Caldwell School District Update

en español

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Veterans who have served our nation and to our active duty military service men and women. We are grateful for their dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to our nation, and for the selfless sacrifices to defend our freedom.

We have a special opportunity to celebrate Carrie French, who served in the US Army. Carrie was a Caldwell graduate (Class of 2004). She is described as having a "positive nature, fierce loyalty and unique ability to comfort those around her [which makes] her the embodiment of camaraderie and love." On June 5, 2005, Carrie was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in the Idaho 116th Brigade Combat team during Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is the first Idaho woman to be killed in war.

In honor of Carrie's service, The Idaho Veterans Garden will be the site of the Idaho Women Veterans Memorial, which is a bronze statue of Carrie - "honoring the camaraderie among those who served." We are grateful to Carrie French for her service to our community and to our nation.

As we remember the men and women who have served, we are thankful for the opportunity to honor those whose sacrifice has shaped the fabric of our country. Their legacy is a testament to the strength and resilience of the American spirit.

November is National American Indian Heritage Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.

We are so excited to share that Mr. Chad Maxton, math and science teacher at Syringa Middle School, has been chosen as Idaho's 7-12 STEM Teacher of the Year! Formally known as the INDEEDS Award through the Idaho STEM Action Center; it is now called the Sawtooth Educator of the Year Award.

"The commitment Mr. Maxton has to enhancing STEM opportunities for students goes to lengths most wouldn't," said Mrs. Rudan, 2022 Idaho K-6 STEM Teacher of the Year. "He will do whatever is needed for both staff members and students alike in order to encourage their dreams. He is the prime example of what a growth mindset looks like and what it can do for students."

Mr. Maxton takes on new challenges with excitement and optimism, and for decades he has been supporting STEM initiatives within our District. Mr. Maxton started the middle school PLTW and VEX robotics at our middle schools.

"I am happy to bring attention to STEM programming in our District and around the State," said Mr. Maxton. "I really feel it is something we can do to reach out to all kinds of kids and get them involved in something that could lead to a great career."

Congratulations Mr. Maxton! You are making a tremendous impact. Thank you for serving the students in the Caldwell School District.

For the 10th year in a row, Caldwell High School brought home the Outstanding Student Council Award at the annual IASC State Student Council Conference!

In addition, Caldwell Student Council leaders presented four different breakout sessions covering: Mental Health, Networking, Being an Outstanding Student Council, and Creating Culture in School.

And...our very own Toni Avelino, who serves as the IASC Region III President, helped plan and organize the conference for nearly 1,000 Idaho high school students.

"I think it's very important that we attend conferences like this and represent Caldwell. We are constantly winning awards and being proactive. I think we are making a name for ourselves." said Noely Nunez, ASB Co-President.

Go Cougars!

We had an exciting 2023 Fall Sports Season!

Congratulations to all of our fall sports teams on their successful seasons! Thank you to our student-athletes and coaches for representing Caldwell High School and the Caldwell Community.

GO COUGS!

Did you know that our boy's soccer team won the 2023 4A SIC District Championship for the third year in a row? This marks their 5th District Championship in the last six years. In addition, 11 of our Cougar soccer players were named to All-Conference teams.

The District Office and schools will be closed during Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 20-24. Enjoy the holiday, and be safe, and we look forward to seeing you on Monday, November 27, 2023.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to make you aware of the early release time on Friday, December 22, 2023:

Secondary Students will end their day at 12:00 pm

Elementary Students will end their day at 1:00 pm

Students will receive lunch before they leave school.

As the seasons change, here is a good reminder about being safe when walking to and from school:

• Leave early enough to arrive at school at least 10 minutes prior to the start of school.
• Always use public sidewalks and streets when walking to school. If there is no sidewalk, walk as far from the edge of the road as possible, facing traffic.
• We all learned as kids to “look both ways before crossing the street.” This remains important advice, for both children and adults.
• When crossing, make eye contact with drivers and always cross the street at intersections or in crosswalks.
• Parents, please teach your child to recognize and obey traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings.

