Bissell School

5955 Farm To Market Road
Whitefish, MT 59937

www.olneybissellschool.com

89 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 6th

School Overview

Bissell School is a small, rural public K-8 institution located in Whitefish, Montana, and is part of the Whitefish School District. Situated in a picturesque, remote setting along Farm to Market Road, the school serves as a quintessential example of a community-focused "frontier" or neighborhood school. Because of its size, Bissell School is able to provide a highly personalized educational environment where students benefit from smaller class sizes and close, multi-year relationships with their teachers and peers.

The school is well-regarded for providing a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that emphasizes foundational academic skills while integrating the unique culture of the Flathead Valley. By maintaining a smaller student population, the faculty can offer individualized attention that helps foster student growth and engagement. For families in the Whitefish area, Bissell School offers a distinct alternative to larger urban or suburban campuses, prioritizing a nurturing environment that encourages both academic success and a strong sense of community belonging.

Total Students

6.4

Full-Time Teachers

13.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

32.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Bissell School
Demographic	Student Count
White	84
Hispanic	2
Two or More	3

White
84 (94.4 %)
Two or More
3 (3.4 %)
Hispanic
2 (2.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Olney-Bissell Elem
Phone:	(406)862-2828
Website:	http://www.olneybissellschool.com
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 6th
Total Students:	89
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	6.4
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	29
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 14

Grade 1 13

Grade 2 13

Grade 3 11

Grade 4 17

Grade 5 7

Grade 6 14