Nestled between Helena and Butte sits the tight-knit community of Basin. With a population of about 350, the town has one church, one bar and cafe, and one school.
"I felt very blessed growing up and even more as an adult that I got to go to Basin School," said Koti Tinker, a former Basin Elementary School student. "I really want that for my kids."
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However, the school's future remains uncertain.
The school board has placed Basin Elementary in non-operational status.
The lone teacher resigned, and with no teacher, no students are enrolled for the 2025-2026 school year, which is down from 8 students last fall.
"I knew there's a few parents that just felt that they could get a better education elsewhere," Tinker said.
She mentioned that the reasons behind the declining enrollment are complicated.
Tinker has three kids around elementary school age, but none of them go to school in Basin.
"It's really hard," she said. "We live right next to the school. For us not to be sending our kids to the school, I think, says something."
Tinker says another reason some parents do not send their kids to Basin is due to a lack of staff.
Two paraeducators left the school in January after an incident with a student, where they claimed they felt unsafe.
Their departure left the school with just one educator.
That, coupled with a lack of enrollment, forced the school board to make a difficult decision .
"It's kind of a no-brainer," said Scott Brock, one of the three Basin Elementary School board members. "We don't want to be in this position."
Brock took me on a tour of the 130-year-old school.
He said, "I believe it's part of the identity of Basin."
Brock says the non-operational status means the district has three years to get the school back up and running.
"It's an uphill battle, but I think that we can win," he said.
What would it take to get the school up and running again?
Brock says it would only take two students and a qualified teacher.
"Professional, qualified staff," said Tinker. "I feel like that's not too much to ask for, but that's basically what I'm looking for."
A board meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 PM to discuss the school's future.