U.S. Department of Justice District of Idaho Attorney Josh Hurwit has issued a letter to Idaho parents and educators warning of the growing threat of exploitation of minors via digital channels such as the internet and mobile texting. In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 32 million reports related to online sexual exploitation, an increase of 82 percent from 2021. In 2022, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received 2,304 reports of child exploitation. To raise awareness and bolster prevention efforts, two internet safety tip sheets have been made available to all families. Local education agencies are encouraged to help distribute these to parents and guardians. Both the letter and the tip sheets are available for download at the button below.

Below is a link to a video that will help teach you how to access your PowerSchool parent portal account. In addition, there are video tours on the traditional grading (9-12) and standards based grading (K-8) parent portals in PowerSchool. These videos are also available in Spanish.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires that every state establish and maintain a Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) that advises on education and related services for children with disabilities.

The responsibilities of Idaho's SEAP are, as defined in IDEA Section 1412 (a) (21):

• Advise on unmet needs within the state in the education of children with disabilities
• Comment publicly on any rules or regulations proposed by the state regarding the education of children with disabilities
• Advise on developing evaluations and reporting on data to the Secretary under section 1418 of this title
• Advise on developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports under this subchapter
• Advise on developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for children with disabilities

Parents of children with disabilities and individuals with disabilities are vital members that represent a majority of the advisory panel. Parents interested in adding their voices to this space are encouraged to apply now. Click the link below to learn more or fill out the application form at the button below.

Parents and students in Idaho can now access digital resources designed just for them, curated and maintained by the State Department of Education. The Parent Corner features a variety of practical information tailored to parents, including information on parents' rights, the Empowering Parents Program and more. Parents looking to reach out to the department directly can also access a contact guide for personalized guidance.

Students now have their own personalized webpage, created in response to a suggestion by a member of Superintendent Critchfield's Student Advisory Council. Here students can explore department programs as well as a variety of easy-to-access resources including the Idaho LAUNCH program, information on camps, competitions, specialized scholarships and more.

Families planning to apply for federal financial aid for higher education will soon have the option to use a new, streamlined version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The new "Better FAFSA" application is two-thirds shorter than its predecessor with just 36 questions compared to 108 on the old version. Because the updates to Better FAFSA are so extensive, there has been a delay in opening the application to families. This means that students and parents will have a reduced time frame to complete the application. The application window will open at the end of the year rather than its typical October 1 opening date.

Reminder: Idaho students interested in applying for the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship will need to fill out Better FAFSA in order to be eligible. The deadline to apply for the Opportunity Scholarship is March 1, 2024.

Additionally, Office of the State Board of Education staff members are offering free webinars for families interested in learning more about financial aid, Better FAFSA and state scholarship programs:

• December 7, 7:00 pm MT – Click here to register

Please reach out to your school counselor if you have more questions.

"Apply Idaho" is a free, common application platform for up to 10 in-state colleges. Open October through June, this application is ONLY available to current-year high school seniors. Parents and students are encouraged to review participating Idaho 2-4 year and CTE colleges, access a complete application guide and more. Students can also find information on excellent alternative options, including Idaho Job Corp, workforce training opportunities and apprenticeships.

Below are a few dates for upcoming community events happening in the Caldwell School District.

Caldwell School District cares about the health and safety of students and families in our communities. Each school has a full-time nurse or health aide and counselor on staff. We also offer a wide variety of health screenings and services throughout each school year. Click the link below to view the list of services.

Destination Education is a weekly video series highlighting students and staff from around the District. Each week this segment will bring you fun and exciting news stories. You will not only hear from administrators and educators during this weekly series but from students as well. The videos will be posted to the Caldwell School District Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages every Sunday during the school year.

Do you want to make a positive difference in a student's life? Caldwell School District has several open positions.

If you know someone who would be a good fit for any of these positions, please encourage them to apply online at www.caldwellschools.org.

We provide substitute teacher training through STEDI.org.

Committed to Caldwell School District's mission, vision, and values to ensure equity and access for all students.

Email: nfrench@caldwellschools.org
Website: www.caldwellschools.org
Location: 1502 Fillmore Street, Caldwell, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 455-3300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caldwellschools.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caldwellschooldistrict/
Twitter: @CSD132Sup