The Stevensville Community
Stevensville, Montana is nestled in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley 30 miles south of Missoula and 70 miles north of the Idaho border. A small agricultural and light manufacturing community, Stevensville boasts a population of 1809 according to the 2010 census. The actual population of the area, however, is much larger as the surrounding area has been developed into small parcels and subdivisions. Due to Stevensville’s location in the center of the Bitterroot Valley, many residents live in or near the community and commute to work in Missoula and neighboring communities.
The Bitterroot Valley was the homeland to the Salish Native Americans. In the early 1830’s the Salish requested that Jesuit Missionaries be dispatched to the area due to the reputation of the missionaries work with other Native Americans in the areas of medicine, agriculture, and religion.
On September 24, 1841, Father Pierre-Jean DeSmet arrived in the location of present day Stevensville and a mission was later build by Father Ravalli. The St. Mary’s Mission stands to this day under the view of the Bitterroot Mountains and St. Mary’s Peak. With the founding of the Mission in 1841, Stevensville became what is now, “Montana’s Oldest Community.” Stevensville showcases breathtaking mountain views and easily accessible hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. With a population just under 10,000, local businesses housed in historic buildings line downtown.
The Stevensville Public Schools are located in the heart of the Stevensville Community and serve students from throughout the entire valley. Stevensville’s elementary school (K-3), middle school (4-8) and high school (9-12) all reside on the same campus with approximately 1000 students campus-wide.
The student population is growing after showing a slight downturn during the economic recession in 2008-09. The District curriculum is focused on preparing students to be productive life-long learners and generally the majority of the students pursue post high school training at the collegiate level. Currently, 84% our students plan to attend a two year college, four year university, or apprenticeship. The community also has a large number of retired military families an approximately 4% of our students plan to enlist in a military career following high school.
The schools work to adhere to all accreditation standards and are accredited by both the State of Montana and the AdvancED regional accrediting agency. Small class size and individualized attention are two of the highly attractive trademarks of the Stevensville Public Schools.
https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml