took us three tries to get the bond passed. For a small community, a mill is like five grand compared to other towns where a mill may be like fifty," Sargent said.
The bond propelled a wave of improvements, including a new gym, a new tech center, fresh paint and other upgrades aimed at enhancing the student experience.
"The volunteer aspect of it really speaks volumes to the community in which we live," Sargent said.
The community and school share the same goal — that students take pride in their learning space.
"I'm happy for our kids. It makes it feel better and they want to come to school every day. They want to use this space. When we're learning and focused, it's just a better place to be," Krantz said.
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